Cold-weather riding

Ice and snow are the biggest hazards. Sand/grit accumulations on the side of the road are also dangerous.

Key points to remember: keep body heat in, keep sweating to a minimum. This is true of all cold-weather outdoor activities including cycling.

Hat or thin ski toque under the helmet, covering the ears. Mega important. Most of your body heat loss is through your head; heat rises.

Your body will sweat and sweat will freeze. That's where the specialized sports gear comes into play. Ski togs, long shirts and underwear that wicks sweat away from the body and dissipates it...can't say enough about it.

Wind proofing to keep body heat in near your body. General rule of thumb is that it's better to have several light layers than one heavy layer. The light layers trap air between them.

Extremities are susceptible to frostbite. Keep your hands and feet covered and guys, a sock down the front of the tights to keep the "boys" warm -- yes it can get frostbite and I understand it is exceedingly unpleasant. NO, I'm not telling how I heard.

EagleNoodle said:

Hey guys. I'm a freshman from Hawaii in college in Nebraska, and I should have a fixed gear bike built by the end of this week. The weather is fine now (60F at night), but I've heard it may drop as low as -30F this winter. I've obviously never lived(or cycled) in cold weather, and I had a few questions.

What should I be wearing to compensate for the temperature? At which temperature(if any) does cycling become inviable? What hazards are created by cold weather? Any other advice is welcome.

I've heard fixed gear bikes are "better" during the winter months. Why? I've never ridden one before, by the way.

I'm from New England and we have some pretty cold temps. My record cold weather ride was -1 F, but I only lasted about 45 minutes. I wore a neoprene mask and when I exhaled the the condesation formed a sheet of eyes on the lenses of my glasses. I usually set 18 deg as my threshold (if it's 17 or colder, I'm riding the trainer watching WC tapes) since I can stay warm enough to get a descent training ride in. A warm hat under the helmet is key along with fleece lined tights, gore-tex briefs (when it happens you'll know why..), wool socks, booties and fleece gloves with liners. I usually wear a polypro tee shirt, a winter cycling jersey and a Pearl Izumi Barrier jacket. Insulated bottles are helpful, but some of buddies use camelbacks worn under their jackets. A fixie would be helpful since it forces you to keep the blood flowing, but I don't ride one. I also use slightly beefier tires and I'll clip on a fender so my club guys don't get sprayed by the snow melt.
😎

PeterF said:

I'm from New England and we have some pretty cold temps. My record cold weather ride was -1 F, but I only lasted about 45 minutes. I wore a neoprene mask and when I exhaled the the condesation formed a sheet of eyes on the lenses of my glasses. I usually set 18 deg as my threshold (if it's 17 or colder, I'm riding the trainer watching WC tapes) since I can stay warm enough to get a descent training ride in. A warm hat under the helmet is key along with fleece lined tights, gore-tex briefs (when it happens you'll know why..), wool socks, booties and fleece gloves with liners. I usually wear a polypro tee shirt, a winter cycling jersey and a Pearl Izumi Barrier jacket. Insulated bottles are helpful, but some of buddies use camelbacks worn under their jackets. A fixie would be helpful since it forces you to keep the blood flowing, but I don't ride one. I also use slightly beefier tires and I'll clip on a fender so my club guys don't get sprayed by the snow melt.
😎

I meant Ice, not eyes..

P

Besides the options that Kate mentioned, you can also get a cover that fits over your helmet. I usually use an ear band to keep my ears warm plus a helmet cover to help keep the heat in. If you can't find one in a local shop, do a search for "helmet cover" on rei.comrei.comOpen ↗.

I have trouble riding in winter due more to persperation than to cold. I wear the high-tech fabrics, gloves, etc, but I perspire so heavily that I can take off a glove and ring out a half cup of sweat after a 30 minute climb. Does anyone have any advice? I have lots of layers, and have started bring a set of dry gloves, but one minute into a decent, and I'm shivering so much from the cold I have to stop, try to warm up, then continue, etc. Has anyone beaten this problem?
Cheers,

hashde said:

...one minute into a decent, and I'm shivering so much from the cold I have to stop...

...there's your problem there - stopping. Think like Chef in Apocalypse Now - never get off the boat. 😄

I've ridden as low as -35c. -20c is lovely, assuming you're dressed for it, but -35 is sheer bloody misery no matter what.

Dress for 10 minutes in. If you're warm when you start, you'll sweat up like mad. As mentioned above, sweat on your trunk needs to be managed, and heat in your extremeities needs to be maintained. Miracle materials may help with moisture transfer. Gloves are pointless below -15c, even the lobster mitts. Use mittens. Tying them to a string that passes up your sleeves is optional, as the tough kids will tease you. Use a cheap helmet. Masking tape covers the vents adequately for the purpose, and considering road conditions, you're really going to want a helmet. Plus, masking tape on your helmet and mittens on a string give you "street cred" like you wouldn't believe.

Clipless is not something I'm comfortable with in winter, as there are times I want a foot down RFN (Right F'n Now) and if I'm clipped in, that ain't gonna happen. I wear Chuck taylors with wool socks down to about -10c. below that, or in substantial snow, it's Merril's slip-on snowboot - light, easy, and reasonably warm. Think light and warm in this area - big honkin' Sorels represent about 10 pounds of rotating mass, and will wear you out quick.

I have the widest possible tires on my bike - big snarky downhill things. I think they give me a little flotation, and are less likely to dig in or plow out on corners than skinnier treads. Others in this neighborhood (Edmonton, AB) opt for skinny tires, beleiving the additional pressure give better traction. I'm not convinced, but to each their own.

Derailleurs have a tendency to gunk up and cease operation in my neighborhood, but YMMV. After 4 years of commuting on a ghastly ol' Norco Mountaineer converted to 3 speed (1st and 3rd packed it in early, so she was a single speed for much of her time last winter) I've built up a single speed on a Jamis frame, and look forward to trying it out in the goop we'll be getting here any bloody minute. I'll let you know how it works out.

Good luck with your winter riding, bud. Enjoy the change!

Your pal,

D.A.D.

theres always spinning classes.

Clothing made of a combination of wool and synthetics like polypropelene are great. They wick away moisture but if there is too much moisture the wool still keeps you warm.

In Nova Scotia they salt the roads so cleaning your bike often is a needed thing. Also it is a good time for something more liek a road ready mountain bike that is capabale of heading off the road for short peripods of time.

I would avoid riding in early mornings as this is the best time for black ice on paved roads. That is of course ice you can't see and neither can cars. After the sun is up for a few hours that generally heats the pavement enough to melt any black ice.

As for what temp to stop at? Well I would say when ever you are uncomfortable, especially in your breathing, then stop. No sense pushing it. Everyone deals with cold differently. I know I can scuba dive in a wet suit at 35F but my friends stop at 50F.

Quoted post said:

I've heard fixed gear bikes are "better" during the winter months. Why? I've never ridden one before, by the way.

Fixed is good during heavy snow-ice because it can't be stopped. Any derailleur will eventually stop working when clogged with ice, especially road ice. rear cogs get ice built up between the cogs and soon enough you've got the gear your in and thats it. your freewheel will start to cease function in cold stuff with ice & snow. Fixed takes care of all that, no shifting, no derailleur, no freewheel. A beefier chain and cogs, as soon as you step on the pedal whatever ice you've built up snaps away. I use 700x23 tires in the winter, light tread means no added weight or snow built up, 140+psi cuts through most ice and all snow/slush. cadence does keep you warm, and you have no choice in the matter with fixed.

-Don't listen to Whatever supercool elitists want to tell you about purity, put a front brake on your bike and use it.- You can take it off easily enough if you're planning to go to the 'drome

-If you've never ridden fixed, practice in a controlled enviroment! the street is the very last step, you should know all you need before trying it.-

As far as clothing goes, layers, layers, layers, thin ones and an outer shell that truly blocks wind. I've worked in -40 and below(worst being -58c including windchill, only one day of that though and that's a standing still windchill), often a 10 hour stretch as winter tends to be the busy season (ahhhh lunch in the winter, that and getting home make it all worth it) trouble is i'm limited to 2-12km at a time, sprint after sprint. makes dressing for it hard. but it's fun, yessir. cost sucks, spent 2G on winter gear last year.

As far as cost goes, if it were an option I'd buy some sweet rollers and stay in. Road bike on the rollers is fun, fixie on the rollers is fun and then I could stay warm!

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Magnesium and Potassium control sweat.

hashde said:

I have trouble riding in winter due more to persperation than to cold. I wear the high-tech fabrics, gloves, etc, but I perspire so heavily that I can take off a glove and ring out a half cup of sweat after a 30 minute climb. Does anyone have any advice? I have lots of layers, and have started bring a set of dry gloves, but one minute into a decent, and I'm shivering so much from the cold I have to stop, try to warm up, then continue, etc. Has anyone beaten this problem?
Cheers,