Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - My Gatorade turned to slush

9.6 miles. I am a bit out of shape and that was tougher than it should have been. My Gatorade really slushed towards the end. 11F on the thermometer. Downhills at 30 mph got a little cold.

Things for next time: ankle and wrist warmers. Better gloves, my $9 work gloves from Home Depot are too ventilated on the backs. My top was a little overheated and sweat made me chilly when I stopped to munch my frozen Gatorade (hard to drink through a balaclava!)

My cheap-o balaclava, the Giordini Lavawool (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___26626) from Campmor.com, works awesome. Above 10 mph my sports wrap sunglasses were fog-free. If anyone has any good cold-weather tips (aside from the ubiquitous "htfu"), let's hear 'em!

Now my hands are aching as they warm up. Time for some miso soup and a turkey chimichanga.

Cannondale makes a pair of winter gloves that come with a lobster-claw-style wind cover that you can roll up and tuck in a pocket built into the glove over your hand. They're nice and toasty, and would be even warmer with liners. I paid $40 locally for mine. I think this is them:

http://brandscycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=39902

I don't know if it'll work on the v-rex but I really like to abuse using my thighs as windblockers for my hands when going down hill.

I always found glove liners were nice if you had the space. You might be able to pick up some nice fliptop mittens somewhere to go over other gloves or just plain mittens for the V-rex. In a pinch plastic bags from a grocer or the ones that the paper comes in work to keep the heat in and wind chill off of both hands and feeties (maybe help the wrist and ankles too?). That newspaper you found in the plastic bag that'll work too ;)

Hey when I'm returning the train and it is a little colder then expected you gotta use what you got which is tons of newspaper from other riders. Yummie gatorade slush I miss that.



Cannondale makes a pair of winter gloves that come with a lobster-claw-style wind cover that you can roll up and tuck in a pocket built into the glove over your hand. They're nice and toasty, and would be even warmer with liners. I paid $40 locally for mine. I think this is them:

http://brandscycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=39902
I would love that if it covered all 4 fingers my poor little pointer would freeze and I don't have brifters on my commuters anymore.

Vodka mixed with your Gatorade may lower the slush point!

Wow. And I didn't even ride today because it was 47'. Florida wuss.

Great story to tell, congrats!

My cold weather advice is becoming well documented. :roflmao2:

I really gotta get over the cold and suck it up.:twitchy:

Looking back at the OP, it's clear to me that a) my fingers weren't working well enough to type out full sentences and b) my thinking seemed a bit flighty. Fortunately I have not suffered any ill effects :)

Friday looks to be as cold but windier. If I ride it'll be a shorter trip and I'll try to fix my clothing issues for greater comfort. Work is very stressful at the moment - I'm trying to compress 3 months of work into 10 days to meet a deadline - and the riding will help keep me sane.

I have a plan for an insulated water bottle sleeve. If I have time to put it together and the right kind of trash in the company loading dock I'll be sure to post pictures.

Cannondale makes a pair of winter gloves that come with a lobster-claw-style wind cover that you can roll up and tuck in a pocket built into the glove over your hand. They're nice and toasty, and would be even warmer with liners. I paid $40 locally for mine. I think this is them:

http://brandscycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=39902

Decente makes a nice pair of lobster-claw gloves as well.

Looking back at the OP, it's clear to me that a) my fingers weren't working well enough to type out full sentences and b) my thinking seemed a bit flighty. Fortunately I have not suffered any ill effects :)

Friday looks to be as cold but windier. If I ride it'll be a shorter trip and I'll try to fix my clothing issues for greater comfort. Work is very stressful at the moment - I'm trying to compress 3 months of work into 10 days to meet a deadline - and the riding will help keep me sane.

I have a plan for an insulated water bottle sleeve. If I have time to put it together and the right kind of trash in the company loading dock I'll be sure to post pictures.

There are insulated water bottles on the market. I've used them in 35-40 degree weather, and they kept tea hot, or at least warm, for two hours.

A Gatorade slushie still sounds better than a Slurpee.

There are insulated water bottles on the market. I've used them in 35-40 degree weather, and they kept tea hot, or at least warm, for two hours.

Yeah, but that costs money :D

Yeah, but that costs money :D
Hm don't know why I didn't think of this since I had to do it when I didnt' have a bottle mount.
Just stick your water bottle down your shirt or jacket to keep it warm on the recumbent.

Hm don't know why I didn't think of this since I had to do it when I didnt' have a bottle mount.
Just stick your water bottle down your shirt or jacket to keep it warm on the recumbent.

Are you just happy to see me, or is that a Gatorade bottle in your.........oh never mind.:p

I wear glasses. If I ride in this weather, my eyes aren't happy. Is there anything I can put over my glasses to keep the cold out?

I find that a regular pair of ski gloves work for me. I'm not sure how well they work in this really cold weather, but they seem to be good to around 20 degrees.

Another tip, which I haven't tried is the "battery powered" sock. Each sock takes a a couple of batteries, and supposedly keeps your feet warm. Or maybe the hand/foot warmers that hunters use. They run about a buck a pair.

A good pair of ski gloves works well for winter riding. Cross Country skiing gaiters help nicely with the ankles and lower leg, too, and will help keep your lower leg dry.