Banzai

*whiny complaint on*

I've reached the time of year where I have to bundle for freezing temperatures in the morning, pack my work clothes, and be prepared for a balmy yet slightly cool upper 50s for the ride home. Packing for the commute becomes a logistics exercise all by itself. It also makes for some rather heavy panniers at times.

How are all my other temperate climate brethren doing? Particularly at altitude, where the pre-dawn air can bite fairly sharply.

*whiny complaint off*

hobbsc

I feel your pain. While I'm in some southern low-lands, I've been shedding clothes as they day wears on. I actually just invested in a larger messenger bag for the commute. I find that my panniers put some serious weight on the back end of the bike, and I'm just used to being more nimble in traffic.

Think about rain gear, too. It's starting to get really wet here and I need to invest in some better rain gear. We'll see how that goes. Transporting wet outer covers can be a serious pain.

cmh

Jarery

Yep, worst time of year in several aspects. One of the prettiest with autumn leaves, but horrible for temp diff between morning and afternoon commutes.

Almost need 3 sets of clothes. Couple more weeks and I wont have to worry about stuffing leg warmers, tights, arm warmers, jacket etc in my trunk bag and will be able to wear them home

Miles2go

Same same here, Mr. Diamond Back.

Then again, I work outta building 120 so we have the same weather. Though I have the joy of Weber Canyon gales and the flying debris that comes with it. Only in Utah would they place a massive dirt and gravel pit between a constant wind source and a major thoroughfare. My favorite rant.

I hear ya on the two seasons in one day's riding. Even when I ride my BMW in I have to start with the winter wear and end the day with lighter gear.

I leave my work clothes at work though. Drive in on Monday, ride home, commute through the week and drive home on Friday. That's my new plan anyway.

See you around the airfield.

moxfyre

I'm not at altitude, but we're getting the same temperature swings here in Maryland... low 40s in the morning, occasionally up to the 60s in the late afternoons. It's all about layers for me. I commute in my (very casual) work clothes, and add windbreaker pants, thick socks, waterproof booties, gloves, and a thick sweatshirt as necessary.

I try to avoid ever wearing my bulky ski jacket until I'm sure I'll need it again in the evening, sometime around mid-December.

Ms. Tude

Upper 50's? Balmy? Those words have been put away till 2007!

Fah! It's in the wet/snow 40F lately and expected to be down in the 30's this weekend.

Bring it on!

cooperwx

27F this morning and 55F this afternoon. That's a LOT of layers to put on, and have to lug home.

thdave

I agree. More planning is needed and I carry more. Still, it is worth it.

Marylandnewbie

Ms Tude -- Having grown up in Rochester I can sympathsize with the weather -- and you don't even get any sunshine to see the leaves change.

Layers are the only way to go, but you do feel like a packrat or gypsy caravan with all the stuff you have packed away. I'm generally OK unless I have to bring a lot of stuff to and from the office, then packing gets to be an interesting exercise. The other thing I always have to remind myself is to stop if I really need to shed or add a layer -- you ride for months not needing to stop so its an adjustment when things get cold.

NeezyDeezy

It's been in the mid 40's day and night here, so it's easier on the logistics end, but it's funny, I've found what works best lately is to wear my suit and tie, button the suit, tuck my pant cuffs into my doubled up socks, and go. I don't get cold or sweaty. Before I didn't tuck my pants into my socks, my shins and knees would get cold because the wind would fly in there, now I'm pretty happy. Pretty soon I'm going to be putting my wind jacket on instead of the suit, and then when it's even colder, over the suit.

aadhils

50s are cold??? You guys are crazy. Its perfect for a ride. I don't even wear a jacket. I'm looking forward to this years winter =0d

HardyWeinberg

Yeah it's in the 30s here right now, will be 40s/50s when I head home. My sole seasonal change has been busting out long sleeves. I was wondering this morning about gloves w/ fingers, though. And, oh yes, it took me a lot less time than usual to 'cool down' after the ride and change into work clothes. In the past I've been able to delay full finger gloves, raincoat, long pants until I can count on riding in nothing but steady cold rain (Nov-Feb last year).

Scorer75

Sunday I was riding near the ocean.

It was almost 50F and slightly windy.

I was wearing shorts and a sleveless jersey. It was slightly cold but more layers and I would have been hot. I saw a group of riders from the West Indies. They were wearing tights, jackets, one or two of them even had mufflers around their faces. We looked at each other from across the road going in opposite directions, each of us probably thinking how crazy the other is.

45F - 60F is not a bad swing. I wear one extra layer inthe morning that I bring home in the jersey pocket of what I'm wearing on the way home.

If it's below 45F and/or above 60F, the pain in the ass of carrying extra clothing kicks in.

jimmuter

I live in an area that is suitable for year round commuting for just about anyone. Last New Year's Day, I went out for a ride in shorts and a t-shirt. It gets cold, but we also have nice warm days in the middle of winter. Any extra clothes I wear in the morning can be carried home in the space in the bag that held my lunch on the way in. Of course by the time I get off of work, it's been cool enough again to layer. My legs never get cold so I have no need for leg warmers. I just wear a couple of shirts and a windbreaker. If it's above 50 in the morning, I usually don't layer at all. My ride is very short though. The nice thing about living somewhere where it rarely snows is that when it does snow, no work.

BigMacFU

The one thing I like about the winter is going to be the use of my backpack. Lately I've been using a plastic target crate (like a milk crate) attached to my rack with all my stuff in it because if it is even a little bit above 55, my back will sweat like a waterfall. The back of my bike gets soooooo freakin' heavy. Although I'll still be packing more and it'll be heavy, at least I can wear a back pack now and not be known as the professor whose back is always soaked. Plus, it does add that extra bit of warmth on the real cold mornings.

nukemm

I'm having some of the same problems, although not to the same extent. I leave for work and the temp is 35-40F, and when I come home it's 45-55F, so I can usually put my windbreaker in the bag on the ride home if it's dry, or my fleece if it's wet outside.

urban rider

Listening to the local weather station often causes me to put on more clothes than I should. I have a chart of clothes I should wear for the various kinds of the weather. I have to stop listening and watching the local news.
Monday is suppose to be the day of the week that I bring my clothes to work, unfortunately, the weather changes every 15 minutes or so it seems, so I end up wearing too many clothes and bringing the wrong clothes to work.




Gas, the price of a can of beans.

bmclaughlin807

It was 67 degrees when I left work today. We're supposed to have 6" of snow by morning.

Yeah, we've had 40 degree temp differentials from morning till afternoon, so I know how you feel. It's good exercise, though!

Banzai

How did you know I'm a Snake? Wow...

Today was another logistics exercise. Sub-freezing in the dark pre-dawn, and brisk fall 50s in the afternoon. It's not that big of a deal, I just start to get whiny sometimes as I'm trying to plan and pack accordingly. Layers obviously help. So does my new Vagabond jacket with the zip-off sleeves.

I hate the canyon wind.

G. Bucci

I always say that I dislike this time of year the most. Cool with lots of layers in the morning, Shorts on the way home. It's alot of weight to carry. I find it easier in winter when you just wear everything you've got.
Morinings right now are -8C and rides home approaching +12C.
Forecast for Tuesday is calling for 10cm (4in) of snow. Hopefully the roads stay clear.

Winnipeg, Canada