Bicycling in Cold Weather

I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I think:

1. Wicking base layer
2. 100 wt fleece top
3. Waterproof shell
4. Midweight running tights
5. Warm streamlined winter boot/shoes
6. Woll socks
7. Fleece hat
8. Windproof gloves

Is this ok? I don't want to freeze and I want to have a comfortable,
painless ride.

10 Dec 2004 21:20:24 -0800,
. com,
wrote:

I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I think:

1. Wicking base layer
2. 100 wt fleece top
3. Waterproof shell
4. Midweight running tights
5. Warm streamlined winter boot/shoes
6. Woll socks
7. Fleece hat
8. Windproof gloves

Is this ok? I don't want to freeze and I want to have a comfortable,
painless ride.

If the "waterproof" shell isn't ventilated or breathable it might not
be comfortable. Make sure it doesn't get stiff when frozen.

Consider carrying lightweight warm-up pants for wind breaking or when
you're off the bike.

Finger tips and toes can get uncomfortably cold. You need extra room
in your shoes for heavy socks. If you're unaccustomed to temperatures
in the lower end of that range you might appreciate mittens.

Dressing in layers let's you fine tune for comfort but you can't add
layers you don't have. If you're comfortable wearing everything you've
got while actively pedalling, you can get real cold real fast trying
to change a flat.
--
zk

wrote:

I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I think:

1. Wicking base layer
2. 100 wt fleece top
3. Waterproof shell
4. Midweight running tights
5. Warm streamlined winter boot/shoes
6. Woll socks
7. Fleece hat
8. Windproof gloves

Is this ok? I don't want to freeze and I want to have a comfortable,
painless ride.

I hope "comfortable and painless" indicates you're also not planning
on getting much of a workout. If I were to dress like that for a 35
degree F (2 degree C) ride, I'd be "comfortable" for about the first
couple hundred revolutions of the crank, after which I'd be in serious
danger of overheating (which isn't comfortable or painless).

My own experience is that if you're comfortable for the first half
mile (1 km) you're overdressed. This assumes that you're riding hard
enough to generate quite a bit of heat.

FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
get a little cold though. ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 08:39:00 -0700, Mark Hickey
wrote:


FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
get a little cold though. ;-)

Mark Hickey

Beware of taking cold weather gear advice from someone located in
Florida.

I'll never understand why people think it is impressive to be under
dressed in cold weather. Wearing shorts and a short sleeve jersey in
temps of the range 20F - 35F is just silly.

For the Op, you should do some shorter rides, if possible and make
some adjustments, as you personally see fit. What works for some does
not work for everyone. I have found if my hands, feet, and/or head are
cold, I'm miserable. Consider some those disposable toe warmers for
the feet. They sure do work for me.


Life is Good!
Jeff

wrote in message
ups.com...
I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I think:

1. Wicking base layer
2. 100 wt fleece top
3. Waterproof shell
4. Midweight running tights
5. Warm streamlined winter boot/shoes
6. Woll socks
7. Fleece hat
8. Windproof gloves

Is this ok? I don't want to freeze and I want to have a comfortable,
painless ride.

It sounds perhaps a little light for that duration, at least for the lower
temperature end, but pretty close.

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 16:55:20 GMT, Peter Cole
wrote:

wrote in message
ups.com...
I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I think:

1. Wicking base layer
2. 100 wt fleece top
3. Waterproof shell
4. Midweight running tights
5. Warm streamlined winter boot/shoes
6. Woll socks
7. Fleece hat
8. Windproof gloves

Is this ok? I don't want to freeze and I want to have a comfortable,
painless ride.

It sounds perhaps a little light for that duration, at least for the
lower
temperature end, but pretty close.


OK, I am serious now. Get dressed as above then ride about 5 miles near
home and find out what your thermal balance is. I usually find that after
a few miles of pedaling I am overdressed and it is nice to be able to stop
at home and drop off the excess clothing. Just don't ride to far from a
warm place, in case your bike breaks and you can no longer keep up the
balance of heat generated versus insulation needed. Five miles should get
your metabolism to where it will be for the rest of the ride. Experiment,
but try to err on the safe side.


--
Bill (?) Baka

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 08:39:00 -0700, Mark Hickey wrote:
wrote:

I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I think:

FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
get a little cold though. ;-)

Mark, did you really write that? Either you have less common sense
than I or you weren't thinking!

Folks don't listen to this guy for cold weather advice you'll end up
with pneumonia.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog

Bill Baka wrote:
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 16:55:20 GMT, Peter Cole
wrote:

wrote in message

ups.com...
I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a
day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress? This is what I
think:

1. Wicking base layer
2. 100 wt fleece top
3. Waterproof shell
4. Midweight running tights
5. Warm streamlined winter boot/shoes
6. Woll socks
7. Fleece hat
8. Windproof gloves

Is this ok? I don't want to freeze and I want to have a
comfortable,
painless ride.

It sounds perhaps a little light for that duration, at
least for the
lower
temperature end, but pretty close.


OK, I am serious now. Get dressed as above then ride about
5 miles
near home and find out what your thermal balance is. I
usually find
that after a few miles of pedaling I am overdressed and it
is nice to
be able to stop at home and drop off the excess clothing.
Just don't
ride to far from a warm place, in case your bike breaks
and you can
no longer keep up the balance of heat generated versus
insulation
needed. Five miles should get your metabolism to where it
will be for
the rest of the ride. Experiment, but try to err on the
safe side.

Bill and I are in agreement here.
I like to have some place to put layers I might need to take
off (like a rack trunk), so I am sure I won't be too cold.
If you are too warm, you will sweat more than you'd like to
until you open some zippers or shed a layer. If you are too
cold, you can get hypothermia on a long ride. It's not an
even trade.

Your list seems fine, although I can't tell about the
gloves. Mittens are warmer: I have a two piece pair that's
wool inside for warmth and leather outside for wind. As
another poster suggested, light nylon warmup pants can
provide an extra measure of warmth if needed.

--
Mike Kruger
"So class, who can tell me how much of our genetic code we
share with
chimpanzees?" "Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh! I know, sir!"

3. Waterproof shell

Unless you're expecting rain - I'd suggest a windproof (but breathable)
top - they are much better at letting sweat escape than the best of
'breathable' waterproofs.

I'd also sugget taking some extra clothing if you're going anywhere
remote. Even tho' you might be plenty warm enough when riding - if
anything forces you to stop (mechanical trouble, punctures, etc.) -
you'll cool off very rapidly.

Kirby

skrev i en meddelelse
ups.com...
I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
temperatures 20F-35F. How should I dress?

I regularly ride in temperatures like that - though rarely for more than
three hours. But I did ride 200 km at about 0 C 18 months ago, so I do have
some experience.




I would (and did) bring with me one spare pair of socks, one spare dry inner
jersey, one spare jacket.


And I would not use finger gloves, but the the lobster claw type, they are
much warmer.

Also I would tie a scarf around my neck - ready to cover nose and mouth the
bankrobber way, if the cold wind bigins to bite in my face and my lungs.




Turning from tailwind to headwind will feel like a huge change in
temperature - and you can be completely drained of energy in minutes if you
freeze. In that case changing inner jersey and socks at a gas station toilet
will make wonders. And the extra jacket to take on and off will help you
adjust to the changing chilling effect of the wind.




If your toes get cold, you should get off the bike and walk fast till they
get warm again.




Enjoy! Riding in the winter is cool. Not necessarily painless.


Ivar of Denmark