Vision-

I know a lot of people here have gone colder, but I felt proud of myself this morning. At 6:15 AM when I rode in to work it was -30C, with a wind chill of -39. My commute takes about 45 minutes each way.

To tell you the truth, it wasn't that bad. My toes started to get a bit cold near the end, and I had to take my glasses off about a km in though. Oh, and my right eye froze shut for a bit (may have to invest in some goggles).

Archie

Dear vision-, only residence of Mars do colder than -30C . . . That is something!

Stay safe.

HereNT

Wow - Minneapolis is on Mars! I'm a Martian!

Congrats on the record Vision - you shoud definatly invest in some goggles. I get contacts every winter because my eyesight is pretty bad, too. Keep riding!

Vision-

I hate contacts, but I think you're right. Contacts and goggles are the way to go. At these temps my glasses didn't just fog up, a layer of ice actually starting forming on them.

HereNT

I got home one day and had a three inch eyecycle hanging from one lens. I decided to get contacts after that. They didn't fog up (too cold for that) but I thought that a better soloution was needed. I've also found that it's a lot better with a face mask, even if you don't need goggles. Facemask+Glasses=Ice on glasses...

This is my first winter trying goggles, and I've actually had ice on them a couple of times. There are only a couple of days of trying them, though, and they aren't the nice ski/snowboard goggles with the double panes. I think I am going go look for something better soon... Hopefully chrome.

skydive69

And I thought I was a brave soul because I have ridden at around 50 (plus) C - Gee, I love Florida!

tg1896

This is my first winter commuting and I was going to ask how everyone commutes once it gets below 30 degrees. I guess I'll just tip my hat, keep my mouth shut and be glad that I live in Atlanta.

catatonic

Ive found that soft contacts become quite hard and uncomfortable in subzero weather unless you wear goggles, so keep that in mind.

SaskCyclist

I truly can appreciate what it means to say -30 with -39 windchill. I biked through that for roughly the same time on Thursday here. It was a personal record for me as well. Damn proud. I where contacts all the time and use glasses with interchangeable lenses that wrap around. The only difficulty I noticed was that the last km the glasses fogged even with anti fog treatment. I thought of getting goggles but I heard they fog as well and reduce your peripheral vision.

srf

Geez, how do you keep warm in those temperatures? For me 30 degree rides are torture. =)

giant99

-27 for me. Than I climbed snow drifts from the plows and sorted blue boxes ( recycling) all day. BRRR

forensicchemist

WOW....I'm impressed.....at -30C I'd be in front of the fireplace. Heck, at 0C I am in front of the fireplace........I'm such a wimp.

catatonic

Tip is heavy, heavy layering and to never stop moving.

boyze

Nice ride.

For face gear look at what skiers use

HereNT

Yep. I was sweating just lying on my couch when I got partially suited up an hour ago. The problem with free heat is that you can't control the temp. And my windows are frozen shut and won't open.

How many layers are you wearing in St. Petersburg?

Michel Gagnon

So far, only -29 C for me; but a humid and windy -28 C a few times. Below -20 C, I tend to shorten my rides; I ride directly to and from work and try to postpone shopping trips to days when the temperature is above -15 or -20 C.

Riding in the cold per se is not a problem and is less messy than riding around freezing temperatures. But one needs proper equipment to keep the extremities warm, and my severe-weather mittens and boots don't work well when cycling.

nitropowered

I've done -3C. I thought about going out when it was -14C but whimpped out and didnt go

KrisA

It was -35C, with a -46C windchill, this morning. No problems, no complaints, other than having to de-ice the gogs a couple of times.

Applehead57

Man, no way. Anything below 40F is not fun for me. I have to wear so many clothes I don't feel comfortable.

I am in awe of you. I know Canada is a cold weather haven, but it takes alot of bike love to ride at those temperatures.

Keep it up and let us know how you're coping with the cold.

clevernamehere

One degree warmer here this am (my record low)... my goggles iced up after about 30 minutes. I just gave up on them and rode the last 10 minutes without them. By "de-ice" do you mean that you actually have something specific to remove the ice/fog from your goggles, or do you just wipe it off with your glove?

KrisA

I just wipe it off with my fingers. Iced up after 30 min??? Wow on two accounts, first those must be some kick arse gogs to go that long before icing, mine ice within minutes, second that is a long commute when it's sub -25C. I can handle the elements because all of my commute routes have been short, longest being about 6.5 kms, much longer than that and I'd be wimping out when the mercury headed below -25.

Saskatoon seems to have a much more active bike culture than Regina, more commuters, more racers. Down here we just have a bunch of fat car driving slobs!

STEEKER

BUT it was still fun to do EH I love haveing peeps look at me when I am stoped at a light with my face mask covered in ice >> Congrats on your Ride ...Steeker P.S. we are having a nice Mild winter so far

2manybikes

The thermometer outside my window shows -30 c about the same as -22 f.

I'm impressed. It has never been that cold where I live that I know of.

I thought I was doing good at +15 f ( about -8 c)

I guess I live in a place where winter riding is pretty good. I will not take that for
granted any more.

SaskCyclist

KrisA/Clevernamehere, do you guys where ski goggles? Do they obstruct your peripheral vision? Are there any type of goggles that stay clear for your entire commute. I have just been using wrap around glasses with clear lenses and a balaclava; the skin gets pretty cold where it is exposed. I wussed out today and took the bone shaker. Tomorrow I bike. Good to see other crazy Saskatchewanians here.

KrisA

Ski gogs are the only way to go when it's around -30C. As I'm sure you know, you don't want any skin exposed to the air, ski gogs solve that problem for me.

Do they obstruct my vision? Sure, I have a harder time looking back at cars that may be about to nail me as I grab the lane. To me though, I'll take the risk vs the certain case of frostbite without them.

Are there kinds that stay clear? Mine are super cheap single pane gogs, I've heard that the double pane ones will stay clear longer. A bit of dish soap on the inside of the lense helps to keep things clear a bit. I think the best solution would be one of those high-end balaclavas with the plastic breather vent so your moist air gets expelled rather than traped next to your face.