This will be my first winter riding and I'll probably try it at any temp. My rides are for fitness so no big deal if I can't do it. I'll just go to the gym and ride their bikes. This works for me as well and I especially like the spinning classes.
Winter's still 3 weeks away but I've already ridden in the 20s F. It wasn't as bad as I expected but I did stay in my neighborhood. After 45 mins, some of my fingers and toes were stinging and I had to go inside for a break. I was wearing heavy socks & gloves and I have even heavier gear if need be for next time. It was surprising not much extra was needed on my chest and legs as they warmed up well with my efforts.
Not sure how snow will mix with skinny tires, though.

Yes, I ride all winter as long as it is > 25 degrees and no snow or ice on the road. Got my 1st taste this last weekend, Saturday was 32 with wind 5-8.

After 5 winters in SW Florida, I'm back in Indiana for winter 2013-14. Bummer!

i've still got the cold weather gear, but I can't imagine riding below 45-50 degrees.

This winter I've got XPEDO large platform pedals, but it sounds like I need insulated boots. Boot tips in this thread are helpful.

I'll need good gloves, too; recommendations for good quality, warm gloves suitable for thumb shifter operation would be greatly appreciated.

Does anyone use tinted goggles like the ones used by skiers? I ask only because they snugly cover a fairly large area around the eyes. With goggles and a baklava, the facial area would be snug as a bug in a rug.

It's the ANSI Class-III windbreaker from AlertShirt.com. That one is the older pullover model, on close-out (in limited sizes) for $30. The new version is on sale for $35, has a full zip front and the hood is detachable.

AlertShirt has tons of nice hi-viz stuff. In the 'tween seasons I particularly like their $13 wicking long-sleeve hi-viz t-shirt for commuting.

Word to the wise: Their sizing runs large. Don't order a larger size "just in case". I normally order large, but at AlertShirt, I wear a medium. No problem with returns or exchanges though. I've done that and they were very good and helpful about it.

Living in northern Florida, our worst days would be fine for many. I pass on them but there aren't too many such days. However, I don't ride nearly as much in the winter due to lack of daylight for evening rides. They comprise the majority of my riding. Often as not, I'm down to one day a week as other demands of life take up all of the other weekend day.

Thanks. I just ordered the Alert Shirt you recommend. Hi vis is a must in my book.

Thanks, I'll be investing in one!

I went for ride Sunday before Thanksgiving. 18 degrees at the start very blustery day 30 miles . I also have to agree with Greg i am putting bike away below 25

No matter how cold it is, a bike will always start. Bikes aren't destroyed by road salt. Bikes are allowed to use studded tires, cars are not. Under extreme conditions, you can walk home pushing the bike. On the other hand, cars are better for warm weather sport and recreation.

I ride through the winter, but I don't ride if there's snow or ice on the road.

I like to say: If I only rode my bicycle on nice days I wouldn't be a cyclist... I'd be just another old fat man with a bicycle hanging in his garage.

But to be honest... I do shy away from storms and the super freezing stuff. This winter I added an old (but nice) Fuji mountain bike to my collection of bikes and have even logged a little snow cycling. I am retired so I don't have the motivation of a commute. I've always enjoyed every bicycle ride I've ever been on... yet sometimes I still have to push myself to ride.

So far my freezing weather rides have been pretty short in miles and duration. But I do cycle in winter.

I'll ride in the cold as long as road conditions are good. Snow, ice or chance for black ice and I say "nay-nay". I can do cold down to a pretty decent level - 10* F or so is ok. I have plenty of cold weather gear that I can layer. Am getting a CX bike for Christmas - that will be a big help in stretching the riding season with wider/knobby tires. Also, less concern about riding in salt and gravel with a lower end cross bike than my good road bike. I'm spending a great deal of my time in NE OH rather than VA where I live. That certainly increases odds of poor weather conditions. If it snows a lot I can always XC ski - so a win-win with some luck.

Planning to ride to work tomorrow - supposed to start out in the 40's and get up to the 50's in the PM. Dry, too. Don't bike commute much in Winter unless temps are well above freezing and roads are dry.
Find it easier to get out for the occasional 'fun' ride from home during the Dark Months. Again, only if the roads are not snowy, icy or wet (unless not so cold). When I used to ride more in winter wonderland conditions, I could count on hitting the ground regularly. I try to avoid that as I grow wiser.

Ride all winter, every workday, and try to get some weekend rides in during the winter too. Of course it is only PAC NW winter.

Man, I live in Florida. Afternoon rides here are 70-80 degrees. To answer your question, I'm planning on riding all winter.

Sure I ride all winter. However if I ever got up and looked outside and there was snow on the ground I would start making arrangements to move. Or realize I had been kidnapped in my sleep and transported to the hinter lands by some evil Russian Spy to try to get state secrets from me. :lol:

I love riding in the winter snow through the woods and trails, although I have come off after hitting a tree stump.

Riding through virgin snow with no influence from man and seeing wild life playing in the snow is a delight.

Beic

Last year our club got in a ride every weekend except 1. The news last night had a story that California is expected to have another dry year, so looks like another winter of practically uninterrupted riding. Last Saturday rode to the top of Mount Diablo and it was shirtsleeve weather.

Just what I'm saying. I'll bet all those fast winter drivers are guys from the prairies who think they know how to drive in snow. And then they realize wet snow is different when they find the car doesn't turn. When I'm commuting by bike in snow, I'm usually riding alongside and passing lines of slow-moving Lower Mainland drivers.

Luis

I picked my 25 deg limit the old fashioned way, by trial and error. I headed out one morning when it was 18 deg, went about a mile before making a u-turn and going back to bed. At around 25, a good hard ride will warm things up to "tolerable" and almost "enjoyable". I never made it to "tolerable" on that 18 deg morning.:(

Fortunately, here in north Alabama we rarely stay below freezing for very long.

Greg

you are drawing a false conclusion from the data, but it seems to suit your desires, so enjoy it.

i'm done here.

Ain't it the truth. I rode Friday knowing rain was possible, and well it did rain. I never really rode in rain and I'll likely not do so knowingly again. Besides the dodgey road conditions, the mess to clean up afterwards was not worth the rewards (as it would if one were mountain biking...). But seeing as we don't get that much here, I can ride year 'round :p

I ride all winter, and enjoy it very much.

I'm self employed and generally have time on my hands during the winter so I can ride as much as I want, so that's a bit of an advantage.

I also bike commute all winter long --but it's just over 2 miles to the train station and I can gut out almost anything for 10-20 minutes.

I'm looking for chaps. When it snows I only need leg protection for the front of my legs and groin area. I'm tempted to cut up some older rain pants to create "chaps". Anybody seen such a thing?

I'm just north of St Louis and I ride year round. I'm still trying to decide if I should put the Nokia M&G's on my 26" commuter bike or put them on the Rockhopper. The Rockhopper gets used mostly on single track. I wonder how the studded tires would perform on frozen dirt trails.