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Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimlock (Post 11915010)

I went for a quick winter ride in Kanata Lakes yesterday afternoon. I was breaking in my new Kona Unit on my first snowy ride this winter and I wasn't really feeling it. My dog was having a great time but I never really found my flow so decided to head back after an hour. Maybe 3k from the end of the trail is a feature called Deer Drop. It's a slightly off-camber Canadian Shield type rocky roll-down with some grapefruit sized stones at the top. I've probably ridden this in both directions fifty times and wasn't really paying attention and clipped my bar on a small tree on the right which jammed my wheel into one of the small rocks, sending me over the bar. If I had gone to the right, I wouldn't have fallen more than two feet. I ended up going left and probably fell about 6-8 feet onto my left shoulder.

As soon as I hit the ground, I knew something wasn't right. I swore like a sailor but it didn't seem to help a whole lot. I could still move my fingers but anything beyond that was pretty painful. I walked the rest of the steep section and then rode one-handed through all the less-techy stuff and took the first quick out to the road.

With considerable difficulty, I loaded the bike into the car and drove home. My wife helped me get changed and we went to the hospital. We walked out two and a half hours later (not bad by big Canadian city standards) with a sling, a prescription for some Percoset and x-rays indicating a broken collarbone.

All in all, it could have been better but it could have been much worse. I have two months to think about how to take that line a little better.

Ouch, sorry to hear.

Had a good dirt jump session today.

It's been averaging in the high 20's in the heat of the afternoon the last week or so here in Georgia. Unprecedented weather for December down here. Well, not really unprecedented...but still not typical for late fall. Scrub, you seem to ride as late into the cold season as possible, in colder weather than we have down here. Any advice on riding gear for cold weather? I feel like I'm starting to live up to 66's accusations of being nothing more than an e-rider.

Quote:

Originally Posted by samburger (Post 11939742)

Head, hands, and feet. If you keep those warm, the rest can be dressed a bit lighter. Layers, so you can shed/add more as needed mid ride. A wind blocking layer of some sort on the chest is key, IMO. Obviously - keep moving. I can be dressed fairly light so long as I'm not stopping a ton or for long.

If you are comfortably warm when you are just starting pedaling, you are overdressed and will get really freakin' hot and sweat like a pig. Down into the single digits isn't too bad, but then the air being so cold hurts my lungs. Usually I bag it when it's that cold, unless really jonesing to ride. I like jerseys and tops that have hight necks, but with long front zips, so they can be opened up to vent when you start getting warmed up. Open 'em up when climbing or really working up a sweat, zip 'em back shut when descending or getting more wind chill.

A skull cap that has something to cover ears is awesome. Lets you cover and uncover as needed. If you can't spring for full on winter riding shoes, then get a cheapy pair of ride shoes a 1/2-1 size larger than normal and wear some good wool or fleece socks. Whenever I did that, a thin tighter pair (to wick the sweat away form the skin) under a thicker, fluffier pair worked best. Waterproof Sealskinz or Gore-tex socks kick ass in this case, if you think you'll be getting feet wet. Being wet and knowing you've got a good push to get back to the car sucks the big one.

Same on gloves. Too tight, and you inhibit circulation. Thick ass gloves that are too tight will leave you colder than a thinner, looser pair. Jackets? I like soft shell type stuff that breathes better, but still blocks wind more than full on rain jacket stuff (unless it's actually raining) because you'll be working and sweating so much that the rain jacket stuff will broil you - you'll heat up and sweat more than the breathability of the stuff can handle.

Nashbar and Performance house brand stuff for winter riding is great bang for buck stuff. Different weights and thicknesses, for differing temps and conditions. Though the best money I ever spent was on actual winter bike shoes. Gore-Tex lined, Thinsulate layered. Since they only get used in the winter, they typically last a couple seasons which makes the money hit a bit easier to stomach.

Dick's or other big box sport stores have tons of stuff that works really well for winter riding, at way cheaper prices than "bike specific" stuff, if needing stuff at a budget.

Pics above: Two thin poly-pro balaclava hats, one short sleeve jersey, one long sleeve poly-pro lined wool jersey, one wind vest. Padded baggy shorts. Windblock fronted leg warmers - awesome - you just use them with whatever other shorts you have already. Thick wool socks. Shimano MW-80 shoes. Planet Bike lobster mitt gloves.

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/glove9004.html

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400000_400041

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400000_400041

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._20000__400070

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=31693

Leg warmers, head something, that jacket ( to use as a vest as well) those gloves, and whatever you can do for shoes and you'll be stylin' warm. Add more layers as needed.

Very helpful! I actually have clothes that would work very well for what you just described, except Goretex shoes & the leg warmers, so this gives me a good idea of how & with what to layer for a ride. I have a lot of different layers for the cold because I drive a motorcycle--a thick Northface windbreaker with huge mesh front pockets, a few thermal shirts, some windproof leather Thinsulated gloves, & a polyester balaclava with a neoprene nose & mouth. I'll give that set up a try probably this coming Sunday.

Just a few miles in the Bear Creek Regional Park, Singletrack area here in Co. Springs, this is mostly pure cross-country, in nature. The weather started changing and you could see the snow starting to fly on top of Cheyenne Mountain, so I pointed the hardtail towards home.
8 mile ride to get there, 8 mile ride back home, beat the snow! :)

im diggin the tata fork!

Quote:

Originally Posted by samburger (Post 11940187)

I've heard of people using spray-on antiperspirant on their feet to keep from sweating. They claim it keeps their feet from getting and staying wet while they're out riding. I suffer from unusually sweaty feet, but I have not tried this approach.

Hey Scrub,

Where are these pics from?

Quote:

Originally Posted by matttheknife (Post 11948541)

Hey Scrub,

Where are these pics from?

Near all my shots are within an hour of Danbury, CT. I see you aren't too far away.

It looked further north given the snow. I went for a group ride in western NH on the 7th... high 20s, I could barely breathe! It took me a day or two to feel warm again. Great pics!

Quote:

Originally Posted by matttheknife (Post 11949367)

It looked further north given the snow. I went for a group ride in western NH on the 7th... high 20s, I could barely breathe! It took me a day or two to feel warm again. Great pics!

Was about 20F when riding on the 15th. Yesterday and today were both hovering around 30F. 1/2" - 1" down around me, disappearing quickly.

Twas the week before christmas....

And I just got done with a DJ session.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dminor (Post 11959311)

^^ You disgust me.

I never thought that I would be dirt jumping this late in the year.

^^ Ya, but don't you live in Hell or somewhere you can peer over the rim into it?

:D

First day of winter and more dirtjumping. Most likely one of the last times this year that I'll be on the mtb.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dminor (Post 11962668)

^^ Ya, but don't you live in Hell or somewhere you can peer over the rim into it?

:D

for a few months yes, 80 today with a cool breeze.

It was snowing that day, I was like riding in the snow! Great race though.