Mountain Biking - How many of you winter ride?

How many of you ride in the winter? This will be my first winter as a rider and i want to continue to ride, but i was wondering how many of you ride in the cold and the snow? In my area the temps average in the 30's and snow is steady. Am i crazy for considering winter riding?

I ride in the winter and it can get/usually is colder than 30s here. I wouldn't say that you are crazy, but I would say that those that don't get to experience riding in the snow are missing out.

oh geez, if it was that warm here I would ride through the winter no problem. Thats my riding temp right now and I have been riding rather constantly.

I am no winter rider either, once the pow hits, I don't bring the bike out. I think you are crazy for considering that temp winter riding, not the fact that you want to ride :)

Under 45 (7C) the cold hurts my lungs so much that I can't do any training or climbing. I can only go for easy rides. I wonder if everyone has similar problem.

I dont like the wind burn on my face. But I still do it:D

I ride until;

1. There is too much snow on the trails

2. There is ice on the trails


Some winters you get little snow and make out allright. The past couple in the northeast have been terrible. Thats when its time to break out the Snow shoes and the XC skis

I will be riding but I will spend most of my time on the road bike. When on the mountain bike I will primarily stay on the fire roads. I would rather have relatively boring rides than to do permanent damage to the trails.

Last mornings ride started at -4C, it was great. Was nice and warm after a couple minutes on the bike. I wish I could ride trails after the snow falls, but it would be next to impossible here, snow too deep, not enough riders to keep the trails packed.

Regarding real winter riding, I stay on my bike year round for transportation to and from work, through snow drifts, -30C (and below), dodging cars sliding on the ice, sometimes it gets the addrenaline flowing more than mountain biking! :D

Well, when mid December rolls around and the skies are clear and the temps are in the high 60's to low 70's I think of ya'll and laugh :p

Actually, I prefer to ride in extream temps weather hot or cold. riding in the snow is a blast and if I had to do it all winter I would if it was not more then 1' or 2' deep. Makes it tough when your cranks are under the surface of the snow ;)

Just go out and enjoy the weather. Have fun. :D

DBD:beer:

No, you aren't crazy for considering winter riding. I ride all year long and have for a very long time. There are adjustments to be made however. (For lots more comprehensive information look at the Winter forum)

Clothing: You will need warm clothes. It's a fact. How much you need depends on how cold it is and how long you are going to be out. Be aware that you will not need as many extra layers as you might think you need. If you are warm when you step out of the house, you will be too warm when you get going. Start cold, end warm.

The clothing that you need is different from what I, or anyone else, needs. The deal ender for me is when my feet get cold. I have a friend who can't ride if his hands get cold. Some people can't stand having a cold head. It all depends on the individual.

Temperature is also a factor. I can comfortably ride down to around 15F. At that point it just becomes too painful. There are lots of other crazy people out there who don't stop at -15F. Maybe they have lungs of steel or maybe it's that their air has more moisture in it (Colorado is pretty dry and dry air is damned cold!)

Wet: Depending on where you live, you may be riding in wet conditions. Don't ride trails when they are wet! Especially if there is a chance they might freeze because ruts are forever! Where I live, I'll still be kicking up a dust cloud even in January so I don't have to worry as much about it as other people do but I still stay off the trails if it has snowed and started to melt.

Snow and ice are slippery. Be careful about riding on them unless you like to crash. Snow and ice also clog your drivetrain. Cables get balky and derailers won't shift. Leaving your bike in a cold garage rather than a warm house can help because the bike is the same temperature as outside.

Also, if you are wet, you risk hypothermia. If you ride in the wet use fenders and clothing to keep from freezing.

Light: The sun goes down early in the winter. Really early. Pay attention to time and be off the bike by dark or get good lights...not some cheap little flashlight ... but good lights! And keep them charged! I ride both mornings and evenings (commuting to work) and I've observed a little known fact - it gets dark when the sun goes down ;)

Go. Have fun. Be warm (but not too warm). Watch the clock. Stay dry.

Nope, I wouldn't consider you crazy, since I was planning my winter riding yesterday while on late afternoon ride.

I rode 3-4 times a week until Jan 22 of this past winter, as long as the temp allow the trails to remain clear of ice, I will ride. Too much ice makes it way to dangerous to ride, zero traction is a condition to be experiecned.

I have ridden at temps down to 18 degrees, many of those rides after dark with full lighting. It is a really unique experiece to ride at night, snow falling and the lights reflecting of the snow already on the ground, I can hardly wait.

I will ride in the winter as long as the temp. is in the 20's F. or above. There is plenty of cold weather gear avalable to keep you comfortable if you choose to venture out during the cold weather months.

In california, it wont ever get below 60f at most.

Winter riding is great. You're not crazy.

i would love to ride in the winter. i think i am going to try it a couple time. but i snowboard on weekends, most of them since there are only several solid months of good snowboarding weather.(i cant wait) and it gets dark too early to get any time of riding in. plus the extra money to buy non bulky jackets and all that other cycling stuff.

Your not crazy, you just wanna ride. I dont ride in the winter for many reasons-

-We usually have too much snow to ride
-If its not snowing, we are having an ice storm, (not on my top 10 times to ride)
-The weather is very unpredictable here, just 2 weeks ago it was close to 80 degrees and sunny, then the next day it was raining and about 40 degrees out, imagine what winters are like
-When its so cold that when you try to wipe the snow off your ATV plastics and the plastics snap, you dont feel like riding much.
-Towards spring we dont have snow on the ground, we have black mush
-Im too busy skiing, hunting, ATVing, sugaring and snowmobiling

Studded tires work great on ice. A couple people on here mentioned that it is too dangerous, but with properly studded tires you will be amazed at how and where you can ride with no trouble. I used to have a rule that I wouldn't go out below 20F. Then one day it got below that and i rode. Found out that it was not big deal.

I have ridden many times below 0F with no troubles. Usually the only limitation is frozen water bottles. AFter about 1 hour in below zero temps, the water simply freezes despite precautions against it. Don't psych yourself out before you even try it. Of course it sounds bad, but it isn't. I am a whimp and i ride daily clear through the winter. I am usually on the bike for an hour and one a half or two hours depending on conditions.

I ride year round, no matter the temp. 17ºF w/ 20mph winds is the coldest so far for me. The snow (which we don't get too much of) is the deciding factor. I can only ride in "up to" about 4" of it...

I dont like the wind burn on my face. But I still do it:D

I live 1 hour north of you. You have warmer winters there. What windburn? From your 5 days of cold weather? ;)

Well, when mid December rolls around and the skies are clear and the temps are in the high 60's to low 70's I think of ya'll and laugh :p

Actually, I prefer to ride in extream temps weather hot or cold. riding in the snow is a blast and if I had to do it all winter I would if it was not more then 1' or 2' deep. Makes it tough when your cranks are under the surface of the snow ;)

Just go out and enjoy the weather. Have fun. :D

DBD:beer:

Funny while watching all those hurricanes rolling through, we weren't laughing. Latitude effects attitude.

I will ride in any temp. on the MTB but when it hits the 20s I won't take the road bike.

When we get winter precipitation here, it's usually sleet. Not exactly a bike friendly precip.

Leaving your bike in a cold garage rather than a warm house can help because the bike is the same temperature as outside.

Awe darnit. I wanted to bring it in everyday... :(

I ride all year. the only thing that stops me is illness, injury or poor trail condition. the coldest I rode last year was 19 deg. F when we set out and thats only because that was the coldest it got in the day last year, but that was the high for the day and we rode till sundown. the wind was blowing very hard , we were in an open field riding on a military base, I had a sinus infection and my water froze in my deuter hydro pak. that is the only time I can think of where I wish Id have stayed home. I wasnt cold, just miserable from the sinus infection and no way to get a drink of water.
when it gets below 25 the trails freeze here so you can ride even normally wet trails and are SUPER fast and fun but beware of sudden warm ups as they make the trails super sloppy.
if you want to ride in winter, go for it. dress in layers that wick moisture , get some toe booties($20 or more depending on brand),wool socks($5 and up), a headgator($10 at A&N), and some good thin insulated gloves( $25 and up) or glove liners($3 at A&N) for your regular gloves. these are all dependent on how well you acclimate to the cold. I work in it so unless its below 30F I dont wear most of the affore mentioned, I dont even break out the long riding pants and long sleeve jerseys until it gets down in the 40s, then I wear a pair of tights( $17 Target) on top of my riding shorts, and a long sleeve jersey( $10 Old Navy) on top of a base layer T ( $ 12 at Kohls for Reebok)
all the prices are there to give you an idea of how much winter riding can cost and are regular prices I have found. if you look on the discount rack you can save A LOT more
hope this helps

Luckily for me I live in a place where the temp does indeed drop to about -20C in January but there is almost no snow in winter. Awesome trails and almost no riders. They're too scared. I love it. Break out the windstopper and insulated jerseys, no problem. Wahoooo!!!

In california, it wont ever get below 60f at most.

What?!?

Do you have some kind of online Tourette's Syndrome or something that makes you post random bits of absolute nonsense?

California is big and has these things called "mountains" that get covered with this cold stuff called "snow" in the Winter so yes it does get below 60f.

Example of that "snow" stuff in California in those "mountain" thingies:

http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/squaw.jpg


Heck, it was lower than 60f in your town last night (and for parts of today) and below 50f and foggy during my commute into work today.

Winter riding in the Bay Area can be in the 20s early in the morning in many places. You can even find micropockets of melting snow if your timing is right.

http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/microsnow.jpg

ACk! Read where Im from!! I dont mean all of california lol.. Yes bay area can get 50f but my point was it doesn't snow or get really cold at all. Yea when I went into sf today the fog was terrible, man I wish the sun would come out. :mad:

Yes bay area can get 50f but my point was it doesn't snow or get really cold at all.

So now it's "can get" 50f? The average Winter temperature in SF is 50f...

It does snow around the Bay Area (see second pic above) and it does periodically get "really cold" in the Bay Area in the Winter. Mid-twenties and dry or mid thirties (significantly colder than 50f) with mixed rain and sleet is cold riding for me.

So now it's "can get" 50f? The average Winter temperature in SF is 50f...

It does snow around the Bay Area (see second pic above) and it does periodically get "really cold" in the Bay Area in the Winter. Mid-twenties and dry or mid thirties (significantly colder than 50f) with mixed rain and sleet is cold riding for me.

You have some kind of inferiority complex. Post a couple more weak pictures of you riding your bike. I gave you the benefit of the doubt in the "post you rigs" thread, but now you bring it here?

Studded tires work great on ice. A couple people on here mentioned that it is too dangerous, but with properly studded tires you will be amazed at how and where you can ride with no trouble. I used to have a rule that I wouldn't go out below 20F. Then one day it got below that and i rode. Found out that it was not big deal.

I have ridden many times below 0F with no troubles. Usually the only limitation is frozen water bottles. AFter about 1 hour in below zero temps, the water simply freezes despite precautions against it. Don't psych yourself out before you even try it. Of course it sounds bad, but it isn't. I am a whimp and i ride daily clear through the winter. I am usually on the bike for an hour and one a half or two hours depending on conditions.

Have you tried vacuum insulated bottles at that temperature?
Thermos (and many others) make a variety of stainless vacuum insulated sports bottles. They keep your water from freezing all day long at about 15 f and up. Thermos sells them on line. The ones I have are just a little narrower than regular bottles. Instead of squeezing in my bottle cages I found some cheap foam bottles covers that make the diameter just right for normal bottle cages.

I live 1 hour north of you. You have warmer winters there. What windburn? From your 5 days of cold weather? ;)

Lol oh whatever!

of course
all winter long

You have some kind of inferiority complex. Post a couple more weak pictures of you riding your bike. I gave you the benefit of the doubt in the "post you rigs" thread, but now you bring it here?

LOL! If thinking that makes you feel better about yourself, I'm happy for you.

It's simple. Someone made another ridiculous claim about California that is at odds with my experience, so I replied.

Which part of "discussion forum" are you struggling with brown?

Here's another weak picture of mr riding my bike as requested. Enjoy!


http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/wf.jpg

You Americans and west-coasters and your lack of snow!

ha!

Who will be laughing when I'm shovelling 2 feet off my drieveway? Who!?

*cries*

LOL! If thinking that makes you feel better about yourself, I'm happy for you.

It's simple. Someone made another ridiculous claim about California that is at odds with my experience, so I replied.

Which part of "discussion forum" are you struggling with brown?

Here's another weak picture of mr riding my bike as requested. Enjoy!


http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/wf.jpg

WOW!!!!!

ps: Brown?

I will try this winter in MN, I expect it will be well below 0F. I have done some winter riding in the past but I am a bit of a cold weather buff and I like to try and endure the pain.

If you start wussing out then read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer- it is about a tragedy in 1996 during an Everest climb, but just to read about what it is like on the mountain and what those guys put up with has helped me push in the past when I start thinking I have reached the limit.

LOL! If thinking that makes you feel better about yourself, I'm happy for you.

It's simple. Someone made another ridiculous claim about California that is at odds with my experience, so I replied.

Which part of "discussion forum" are you struggling with brown?

Here's another weak picture of mr riding my bike as requested. Enjoy!


http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/wf.jpg



no snow? it looks like Va. in the early fall in that pic. ha ha. I hate snow but hate ICE worse

Justsomeguy is mad at me for making fun of him in that other thread, now hes going to follow me and contradict all my posts. I have no idea what the exact temperature is in ssf, I dont have a freaking thermometer(or whatever the hell its called) hanging on my neck all the time. My point was, where I live it never gets terribly cold but once in a while during the winter. Ive never seen the weather get 20 or 30 degrees very often in south san francisco. You want to keep arguing about the exact temperature in ssf?

Wow, I thought that top pic was one of them thar canion fars....

Beautiful sunset.

well you know, it gets pretty rough here in the phoenix area in the winter. i mean jeez, it gets down to like 60 degrees sometimes. i can barely stand to go outside when its that cold let alone go riding....hahahaha

all kidding aside, you should try to ride here in the SUMMER!!! friggen 120 degrees of hell

Keith

Here the summer lasts 5 months. 90's - 100's, no wind, 80,000% humidity.

One thing i can never do is ride with jeans! They always get tangles in the chain ring and gets all greasy. I'll stick with my swesome black cargo shorts! :D

I would be crazy if i winter rode because it gets at its worse to about -40 degrees C and at best between december and march -5 C and on top of that there is ussually like a foot of snow. but in your case, 135crewchief, its not that bad as long as you dress warm!!!

I'm going to try my P.1 for winter trailriding this year. Its my only bike with discs, and a 2.3 downhill tire should hook up pretty well in the snow, I would imagine. I rode all winter last year, coldest was just around -2. A pair of the Specialized Subzero gloves, mid weight thermal vest and a light thermal jersey and I'm set.

Justsomeguy is mad at me for making fun of him in that other thread, now hes going to follow me and contradict all my posts.


You're confusing anger with amusement. At least you're consistent. Consistently confused that is.

p.s. How is you posting a bunch of goofy very confused comments, telling people to "grow some balls" and then deleting all of your posts (grow some balls indeed) "making fun" of someone?



I have no idea what the exact temperature is in ssf,


That's incredibly obvious at this point. It's also obvious that you have are especially clueless about the climate that you live in.



You want to keep arguing about the exact temperature in ssf?

What would the point be? You've already shown that you don't know what the hell you're writing about.

Who will be laughing when I'm shovelling 2 feet off my drieveway? Who!?Me.



*cries*:D

Regarding the exact weather in ssf, please do NOT continue that discussion with further personal insults. Thank you.

Regarding the topic, two words to 135crewchief: studded tyres. Give it a go, you'll enjoy it!

--J

well you know, it gets pretty rough here in the phoenix area in the winter. i mean jeez, it gets down to like 60 degrees sometimes. i can barely stand to go outside when its that cold let alone go riding....hahahaha

...then you should have no trouble identifying the picture posted above that was taken in January, in Phoenix.

Brutal Winter weather.

nof3

Click on justsomeguy's name, goto view profile and look near the bottom of the left hand column of his profile. Click on ad to my ignore list and just ignore him. Its inherent some people just don't get along, if you don't see his posts you won't have to worry about what he says to you :)

Im just going to say one last thing. Thought Id post the average highs and average lows for ssf california through the winter so there is no arguement.

October 70-52
November 62-48
December 56-43
January 56-43 Source: Weather.com

I wasn't exactly correct on the weather, which I stated before because I never watch the weather. But like I said, It never gets too cold.

Thx mael I allready did that.

43 is the coldest. Sheesh thats like +6c...oh how that would be a great winter temp :)