Winter Cycling - First Time in 40 Deg F

Ok - so thats not that cold, but I am new to this. Some comments I thought of while out this morning:

1. I used a 'Hannibal Lector' mask so that it would keep my face warm and get my lungs used to the cold air gradually. It is a trigger for my asthma when I just suddenly get a cold blast of air. It worked well until I really started working, then my glasses were fogging up too much, so I slid the mask down so that my mouth was behind the nose hole (larger hole than the little holes over the mouth section). Kept my face warm, and let me get more air in.

2. Cycling wind breakers work MUCH better when the 'pit flaps' are zipped shut. Check that before you ride. Really - it keeps you much warmer :)

3. I NEED BOOTIES !!! God, I can't believe I said that. I had a hard time finding shoes for my clown feet (49) so I eagerly snapped up the first pair I could find. I BRIEFLY thought about how mesh shoes would fare in colder weather, but figured I would cross that bridge when I came to it. Well, I drove off that bridge faster than a Kennedy. I thought I would have Mount Everest toes when I got back home, but luckily no frostbite. Nashbar, justify my love and get me those booties, and i hope they fit !!! Otherwise, I will be cannibalizing wool socks.

4. Ever notice that your headlight always runs out of juice at the BEGINNING of rides ? Never at the end as you pull in your driveway.

5. One bonus of riding in cooler weather - your butt never hurts from sitting wrong on the seat. In fact, I may still be sitting on tacks and not know it. Maybe the feeling will return in the spring....

Luckily, in mild Maryland, 30 - 40 deg is most of what I will have to face this winter, and I am close to being prepared for that.

Here's a product, although a bit extreme for your purpose may be an option to consider... (I have friends I deer hunt with in mid November in Minnesota, that have used this and have asthma and say it really works!)


The PolarWrap Exchanger


"Inside every Exchanger Mask is a patented Heat Exchange Module. As the user exhales, the air leaving the mouth is directed from the mouth-port through the chambers of the Heat Exchange Module, which stores the heat and water vapor from the exhaled breath."

"When the user inhales, the cold environmental air travels through the chambers of the Heat Exchange Module, picking up heat and water vapor. When the air enters the mouth it is warm."







http://www.polarwrap.com/how.htm

You can solve your shoe problem with a temp fix. Use a thin plastic bag. Cut it off so it doesnt stick out too high over the shoe. punch some hole in for ventillation (unless its raining).
Best worn between 2 pairs of thin woolen socks.

At 40F/4C I would use a neck warmer pulled high , but probably not over my mouth unless Im doing a cold descent. You need to let the moisture escape

Cool - if I start having problems I will check it out.

So far I am ok - I am under pretty good treatment right now, and I think all the cycling this summer has helped immensely.

My problem with these types of systems is that being a big load, when I do hills, I end up sucking all the air from 2 square miles.

This massive amount of huff'n puff'n is usually restricted by masks like that.

I second the plastic bag trick-works fine for me. I use a cheap pair of Axo road shoes that are about a half-size too big for me, and put the bag between 2 socks.
Face masks? Only when it gets below zero.

Can you recommend any gloves as I dont fancy having my fingernails cracking.

Waterproof breathable Gloves... (Used by some Eco-challenge athletes). Link. ;)



http://www.sealskinz.com/

Originally posted by Cipher
Waterproof breathable Gloves... (Used by some Eco-challenge athletes). Link. ;)
http://www.sealskinz.com/


From that site -- for stateside:

We are unable to supply products to Canada, North America, South American or New Zealand. For these countries, please visit our North American Distributor at www.danalco.com (on-line ordering is available)

Can you recommend any gloves as I dont fancy having my fingernails cracking.

Maybe not for the purists in the crowd, but I bought a pair of neoprene gloves ($12.00 CDN) at Wal-Mart that seem to be ideal for cool weather cycling. I wore them while fishing on the weekend in +2C temperatures and they worked well for that purpose too!

I have a pair of these style gloves. They sure are warm (designed for ice fishing in fact), but I found my hands sweat too much.

Originally posted by pinerider


Maybe not for the purists in the crowd, but I bought a pair of neoprene gloves ($12.00 CDN) at Wal-Mart that seem to be ideal for cool weather cycling. ...


Great solution, I find, for cycling in icing rain. In drier weather, and even in snow, I find that solution could be perfect at -40°C...

Regards