Fifty Plus (50+) - Does cold = slower or is it just time off the bike

Between work and weather I hadn't had much time to ride over the past month. In fact I hadn't been on the bike for a little over 3 weeks. Went out yesterday and today and felt like a total slug. Did about 20 miles each day, and admit I felt a little better today than yesterday, but I didn't think I would loose so much of my conditioning in such a short period of time. I do have to admit that I was feeling the cold quite a bit, especially my toes, and their was a wicked wind blasting here yesterday - about 20 mph! But today I averaged under 13mph in my loops of the park, and at the end of the summer I was 2 mph faster. Sorry for my rant on this.

I'm always slower in the winter. It may just be the time of year, period of training or perhaps that colder air is more dense and offers higher resistance. I don't worry about it. Whatever it is, as long as I put the time in at the proper effort I will be riding well come the warmer weather.

Colder weather and extra layers will always slow me dowm. Plus a couple of weeks off the bike will mean a couple more rides before you get back into riding.

Don't worry too much and just pray for an early warm spring.

With more clothes you are less aerodynamic and cold air is more dense which does equal some higher wind resistance / drag.

I work way harder in the winter since I have to deal with snow, slush, and ice and ride heavier bikes that are better suited for that type of weather but when spring hits I figure that I will be a stronger rider than ever.

My last rides before the layoff, were also cold, and I was wearing even bulkier jackets. On my last ride before this week I wore a lightweight neoprene and fleece ski jacket and I was cold from the waist down and overheating from the waist up. FWIW I got a real nice Assos Airjack jacket from Santa and it's amazing the warmth you get for the weight. I did feel less bulked up on these last two rides because of that jacket! With any luck I'll get out to ride tomorrow morning before leaving for work.

I'm observing the same effect. My riding has been sporadic since the loss of daylight saving time. I'm at the Louisiana residence now and have been able to do a couple of rides, but it just barely broke 40 degrees on yesterday's ride. I believe air density has an effect, more clothing (cycle specific or not) has an effect, and a lower frequency of rides has an effect. Just be happy you were able to get out and ride.

We discussed this on another forum and this website article was posted with a lot of info on slower biking in cold weather. http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm

We do a Friday morning ride year round and always see the average speed drop a couple MPH during the colder weather:(

Don't worry about it. Just keep riding.

I used to do some cross-country ski racing and biathlon. I found that it was always harder for me to get going in colder temperatures; I always did worse in xc ski racing than in bike racing. Could be apples and oranges, but I remember doing bike races in Mexico and Guatemala, and I always did well in really hot weather.

I read the icebike article, and I think there is a more fundamental reason why we go slower in cold weather. My theory is that since energy production in our bodies is a chemical reaction, temperature has a strong effect on the speed of this reaction. I would think that the chemistry that converts ATP to ADP in the presence of oxygen would be affected by ambient temperature. I also think it is possible to train the body to be more efficient at colder temperatures, and I think this explains why some guys were just way faster xc ski racers than I was. I remember one guy I raced against had been on the German Olympic Nordic combined team (ski jumping and xc ski racing). We were racing at about minus 6 degrees Celsius, and he didn't even have gloves on. He finished first; I was third. My hands know when it is below 0 degrees C; they freeze.

- L.

I thought it was just me.

I'm about 1.5 - 2.0 mph slower right now than in the summer. Passed a guy on the trail the other day and he asked "are you slower in the cold weather"? I told him I thought it was just me.

Definitely slower in the cold.

I've been off the bike for 6 weeks and today was my first to ride again. I did 13 miles and also noticed my speed much slower than during the summer. So the winter might hamper an individual's performance this time of the year. It was sunny, in the low 40's and no ice/snow on the road and MUP so I took the opportunity to get on the saddle. It felt great that I wanted to ride again tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

It's getting to be the time of year when the trainer is set up all week and the bike only get outdoors on weekends. Too dark Too cold. Not enought daylight time to get in rides in AM or PM. Trainer is boring.

Your observation is correct. Last ride was at least 1-2 mph slower than when it is warmer. Extra clothing and also consider your body is not only propelling your bike but energy is being used to keep youself warm.

I was going to ride the other day and looked out the rear bedroom widow and the truck bed was a solid bed of ice. Nope.

Do not forget that cold weather also makes grease in your bearings stiffer, the rubber in your tires less flexible, and may even change close tolerances on moving parts. All of these things must be overcome by your muscle power.

I also know from experience that cold body parts make you move more slowly. If you can stay comfortably warm, you will be a little faster in the winter than otherwise.

Well the effect of denser air on drag would seem to be pretty slight. Remember Charles' and Boyle's Laws?
Standard Temperature and Pressure is 273.15 degrees kelvin which is 0 degrees centigrade. Normal temperature is something like 298 degrees kelvin. So that is only about an 8% increase or an 8% decrease in density. I don't think that the difference would be that noticeable.

In my recollections of riding in the winter in Michigan, I found riding at lower than 15 degrees F to be not worth doing. I found that I did not get a good workout. The wind chill just got too fierce to tolerate and I kept backing off. I think this exposure problem is more of the cause of slowing down. Secondarily, I think multiple layers of clothes make one a bit less able to move freely and that robs you of power. Thirdly, you just might be out of shape it being winter and all. Finally, I found myself thinking that "what more do you want? you are out here" so I did not really put out for performance.

No one has picked up on the fact that cold causes your muscles to use energy at a higher rate.

Here's one article to get your interest up.
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0905.htm

You will be slower in colder weather. Heart rate is higher due to keeping the body warm plus the added clothing. However by riding in this cooler stuff you'll be even faster when it warms up. It is a great, great time of the year to do some slower base mile training.

Of course if you live in southern CA with the minimal temperature modulation you really don't have an excuse for slower results!!!

Marathon runners like cool temps and cloudy but definitely not cold temps. There must be some optimum body temperature.

OK, got out yesterday, it was in the low 50's. One less layer but felt a bit overheated in the winter gear, and yes I rode faster! Almost to where I was in October when I was still riding 60+ miles per week. With any luck I'll get some more miles in tomorrow and Monday morning, and if there is no snow then also on New Years day. After that I have a feeling most of my time will be spent on the trainer until things warm up again.

You will be slower in colder weather. Heart rate is higher due to keeping the body warm plus the added clothing. However by riding in this cooler stuff you'll be even faster when it warms up. It is a great, great time of the year to do some slower base mile training.

Of course if you live in southern CA with the minimal temperature modulation you really don't have an excuse for slower results!!!

I don't know what you mean by minimal temperature modulation in SoCal. My morning rides in the summer are at about 80 or 90 degrees. Rides today are in the 30's to mid 50's, with an occasional 20's in the mix. That makes any where from around 30 degrees minimum to an extreem of up to 60 degrees between summer and winter. What is the temperature difference from summer to winter where you live?

Sometimes as much as 100degf. We do have days at 100 in the summer and we do have below 0 temperatures in the winter. Do I ride in that cold.....no. I do ride in the heat though.