Bicycling in 57F

I am planning on a bicycling trip (casual bicycling, 10 miles an hour,
5 hours a day)where the average daily high temperature is 57F with
humidity about 70%. Is this a comfortable temperature to ride 5 hours
in? I'm thinking a base layer with a light breathable jacket and light
tights and sneakers. Is this good? I don't want to be cold and I don't
want to sweat.

Quoted message said:

the average daily high temperature is 57F with
humidity about 70%. Is this a comfortable temperature to ride 5 hours
in? I'm thinking a base layer with a light breathable jacket and light
tights and sneakers.

57F is close to an ideal bicycling temp. You'll probably get hot with a
jacket. YMMV, but for me it's borderline short sleeve at that temp.
Will this be in sunshine or cloudy?

RFM
http://www.cyclelicio.us/

Most likely cloudy with periods of rain. What does YMMV mean? What is
ideal bicycling weather? The temperature could only get to 50F in the
day. Is that ok or might it be too cold for a 5 hour ride at 10 mph?

Quoted message said:

Most likely cloudy with periods of rain. What does YMMV mean? What is
ideal bicycling weather? The temperature could only get to 50F in the
day. Is that ok or might it be too cold for a 5 hour ride at 10 mph?

YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary.

If cloudy with rain, you'd better have a light rain jacket, and if down to
50F, definitely a light baselayer along with leg warmers. I find that a
three-layer approach on top (baselayer, jersey, windbreaker) allows for a
very wide range of temperature that you'll feel comfortable in. I generally
don't feel the need to remove the baselayer until it's into the low-60s, and
that's often riding pretty hard.

50F with rain... you're going to be pretty uncomfortable if you don't find a
way to keep warm, especially if you're riding at only 10mph (assuming that's
not going uphill!).

We ought to ask- where will the ride be, and when? There might be some
"local" expertise in this newsgroup.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

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Quoted message said:

I am planning on a bicycling trip (casual bicycling, 10 miles an hour,
5 hours a day)where the average daily high temperature is 57F with
humidity about 70%. Is this a comfortable temperature to ride 5 hours
in? I'm thinking a base layer with a light breathable jacket and light
tights and sneakers. Is this good? I don't want to be cold and I don't
want to sweat.

==============

A bit cold, especially if there is any wind. What is the temperature in the
morning? Evening?

I would be wearing lots of warm stuff, take it off as I go.

Quoted message said:

I am planning on a bicycling trip (casual bicycling, 10 miles an hour,
5 hours a day)where the average daily high temperature is 57F with
humidity about 70%. Is this a comfortable temperature to ride 5 hours
in? I'm thinking a base layer with a light breathable jacket and light
tights and sneakers. Is this good? I don't want to be cold and I don't
want to sweat.

Actually 57F (~14C) is not that cold and I don't like the cold. A
jersey, cycling tights and a cycling jacket is probably more than
enough. You might want to consider full-fingered gloves though they're
probably overkill. If you think it may get colder may pack a
turtle-neck to wear under the jersey.

I ride in -20 C weather with a turtle-neck, a sweater, a rain shell,
tights, work socks, sneakers and heavy gloves. Oh and a bere 🙂

Personal experience says that hands and feet get cold but normally the
real problem is avoiding overheating.

John Kane
Kingston ON

I count myself as less cold sensitive than most, since I commute year round
in the Milwaukee area and have done New Year's day centuries when the
temperature never reached freezing. But a combination of cold plus a
wind-driven rain can be very tough to handle. Three anecdotes:

1. Last spring, I was riding from Quebec City toward Riviere du Loup in 50
degree rain. I rode 75 miles with no great problem, as long as I kept
going. Eventually I had to stop to eat, drink and rest a bit. Starting
back up, I was immediately cold. With no confidence that another town with
a motel was anywhere near, I opted to go back to the town I had just left
and quit for the evening.

2. A few years ago, while biking around Lake Superior, I hit a violent
thunderstorm in sub 50 degree weather between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie,
Ont. It got so dark so quickly I got off the bike for fear I was invisible
to cars (of which there were few, to be sure. But I could find no dry spots
to shelter myself, the area being quite wild.. I kept walking just to try
to stay warm, and as soon as the sky "brightened" enough for me to feel I
could be seen, I resumed riding. I worked hard enough not to get chilled
but it was a very harrowing experience.

3. About 7 or 8 years ago, on the 21 mile commute home, I encountered a
head-wind driven thunderstorm in 35 F weather on a raw early April day. I
was slow putting my raincoat on and was already wet. I couldn't get warm
and had to stop at a fast food place and call my wife to come and get me -
the only time I've ever had to do that in years of commuting, because I
couldn't get warm. (I have had to be picked up for other reasons).

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Quoted message said:

I am planning on a bicycling trip (casual bicycling, 10 miles an hour,
5 hours a day)where the average daily high temperature is 57F with
humidity about 70%. Is this a comfortable temperature to ride 5 hours
in? I'm thinking a base layer with a light breathable jacket and light
tights and sneakers. Is this good? I don't want to be cold and I don't
want to sweat.