Northern California - East Bay...What's up with all the jackets and leg warmers???

First off, have fun with this. I'm not trying to start a flame war or "trolling"...I'm just having fun.

But anyway...what's up with everyone in the east bay riding with the winter jackets, and leg warmers and arm warmers and beanie caps? I've been riding around lately, and it seems like so many cyclists are wearing winter gear when it's like 70 degrees outside! My computer has a semi-accurate thermometer, and this weekend, it was mid 60's to low 70's all weekend (mid day), but still everyone is dressing like it's 35 degrees!

I'm a skinny cyclist, but I'm more than comfortable in shorts and short sleeves. Why does everyone around here ride like it's winter in Colorado??? :p

Maybe they are cold. Not everyone is the same.

I started out this morning with arm warmers and a jacket. Finished up with the arm warmers and jacket in my jersey pockets. Maybe some can't be bothered to remove the warm clothes.

Hey, it can still be pretty cold in the shaded valleys. I kept arm and knee warmers on during my whole ride yesterday. Even had a baselayer with a front wind barrier under my jersey.

We're Californians .... plus, I got used to wearing knee warmers and leg warmers. My vest turns into a fanny pack, so it's not a big deal if I bring it ... I have some place to stash it.

We're Californians ....

Bingo! :)

I always wonder what folks in other parts of the country thinks of us :p

Maybe they are cold. Not everyone is the same.

You are not allowed to be cold at 70 degrees and sunny!

Hey, it can still be pretty cold in the shaded valleys. I kept arm and knee warmers on during my whole ride yesterday. Even had a baselayer with a front wind barrier under my jersey.

To be fair, last Saturday, coming down Diablo I was pretty farkin' cold, even though it was probably 65 degrees...I only had the "secret" windstopper, a Tyvek mailing envelope.

But this weekend it was pretty nice, except for Pinehurst...always cool in there.

Hee hee, I often find myself wondering the same thing.

But then, I'm one of those dorks who swings to the opposite extreme: I ride without a shirt whenever I can. :P

90% agree with ya there, but I do find that weather can vary a lot across the coastal range. Pinehurst/Canyon roads can easily be 10 degrees cooler than outside the canyon. Some of my coldest rides have been in June when, after sweating up Tunnel road, I dropped down Pinehurst without extra layers. Lots of sweat + 25mph descent + 10 deg cooler in the redwoods = holy crap!

Lots of folks riding outside for the first time this season, I bet. Their blood is thin from spinning at the gym all winter.

Just getting ready for winter. As a reminder of what's ahead:

Mark Twain quote
"The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco."

To be fair, last Saturday, coming down Diablo I was pretty farkin' cold, even though it was probably 65 degrees...I only had the "secret" windstopper, a Tyvek mailing envelope.

But this weekend it was pretty nice, except for Pinehurst...always cool in there.

right there with you brother. summited at 11:30 and was breathing frost. was glad i had the clothes on that i did and wished for more. but comfortable back down on the lowlands.

I'm always cold in the morning and then I have to ride down a hill from my home; I'm freezing at the bottom.

under 65 is bad for the knees. knee warmers don't really get too hot either.

Lots of folks riding outside for the first time this season, I bet. Their blood is thin from spinning at the gym all winter.

i.e. They're wusses ;)

Last two weekend's have been mid 70s, so I've been in my summer gear.
It's still wicked cold on my morning commute though.

Lots of folks riding outside for the first time this season, I bet. Their blood is thin from spinning at the gym all winter.

We have winter here???

We have winter here???

Lemme guess, you're not a native. ;)

If you saw me, it's because I started at 7ish in the morning; ...and it was cold then. I'll often start with full-on gloves and a skullcap, start shedding about 11am, but the windbreaker is the last to go.

Went for a ride yesterday around noon with arm warmers, long fingered gloves on and my light jacket in my back pocket. I'm glad I brought that with me cuz as I descended Old La Honda it was COLD. Also the tail wind was so cold that I kept my light jacket on while cruising down middlefield at 3:30 pm. This Spring feels a lot more like Winter if you ask me.

If you saw me, it's because I started at 7ish in the morning; ...and it was cold then. I'll often start with full-on gloves and a skullcap, start shedding about 11am, but the windbreaker is the last to go.

All kidding aside, that's what I generally think. I'm a lazy fark on weekends. I don't get going until around 10. All you early birds out at 7...I know it's still cold then.

Lemme guess, you're not a native. ;)

Heck yeah! Born in Concord, raised in Clayton. My point is that our winters consist of a little rain, and temps in the low 40's. Brrrrrr!!! :p

Although this year we had a nice cold snap in early December...coldest ride of my life, 35 degrees was the warmest it got all ride. But come on, 35 degrees? If you live in Minnesota or something, 35 degrees is a nice warm winter day!

I worked with a bunch New Yorkers for a while and they used to laugh at me for wearing sweaters to work because they kept the A/C around 60 (I do not exaggerate). I don't wear leg warmers or tights, so long as my chest is warm. Yeah, the rest of the country thinks we are a bunch of wimps, but we can console ourselves because we live in California and they do not.

Bingo! :)

I always wonder what folks in other parts of the country thinks of us :p

I moved here from Maine 6 months ago, both there and here, my primary transport mode to/from work is the bicycle. In Maine I only rode in warm weather (over 0F), and generally considered 45 the point at which I would wear shorts and a short sleeve jersey (possibly with arm and leg warmers). When I got to CA and saw the way people bundle up to ride, I found it quite amusing. My basic method for keeping comfortable is to adjust how hard I work depending on how I am dressed and what the weather is like. If it feels cold, just pedal harder and you will warm up quickly.

I moved here from Maine 6 months ago, both there and here, my primary transport mode to/from work is the bicycle. In Maine I only rode in warm weather (over 0F), and generally considered 45 the point at which I would wear shorts and a short sleeve jersey (possibly with arm and leg warmers). When I got to CA and saw the way people bundle up to ride, I found it quite amusing. My basic method for keeping comfortable is to adjust how hard I work depending on how I am dressed and what the weather is like. If it feels cold, just pedal harder and you will warm up quickly.

You must be my brother from another mother :lol:. Though I have never lived in other states, I knew people thought that about us! Hell, I thought that about us!

On a cool day, yeah, I start off cold, but in 10 minutes I'm warmed up and would hate to ride for another 2 or 3 hours with all these jackets and warmers to carry around. Just ride harder!

Those of you who are advising riding harder, have you gone on rides up in the mountains? There can easily be a 30 degree difference between the bottom and the top. And it's hard to ride harder when you are descending at 35 mph without pedaling.

One ride last year I started out in the morning at ~45F (by my home) and ended up at 100F in the afternoon (on the coast).

This forum got me thinking and I went out in a light jersey and shorts yesterday. I think the temp ranged between 55-65 with light rain (riding from Walnut Creek to Dublin and back). I didn't feel cold, except when the the wind kicked up and when it did I pedaled harder, so it quickly balanced out. I got a lot of looks from other cyclist who were either in rain gear or wearing tights and jackets, but I was actually fairly comfortable. I think cold is a state of mind, that said 45 degrees with short is just asking for hypothermia. Also, I should qualify that I am a fat a** and I have a lot more "padding" around my middle than most cyclists, which is why I don't usually wear lycra, but figured I would give it a shot the other day because there wouldn't be that many cyclist out. For those of you who saw me, I will be going back to mountain bike shorts, so you can open your eyes again.

Those of you who are advising riding harder, have you gone on rides up in the mountains? There can easily be a 30 degree difference between the bottom and the top. And it's hard to ride harder when you are descending at 35 mph without pedaling.

One ride last year I started out in the morning at ~45F (by my home) and ended up at 100F in the afternoon (on the coast).

Yep. On a few occasions this winter I get to Skyline and it's damp/raining, cold and quite miserable, get back to Woodside and it's sunny, nice and warm.

You'll probably see me decked out head to toe in arm warmers, toe warmers, leg warmers and other "too-warm" clothing. But keep in mind:

1) I start at sunrise (6:30AMish), and it's usually 40-50F, even when it gets up to 70F by noon.

2) When you see me at 11AM or noon, I've been riding for 5-6 hours. When you're on the bike that long, the last thing you want is to be underdressed and shivering - that can get dangerous. On rides <2hrs, I can just suffer it out no problem, but at 5-6 hours, you're talking dangerous chill, especially when you're wet.

3) Lots of cyclists do the local climbs. The temp difference at the top and bottom can be over 30 degrees, not including weather effects. From experience - it majorly sucks to be dressed for 75F, then go bombing through a valley where there's no sun, a fiece wind, and the temps have dropped to 40s.

I've learned the hard way from having to abort long rides several times because I was too cold that I really have to err on the warmer side. Particularly for the longer rides where I'm out for awhile.

Ok people...my computer said 83 degrees today. And I still saw some guys with the vests on. One person had tights on as well...

Some of you guys are weird!! :D

Ok people...my computer said 83 degrees today. And I still saw some guys with the vests on. One person had tights on as well...

Some of you guys are weird!! :D

Meh, who cares.

You are not allowed to be cold at 70 degrees and sunny!

Why not? Try living in Southern California some time. Wake up in the morning and go outside where it's 65-70 and it's absolutely freezing as ridiculous as it may sound. People are out walking around with Goretex and fleece or shivering and teeth chattering if not. When daytime temps hit 115 to 120 during the day, 70 is COLD.