General Cycling Discussion - Your Bike Season

I just thought it would be interesting to find out what everyone's biking season where they live is. Should be an interesting topic since we have people from all over, even in Finland and other foreign countries.

Anyways, back where I lived in Texas (just over 2 years ago), the season was nearly year round, we would just have a couple of days in the winter where it might be too icy, but snow and temperature were never a real threat. In Connecticut on the other hand... During the winter we have a few days where we can actually go out, so the real biking season is somewhere around April to September or October, though we just got a snow storm today! I tell you winter weather is a crazy thing!

So, what's your biking season? And don't forget to tell us where you live!

Shane

While there are some that ride all year round here, basically it starts about now, give or take, 'til the end of October/November, give or take.

In Missouri I managed to ride all this past year. During the winter, with my decision not to ride in temperatures below freezing, I had two or three stretches of a couple weeks each when it was too cold. Otherwise, I'd get out at least two or three times a week, and sometimes five or six times. Winter rides werre shorter, though.

Literally year round, with a preference for "winter". In recent times (i.e. during the worst drought in history of the universe - more than twice as bad as our second worst ever) dust storms and bushfires have kept me in on occasions. However, when things return to normal, these won't be a factor.

We're generally Mar/Apr to early Nov most years. This year, the weather has just started to get tolerable to ride. I rode in the snow on Saturday and nice weather on Sunday.

All year round for me too. No snow in Canberra, well it snows occasionally but not enough to settle for more than a couple of hours. Frost in the morning is a bit cool, -6deg C is about as cold as it gets. Summer is mostly mid to high 30deg C with very occasional 40deg C+ days. As Chris says we have just been through the worst drought since records were kept so there hasn't been too many rainy days to use as an excuse for not riding!

Basically March to November in West Virginia. I got out some in the months of December through Feb too, but some of those days were quite cold.

wisconsin - year round.

Here in Gothenburg, SWEDEN some people ride all year round. This winter we have had several weeks with temperatures dropping down to minus 10 degrees celcius. That is a littel to cold for me. We have also had more snow than other years and for longer time. I start commuting in 1 april and probably will end commuting at 31 october. Between 31 october and 1 april I take the bus. No idea freezing the butt of:p

In England, its a year-round thing. There is sometimes a week or 2 in January when its a bit too icy for cycling, and the occasional day of fog.
In the SE of the country we have very little rain, in the N and W there are some days where it rains hard and cold, but the cyclists "up north" are a hard lot.

I can deal with ice and snow, so I cycle year round. Utility cycling (groceries, errands) and purely on the road. I also commute by bike from about now until about December. My problem with the winter commute is drying my cycling clothes during the day. I can do it, if I only have like shorts & t-shirt to dry, but the layered clothing required in the winter (we had many days of -30C, without the wind chill) means more garment. We do have occasional visitors in the office, and hanging all that stuff drying for all to see would be, erm, not a good idea.

<- That's where I live.

--J

CT. From March thru Nov. is usually full time riding. Except this year. Too much snow. Used beater bike and MTB to get some miles with the snow. Snowed again last night.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "season". Is there supposed to be some time when you can't ride????
<-------------------Location

I ride year round in Florida. The only times I don't ride is when it rains. I have a bad habit of crashing on wet roads.

Same here, it's usually late march to november. Last year ,however, we had a very mild winter with little snow so it was possible to ride right through. And it was very mild right up until december, I remember going for a ride on dec 10 or 11, it was about 12 C and very damp and foggy. This winter was more like a normal winter and here too, it's just finally getting to be tolerable.

Just north of the midway point between Providence, RI & Boston, MA. I ride year round except for a couple weeks around Christmas & New Year when I'm just too busy. 6 inches (about 15cm) is my cut-off for snow depth, if more than that is predicted, I drive. Usually the next day is fine to ride. We had an exceptionally snowy winter this year, since January, I've missed 15 days due to weather.

Originally posted by Falchoon
As Chris says we have just been through the worst drought since records were kept so there hasn't been too many rainy days to use as an excuse for not riding!

I've actually lost more days because of the drought (it aint over up here yet - our water supply is still only about 43%) than I would have had it rained every day. Rain doesn't bother me - bushfire smoke and dust storms on the other hand....

Generally up here by Mt. Washington (New Hampshire) mid-April through late October for the best riding. Don't see very many bicycles from November through late May. (Come to think of it, I don't see many bicycles here, period!) When the roads are snowy and icy they are just too dangerous (too narrow! The cars & logging trucks don't have much room to share the road)... at least that's how I justify not riding in the winter.

In Miami, year 'round Baby!!! The heat can be on the dangerous side in the summer.

When I lived in Christchurch, New Zealand - Year 'round. It was wet and cold in the winter. Lots of mud on the trails :-)

the season start about the middle of April, to the 2nd week of November, if you dress warm you can still bike thru december as long as the snow is not to high,

Year-round with some limitations. Eventhough it's in a desert, Albuquerque is a mile above sea-level and does have winter. It snows from November through March. The real problem is the cold temperatures and it is necessary to bundle up when you ride. Even on the coldest days, it is still sunny and the road is usually free of ice and snow. Spring has high winds. Summer has some rain, mostly in the afternoons and the sun is particularly strong. Fall is the best time to ride.

Recreational rider
Trek Navigator 200

Pretty much all year here. The worst we get here is rain. Doesn't get too cold here. But it does get over a 100F in the summer, usually July to September. I haven't done alot of riding outside in the rain' on those I've been using the trainer. In the summer I try to ride in the morning to avoid the heat.Next winter I plan on getting rain gear and a 2nd bike that I can ride in the rain.

Aprilish to Novish depending on snow. We can ride through the winter if we just commute to the shore though. No snow on some parts down there.

here in Switzerland, it's Januar - Januar...but I'll admit to wimping out if I'm worried that cars will take me out sideways...I usually end up taking one two week haitus due to snow a winter...

Tom

In Portland, Oregon we get substantial rain 8-9 months of the year. . . but you get accustomed to the constant shower. I ride all year. The wimpier souls at my job refer to it as, "hardcore."

Year round here in Chicago's suburbs. Its not as easy or often as the rest of the year but I made it a point to not rely on the trainer during the winter.

Here the "official season" is from the Chilly Hilly ride the 3rd week in February to the Kitsap Color ride first weekend in October. But for me I am a year round rider our weather is really pretty mild, if you like rain that is.

Year round the only season is defined by which 2 bikes I ride. Summer is primarily recumbent and road bike. Snow/ice covered roads mean MTB or touring bike. Of course this is SE Ohio and very few people ride here. In a county of 15000 people, I know of 3 other adults who ride regularly.

Year round 5 days a week minimum,central ohio.I pick it up in summer for racing and stuff so I guess Ive got a season.....still ride,just ride more :D

i ride year round.. tho sleet storms have made me go on the trainer a few times this year. Also, during my busy season at work(December) i get less time outside due to 20 hour days :(
4,016 miles since Feb. 10th.
surprisingly,
there are a lot of cyclists in toronto, but the most predominate are the couriers and police on bikes... even in winter :) I love seeing suits with pant clips riding their bikes to work!
and i prefer winter to summer, only because on the lakeshore there are only a few of us silly ppl out early mornings.. in summer it is waaaaaaaaaay too crowded.

All year round here, gets a lil nasty with the wet and cold in winter but "You're Crazy" according to the kids at school gets me through. All the Secondary Schools road cycling seems to be based around the winter months to keep away from exams (got first TTT this weekend) and the larger club events etc tend to be in spring and summer. There are a few in Autumn.

Brendon
:beer: