How tough and committed are you?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

I avoid riding when I think there might be ice. I had a bad crash a couple of years back when it was above freezing. It had rained, and we went down a back road that had a very thin layer of ice. I think the ground was cold because we had suffered through <20F weather for the previous week. My hip shoulder and head hit really hard. It doesn't seem worth it.

Mee too...getting too old to bounce off the ground..My limit is about 40 degrees..life's too short..not surgically joined to the bike..I'll do sumthin else.

[FlashUNC]

Paceline: Come for the bike talk, stay for the odd self-aggrandizing posts.

I tend to think the guy who's staring at a garage wall for 2-3 hours on the trainer requires more mental toughness than going out in the cold.

[rwsaunders]

The cold temps and the rain are never deal killers if I want to ride as I can overcome those issues with clothes and gear but the ice wins every time. Oh, and if I had a wreck on ice and broke a limb, my wife would break another for me.

[SlowPokePete]

I ride year round here, almost 8,000 miles in 2018, accomplished my 100 mile weekly goal in all but one or two weeks.

I rode on Thanksgiving morning, it was only around 12 degrees F.

We just had this nasty snow and ice storm and now it is just above 0 degrees and windy. Tons of salt on the roads and plenty of ice anyway.

Despite having the day off and the sun shines bright I'm not likely to head out there today.

SPP

[Gummee]

High today is 20deg F. The run (yeah, on foot!) starts after work, so it'll likely be less than that.

Yeah, I *could* run or ride inside, but why?! S'not what I signed up for when I started riding.

Coldest I can remember starting a ride was a night ride a few years ago that started at 19deg F and got colder from there. Dress appropriately and go for it!

Rules #5 and #9 apply. ...and... No such thing as bad weather, just inadequate gear

M

[wkeller79]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

This winter I have gone lower than I normally go. Usually under 30 I use the trainer. But I have got out there in low 20s, lowest was 18.

Today is 6, feels like -13 and I about jumped on a citi bike (they even had the electric one) but nope, its insanely cold, the wind makes it even hard to breath.

I feel ya.... when I got to Hells Kitchen this morning, on Citibike, it was 5 degrees with a windchill of -26, according to my phone. Luckily my commute is only 10 minutes or so.

[nobuseri]

I used to go out in colder weather here in the DC area. In the teen temps, all bundled up. Not anymore. Rather be on my trainer and toughen up by being mentally strong over the boredom.

When it gets too cold, it’s not enjoyable for me. Group or not.

Maybe it because I am originally from Cali. Spoiled that way, I guess.

[bigbill]

I've lived a lot of different places.

In Hawaii I was a daily commuter because we were living with one car. No matter what it looked like in the am when I raised the garage door, I was riding. There were several commutes in tropical storms including a couple where I had to shoulder my bike and wade through flood waters over the Pearl Harbor bike path. At least it was warm.

In the PNW, I typically wouldn't commute if the temps were below freezing if there had been any rain. Cold and dry I would ride.

In Texas, there was a rail-trail behind my neighborhood, I would ride year round including single digits. The trees provided a good wind break.

NW Arizona, we have actual winters and I live at 4200 feet. The wind is a factor as well, in the summers we ride before dawn to beat the heat and the 20mph winds that will start building around 10am. I've got a KICKR and Zwift account for the bike in my living room.

[Luwabra]

I got a fatbike this year and have been enjoying the schitt out of it. Rode Saturday at a high temp of 4°f I thought I was underdressed- WRONG. I try to embrace the winter wether it’s hiking or biking w the dogs. Dress correctly and it’s enjoyable. you’ll Find you have your favorite spots to yourself.

[Cloozoe]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Paceline: Come for the bike talk, stay for the odd self-aggrandizing posts.

I think describing oneself as "insufferably smug" would be better characterized as self-deprecating, but I'm slowly learning that every time I attempt a light, facetious post around here I attract my share of smack-downs; so far two on this seemingly innocuous thread alone. Way down my list of things to worry about but who needs it? Guess I'll stick to the classifieds and leave it at that.

Some cool replies and pictures, though.

[ergott]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

I tend to think the guy who's staring at a garage wall for 2-3 hours on the trainer requires more mental toughness than going out in the cold.

Seriously. I can't put out the kind of efforts I need to in outdoor weather like this. 2-3hrs of endurance/tempo/threshold or worse yet doing HIIT is pretty much impossible outside. The minute you go to recovery pace after sweating out an interval it's downright dangerous.

I'll put around on the fatbike now that I've got the bug, but that's just for fun in those temps.

[Veloo]

Not very tough in my twilight years but see many others in Toronto that are.
I do feel guilty sometimes when driving and seeing folks commuting on their bikes. No reason besides laziness most of the time. With the price and hassle of parking downtown, it really makes more sense to ride if you don't need to haul any cargo with you.

[ergott]

Originally Posted by Cloozoe

I think describing oneself as "insufferably smug" would be better characterized as self-deprecating, but I'm slowly learning that every time I attempt a light, facetious post around here I attract my share of smack-downs; so far two on this seemingly innocuous thread alone. Way down my list of things to worry about but who needs it? Guess I'll stick to the classifieds and leave it at that.

Maybe have a close friend of yours read your original post and tell you what they think. The subject matter is fun to talk about, but the writing style "provided I believe you, of course" is pretty egotistical, not smug.

Stay for the discourse here, but don't expect to attract positive thoughts with that kind of writing style.

[zap]

I've ridden in the teens (real temp) but now, mid 30's and sunny is my minimum if I want fresh air.

Winter months for me is all about increasing leg strength and working on higher cadence so riding outdoors is not that important. I find it is easier to stay in zone 1 on a trainer.

When I grew up in Montreal my winter sport was xc skiing. The coldest I went out was around -30c (really easy to wax skis for those temps)......back then we really didn't talk about wind chill factor.

But as I moved further south (first to DC) I've gotten softer. Plus my sensitive left knee prefers warmer temps.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by fignon's barber

Why? What are you trying to accomplish by this?

Accomplish? something has to be accomplished? im guessing an insatiable desire to be outdoors and on a bike? why do you ride?
My wife is actually tougher than me. We ride the 10 mile commute to the hospital in rain, cold, whatever, twice per week. My wife gets a kick out of being the only ones crazy enough to be out on the road. If you are one of those people who rides a bike to train for nothing all the time, you probably wouldnt enjoy going outside in these conditions, as you dont get to train well for nothing. But i dont ride bikes to pretend im always training and increasing FTP or whatever you guys are up to, im on the bike to be outdoors, to see sights, to feel freedom. blah blah ftp base something miles blah blah. go outside or dont.