How cold is to cold?
 

I know this 100% based on personal opinion but this winter the weather has been hovering between 45-55 degrees, high 50's being my cut-off for whether I ride or not, mainly because I refuse to wear jeans or any kind of pants because I can't stand riding in anything but shorts. I will however wear a long sleeve and maybe a beanie under the helmet. But im pretty bummed out because I feel trapped in this damn house and really want to get out and ride. So after my lame rant I just want to know what you guys do in the winter ( California disregard ) and at what point do you just lean the bike and stay in.

I won't ride below 30, but with the windchill it usually ends up feeling lower than that.
and 20 miles is usually my max distance in that weather, even geared up my extremities can't take too long of a ride.


I know its relative, but 50 is perfect riding weather.

Yer in South Carolina? There should be NO weather, unless it's hurricane weather that you can't ride in down there. people up this way ride in freezing, snow on the ground temps. I can't imagine the Carolinas are that brutal. If its too brutal for you down there, you should change yer avatar to a Teletubby! haha

Seriously though, as long as it's dry, **** it. When i was a messenger here in Cleveland, the only weather that really took it out of me was 40F and rain. Snow, to me, was preferable to just above freezing rain. I can't imagine Seattle. That's just the worst, to me, which is weird, because i surf up in NorCal, and I never seem to be too bothered. But that's sometimes suited up in 5mil wetsuit with booties and a hood and gloves.

I'll never ride when the temps are colder than -25F or windchill is -45F, but I'm just a fair-weather biker.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...3fe899655b5510

For me, it's under 40 degrees, at which point my face and extremities get too cold and I have trouble breathing. I wear long pants or leg warmers below 60 degrees, and a jacket or long sleeve shirt / sweater below 70 degrees. Basically, I'd rather be a bit too warm than too cold.

I have a 30-mile commute to work. I usually call it quits around 35 degrees.

Once the weather dips below 50, I'm pulling out the Gore leggings and grabbing a jacket. And those merino wool Buffs are a godsend for cold weather cycling.

Wow. I rode my fixed gear to work yesterday. Actual temp was 22F when I left for work. The ride home had me at 8F. As long as it is clear, not raining or icy, I will ride. I have ridden to work in single digits with the wind chill near 0, during the day. At night, when I come home, it is quite a bit colder. I invested in quite a bit of gear for the winter riding, so I am somewhat comfortable. Giro snowboard helmet with ear covers, Pearl Izumi head cover, Oakley goggles, Seirus half balaclava, North Face windproof gloves, Seirus glove liners, Novara windproof/waterproof jacket, biking tights, shorts to go over them, a chamois, Smartwool thick wool socks, and Specialized Defroster waterproof/windproof SPD boots. I hate riding in all that gear, but I hate not riding even more. I prefer a t shirt and shorts with sweat dripping off the end of my nose and my back soaked from my bag, but I will have to wait a few more months for that.

I commute every day no matter what. I'm sure there are people out there biking in colder weather than me, which kind of keeps me motivated. To be honest cold doesn't bother me as much as a bad headwind or rain.
I ride in shorts till it's about 0C, or 32F, after that it's pants, important thing is staying warm while not getting wet/overheating. Check out the commuting forum for good clothing tips and cold weather riding. Layers are important, if fashion is of importance while biking in the cold your priorities are wrong.

Edit* 0C shorts, unless it's snowing/raining. I also try to warm up before heading out, which definitely helps.

If that's fair weather I'd hate to live wherever you live

Yeah, and how would anyone know, cause hardly ANYONE puts their location in their profile. Such secretive types......

How long does it take to suit up in all that gear?

<---- Hypno Toad does (if you'd bother to look)

I'm in Western suburbs of Minneapolis. Last year during one the polar vortex (whatever the plural is, 'cause we had a ton of them or one REALLY LONG one) I was out with air temps lower than -15F and windchill around -40F. After an hour of riding, I got to work with a good sweat and a big smile.

BTW - Minneapolis is one of the best cities in the US for bikes and everything else (except if the cold and winter bug you, then you can stay in the South - won't hurt my feelings)

Not sure if that's a jab at me failing to see his location, not putting my location in my profile, or both. Either way, good to see we've got people on the forum observant enough to take note of such things. My post was just based on the photo and the temp. because, location aside, that's just ****** cold.

Well, Mr. Smarty Pants, I DID see that YOU filled in yer location. I was talking about the other 89% of people(you'd see that if YOU "bothered to look") who always post awesome "ride pics" or location type posts. ;)


And the Twin Cities are awesome. One of my sisters lives in Saint Paul, in a cool building with an awesome pizza place on the ground floor. Its such a "progressive" city(both cities)...

RE: Hardboiled....no jabs man. Sometimes I'm just curious when people post pics of rides or talk about weather etc, and you have no idea where they are. No one wants to be the creeper asking where people are, all the time.


Edit: Oops, quoted the wrong person. Sorry!

I have it down to about 8 minutes now if it is all laid out ready to go. That is time well spent because it allows me to get out and ride.

I was trying to guess as I was reading the list, and it just kept going.

What is a good glove for the cold, (30f-40f) that is NOT bulky. Or is there even one?

For the record, Hypno Toad is a major creeper... just be warned.

I can't really answer that for you, because I have Reynaud's syndrome. My outlook on gloves is that they all pretty much suck, even the ones I have. My hands get cold no matter what. I had a pair from REI for biking that I really loved, but I lost them and they are not available any more unfortunately. Haven't found anything that is not bulky.

My favorite, not too expensive, dry, cold weather gloves are the North Face Denali gloves. Windproof enough and not like wearing Astronaut gloves.

I have these two gloves:

Bontrager for 50F down to 25F
Pearl Izumi for 30F down to 0F (yes, they are kinda bulky)
When it gets below 0F, I add the pogies.

Check out snowboard pipegloves for less bulky warm gloves - I've used them in the past and liked them a lot, I'm just fresh out of them this year.

Almost missed that. If you're curious just ask, I don't care. I'm in Korea, via NY. Mentioned it in my intro post way back, but just too lazy to update my profile. So far, coldest it's been around here is about -10/15C, which is still above 0F, so I don't feel like i have any right to complain yet.

By the way haven't posted any ride pics, would love to but don't actually have a camera at the moment. I know it seems weird to not carry one but just prefer enjoying the ride and not worrying about other stuff

Wow... Im a sissy. I need to get out and ride

Hah, pogies, I never knew there was a name for those things, also never seen them made for bikes, only motorcycles/scooters... although I guess they could be interchangeable. When I had flat bars I used to cover them with plastic bags to break the wind, looks cheap but works well. Now I just use regular gloves, no name brand, thick enough to stay warm and good articulation to flex and grip stuff.

As T13 said, it's not the cold that makes riding unbearable it's the rain. No matter what you do in two hours or so, it will seep through and you'll be miserable. Which is why I keep my riding to around one hour or so at a time in winter.

Thanks. None of those are too bulky for my tastes. I kinda dig those camo pipe gloves.