bumblebeetuna
Member
This is going to be the first year I try and ride through the winter. Im not saying ill be out in the snow but well see. What changes as far as clothing, tires, hot cocoa do you guys make
Keeping warm
- Thread starter bumblebeetuna
- Start date
Dusty the Whale
Mr.Chainsaw
4 months till it gets "cold" out.
Put your water bottles in the cages upside down and don't over dress cause you'll sweat and get colder than you should be and then you're sick.
Put your water bottles in the cages upside down and don't over dress cause you'll sweat and get colder than you should be and then you're sick.
kinda depends what is cold to you.....doesn't really get cold until it is sub 30 - and keeping your hands warm and dry is a key.
use a hydration pack with "warm" water and blow it back out of the hose to keep it from freezing in the valve.
surgical gloves under winter gloves - don't take them off! when it is really cold add hand warmers between layers (this keeps the gloves dry, and they maintain their insulating properties) taking the gloves off will create a little waterfall effect (have extra surgical gloves. they are reusable) - consider snowboard gloves as an option.
three layers on torso - technical base, insulation layer, wind stopper - zippers help to regulate.
something under the helmet - check sweatvac.com for winter head gear
i wear knickers with tech pants (goofy, but recognizable) has anyone ever had cold calves?
feet - well, it is too early to discuss feet....
a little snow on the trails is fun - don't let it stop you.
with a place like 6MR, be careful that the top layer doesn't thaw over a frozen layer - it is miserable riding conditions. and the next riders through have to deal with frozen ridges. riding in the morning before it warms up is the way to go there.
use a hydration pack with "warm" water and blow it back out of the hose to keep it from freezing in the valve.
surgical gloves under winter gloves - don't take them off! when it is really cold add hand warmers between layers (this keeps the gloves dry, and they maintain their insulating properties) taking the gloves off will create a little waterfall effect (have extra surgical gloves. they are reusable) - consider snowboard gloves as an option.
three layers on torso - technical base, insulation layer, wind stopper - zippers help to regulate.
something under the helmet - check sweatvac.com for winter head gear
i wear knickers with tech pants (goofy, but recognizable) has anyone ever had cold calves?
feet - well, it is too early to discuss feet....
a little snow on the trails is fun - don't let it stop you.
with a place like 6MR, be careful that the top layer doesn't thaw over a frozen layer - it is miserable riding conditions. and the next riders through have to deal with frozen ridges. riding in the morning before it warms up is the way to go there.
as far as tires go i usually go with something a little sticky or with a relatively aggresive tread. winter isn't the time for speed so i don't really think about rolling resistance. something like the nevegals or something. this way if it's icy in spots you have a better chance of hooking your wheel up with something. and having some grip in hardpack snow. even then a patch of ice could take you down quick though. i have never had the need for nokians and have rode across sections of solid ice... but very carefully.
bradmcnutt
Member
Love barr mitts for keeping hands warm. I always have a problem with my toes and tried the gore booties, but they fell apart pretty quickly. I used them as a foundation and wrapped the front half of my shoes with duct tape and that was the warmest my toes have been. Craft wind stopper shirts are awesome. If its really cold, I'll start the ride with a fleece pullover and then wrap that around my waste once I warm up.
knobbyhead
Next off the Island.
As others have said, don't overdress. Also, keep your head warm. It will help keep the rest of you warm.
When I skied, there was a saying if your hands and feet are cold, put on a hat.
When I skied, there was a saying if your hands and feet are cold, put on a hat.
MikeP
Well-Known Member
this is golden, it'll take you awhile to figure out what pieces for what temps....do I need my winter jersey with a vest over it, do I need my heavy base layer......etc? The coldest I've rode is 27F at White Clay in December. Cold doesn't bother me as much I'm used to it from snowboarding and can repurpose some of the clothes (base layers, socks). You're gonna wanna overdress, you have to resist the temptation.
walter
Fourth Party
This too. I am a big fan of Gore stuff. I actually wear my gore winter gloves on my motorcycle when I go out on colder days. Down to about 35 degrees at highway temps and still toasty.
bumblebeetuna
Member
I love to snowboard (maybe we can get a group ride some time) so I have base layer stuff. Didn't think of that. What do you wear on your legs though that wont catch in the chain but will be warm
Arwen's Mom
Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains
Like all of this and it all works.
Well, I havent tried the surgical glove thing.
Do they have something like that for feet?
If you keep your hands, feet, and head dry and warm the rest of you will feel better.
I found these gloves liners that have metal threads running through them, with a hand warmer stuffed in there under regular riding gloves worked well.
As for feet....that was harder for me, but I found that wool socks, plastic bread bag (only if there is potential to get wet), a neoprene shoe or toe cover, and the best: a toe warmer in the shoe right above where the cleat is located worked very well for me, and I have issues keeping my feet warm. You would be surprised how much cold comes through the bottom of your shoe. The toe warmer not only blocks the cold, but generates a tiny bit of warmth. I found that even when they stopped generating heat, they were effective at blocking that cold metal cleat from freezing my toes.
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1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
The whole core temp thing is covered ad nauseum above -- it's all about not overheating in your core. The extremities are always going to be an issue. I went ghetto for my feet two years ago and haven't really had an issue with that since -- basically, a really thin sock with plastic bags over them for a vapor shield and then a large wool sock over them. Instead of spending money on winter shoes, I bought a cheap pair of shoes that were a size too big so the extra thickness of double socks didn't cause circulation issues. That's often a bigger issue for people in the winter. Your feet won't get cold even down to high 30's with just a regular shoe and sock as long as the blood is flowing. What causes most people a problem in those mid-range winter temps is that they wear too much and cram it into the same shoes they wore all summer. That cuts off circulation, which then makes your feet numb, which is what a lot of people mistake for cold feet. Anyway, the one thing that happens every ride for me int he winter now is that I finish with sweaty feet inside the plastic bags.
As for gloves, I haven't tried the same thing there (I've considered using the food-server gloves for a vapor shield but haven't tried it yet.) So my "solution" there is not pretty -- basically, i start my ride and my hands freeze to the point of pain. Then I pause and let them thaw, which is even more painful. Then they don't get cold again once I get blood into them. If you can find a better solution I highly recommend you do so because, to be honest, my "method" sucks.
As for gloves, I haven't tried the same thing there (I've considered using the food-server gloves for a vapor shield but haven't tried it yet.) So my "solution" there is not pretty -- basically, i start my ride and my hands freeze to the point of pain. Then I pause and let them thaw, which is even more painful. Then they don't get cold again once I get blood into them. If you can find a better solution I highly recommend you do so because, to be honest, my "method" sucks.
Robin
Well-Known Member
Everyone responds to the cold differently. I'm convinced that I have done damage to my feet from years of jamming them into tight ski boots for racing.
Most important thing is not to let anything get wet...whether its from sweat or melting snow.
I have tried a number of things to keep my feet warm. The best I've found is stopping somewhere, letting them thaw and enjoying a hot chocolate.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4
Most important thing is not to let anything get wet...whether its from sweat or melting snow.
I have tried a number of things to keep my feet warm. The best I've found is stopping somewhere, letting them thaw and enjoying a hot chocolate.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4
Wear a headband under your helmet to cover your ears but keep the top of your head ventilated. Invest in solid winter riding boots that have Goretex and zippers to keep wet out and wear with medium weight wool socks. I have Pearl Izumis and have had 2 glorious riding winters with toasty toes. Ditto on the layers and starting slightly chilly.