1/11/04 7:34 AM

30 is about it, actualy once it's below freezing I'm on the Computrainer. Since riding outside below that ceases to be enjoyable for me, it doens't matter that indoors isn't either, and on the indoor bike I actually get an efficient workout, unlikely outdoors below those temps.

1/11/04 7:52 AM

I think I draw the line around 20F. Much colder than that and it really stops being fun for me...especially with the wind!

1/11/04 7:59 AM

OK, I've been known to ride in the teens, but now that I have a trainer set up, I think I might pass up that opportunity again. This weekend, for example. Yesterday, it was 2F in the morning. Today, it's 10F. I think I'll just throw a tape on the VCR and spin for a couple of hours on the trainer . . .

1/11/04 8:13 AM

Went out yesterday morning just to give it a try...Minus 2.

Impressions: STI doesn't want to work. Engine fine. Cold weather gear works fine. Balaclava fine. Cannot get eyes to stop watering or turn off the nose faucet. Lungs seem to prefer warmer temps though nasal breathing does help.

Was out for a total of about 45 minutes...about a third of my usual Saturday ride. Saw quite a few other riders and runners, too. Probably a quarter as many as on a usual Saturday winter ride...

A couple of motorists gave me a "thumbs up". One lady pulled along side me at a light and did an "eye roll" and gave me a big smile.

I assume the Saturday morning Fitness Loop group did their 351st. consecutive ride.

Last nite I packed a bike to ship to San Antonio. Will spend a week riding there in two weeks. I suspect that it'll be a bunch warmer.

Sam

1/11/04 8:19 AM

I have to be in San Antonio for the first weekend in February. Staying near the Riverwalk. Probably won't have time to ride, but I'll be thinking about it.

1/11/04 10:00 AM

SA is a neat, fun (and warm) place; very Texas and very hospitable. The area around the Riverwalk is touristy and fun.

Food is served in Texas-sized portions. Beware... It is Red Meat Country, big time, too. Lots of Tex-Mex, also.

If you're going to have a car, the areas around Kerrville and Fred-burg are really nice. Caynon Lake and enviorns is very pretty, too. Austin is worth a day trip, if time permits.

My daughter lives on the north side of town, NE of the airport. There is a pretty good shop out that way, Brittons. IIRC, he does rentals. Ask for Jimmy Britton...actually he'll probably pick up the 'phone. Good guy to spend a few minutes chatting with. He sponsors a couple of clubs and does a sponsored ride weekly.

The other "major" shop is Bike World in Alamo Hights, closer to downtown. Large-ish, but pretty run'o the mill for interesting stuff.

Enjoy the time there. It beats Prospect Park, this time of year...


PH

1/11/04 10:04 AM

OK, I give up. How do I post my vote?

--TTCC

EDIT: Never mind. Figured it out.

1/11/04 10:29 AM

Because I don't see an option for 70F. What's up with that? LOL!

1/11/04 10:56 AM

20 is my limit. I've got good gear and plenty of days to test lower temps but prefer not to.

1/11/04 11:10 AM

I'm pretty comfortable down in the teens -- have some clothing that's too warm to wear until it's that cold, actually.

I've ridden when it's below zero and been fine, but since most of my riding is at lunchtime during the workweek, I tend to skip the really cold days just because it takes too long to suit up and down. A little 20 mile ride takes 2+ hours, when I add in the changing and showering time, and it's hard to take that much time out of the middle of the day.

1/11/04 11:13 AM

quote:

---

OK, I give up. How do I post my vote?

--TTCC

---

1/11/04 11:51 AM

About 15 of us went. When I left my house it was -1/-2 deg F ish. The needle on the cheap dial thermometer outside my window was definitely below 0.

We only did 19 miles or so, but it was tough. My legs never really warmed up and about half way my balaclava was soaked from breathing heavy.

Fun though.

Wheels

1/11/04 12:10 PM

San Antonio is a cool place. Great food (which I know you will be interested in). One feature I enjoyed is that in bars they have big metal tanks with spigots on the walls, sort of like they used to have to make milkshakes when I was a kid. Except these are filled with margaritas. My only gripe with SA is that I went in Nov when it was rainy and dank in Maine, and in SA the wather was exactly the same! But I think that was an aberration.

As to riding, I have ridden down to -15F, would ride below that if I felt like it and didn't have anything better outside to do. But normally in winter I'd XC ski or skate, as I've done the last 2 days at -2F or so.

Great to see the new forum up, forza, allez, hup hup hup Anthony.

1/11/04 12:31 PM

I like when your wiskers go through your face mask and the condensation from huffin&puffin condenses freezing into little ice balls. Then when you get to the rest stop, you can't get the face mask off until Nate is ready to leave. ;)

Bob

1/11/04 3:06 PM

What's a F?
Is that as in f.... cold?

Cold starts at 15 degrees Celsius now, as I am grounded with a heavy cold.
In normal circumstances minus 10 degrees in the woods on the MTB, 10 degrees Celsius on the road

Pierre

1/11/04 3:26 PM

we started yesterday's mtb ride in old fort, nc at a balmy 34 degrees, and by the time we reached near the top of mt mitchell, i'm guessing we were in the single digits. easily the coldest ride i've done and by some act of god i dressed perfectly.

i was especially suprised at how comfortable my feet were, with a basic wicking layer, then the new hytel windproof sock followed by a good wool sock.

what a day--descending close to 4000 feet in the snow on true singletrack.

1/11/04 6:15 PM

Looked nice at noon, 30F, snow on the ground but clear. Got about 10 miles in and it started snowing like a b____, and by the time I got back to our road there was a new 2" on the ground. The light was so flat and the snow so stinging because of the 20mph wind, it was nign on impossible to freakin' see!

1/11/04 7:13 PM

Did you have your studded tires on ??

-Bob

1/12/04 7:37 AM

... that's only for utility riding around town and short mountain bike rides. I don't go out for a road bike ride unless it's well into the 20s with a forcast to get up around freezing or so.

-Ray

1/12/04 8:56 AM

<img src=http://www.trailwatch.net/coldride.jpg width=400 height=235>

Yesterday 13 riders braved the cold for the Saturday Fitness Ride. The temperature at the start was -1 degrees, a new record for the group. The wind-chill (at 20mph) was -22 degrees! Our previous record, which had stood for several years, had been 4 degrees.

As you can see from Sue Cole's photo (link below), everyone came prepared and nobody had to abandon the ride (or go hiking).
Cold Ride

From left to right: Eric Feroli, Marty Estner, Peter Cole, Bruce Kalow, Barry Nelson, Walter Page, Coleman Rogers, Dave McElwaine, Mark Dionne, & Elizabeth Wicks. Christ Tweed, Chris Block, Bill ? (Slick Willy) joined us on the route.

Notables: Walter was seen riding the route backwards ( could have been brain freeze). Peter demonstrated his custom made booties (nobody has ever seen Peter wear booties before). Barry was seen riding with icicles hanging from his balaclava. Four people (I think) rode fixed gear bikes. Eric put two wool shirts on backwards to make toasty base layers. As usual the ride was followed by steaming hot drinks at Starbucks.

It should be noted that eight of the thirteen riders are also members of Crack-O-Dawn!

1/12/04 11:22 AM

Thats what the Bank thermometer said on the way home from bartending at 3AM. I think it was 1991. Snow packed roads on the mountain bike. The commute was only 4 miles. I think it took longer to get dressed than actually do the ride.

1/12/04 1:32 PM

Hey, it never gets that cold here.

1/12/04 1:37 PM

40 degrees is my limit. Sunny California.

1/12/04 7:38 PM

Of course, nobody asked whether this was for fun or profit (commuting to work). The coldest I have ever commuted to work was -22F/-30C. Damn cold, wearing GoreTex "hiking boots" with low ankles, neoprene hat, helmet cover, bandana over the face, GoreTex rain suit with the hood over the helmet, and downhill ski gloves. It's only about a 4 mile commute through side streets, but it's plenty of time to get cold and not enough time to warm up. For actual road riding, my cutoff is around 45F depending on wind speed and amount of sun shine.

1/12/04 8:31 PM

For me, the temperature helps me decide whether to mountain bike or road bike. At a comparatively balmy 45-50, I put away the road bike and get on the mountain bike. I'm primarily a road rider, but I like MTBing as well, and the temperature is a nice excuse to get out the knobbies instead. I primarily road bike in the spring and summer, and mountain bike in the fall. In the winter I'll mountain bike if there isn't skiable snow. Mountain biking at 25-40 degrees is a piece of cake, whereas I don't find road riding at those temperatures to be that much fun. By the same token, you'd never find me mountain biking on a 90+ degree day!

I don't push the limits that much in the winter partly because I try to ski (both DH & XC) as much as I can, and also because no matter what I do, it seems that once it gets below 20 or so my toes always get cold. Yesterday I MTBed at about 20 F, and I was OK for the first hour, and after that my toes started to get cold. I even had those toe warmer pads in my shoes, but they didn't seem to help. Other than my toes, I was toasty.

I don't think I've ever found it too cold to XC ski. For DH skiing, I start to lose enthusiasm at about 0.