Post by Josh Whitmore on Dec 8, 2006 10:34:36 GMT -5
Well, it has finally arrived. Any hope of holding onto an extended indian summer has vanished with this morning's 16 degree temps at my house. It is time once again to go in to full winter riding mode.
I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to share some tips for riding in the cold. I notice a lot of people curtail their riding in the winter. I suspect this is partially due to the cold. Many think it is un-comfortable and not fun. I believe that with a little preparation and good practices, weather should not be a deterrent from riding.
I hope that I can share some of my tips and hear more from others. I'm always looking for new tactics, and selfishly, I might end up with more people to ride with before April. I learned a lot living and training in Montana for many years. We rode in the cold in the middle of summer there and froze our butts off in winter.
Here are some things on my list:
1. Cover those Knees! These bony joints don't have much flesh around them and get cold easily. It is important to keep these warm to ensure that they continue to work properly. Knee warmers should go on below 65degrees. At 45 and below, I aim for two layers over the knees.
2. Feet and hands can never be too warm. Booties (shoe covers) and good gloves are the most valuable winter gear investment you can make. Cold toes and fingers make me miserable. There are different types for different temp ranges. Error on the side of warmer ones. When it is super cold, buy those disposable chemical hand warmers. Put them in-between your shoe and the bootie, on top of your toes. Don't add extra socks in your shoes. It only serves to cut off circulation and makes your feet colder.
3. Layer it. When buying clothing for winter riding, buy lots of thin layers instead of that big thermal jacket. With layers, you can take them on or off, and adjust to the temp. With that big jacket, you'll be comfortable for a few days of the year but most likely too hot most of the time.
4. Bring that extra layer. Always go out with something extra to put on if you need to. The temp can get colder as you ride, it can rain, or you could get colder after you get soaked with sweat. A light compactable wind-proof jacket has saved my life many times.
5. Water wise. Don't neglect hydration! On truly Arctic days, I start the ride with warm water in my bottles. It helps keep them from freezing and is more pleasant to drink than 32.5 degree water on a cold day. In Montana, we often rode in the winter with Camel-backs filled with warm liquid. We'd put the camel-back under the outermost layer. It helped to warm the body as well.
6. Wear only synthetic materials. Cotton holds no insulating properties when it gets wet, and it takes forever to dry. Wear only synthetics or wool such as nylon or polyester. Leave those cotton socks and t-shirts behind.
7. Vent that heat! Around here, we are blessed (cursed) with hills. We get hot on the climb and freeze on the downhill. When going up, take off that wind-proof jacket and un zip things enough so that you don't sweat too much. At the top, zip it all up and put on those extra layers.
8. Sweat is the enemy. If you overdress, you sweat for a while till you are wet through, then you get cold because you are wet. Aim to dress to achieve the no-sweat / warmth balance.
9. Cover your head. A lot of heat escapes from your head. A cycling cap under your helmet can be ok for cool days. A fleece beanie hat will be necessary for colder rides. You can always take it off when going up hill so you don't over-heat.
10. Layer Wise. When dressing, put your thin synthetic wicking layer on first. This can be fancy brands like Capilene, but even a regular bike jersey will work. This layer will help pull moisture away from your skin and keep you dryer. Next put on the thicker insulating layers. Trapped air = heat. Last put on that wind proof shell. Add or subtract layers as needed.
11. Don't spend money, be creative. Yes there is a ton of winter specific expensive bike gear out there. Do you need it? Not really. Booties can be made from old thick wool socks from the thrift store. Cut a hole for your cleats and put em on over your shoes. This is also a nice extra layer under thinner booties. I've also seen old wool socks used as knee warmers, cut the toes out and pull em up high. I hate to say it, but synthetic clothing is available at our big department stores. Duo-fold and Under-Armour are two brands that are in-expensive and readily available. Cheap wind proof jackets are also easy to come by. Old Ski gloves work well.
12. Plastic bags on your feet? This is a trick I learned from a rider in Oregon where is rains more often than not. Plastic grocery bags on the outside of your shoes and inside your booties makes them more water-proof when raining. Even plastic bags in between your shoes and socks will help with wind penetration and keep your feet warmer without booties.
13. Let it rain. With plastic bags on my feet, a rain jacket, removable rain fenders on my bike, and synthetic clothing, I can stay comfortable even in the coldest of rains. With the right gear, riding even in any weather is possible.
Well, there's a start. Add to the list with your favorites. By the time we are done, we should be ready to ride in the Iditarod race in Alaska. (yes bicycles do this ride along with the sled-dogs)
I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to share some tips for riding in the cold. I notice a lot of people curtail their riding in the winter. I suspect this is partially due to the cold. Many think it is un-comfortable and not fun. I believe that with a little preparation and good practices, weather should not be a deterrent from riding.
I hope that I can share some of my tips and hear more from others. I'm always looking for new tactics, and selfishly, I might end up with more people to ride with before April. I learned a lot living and training in Montana for many years. We rode in the cold in the middle of summer there and froze our butts off in winter.
Here are some things on my list:
1. Cover those Knees! These bony joints don't have much flesh around them and get cold easily. It is important to keep these warm to ensure that they continue to work properly. Knee warmers should go on below 65degrees. At 45 and below, I aim for two layers over the knees.
2. Feet and hands can never be too warm. Booties (shoe covers) and good gloves are the most valuable winter gear investment you can make. Cold toes and fingers make me miserable. There are different types for different temp ranges. Error on the side of warmer ones. When it is super cold, buy those disposable chemical hand warmers. Put them in-between your shoe and the bootie, on top of your toes. Don't add extra socks in your shoes. It only serves to cut off circulation and makes your feet colder.
3. Layer it. When buying clothing for winter riding, buy lots of thin layers instead of that big thermal jacket. With layers, you can take them on or off, and adjust to the temp. With that big jacket, you'll be comfortable for a few days of the year but most likely too hot most of the time.
4. Bring that extra layer. Always go out with something extra to put on if you need to. The temp can get colder as you ride, it can rain, or you could get colder after you get soaked with sweat. A light compactable wind-proof jacket has saved my life many times.
5. Water wise. Don't neglect hydration! On truly Arctic days, I start the ride with warm water in my bottles. It helps keep them from freezing and is more pleasant to drink than 32.5 degree water on a cold day. In Montana, we often rode in the winter with Camel-backs filled with warm liquid. We'd put the camel-back under the outermost layer. It helped to warm the body as well.
6. Wear only synthetic materials. Cotton holds no insulating properties when it gets wet, and it takes forever to dry. Wear only synthetics or wool such as nylon or polyester. Leave those cotton socks and t-shirts behind.
7. Vent that heat! Around here, we are blessed (cursed) with hills. We get hot on the climb and freeze on the downhill. When going up, take off that wind-proof jacket and un zip things enough so that you don't sweat too much. At the top, zip it all up and put on those extra layers.
8. Sweat is the enemy. If you overdress, you sweat for a while till you are wet through, then you get cold because you are wet. Aim to dress to achieve the no-sweat / warmth balance.
9. Cover your head. A lot of heat escapes from your head. A cycling cap under your helmet can be ok for cool days. A fleece beanie hat will be necessary for colder rides. You can always take it off when going up hill so you don't over-heat.
10. Layer Wise. When dressing, put your thin synthetic wicking layer on first. This can be fancy brands like Capilene, but even a regular bike jersey will work. This layer will help pull moisture away from your skin and keep you dryer. Next put on the thicker insulating layers. Trapped air = heat. Last put on that wind proof shell. Add or subtract layers as needed.
11. Don't spend money, be creative. Yes there is a ton of winter specific expensive bike gear out there. Do you need it? Not really. Booties can be made from old thick wool socks from the thrift store. Cut a hole for your cleats and put em on over your shoes. This is also a nice extra layer under thinner booties. I've also seen old wool socks used as knee warmers, cut the toes out and pull em up high. I hate to say it, but synthetic clothing is available at our big department stores. Duo-fold and Under-Armour are two brands that are in-expensive and readily available. Cheap wind proof jackets are also easy to come by. Old Ski gloves work well.
12. Plastic bags on your feet? This is a trick I learned from a rider in Oregon where is rains more often than not. Plastic grocery bags on the outside of your shoes and inside your booties makes them more water-proof when raining. Even plastic bags in between your shoes and socks will help with wind penetration and keep your feet warmer without booties.
13. Let it rain. With plastic bags on my feet, a rain jacket, removable rain fenders on my bike, and synthetic clothing, I can stay comfortable even in the coldest of rains. With the right gear, riding even in any weather is possible.
Well, there's a start. Add to the list with your favorites. By the time we are done, we should be ready to ride in the Iditarod race in Alaska. (yes bicycles do this ride along with the sled-dogs)
