Originally Posted by
Heathpack
Ave temps on my workouts from this week: 32F, 32F, 37F.
However you are right in that they are not zone 2 rides and that's probably the difference. If I'm riding when its that cold, its probably before dawn and the reason I'm riding is to get a workout in before work. So its heat-generating kind of riding. Thankfully, my coach does not assign the long zone 2 ride. If I'm going out for a long ride, my instructions are: "Go enjoy yourself".
I'm headed to Winthrop in two weeks to pick up my new wheels, do some XC skiing, and maybe rent a fat bike for a day. It'll be very cold, last winter when I was there I don't think it got above 20 or 25 F the whole week. Nordic skiing is a high output aerobic activity, like cycling can be. Even in those temps, I was toasty in a merino base layer and a good wind breaker, for long days on the trail. Because skiing is a lot of work.
In the winter, I do a lot of long, moderate rides to stay in shape and start the next year in a good place. (Beth is getting me skis for my birthday this year so we'll see how that changes.) Seattle winter mostly means 40 to 45 F and raining. Going up the hill keeps you warm, but as soon as you get to the top the wet pulls all the heat back out of you. I'm not doing that much work, I don't have anything going on in the winter to be in great shape for, I just want to come into next year in shape to enjoy the longer mountain loops, my own personal spring classics.