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3 Attachment(s)
Originally Posted by chefisaac
(Post 13677089)
Can you go over what you wear please Jim?
And can you report back to us on the the things you wanted to try like the booties, etc? thank you!
Originally Posted by chefisaac
(Post 13677015)
Whats a scrub shirt?
Originally Posted by chefisaac
(Post 13677019)
jim....and thats all you wear? for that low of temp? wow. I am like a fat snowman wearing so much stuff.
Actually I think of my dress in six "levels" (not layers), a scheme I found intriguing from white water rafting where rivers are rated from one to six. During the winter I might tell some interested acquaintance that it was, for example, a "level 6 ride" (which would include scrub pants). If interested, I posted the complete scheme in reply to this thread, “Your clothing choices for various temps,” and a picture below, around at least level 4:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 8294121)
I think of my degrees of dress in six levels.
Adopting to your table for my 14 mile commute (temperatures in parentheses): 50-70F Level I (>70): Shorts, short sleeve shirt. Level II (60): Add thin long legged tights and/or long-sleeve jersey (50): Add fleece shirt, maybe a wind proof cycling jacket, and long legged cycling tights over thin tights;thin fingered gloves, thin balaclava 30-40F Level III (40): Heavy cycling jacket and long sleeve jersey; two layers of tights as above; thin balaclava, maybe a woolen cap; heavier woolen gloves (35): Add safety glasses (as goggles) that fit over my eyeglasses; extra pair of neoprene socks; balaclava and woolen cap 10-30F Level IV (30) Add fleece jersey; thin, fingered gloves and thick wind-proof fingered gloves; neoprene extra socks and neoprene booties over shoes Level V (25): Add windproof thin cycling jacket over fleece and under heavy cycling jacket Level VI: (<20): Thin and thick woolen socks instead of neoprene socks; additional windproof pants [scrub pants or rainproof pants] over two pairs of tights, add neoprene face mask <0F? My personal best has been leaving at 8 degrees in Boston and arriving at my suburban destination at minus 9 I don't like being cold, so I tend to overdress a bit, but I have a rear trunk bag and can remove layers. Recently I've been looking for reasonably priced mittens for level VI.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 13670128)
...I do have some new items for riding at less that 20 degrees that I want to try out:
-new Neoprene booties to replace the torn, threadbare faithful old ones -fleece-lined mittens with fingered liners; I'll wear them with a separate pair of knit fingered gloves -a "necky." Yesterday I was at REI in the Landmark Center looking at balaclavas and I saw this last item, a triangular piece of a fleece-like material on a circular band. I figured out what it was and the salesman confirmed it describing it as a "neck gaiter." I have been looking for a similar type item for a few years called a "dickie," which was a turtle neck with attached front and rear panels of similar material, sort of a turtleneck sweater facade, meant to be worn with a V-neck sweater. A very 1970's look; think "Andy Williams Christmas Special." That's probably why I could never find one. :rolleyes:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 11747405)
As an eyeglass wearer, I’m one who has had excellent success with safety goggles and never noticed any distortion. Besides the combined wind protection and wide-open ventilation…
A modification that allows the safety glasses to sit comfortably on my face is to wrap Velcro around the nose bridge and attach the Velcro on the glasses to a vertical strip of Velco sewn onto my woolen skull cap. The safety glasses are thus suspended rather than pressing down on my nose. …. |
I live in South Florida, and from here it sounds like all of you guys are a little bit NUTS! I plan to start commuting on my recumbent soon (probably next week) but will NOT be riding my bike any morning that the temp is below 40. Any colder than that just plain hurts! When I was commuting on my bike five or more years ago (here in South Florida) I got on my little Actionbent one morning when it was 35 degrees and just about died. I guess I don't stand the cold like I did when I lived in Michigan, but again, the cold weather is one of the reasons I moved south. I think it's really cool that you are so dedicated to riding that you will do it in those cold temps, but you have to admit it sounds a little NUTS!
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Jim: Thanks for posting that. I am in a weird position with my height and weight... 6 foot 4 and 335 pounds. Its really tough to find stuff to wear. I do not think I have the right cycling clothes for the winter.
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tract: if you ride in those tmeps, you get used to it plus having the layers really helps.
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Originally Posted by Tractortom
(Post 13677362)
I live in South Florida, and from here it sounds like all of you guys are a little bit NUTS! I plan to start commuting on my recumbent soon (probably next week) but will NOT be riding my bike any morning that the temp is below 40. Any colder than that just plain hurts! When I was commuting on my bike five or more years ago (here in South Florida) I got on my little Actionbent one morning when it was 35 degrees and just about died. I guess I don't stand the cold like I did when I lived in Michigan, but again, the cold weather is one of the reasons I moved south. I think it's really cool that you are so dedicated to riding that you will do it in those cold temps, but you have to admit it sounds a little NUTS!
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Originally Posted by jeffpoulin
(Post 13675504)
At first it is, but by February, I get tired of the routine. "Suiting up for battle" is what I call it, and it can take 10-15 minutes each time.
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Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 13677065)
Winter dressing is indeed time consuming, but I’m always suiting up with a Talk Show on for amusement. I take such great care to layer up comfortably and seal the gaps, that I envision myself a heroic astronaut preparing for an adventure. When I arrive at work and stride through the halls all suited up, I imagine recreating this scene from “The Right Stuff” (beginning at 2:58):
:thumb::D |
Originally Posted by chefisaac
(Post 13677371)
Jim: Thanks for posting that. I am in a weird position with my height and weight... 6 foot 4 and 335 pounds. Its really tough to find stuff to wear. I do not think I have the right cycling clothes for the winter.
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ceh: **** I will send you some. Not sure if there is a box big enough..................
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Originally Posted by Tractortom
(Post 13677362)
I live in South Florida, and from here it sounds like all of you guys are a little bit NUTS! ...I guess I don't stand the cold like I did when I lived in Michigan, but again, the cold weather is one of the reasons I moved south. I think it's really cool that you are so dedicated to riding that you will do it in those cold temps, but you have to admit it sounds a little NUTS!
See Rule #9: http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#9
Originally Posted by velominati
Rule #9 / If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work. |
Anything that keeps me warm during the first 15 minutes makes me too hot during the rest of the ride. I just under-dress and ride hard to build up enough warmth. I can keep just about right by adjusting speed and effort. This morning it was around 9 degrees with a solid head wind. The buildings in downtown Boston create even more of a chill, but then I have to climb a mild grade traveling up Comm Ave. That's where I tend to get too warm. Pit zips help that quite a bit, but it's hard to get the layers just right. Everyone has to adjust to there unique circumstances, so there is no magic solution. It's an art to figure out a solution.
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The combined weight and constraint of all the extra clothing also makes dressing, sorting out all those sleeves, riding, unbinding fabric around knees, switching gloves, putting on face mask, redoing face mask because its choking me, need the bathroom, and undressing a tiring chore in the winter. I agree, by the time February rolls around I'm sick of the cold (and then, of course, the weather gets colder) and I dream of cycling in tshirts, shorts and sandals.
Today it was only -1°C. Practically balmy compared to yesterday's arctic freeze! |
Originally Posted by cehowardGS
(Post 13677429)
That is exactly what I be doing. Putting on the right amount of layers, and making sure everything is snug and comfortable. Even down to taking the last trip to the bathroom. Dam, I hate it when I got everything are suited up, and I got to go to the bathroom. I got to dig through a zillion layers to get to the thing!! :lol:
Speaking of going to the bathroom when all bundled up, I recently posted about this problem:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 13669929)
...Finally, there is one other specifically cold-related “discomfort” that I have not seen mentioned on BF, but I have considered considered posting about. I think it is real, and I was gratified to read about in another winter-cycling website, and it influences my winter commute. It is called appropriately “cold-induced diuresis.” :innocent: :o
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Barr-Mitts and proper winter cycling shoes make low teen commutes a non-issue for me. Best winter cycling investments I've made besides the Hakka W106's that I haven't had to put on yet this year...
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jolly: what shoes and mitts do you use?
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Next weekend I'm going to be riding in the teens.
Also I'm a car free rider and have no choice. |
Chef, and you east coast commuters - hats off to you all. You guys are in inspiration to us all.
But we have it pretty tough out here in So Cal too - dipped below 50 F this morning and I had to put on a base layer - brrrrr!! |
chemical toe warmers on top of sock liners, then a wool sock
glove liner under loose fitting windproof winter glove scarf? lose it get the proper zip up neck base layer and proper cycling specific windbreaker or rain jacket with reflective tape |
Originally Posted by mharter
(Post 13678158)
Anything that keeps me warm during the first 15 minutes makes me too hot during the rest of the ride.
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jolly: are they pretty easy to put on and take off?
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Originally Posted by chefisaac
(Post 13675602)
do you think it is better to add more layers on your hands and feet or slip in chemicals warmers?
I dont have a lot of room in my shoes. I bought a size 50 and I wear 48s in the summer. The neoprene helped some. These do a good job keeping the wind, rain, snow and slush off my feet. And dry feet mean warm feet. |
The bar mitts are great! Has to be under freezing or my hand sweat too much. I have only ridden down to the low 20s, but my hands were fine with fairly lightweight gloves and bar mits. Legs were good with some insulated pants found on clearance at Target (they didn't sell well in Texas, go figure). My feet and face were the weak spots, but I confident I could handle the teens with my gear. It would get old after a few days, but luckily those temps are rare here.
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Originally Posted by chefisaac
(Post 13685252)
jolly: are they pretty easy to put on and take off?
Also, on those days where it's 20 in the morning and 50 on the way home, at least with the Shimano Road version of the Barr-Mitts you can unzip them and allow a lot of ventilation so the temp envelope on them is huge. I take serious consideration on temp ranges on commuting gear because I work on the ocean and live inland in New England and the temp extremes can be exactly that. I simply can't condone using chemical warmers, one of the big reasons why I commute by bike to to reduce my waste and using something like that would give me some bad Karma :) Thick full-fingers and road levers don't work either. Barr-Mitts again, half finger gloves for just about any temperature, yes... No, I don't have any affiliation with them but I do like spreading the word when something is that good, hands and feet are the trickiest part with winter riding. |
Originally Posted by Altair 4
(Post 13674300)
Chef,
In my book, you are HARDCORE! Congrats! Replace the cotton w/100% wool sweaters from a thriftstore...or cashmere from the ladies section. No shame, I've got one and use it on every long winter ride. They're usually able to be found between 3-5.00. Not the cashmere that was 20.00. But, 100% wool sweaters are really cheap. I try to look for closeknit to help w/windblocking. All kidding aside it's really an accomplishment when one challanges one's self to step out and ride hardcore winter commuting. Way to go. :thumb: |
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