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Cold weather: Where do you draw the line?

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View Poll Results: Cold weather: where do you draw the line?
I’ll ride regardless of temperature or conditions
32
9.30%
I’ll ride regardless of temperature but only on ice-free and snow-free roads
68
19.77%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 0F or below
8
2.33%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 10F or below
24
6.98%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 20F or below
48
13.95%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 30F or below
70
20.35%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 40F or below
66
19.19%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 50F or below
21
6.10%
I’ll stop riding when the air is at 60F or below
7
2.03%
Voters: 344. You may not vote on this poll

Cold weather: Where do you draw the line?

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Old 10-12-09, 01:57 PM
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Cold weather: Where do you draw the line?

I went out yesterday for a 3 hour ride. It was between 35 and 44 degrees F. I was comfortable due to the good use of layers. I think I'll keep riding until the snow and ice become an issue.

What temperatures stop you from riding?
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Old 10-12-09, 01:58 PM
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nothing below the high 40s and sunny ... and Ill be doing that less this year than I did last
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Old 10-12-09, 02:01 PM
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I love the cold. It does suck when your bottle freezes though. I just avoid wet/snow covered roads on my road bike.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:03 PM
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"I’ll ride regardless of temperature but only on ice-free and snow-free roads"

Too many cars to mess with ice and snow, so that's about perfect there.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:03 PM
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I don't mind cold too much, but I won't ride when its icy. Which rules out Dec thru Mar here, for the most part.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:17 PM
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I used to ride in below freezing temps. No reason to do that anymore.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:22 PM
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I love living in CA.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Tsuru
"I’ll ride regardless of temperature but only on ice-free and snow-free roads"

Too many cars to mess with ice and snow, so that's about perfect there.
if only it was that simple.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:29 PM
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It's the rare day here that is doens't get to 60. So on the rare occassion its cold I likely will ride the trainer and ride outside the next day.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
It's the rare day here that is doens't get to 60. So on the rare occassion its cold I likely will ride the trainer and ride outside the next day.
wussy.
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Old 10-12-09, 02:42 PM
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I'm good down to 10º or so. We only get a couple of days annually where temps don't go over 10-15º.

You're all wussyass Freds by the way. Just sayin'. But I love you anyway
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Old 10-12-09, 02:51 PM
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Last year it was -5F with a -25F windchill. After doing that a few times I didn't want to try a -40F windchill.
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Old 10-12-09, 03:19 PM
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My record is 9 degrees, and I've done 4+ hour rides in the teens, which is okay as long as the roads are dry and I'm riding with my maniac friends. I hate the trainer that much.
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Old 10-12-09, 03:25 PM
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I use to race XC skiing. I still have the fair weather roller ski's. I have the cycling clothes to go -10 below. The coldest days in New Mexico (yes it is not Minnesota) did not stop me from riding last year, I think we went down to as low as 15 during the day those few days

Since you move faster on bike I say 10 degrees higher than what I can tolerate skiing,
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Old 10-12-09, 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by shouldberiding
Last year it was -5F with a -25F windchill. After doing that a few times I didn't want to try a -40F windchill.
Windchill is bullshirt.
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Old 10-12-09, 03:50 PM
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30°F is my cutoff. Road must be clean enough to ride a road bike through.
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Old 10-12-09, 03:55 PM
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It is seldom that simple.
I have ridden in a foot of snow and as low as 5F.
It is more of an interest thing for me.
If I want to ride I will regardless of the temp. If there is a pile of snow on the ground I may take my mountain bike out to have fun.
Other times I have no desire and would rather sit on a trainer.

You should see the stupid crap I get myself into when I have cabin fever.
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Old 10-12-09, 03:55 PM
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I just finished a two hour ride at 62 degrees. It might be my cutoff.
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Old 10-12-09, 04:09 PM
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It's a bit easier on the cold days with a bit of sun.
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Old 10-12-09, 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by ImaPoser
I just finished a two hour ride at 62 degrees. It might be my cutoff.
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Old 10-12-09, 04:15 PM
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Coldest I've ridden in is 0 degrees....most interesting conditions I've ridden in was getting caught out in a snow storm halfway through a 35 mile ride, and it got dark (had my lights with me). That was interesting.
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Old 10-12-09, 04:15 PM
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I discovered winter cycling last year during our city bus strike. -20C (-4F) after work on my kid's hybrid was a real treat after I interated thru the layer thing. Lower center of gravity and not being clipped in took a load of stress off my rides. Only on dry or lightly covered roads with little or no traffic of course. I racked up 800km Jan thru Mar and it made a heck of difference in April when I hit the road proper.
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Old 10-12-09, 04:24 PM
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I put regardless of temp/conditions, but the coldest I remember riding in was around 10 Fahrenheit in Flagstaff, AZ.

I'd rather ride on ice than 12" of snow, however. I'd also rather ride in 2-3" fresh snow than 35-45 degree rain.
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Old 10-12-09, 04:58 PM
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I rode down to -4F and wind chill is an issue, maybe pcad hasn't had to try 30-40 mph Great Plains winds, with a lot of teens riding. I would much prefer SoCal winters, when I never thought about leg covers, and a thin long-sleeve top was fine on "really cold days" like in the low 50s, thank you very much.
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Old 10-12-09, 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by ImaPoser
I just finished a two hour ride at 62 degrees. It might be my cutoff.
Good . . . we poseurs don't need to be pushing any envelopes . . .

. . . unless it's how many lattes we'll have before driving back home.
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