Originally Posted by
Hezz
Most likely the problem is that your face and body are not yet climatized to the cold weather. I realize some winter bike riders have sensitive faces (to the cold). But I don't think there is any risk of frostbite unless there is a blood circulation problem.
+1
And one of the reasons why people think they are sensitive to the cold is because they aren't climatized to it. Most people live in a warm house, travel to work in a warm vehicle of some sort, work in a warm building, and return to their warm house by means of a warm vehicle. They never get outside for extended periods of time to get used to the cold.
Even if it is -10C, or -15C, or -20C or colder, I encourage people to get outside more. Go for a walk at lunch when the sun is its highest ... you'll get some Vit D that way too. Walk or cycle to and from work or school. If you're in a snowy area, spend several hours outside on the weekends cross country skiing, snowshoeing, or skating. In addition to the commute, go for a ride in the evening or earlier in the morning (with lights and reflectors, of course) ... and ride lots on the weekends. You'll discover that you do get used to it, and it really isn't so bad.
Here's an example ... I am living through a chilly Australian winter which, for me, backed onto a Canadian winter. In the past year I've experienced 46 days above 15C, 13 days of those were above 20C, and 1 of those days was above 25C.
The outdoor temperatures here in this part of Australia have been anywhere from about -1C to +10C (50F) for months now ... since before I arrived in June. The cabin where Rowan and I live is not well heated, and although we've been working on the insulation ... it's better than it was ... the indoor temperature has reached around 15C (59F) by the middle of the day since before I got here in June. There have been several mornings where it was about 4C or 5C (40F) in here when I got up. Our toilet block, however, is not heated or insulated so if it is 0C outside, it is 0C in there. So, for most of the past 4 months, I've been living in temps below 15C indoors and out. And before I came to Australia, while I was still in Canada, it was that chilly and colder outside, where I spend quite a bit of my time, for most of the past year.
Now, when I'm in temperatures above 20C (68F), I'm sweltering. What used to be considered "room temperature" is now too hot. 15C is a nice comfortable room temperature for me.
As it starts to warm up here ... soon, I hope because I would like to experience some warmer temperatures at some point again ... I will likely gradually climatize to the warmer temperatures.
But you've got to experience the temperatures ... spend lots of time in those temperatures ... in order to adjust to them. And most people can adjust to them. The body is remarkably adaptable.