[nsnrider]

OK,
So I've been riding since August of this year and try to get as much riding as possible. It has been getting very cold here in New England. I've been riding in 50 degree weather no problem but this morning when I decided to take the bike to work, it was 30 degrees out. I decided to take the city roads instead of the highway but even through the city riding, I was very cold by the time I go to work (20 minutes). The most problematic for me is the knees getting very cold. It's been 5 hours since my ride and my knees are still cold.

How many of you ride in below freezing temps? What are your ideas on staying warm? Any thoughts or comments?

 

[SuperCheese88]

Olympia Phantom One Piece Suit - RevZilla

 

[av8r-92]

Layers, glove liners, and a balaclava.

I took it out below freezing once. It was so miserable that I have never bothered again. Last winter I did, but I don't really go out in the high 30's anymore.

The only things that bother me in the cold are my hands. Your extremities get cold because your core body temperature drops (your body is pulling blood from your extremities to try and keep your core warm). Keep your core warm (layers), and that will happen less.

-Will

 

[jpr]

Firstgear Thermo One-Piece Suit; Sells for around $170, but if you're patient you can get a good deal. Got mine for $130

 

[sbeast]

i dont mind riding in the 30's if i've got good leg and neck protection. my jacket keeps my chest n arms warm, but unless you specifically buy wind/rain proof legwear and cover your neck up, you will be freezing after about 20 minutes

 

[Glocken]

i wanan buy a 1 piece textile suit, from what i read, they are awesome for cold weather and protect well. too bad they cost a shit ton of money.

the worse i've ridden in was 20 degree ambient temp; idk about wind chill.

i wouldnt do it again the way i did it, but now i know better i wont be against it if i have to again. i would perfer not to.

balaclava, scarf, and something to warm my hands will keep me good for almost all temps so far.

 

[sportyaccordy]

Debating getting some winter gloves. Thats really the only part that hurts. Heard good things about Cortech Scarabs

Def gotta layer up. I am in the NE too and once the temps start getting below 40s I just default to long johns as another layer, even if I'm taking the train in. Good rule of thumb... once you get down around freezing I don't think you can wear too many layers. But you gotta keep the hands warm.

 

[Rhetorik]

I'm up in Canada and the past couple weeks it's normally been 25-35*F; I still ride to work every day etc (only short rides though; nothing longer than 30 minutes normally). I wear my Puma 1000 boots (no ventilation is actually a plus for once), riding jeans + thermal leggings, then tshirt, sweater, and fleece under a regular Belstaff leather jacket. Balaclava and some 30 year old insulated leather snowmobile gloves finish it off.

Been using this combo for 3 years now (I ride until the snow starts, normally the beginning of December) with quite a bit of success. I keep saying I'll buy heated grips and/or some of the motocross-style handle guards or whatever they're called... but haven't felt the need really.

 

[Glocken]

Debating getting some winter gloves. Thats really the only part that hurts. Heard good things about Cortech Scarabs

Def gotta layer up. I am in the NE too and once the temps start getting below 40s I just default to long johns as another layer, even if I'm taking the train in. Good rule of thumb... once you get down around freezing I don't think you can wear too many layers. But you gotta keep the hands warm.

those insulated gloves only do so much, i have a comparable pair of gloves; a* apex drystar. i mainly bought them because they are waterproof but they have some thinsulate.

it really doesn't do much. its better than nothing but like i said, doesn't do much. it took me a bit to get acustomed to thicker gloves and less control feel.

if youre going to keep your hand warms heated gloves are the way to go; something i cant afford.

 

[sbeast]

i got some nice winter gloves from CycleGear a while back, and they keep my hands warm in sub-40 weather, but because of all the insulation padding on them, i cant grip the bars as easily, and my hands cramp up on long rides

 

[WantToGetANinja]

Anything above 40 degrees is fine, and anything above 30 is tolerable. You don't need all this fancy cold weather gear either, though it helps.

Use your normal gear with layers underneath, and, an absolute MUST for cold weather riding is balaclava and glove liners underneath your gloves. For me, it's only my face and hands that get cold out there in this type of weather, and that solves both issues.

Is it as fun as summer? No, not really. But sometimes it is, because people look at you like you're nuts .

 

[Glocken]

Anything above 40 degrees is fine, and anything above 30 is tolerable. You don't need all this fancy cold weather gear either, though it helps.

Use your normal gear with layers underneath, and, an absolute MUST for cold weather riding is balaclava and glove liners underneath your gloves. For me, it's only my face and hands that get cold out there in this type of weather, and that solves both issues.

Is it as fun as summer? No, not really. But sometimes it is, because people look at you like you're nuts .

that + people asking directly if i am lol

unless the cold turns to pain, i will still find it fun

 

[av8r-92]

But sometimes it is, because people look at you like you're nuts .

that + people asking directly if i am lol

unless the cold turns to pain, i will still find it fun

Happened today at school.

It should be in the high 30's at 7AM when I leave for school. I'm trying to figure out if I want to take the bike.

-Will

 

[nsnrider]

one other thing, the gas tank gets very cold, that gets very uncomfortable when you're basically humping the tank and holding your knees against the tank.

I was thinking of getting some knee pads maybe for the times that it gets very cold. Won't look cool but it might help.

I'll look into the one piece suits. It would suck though having to change before and after work just to ride the bike.

 

[WantToGetANinja]

one other thing, the gas tank gets very cold, that gets very uncomfortable when you're basically humping the tank and holding your knees against the tank.

I was thinking of getting some knee pads maybe for the times that it gets very cold. Won't look cool but it might help.

I'll look into the one piece suits. It would suck though having to change before and after work just to ride the bike.

Looking cool shouldn't be all that important while riding.

And, most people change before and after riding the bike anyway because they have gear..

 

[sportyaccordy]

one other thing, the gas tank gets very cold, that gets very uncomfortable when you're basically humping the tank and holding your knees against the tank.

I was thinking of getting some knee pads maybe for the times that it gets very cold. Won't look cool but it might help.

I'll look into the one piece suits. It would suck though having to change before and after work just to ride the bike.

Need more layers. Also maybe ease up w/your grip on the tank

 

[weebel]

I was assuming that since you said New England that you where referring to Celsius then I realized that 30C is 86F so you can't be.

Some light weight ski pants work wonders, so do long Johns.

When I ride when its that cold, it takes me longer to gear up then it does to actually ride home. Either its worth it or its not.

 

[chris140]

The weather here drops to about 9 deg celcius in winter. Thats quite a way off freezing but considering that i live on a piece of land which is 6 miles all the way around with a chunk of rock in the middle of it and is in the middle of two oceans, the sea air makes that 9 degs feel painfully cold.

The most common complaint i have is fingers and face. I wear a thin set of under gloves that go under my leather ones and a face scarf that tucks up under my helmet.

I dont have any heating on in the mornings and i go outside for a smoke before I'm ready to leave the house to acclimatise my self to the cold after being snuggled up in bed all night.

Hope that helps.

 

[sprorchid]

Being a token girl on the forum, I'm just gonna say it, man up and ride dude!

For me, if it's sunny and dry (no black ice), I'm riding to work. my commute is about 20 minutes also, mostly freeway. I haven't had my knees get cold if I am wearing textile or leather pants. only fashion jeans

other than that, my fingers get really cold. and before I got grip warmers, I would lose my core heat, and it would take me hours to warm back up. Soo...

1) wear layers under your jacket, even under armor under your riding pants
2) heated grips - $45 bucks is to install, just need to know what + and - is on the battery and have some glue.
3) silk glove liners.

for a commute under 30 minutes, you are good to go. If you are under 5'9", consider laying a little or a lot on the tank, so you don't that blast of cold air on your chest.

4) mind over matter, suck it up baby!!

 

[ZX6RRection]

Gear should be the least of ur worries...Layer the fuck up or go heated

My concerns would be:

Cold tires
Cold roads
....check ur tire pressure, watch ur lean angle...remember morning dew can leave roads slick at those temps ...i lived in the camb/bos area for three years


Ps-if u come on this site sayin u dumped her, someone should slap the shit outta u