NCMTBIKER

Anybody try to ride a century during the winter month's?Just wondering thanks

Machka 

Yup.

I successfully completed a Century-A-Month challenge (that's at least once century in each month of the year) in 2003 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and in 2005 and 2006 in central Alberta. I attempted another one in 2008, and got all the way to November, but couldn't get December's ride in.

This is the story of my coldest century ... February 2003:
https://www.machka.net/brevet/Coldest_Century.htm

But I've done several that have come close to it since.

My 2008 Miscellaneous Meanderings page talks about my centuries (and some other rides) in 2008:
https://www.machka.net/2008/MiscellaneousMeanderings.htm

Carbonfiberboy 

Some LD riders go for the R-12 award, which involves completing a 200k or longer brevet every month for 12 consecutive months. Nice looking pin, too.
https://www.rusa.org/r12.html

AsanaCycles

well, I live in Monterey, Ca
the weather is never that bag
i'm riding a century every week.
20-40hrs/week

last saturday I did 95 miles on my Surly Pugsley in 6:18hrs...

NoRacer

December 2008 (New Years Eve) solo century - Catoctin Mountains
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/archives/10783/20081231

Even though it's technically Fall, I did this double century last Saturday:
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27717 - Part 1
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27718 - Part 2
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27719 - Part 3
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27720 - Part 4
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27721 - Part 5
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27722 - Part 6
https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/27723 - Recap

NoRacer

December 2008 Centuries
------------------------------
Biglerville Century 12/08 - 102 miles
06 December, 2008 20:20

Middleburg Century 20081220 - 101 miles
20 December, 2008 15:30

BBC Christmas Ride 2008 - 95 miles
25 December, 2008 17:16

Tour de Tiny Town 2008 - 107 miles
27 December, 2008 16:30

Over To Dover 2008 - 104 miles
28 December, 2008 15:20

Solo CWC Ride 20081231 - 116 miles
31 December, 2008 16:45

They can all be found at this link to my blog:

https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/archives/10783/200812


January 2009
-------------------
Psyched Out in Sykesville 2009 - 102 miles
03 January, 2009 18:43

Feast at Flannery's - 100 miles
25 January, 2009 21:50

https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/archives/10783/200901


February 2009
-------------------
Clippety-Clop to Cross Keys Part 1-3 - 106 miles
02 February, 2009 06:34

Velo Orange Veloventure - 100 miles
07 February, 2009 18:47

Dam Good Ride to Glen Rock - 109 miles
08 February, 2009 20:00

Point to Point 100 Mile Ride - 107 miles
15 February, 2009 20:46

How Green Was My Valley - 94 miles
21 February, 2009 19:36

The Pigeon Hills Hundred - 101 miles
28 February, 2009 20:02

https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/archives/10783/200902

akansaskid

Sure. If the roads are clear and the temperature "reasonable" (mid-20s or better for me), they're as easy to do in the winter as any other time. What would hold you back?

CliftonGK1

I'm starting my R-12 attempt this month. Thankfully we've got a few routes, like the Three Rivers Cruise, which don't see any significant elevation.

unterhausen

I'm finishing an R-12 in January, so hopefully December and January are clear of snow and ice. I'm riding 200k tomorrow.

skiffrun

I'm not sure where "Lowgap" is, or if it is someplace similar to "Flatland, NC", but

one guy here in Raleigh now has approx 96 consecutive months with at least one century (or is it "at least one 200k") each month. Admittedly, some of those rides are out of state, some are even on other continents, but the LARGE majority of them have been ridden in NC. So, at least in NC and south, people ride centuries or more all year-round.

The UltraMarathon Cycling folks have an award, "R-12", which essentially requires at least one century every month of the year. Even northern types qualify for the "R-12".

Oh, that rider with the approx 96 consecutive months, NOT me. Not even an R-12. I'm not THAT crazy. Yet.

kendall

I've done a few centuries in michigan winters, they are not all that bad

Best advice I can give is not to 'set' a speed you want to maintain. One section may be clear road, (fine, but slick in spots) another may be 6" of snow,(no trouble at all really, narrow tires mean just a slight drag) another may be glare ice, (no problem if you remember not to make any sudden moves and stay OFF the brakes) and another may be rough bumpy ice (the absolute worse, every bump knocks you around)
My preference is to go after a snow because the snow gives some traction.

My most trying ride ever was a few years ago, had 7" of fresh snow on the ground Almost called the ride off but we had sunshine, and clear skies were forecast for the next couple of days, so we went ahead with it. -BUT- two hours into the ride we got dumped on hard. Instead of turning around we decided to head to the main road and take that home. Found out later we got 14 inches in three and a half hours.
We completely 'lost' the road about ten times that day. The snow was so deep and windblown smooth that you didn't know you were anywhere near the ditch until you were suddenly stopped handlebar deep in snow. At times the snow was coming down so hard you couldn't see any more than 10 ft away.
It was a great ride in retrospect, but I wouldn't intentionally repeat it.

Ken

wolfpack 

pretty easy to ride year round here in NC....shouldn't be any problem doing centuries in the winter here...just have to get teh right day to do it on.....

unterhausen

Just did a 200k yesterday. 25 degrees Fahrenheit when we left and below freezing for much of the day -- that felt like winter.

SillyRabbit

Borrego Springs Century in San Diego, CA at the end of December.

BlueJay66

You can do it in the day
or you can do it at night.
Be prepared to do it your way.
Just make sure there is light!

rhm

Someone on the commuting forum put a bug in my ear to ride a century on the longest night of the year. I'm seriously tempted. And I have a couple days to prepare for it, so.... Right, I better not tell my wife until afterwords.

lonesomesteve

There are a few Seattle Randonneurs that are planning to do a night permanent for the solstice. They're starting at 9:00pm and planning to finish at 8:30am. The idea is to ride it as a group, sort of like a mini fleche with stops at a couple of 24 hour restaurants along the way. I'm still toying with the idea of joining them.

BlueJay66

How did this ride go? I should have done that. Clear roads would have been better than the 4 inches of white stuff we have today. I still need to get my December Century in! Hopefully conditions will be better soon.

lonesomesteve

I ended up not joining the solstice ride. I remember waking up a couple of times during that night to hear the wind and driving rain. I like the idea, but I suspect the reality was pretty miserable.

BlueJay66

Lonesome Steve: I understand...so many rides sound so good, but then reality gets in the way. Maybe I will plan a Summer Solstice Night ride. That would be cool!

BlueJay66

Back to the OP: I just rode my December Century today. I would say my lower limit on the temperature would be 15 degrees F for a century. That is where the temp started and ended for me today. The high was 24 F I think. It was cold. I could have been happy to go only 15 miles if it had been colder, but then It would almost be better to just hit the trainer in the garage for an hour.

chipg5

Upstate NY here, have done the Century a month challenge successfully for the past two years, and I'm in my third winter of century rides, just completed my January century ride this past weekend.

I look for dry roads as the most important thing. Then sunny days -- it's amazing what a difference that sunshine makes -- and finally temperatures. If you get all three (warm being in the 30s) then it's jackpot. I have ridden on sunny days with temps down below 10 degrees, succesfully. The first winter I didn't have cycling boots and my feet would turn to ice. But once I got my Lake cycling boots - and I always include those chemical hand warmers on top of my toes - my feet have been toasty warm every century since them.

Dressing warm enough is the key, if you do that you'll be fine. And since you seem to be in NC, shouldn't be a problem at all doing winter centuries.