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-   -   Is 0 degrees to cold to ride? (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/380811-0-degrees-cold-ride.html)

R900 01-20-08 08:43 AM

Is 0 degrees to cold to ride?
 
It's sunny out, light wind, dry roads, but 0 degrees. I rode Friday at 20 and had a good ride. I was hoping it would warm up to the teens, but the temp is still dropping. So what's the coldest temp you've ridden in?

botto 01-20-08 08:47 AM

fahrenheit or celcius?

gfrance 01-20-08 09:02 AM

yes. next question

R900 01-20-08 09:03 AM

Fahrenheit, wait it's up to 1.4 now...

solveg 01-20-08 09:06 AM

I rode yesterday at -9 with -25 windchill! It was mostly a mental thing, getting out the door. Once I was out it was fine. You just have to cover every single inch of skin. I went out and got ski goggles, which I didn't need riding in the teens and 20's.

I'm pretty proud of myself! I was just scrounging around looking for a thread to post my cold weather bravery in.

BillyD 01-20-08 09:12 AM

Yes, it's too cold to ride. Join the WCC and Fuggedaboudit!

ElJamoquio 01-20-08 09:13 AM

Below a certain temperature, I get a better workout on the trainer indoors. That temp keeps going down, right now I think it's ~40 F.

Right now I go outside between 25 and 40 - and have ridden in much colder temps - but when all of my mental/physical focus is spent on warmth and traction, I don't really exercise the muscles that well; and as a bonus, I get to sear my lungs.

For me, it's all what goal I have for the workout that day. Being able to exercise in extreme-low-temps isn't high on the priority list.

recursive 01-20-08 11:10 AM

No.

Next question.

Youngin 01-20-08 11:14 AM

Nope. Coldest was -27f. It was fun, but Adidas Sambas aren't the warmest shoes out there :-)

Machka 01-20-08 11:41 AM

1. No, neither 0°C or 0°F are too cold to ride in.

2. The coldest I've ridden in was -40°C/F on a commute to work.

crydee 01-20-08 11:46 AM

It is 38F which is extremely rare in the middle of the afternoon here. I'm not riding! I don't think I own enough proper clothes for a long ride in that since it has never been worth buying them for the 1-2 days like that a year. So the answer to your question is yes, yes it is too cold to ride.

Machka 01-20-08 11:50 AM


Originally Posted by crydee (Post 6016476)
It is 38F which is extremely rare in the middle of the afternoon here. I'm not riding! I don't think I own enough proper clothes for a long ride in that since it has never been worth buying them for the 1-2 days like that a year. So the answer to your question is yes, yes it is too cold to ride.

All you need are cycling shorts, sweatpants (or leg warmers if you've got them), a long sleeved wool top of some sort, and a jacket for that temp. Oh, and full-fingered gloves of some sort (not necessarily cycling specific), and something to cover your ears.

scotch 01-20-08 12:08 PM

no, if you have the right gear for feet, hands, head. if you don't, you will want to cry...and your tears will freeze instantly.

biker128pedal 01-20-08 12:10 PM

0 Kelvin is way tooo cold. :D

gruffydd 01-20-08 12:12 PM

I have ridden in those kind of temperatures when I lived in Alaska, but now in Colorado, I don't have to. So I will be on my trainer today. It is far from zero here, but we do have a bit too much ice.

RiPHRaPH 01-20-08 12:15 PM


Originally Posted by gfrance (Post 6015738)
yes. next question


stole my thunder.

Univega 01-20-08 12:16 PM


Originally Posted by Machka (Post 6016502)
All you need are cycling shorts, sweatpants (or leg warmers if you've got them), a long sleeved wool top of some sort, and a jacket for that temp. Oh, and full-fingered gloves of some sort (not necessarily cycling specific), and something to cover your ears.

You're a tougher man than me. ;)

Mobilegroomer 01-20-08 12:35 PM

45 (wind chill) is too cold to ride.

Cateye 01-20-08 12:37 PM

Hell yes.

Snuffleupagus 01-20-08 12:45 PM


Originally Posted by ElJamoquio (Post 6015782)
Below a certain temperature, I get a better workout on the trainer indoors. That temp keeps going down, right now I think it's ~40 F.

Right now I go outside between 25 and 40 - and have ridden in much colder temps - but when all of my mental/physical focus is spent on warmth and traction, I don't really exercise the muscles that well; and as a bonus, I get to sear my lungs.

For me, it's all what goal I have for the workout that day. Being able to exercise in extreme-low-temps isn't high on the priority list.


What!!?!?!

You mean cold-ervals aren't making me faster? I figure a high FTP and acceleration repeatability are secondary concerns in the face of my ability to ride when it sucks outside...

Or maybe not.

Crankaddict 01-20-08 12:50 PM

Please don't send the Floridian out in 38* weather - He'll die. I don't care how well dressed he is. If you are used to zero degree days then 38* is balmy. If, like me, you are used to temps that hover in the 20's at times, you can handle 38*. If, on the other hand, you live in Florida where 50* is considered cold, then don't go out and don't feel guilty about staying in.

ElJamoquio 01-20-08 12:57 PM


Originally Posted by Univega (Post 6016628)
You're a tougher man than me. ;)

?? You sure?

patentcad 01-20-08 01:06 PM

That's too cold for Pcad. If it's too cold for Pcad, it's too cold for anyone.

I rode today but it was 15-20ºF here. I won't ride when it's below low teens. 13ºF has been my coldest ride. Rode for two hours today. Actually the wind made it much worse. How rideable cold temps are has a lot to do with the presence or absence of 25mph wind gusts. We had those here today and it was nasty.

Sixty Fiver 01-20-08 01:17 PM


That's too cold for Pcad. If it's too cold for Pcad, it's too cold for anyone.
cough*wuss*cough


You're a tougher man than me.
Machka is a tougher man than all of us... and prettier too.

:D

patentcad 01-20-08 01:23 PM


Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver (Post 6016887)
... and prettier too.

Now that I've shaved my stache and beard, that's debatable.


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