How tough and committed are you?

[merckxman]

It was so cold this morning, -1F, that my left in garage floor pump was not working, just wanted to pump tires to ride indoors.

[Ralph]

Living in Central Florida....Don't ever ride if below about 45 degrees at 8 AM. So a couple days each year, skip a ride, and go ride the recumbent at gym.

No need to really.....just wait a day or so for 70's temps, or ride after lunch when it's much warmer. That's why I live here. And hot summers....just go out early and then hit the pool. Don't understand the suffering.

If my career put me where some of you describe.....believe I would find another way to simulate bike riding in winter.

[Bostic]

Someone please make me feel like I should just toughen up.

My commute to work is 27 miles from West San Jose up to Redwood City/San Carlos area. With traffic in the Bay Area as bad as it is I leave home at 6am and it takes around 35-40 minutes to get to work. Leaving at 4pm it takes one hour minimum to 90 minutes or more to get home. The bad days can be two hours regardless of what freeways or shortcuts.

On bike it's 1hr 40min ride time plus 10 to 15 minutes worth of stop lights one way for those 27 miles. That's wearing an 8lb backpack and going absolute max effort trying my best to hold 19 and 20mph. In the warmer months getting on the road at 5:30am or 6am sure I'm up for that. Right now when it's 38 degrees and pitch dark for the first hour, even with toe warmers and bundled up I'm freezing. Riding at anything but max effort time trial mode is just not appealing as the time to and fro would be even longer than it already is.

[JAGI410]

My lowest is -27F. That was commuting 2 miles to work. I've done regular longer rides at -10 or so. 5 to -5 is the sweet spot for my gear, so I don't mind riding in those temps at all if the winds are low. All fatbiking of course.

I have a much harder time riding in that 30-40 degree window, I just don't have good clothing options for long rides in those temps.

I had my longest indoor trainer ride ever yesterday at 1.5 hours. My goal was surviving that without coasting once. That took more determination than going out for a 1.5 hour fatbike ride in negative temps!

When I lived and commuted in Phoenix, my record was 116 degrees. I think that's just as difficult as below zero. Both have dire consequences if things go wrong!

[mt2u77]

Originally Posted by berserk87

I am curious about studded tires on the fat bikes - has anyone here tried this? I think they are stupid expensive, if I recall correctly.

I studded the 27.5" Gnarwhals on my Farley this winter. The tires come with stud pockets, and the stud kits are $50/tire MSRP. The grip on glare ice is not quite as good as a high stud count 35mm-2" tire, IMO. That said, it is good enough, and an absolute blast on lake ice! Lake ice is usually not that smooth and you frequently encounter snow drifts and pressure cracks that make riding a skinny tire difficult and jarring. The fat tire is perfect for smoothing out the ride, blasting thru drifts, and going all out across an open expanse.

They are loud and annoying on pavement, which makes up a larger percentage of fat bike miles than anyone would like to admit. Inserting the studs was tedious, especially since every single pocket was filled with mud and gravel. I don't think I want to take them out, so I'm likely looking at a separate set of summer tires-- that's where it gets spendy.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by JAGI410

My lowest is -27F. That was commuting 2 miles to work. I've done regular longer rides at -10 or so. 5 to -5 is the sweet spot for my gear, so I don't mind riding in those temps at all if the winds are low. All fatbiking of course.

I have a much harder time riding in that 30-40 degree window, I just don't have good clothing options for long rides in those temps.

I had my longest indoor trainer ride ever yesterday at 1.5 hours. My goal was surviving that without coasting once. That took more determination than going out for a 1.5 hour fatbike ride in negative temps!

When I lived and commuted in Phoenix, my record was 116 degrees. I think that's just as difficult as below zero. Both have dire consequences if things go wrong!

My buddies and I used to do 3+hr trainer rides a few times/week 'back when.'

It's not so bad when there's more than one of you.

I left those winters faster than when I went in and lost fitness riding outside.

Having said that, I'd still rather gear up and ride outside

M

[isaacneff]

I rode to work this morning at at -12. But it's only a little over 2mi.
We also did 2hrs on the fat bikes yesterday, it was 5-10 degrees.
Riding a fat bike helps, they're so slow!

[pdmtong]

Originally Posted by Bostic

Someone please make me feel like I should just toughen up.

My commute to work is 27 miles from West San Jose up to Redwood City/San Carlos area. With traffic in the Bay Area as bad as it is I leave home at 6am and it takes around 35-40 minutes to get to work. Leaving at 4pm it takes one hour minimum to 90 minutes or more to get home. The bad days can be two hours regardless of what freeways or shortcuts.

On bike it's 1hr 40min ride time plus 10 to 15 minutes worth of stop lights one way for those 27 miles. That's wearing an 8lb backpack and going absolute max effort trying my best to hold 19 and 20mph. In the warmer months getting on the road at 5:30am or 6am sure I'm up for that. Right now when it's 38 degrees and pitch dark for the first hour, even with toe warmers and bundled up I'm freezing. Riding at anything but max effort time trial mode is just not appealing as the time to and fro would be even longer than it already is.

Why not Caltrain?

That said, my bike-train-bike commute last year was nothing compared to yours and yet I begrudgingly did it because it was way better than riding from mid-pen to SF or worse, driving. The bike car is certainly a $ hit show. If that job had a better future I was seriously thinking electric scooter. or e-something.

[bmeryman]

Rode my bike to and from work today. -5º and windy on the way in. I'll be skiing into work tomorrow; it'll be much easier.

[berserk87]

Got out for a bit less than an hour today. It was 10F. It wasn't the most fun I've ever had on a bike, but I felt better afterward.

I work out of my home so getting outside for rides is a big deal to me. If not for that, I would be in the house all day and that gets old.

Studded tires on my 29'er. Even so, some of the roads had some pretty good ice and snow. On one road, I ended up turning back and finding a different route. The studs do help, but I try to mitigate a bit when the conditions get squirrely.

Some of you from the south look at folks up north and wonder how we do it. I wonder the same thing about folks in Canada, upper Michigan and such. It's worse for them but some of them enjoy going outside versus the trainer, and manage well. I suppose you play with the hand you are dealt. I'm not in a position to relocate for my hobby (yet). Hopefully when I retire?

[Mattre]

I think it's all what you're used to. I've made an effort to get outside more this winter and temps I never would have ridden in before don't feel that bad. I still prefer the trainer if it's below freezing though.

[peanutgallery]

You guys are dorks When it's this cold you're supposed to ski...and not touch a flagpole with your tongue

Got in some turns before work. Even though it was a holiday the resort was empty because it was way too cold. Heard they closed Jay Peak today. Snow was fast and icy here, good day for my trusty fire arrows. It was cold though

Plenty of time to ride in March

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Bostic

Someone please make me feel like I should just toughen up.

Right now when it's 38 degrees and pitch dark for the first hour, even with toe warmers and bundled up I'm freezing. Riding at anything but max effort time trial mode is just not appealing as the time to and fro would be even longer than it already is.

If you don't ride when it's so cold you get a 'icecream headache/brain freeze' and worry about eating ****e around every corner, doesn't mean you aren't 'tough and committed'..maybe should BE committed but.....

[GregL]

This thread reminds me of my windsurfing days in the late 80s and early 90s. Fun sport that has similarly "devoted" enthusiasts. Several fellow enthusiasts spent a lot of $$ on dry suits and accessories so that they could sail/surf on open water (e.g., Lake Ontario, Seneca Lake) year-round. When asked why I didn't join them, my response was that I'd rather spend the money on a plane ticket to Florida or the Caribbean to sail during the winter months...

Greg

[efixler]

~5F farenheit this AM when heading out for the 8 mile commute.

Cold AF, but still nice to be outside and on the bike.