Originally Posted by
bikemig
Yeah everyone is a bit different. My head seems to do OK in the cold but my hands and feet do not. For feet, I ride a bike with bmx style pedals and use my insulated winter boots.
I live in northern British Columbia and ride year round and ski in the winter. I think that qualifies as "Canada cold". The reason your head is OK is that your body is cutting off the blood flow to your hands and feet in order to keep your brain warm, it gets top priority. Wear a good winter hat, in this case a balaclava, and it will keep your hands and feet significantly warmer. I've had to explain this many times to mountain newbies, sometimes lending out my own balaclava, and they always end up buying their own. Insulated winter boots and insulated gloves or mitts are also a good idea.