RT

Trying to get my motivation up to get out in the cold weather for a winter commute. Last time I was out in the elements was 2005 Weather here has been chilly (10 for a low last night, 30 for the high), but I have dug up all of my old winter gear and am itching to put it to use. My new job halves my former commute, and I'll be working graves, so I'll be riding to/from work during the colder parts of the day.

I will be riding in non-snow/ice conditions only, and was wondering if any of you fellow commuters have ideas on how to 'get up' for a really cold 8 mile ride (each way). Luckily, a little over a year ago USA Cycling had a fire sale and I picked up some Olympic long sleeve/cycling short combos as well as some jackets for the winter rides, but will not be so much of a poser as to wear the jersey where people can see it.

How do you motivate to get out in the sub-freezing weather?

biknbrian

I don't know how to motivate you, but my biggest problem in the winter has been dealing with the many pieces of clothing. If you're sleeping before work and trying to wake up and get going, it can be a real pain to find everything and put it all on in the right order. I usually set out my clothes before I sleep. I make a pile stacked in reverse order of what they will be put on. That way if something is missing or needs washed I have time to deal with it. Then when I'm half asleep all I have to do is pull clothes off the pile and put them on, already in the correct order.

CommuterRun

One of my motivators:
I almost never see another cyclist on my before daylight commutes to work. Last winter, one of the coldest days we had, I decide to take the car to work because it was "too cold."
At about the half-way mark what do I make out in the headlights? Another cyclist. Riding.
Me to myself (the closest voice that civilians would understand sounds like R. Lee Ermey), "AAAAH!! YOU DISGUSTING PANSY! YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR PURSE AT HOME DID YOU, NANCY?!!"

But even well before that, and still, I sometimes have to tell myself, "Quit making whiny excuses, get on the bike and ride, Priscilla!"

climbhoser

I guess for me since I do it all summer it's a pretty easy, albeit cold, transition. I just put more on. I like to pick something new up, too, like a new pair of chamois or some new cycling gloves...Then when I don't bike I feel like I wasted my money...so I go back to biking immediately to make up for my hedonism!

But seriously, think about it the same way you always do-you're saving gas, better for the pocketbook AND the environment, and you're staying healthy! Plus it's fun. If you dress warm it isn't bad, seriously...just dress warm. In fact, I dress so warm in the winter that it's like a freaki' sauna while I ride. I'd rather be too hot than cold, by far.

The biggest deterrent for me isn't cold, but daylight. I like riding in the daylight so much better. So, I take the winter as an opportunity to work on form and cadence. I tone back my pace and work more on spinning. On a 30 mi. RT commute it adds maybe 10-20 minutes a day, which is nothing really.

Oh, and ride a bike for the conditions. I ride my road bike almost every day, but I'll take the MTB out (30 min. slower, I should add) when it's really icy or snowy. If you can afford a cyclocross bike in your stable now's the time to get one and use it!

Where you riding to/from?

RT

That is a great idea. I'm riding from Northeast Colo Spgs to the top of Garden of the Gods Road. The cool part about the commute is that there are innumerable routes, but for some reason I have trouble getting out in the cold.

Thanks for the ideas - this will help me saddle up this week.

ax0n

Do you have a garage? If not, you can borrow my motivation. 10 minutes of scraping ice or gas wasted during 15 minutes of warming up the car in the driveway would be better spent on the bike.

tsl

My motivation is the same year 'round: I have to get to work.

Yeah, I have other transportation choices--I could walk or take the bus--but I feel better cycling and that feeling stays with me all day. So it's an easy choice.

Of course, things vary around the calendar. I'm excited about Friday's ride. They're calling for three inches overnight and I mounted the studded snows this morning. Come February, I'll be cursing the snow and sick of pushing the MFing snow tires up that grade into that headwind all the way home. Then, one day it'll be nice enough to mount the summer tires, my feet will fly and winter will be forgotten.

daredevil

I look at it as a challenge to find the right gear to stay comfortable in all conditions. That's part of my motivation.

LittleBigMan

Out west, it gets cold...

It's your call. I'd just say experiment on days off from work . Dress for the cold. See if you can ride a few miles, it's fun trying, and you can always turn around and go home. You'll probably find out it's a blast.

And check in to see how other Colorado commuters are doing.

Cody Broken

Riding your bike to and from work turns the routine commute into a daily adventure.
I live in the mountains and I have driven several thousand miles. I have bicycle commuted maybe 500 miles.

One evening I was cycling home and saw three whitetail deer twenty feet away to my right. I don't have a 'puter but I figure I was doing about 15mph. Those deer took off along side me, passed me, and about 200 feet ahead they bounded over the fence and crossed the road in front of me.

I saw deer while driving around, but never anything THAT cool until I started cycling.

swwhite

I make it a game, a personal challenge to see if I can ride in the coldest temperatures in perfect comfort. I can, almost; the fingers get a little cold and mask over the face is a nuisance. Then I make it a point to mention it at work when I set any personal temperature record. Last year I set my current record of 15 below.

ItsJustMe

My initial motivation was a thread posted here, which was a challenge to cycle to work every day that month. Dogboy initiated the first challenge. I've cycled every day since then (it's been about 2 years I think) except on days when I had to drive my daughter to school for some reason, and perhaps 3 or 4 other days for errands (maybe 20 days total in 2 years).

At some point, I crossed over a hump where I don't even think about taking the car anymore. My record so far is something around -25*F (my thermometer only goes to -19*F, but it was pegged and I'm sure it was colder than that).

daredevil

I don't men to hijack the thread Todd but I need to ask ItsJustMe what he wore in that extreme cold, how far it was, etc. I've gotten down to -5 but I don't know that I would ride down to that!

DataJunkie

I will preface my post by the fact that I will not be providing any help to the OPs situation.

10F and in the mid 20s as a high lately. I have no motivation with this temp and the ice\snow.
I took it as a hint to take a break and am using the trainer.
Winter commutes are done when I feel like it and I do not feel like it.

MMACH 5

Sell your car.
Being a one car family, if my wife needs the car, I ride.
Not the most viable option for everyone but it works for me.

chephy

Your coworkers will be awed and you'll feel that you're tough.

And it's fun. (Isn't it?...)

Personally, I would dread a car much more. In winter I'm always freezing inside the car until the engine warms up some. And if I'm taking the bus, I'll be freezing at the bus stop... no, thanks! On a bike I start going right away, so I am only cold for the first 30 seconds max. Since I absolutely hate being cold, it's a pretty big motivator.

Working the graves is great imho! Less traffic => more peaceful commute.

banerjek

It is not as cold where I am as where you are, but winter weather still can get fairly yucky.

One thing I've always gotten a kick out of is hearing people whine about how the weather isn't good enough to go out in -- and they're talking about driving a distance that's shorter than my ride.

kmac27

My motivation is getting cut, I don't feel like learning to drive a stick, I want to get in shape for races and it saves me at least 300 in gas and insurance.

AEO

Motivation? Beats the heck out of crowded, stinky, loud and just plain uncomfortable mass transit.

TRUMPHENT

I love being outside. I hate running, it hurts my knees and is too slow for my liking. Only extreme weather such as sustained high winds, lightning etc would force me off the bike to get to work. It hasn't yet.

I do live and work in South Florida but, I have spent several winters in cold places while in the Army such as Germany. That's where I learned to use anti-perspirant on my feet to keep them from soaking my boots in sub zero Fahrenheit temperatures. Underarm deoderant/ antiperspirant isn't just for for underarms, underarms are the least of your worries this time of year.

Black Ice, white out blizzard, drivers unfamiliar with icy conditions are other matters where sanity is the best policy.

LoonPotts

Get ready the night before. Fiddling around for 15-20 minutes pulling my bike together in the mornings will sap my resolve to get onto the bike when it's cold. The night before I pack my lunch, put whatever clothes I'm going to change into in my panniers. Put the panniers on the bike. Set out my bike clothes for morning. Get up, get dressed in bike clothes, make tea, eat breakfast (whatever your morning routine is) then I grab my lunch/snacks out of the fridge, pop it into the pannier, put on my shoes and wheel my bike out the door. Before I know it I'm warmed up and excited about the rest of my commute. It really is about getting out the door, for me. Once I'm actually on my bike, I'm always happy about it.

daredevil

Here's another idea that helps me.

I like to stay warm from the moment I get up so I get my warm clothing on right away. If I'm cold before I go out, I'm less likely to want to do it. I know some have said you want to be a little chilly when you start so you don't overheat. Not me.

ItsJustMe

It's an 11 mile one-way trip. In the summer it's about 36 minutes, but in the winter it averages 45 but can take 55 minutes if there's fresh snow and a headwind.

My biggest problem is my feet. I had to switch to platforms and wear my thinsulate hunting boots with a pair of thin wool socks, then a pair of thick wool over those.

On the legs, running tights, then cotton long johns (it's what I had, wool would be better) then a cheap lined running pants shell.

Up top, a compression top, a poly sweatshirt, a fleece scarf wrapped so it just crosses once in front of my neck and covers my chest (the part of me that gets coldest), then my waterproof/vented rain jacket with the pits opened a bit (it's tough to both stay warm and not get drenched in sweat). Some windproof fleece gloves. I don't have too much trouble with my hands getting cold, as long as I keep flexing them.

On my head, a fleece balaclava, goggles with a prescription insert, and my helmet with a rain cover over it. I might have also had a little poly tube thing from Nashbar somewhere in there, I don't remember. It's important to pay attention to any exposed skin - I have left some areas exposed without any serious issue, the warm tissue around it keeps it from freezing, but some people might not be that lucky so pay attention. If something feels funny on your face, stop and check it out, maybe shift the coverings around a bit.

I tend to dress so that I'm a bit chilly the whole way. On my torso, I usually wind up with quite chill skin over a warm core. My arms and legs are usually OK. My hands can get a little chilly but if I wiggle my fingers it's OK. My head is usually sweating but my face is cold enough that I can't really talk properly when I get to work. My toes are always cold but with the hunting boots on platforms I can go down quite low OK. I wear just regular mountain shoes with wool socks down to about 0*F.