Originally Posted by
spokenword
8F with a RealFeel of -16F due to wind.
Still, dealt with ok for the first 6 miles of the commute. Then I got a flat.
That sucked.
Apparently, below 10F, rubber tends to adhere to other layers of rubber. Had to wrestle the tube out of the tire, take turns peeling off and putting on my lobster claws to do work, and wound up spending twenty minutes looking for a puncture because my hands were just too numb to feel the tread properly.
Got back on the bike and finished the last 7 miles with my rear brake rubbing against my rim, but I didn't want to get off again and fix that.
Ah well, that which doesn't kill you gives you good war stories.
Getting a flat is my biggest fear or concern about riding in very cold temperatures. My morning commute is mostly on neighborhood streets and lightly traveled roads with few places to stop. It's also very early when I leave (6:30 am), and dark, and I can't imagine trying to fix a flat under those conditions. Which are all very good reasons for using good, flat-resistant tires -- screw the extra weight.