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Cold weather commuting?



 
 
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  #11  
Old September 12th 07, 02:05 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
dgk
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Posts: 827
Default Cold weather commuting?

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:15:42 -0700, wrote:

I just got into biking an hour or so to work each way over the
summer. Tommorrow is supposed to be quite a cold day, 42 F, compared
to the usual balmy weather I have been commuting in. Do I need to
dress differently, or will my body heat quickly rise once I start my
uphill pedalling? I dont have any fancy fabrics, apart from usual
cottons and some 'dry-fit' sports shirts.



I commute year round in NYC, and this site has a lot of helpful cold
weather advice:
http://www.icebike.org/. Most people look at me like
I'm nuts when they find out that I bike through the winter, but it
really isn't cold or I wouldn't do it.

During the really cold months I use battery-powered mittens because my
fingers just get too cold (15 miles each way). I also have heated
(hotronic brand) insoles for my shoes since my toes also hate
frostbite. I seem to be more sensitive to cold than some other folks
though.

That isn't necessary for 42f of course. I would wear gloves though,
and a wind breaker is very helpful. You'll heat up very quickly so
don't overdress. Layers.

One thing to bear in mind is that Cotton Kills. Contrary to what
someone else wrote, don't wear cotton when things get cold. It absorbs
and holds water rather than passing it along to the outer layer. You
don't want cold soggy clothing near your skin, you want nice
breathable stuff that stays dry. I tend to hit the coolmax imitation
stuff from Target - their C9 brand seems to be good stuff done cheap.

The only real biking clothes that I sprang for is a bright yellow
windbreaker/light jacket for the outer layer. It has lots of zippers
so that you can open under the armpits and even zip up from the bottom
of the main zipper as well as down from the top. It's funny, but even
in the coldest weather I find that I need to open up some zippers.

Have fun.
Ads
  #12  
Old September 12th 07, 02:56 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Ron Hardin
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Posts: 145
Default Cold weather commuting?

I use windbreaker shell and some number of sweatshirts under it, depending on
temperature. For 40 dgrees, it would be one sweatshirt. If the sun is out, it's
still Bermudas for pants, otherwise sweatpants over Bermudas.

Polartek mittens are good down to about 32, are warm when wet, and leave you
fairly dextrous still ; below 32 I wear a mitten shell over them. No gloves,
it's either these mittens or nothing.

Face mask under 15 F. That would be 3 sweatshirt territory.

Carhartt model A111 wool ``boot socks'' (88% wool) solved my cold foot problem,
whether in boots or regular shoes. I gather it's the high percentage wool that
matters. Most wool socks are pretty low in wool and high in nylon or something.
--


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
  #13  
Old September 12th 07, 11:17 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Dane Buson
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Posts: 1,340
Default Cold weather commuting?

Ron Hardin wrote:

Carhartt model A111 wool ``boot socks'' (88% wool) solved my cold foot problem,
whether in boots or regular shoes. I gather it's the high percentage wool that
matters. Most wool socks are pretty low in wool and high in nylon or something.


I'll second the recommendation for wool socks. They are definitely the
way to go for cool/cold weather cycling.

--
Dane Buson -
X windows. Flaky and built to stay that way.
  #14  
Old September 15th 07, 03:32 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Claire Petersky
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Posts: 423
Default Cold weather commuting?

"Dane Buson" wrote in message
...
Ron Hardin wrote:

Carhartt model A111 wool ``boot socks'' (88% wool) solved my cold foot
problem,
whether in boots or regular shoes. I gather it's the high percentage
wool that
matters. Most wool socks are pretty low in wool and high in nylon or
something.


I'll second the recommendation for wool socks. They are definitely the
way to go for cool/cold weather cycling.



Heck, I wear wool socks year round. I have thin ones for summer, thick ones
for winter.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky


  #15  
Old September 16th 07, 02:12 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Dane Buson
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Posts: 1,340
Default Cold weather commuting?

Claire Petersky wrote:
"Dane Buson" wrote in message
...
Ron Hardin wrote:

Carhartt model A111 wool ``boot socks'' (88% wool) solved my cold foot
problem,
whether in boots or regular shoes. I gather it's the high percentage
wool that
matters. Most wool socks are pretty low in wool and high in nylon or
something.


I'll second the recommendation for wool socks. They are definitely the
way to go for cool/cold weather cycling.


Heck, I wear wool socks year round. I have thin ones for summer, thick ones
for winter.


I have to admit that I do also. I find the wool more comfortable in
general, even if it might erroneously mark me out as a retro grouch.

Well, the socks and the barcon shifters.
Well, the socks, barcon shifters, and steel bike.
Hmmm, the socks, barcon shifters, steel bike and square taper BB...

--
Dane Buson -
"Violence accomplishes nothing." What a contemptible lie! Raw, naked
violence has settled more issues throughout history than any other method
ever employed. Perhaps the city fathers of Carthage could debate the
issue, with Hitler and Alexander as judges?
  #16  
Old September 16th 07, 09:00 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Tom Keats
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Posts: 3,193
Default Cold weather commuting?

In article ,
Dane Buson writes:

Well, the socks and the barcon shifters.
Well, the socks, barcon shifters, and steel bike.
Hmmm, the socks, barcon shifters, steel bike and square taper BB...


You must have an awfully heavy bike, what with
all that steel.

Landotter should take note.

And, living in the PNW, our Western Cordilleran 10%+
grades should be more trivial to you than those short,
little Anglo 30%+ humps 'n bumps of which Tony Raven
speaks. Hell, getting up Oak St from 1st to Broadway
is sort of do-able. Wouldn't wanna have to continually
o it, though. Comes a time when one should consider
multi-modal transportation.

Phffftt


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
  #17  
Old September 23rd 07, 01:04 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Tom Keats
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Posts: 3,193
Default Cold weather commuting?

In article . com,
writes:
I just got into biking an hour or so to work each way over the
summer. Tommorrow is supposed to be quite a cold day, 42 F, compared
to the usual balmy weather I have been commuting in. Do I need to
dress differently, or will my body heat quickly rise once I start my
uphill pedalling? I dont have any fancy fabrics, apart from usual
cottons and some 'dry-fit' sports shirts.


A fleet of pullover sweaters in a range of thicknesses
is a wonderful asset. Get 'em cheap from your local
Goodwill/Salivation-Army shop.

In cooler temps, some sort of full-finger gloves helps
keep the windchill off yer hands, too.

A lot of cyclists talk about cotton like it's the
work of Ol' Harry. IME, cotton stuff is okay in the
warmer & drier months ('cuz you can readily take off your
skanky cotton tee-shirt & jeans, and put clean ones on.)
But it really can be an evil textile in the winter,
especially if it gets wet. During the winter, rain-soaked
jeans take at least three days to air-dry, hung up in a
Vancouver basement. The worst of the worst of cotton
clothing is probably cotton sweatshirts/pants. 'Cuz with
their thickness they retain even /more/ cold wetness.

Polyester and other synth fabrics are good in cold & wet,
but have a tendency to become olfactorily unpleasant.
I find a gentle machine washing with a shot of vinegar in
the wash water mitigates that effect. Some folks use
baking soda, but the vinegar thing actually works better
for me. And it doesn't leave shmutz on my clothes.

For some subconsciously intuitive reason, I'm personally
averse to anything neoprene, like booties and gloves.
I guess I figure a cyclist just shouldn't have to dress
up like a scuba diver.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
 




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