What bike, tires, clothing, lights etc is everyone using for cold temps and crappy weather? Thinking I need to step up my game this winter.
It's hot as balls, let's talk winter commuting.
- Thread starter Pesqueeb
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What bike are you using? Flat or drop bar. Cheap set of pogies could be a good hand option.
I love my Pearl Izumi Amfib stuff, but one of my favourite winter pieces of clothing is a Castelli soft shell jacket with "GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ WINDSTOPPER" as the selling point, water resistant and super warm.
Unfortunately for you, you've just missed out on the blow out sales that Planet Cyclery/Colorado Cyclist have been happening for the last few weeks. The prices on stuff was tough to ignore, I think I made at least 3 orders.
The plural use in the thread title seems optimistic.
Keeping my feet warm in winter is always my biggest problem. Flat pedals and hiking boots worked well for me during my brief winter commuting career. But that was a flat 8 miles one way. May have looked for something more efficient if it required more effort.
Keeping my feet warm in winter is always my biggest problem. Flat pedals and hiking boots worked well for me during my brief winter commuting career. But that was a flat 8 miles one way. May have looked for something more efficient if it required more effort.
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no one said he was only snuggling up with his balls. or ball.
anyway, flat pedals for no cleat heat transfer, ski gloves (tried pogies but did not care for their inconvenience wrt minor comfort improvement), balaclava under helmet.
going to run the same tires year round: Schwalbe Al Grounders. picked those at 60 mm for volume vs their GT 365 offering.
for outerwear I go with usual bibs, lightweight extra tights, waterproof runway worker pants. On top a synthetic jersey over the bibs, another mid weight long sleeve layer, gore Tex pro shell. I add one more long sleeve layer on very cold days and if that’s not enough I drive.
Fatbike w/studded tires so I can roll right into those fools that pull 30 feet ahead of the stop and into the crosswalk. Also, as many lumens as possible, 2K min to blast thru tinted windows, and a laser-beam.
Clothes depends on conditions, but conditions dictate speed to not sweat, colder it is, the faster I can go generally.
Whatever Toshi is wearing, 1/2 of that. Ski gloves will be perfect to make your hands damp and decrease your control.
Clothes depends on conditions, but conditions dictate speed to not sweat, colder it is, the faster I can go generally.
Whatever Toshi is wearing, 1/2 of that. Ski gloves will be perfect to make your hands damp and decrease your control.
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The feet doesnt really matter if you are going from a warm place to a warm place, even an hour or so commute will be fine.
Macro balls, not my ball specifically. Obviously.
Also, the average number of balls is <2
Macro balls, not my ball specifically. Obviously.
Also, the average number of balls is <2
To continue the pedantic pathway, balls are kept at a lower temperature than the rest of the body, the whole point of the scrotum. Shouldn't it be "hot as ass crack". Ass cracks get much hotter than balls.
I'm normally pretty cold tolerant, but if my feet get cold, it's game over. Keeping the feets warm would be a priority for me.
Well, now that it's official, I guess I need to get down to brass tacks. I'll definitely need a good headlight, an maybe a tail light would be smart. I had been contemplating a fat bike, but I just don't think it's wintery enough around here to justify that. The hardtail with aired down/slightly wider tires is probably plenty for the 4 miles to the hospital in all but the worst of the weather we get here. Single speed all the things for the summer and dry months. Going with pogies I think, maybe it's my inner mechanic but I hate losing "tactile" feeling with big gloves. That's fine for skiing, but I sure don't like it on a bike. I have plenty of winter clothing for skiing and/or working out doors, so I should be covered there. I have some decent heavy hiking boots, but I'm also not a fan of flats, so I think I'd like to look into a good bike shoe that is pretty much impervious to wet and wind. They might be too hot in some cases, but I'd rather have that than the opposite. Again, the commute will only be 4 miles.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Thoughts/suggestions?
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I've got a Trail Evo on eldest kid's city/tae kwon do commuter, an old-ass Trail sitting on my workbench that in theory I'd use on my Pivot, a chinesium "2300 lumen" one + the built in light on my commuter. Oh, and a Hangover on my helmet. I have been neglecting taillights (although I have reflectors) due to my safe/car-free route.
Highly depends on your temp range, but dont skimp on the shoes, their temp ratings can be overly optimistic and dome of the heavier/more insulted ones are surprisingly good in warmer temps too. I find the wolfhammer or similar is a good fall/spring, but falls seriously short in winter. I just picked up the ragnaroks, mainly for DHing and nothing relative to cold, but they seem like the next step in lighter shoes. Also, make sure you are going 1 to even 2 sizes bigger, you can build em up w/hiking insoles and of course thick socks. The opposite is horrible tho-too snug.
I'll have two routes to work. The shortest/flat-ish route is bike friendly with a bike lane and trail, but bike lane = on road, so Id like a tail light. The other route is just a bit longer, 99% trail and just involves two road crossings. The issue there is two pretty big hills with high chicanery potential if things are icy. Probably don't really need any lights for that one, but a headlight would be nice.Outbound Lighting -- Shop All Bike Lights
Peruse through our carefully curated store (I mean, we sell three incredibly well designed bike lights, so not like there is a lot of options!)
I've got a Trail Evo on eldest kid's city/tae kwon do commuter, an old-ass Trail sitting on my workbench that in theory I'd use on my Pivot, a chinesium "2300 lumen" one + the built in light on my commuter. Oh, and a Hangover on my helmet. I have been neglecting taillights (although I have reflectors) due to my safe/car-free route.
Sub zero is relatively rare here, but it does happen. I've previously ridden the 9 miles to the hangar with gear I currently own in temps down into very low double digits, but I was definitely cold by the time I finished the commute. What always got cold first were my hands and feet. I think if I can stop that from happening I'm golden.
an e-bike won't help with the traction for sure, but it's amazing what having the e-bits will do with regard to consistently taking the safer but longer/hillier route. at least for my weak brain.
I'd be lying if I said I haven't contemplated it, not sure I can justify it any more than a fat bike for 4-5 miles. This is available locally. Don't know shit about these bikes, but the price is right.an e-bike won't help with the traction for sure, but it's amazing what having the e-bits will do with regard to consistently taking the safer but longer/hillier route. at least for my weak brain.
Don't get a fat bike, you'll feel like a tool on one. Plus if you're riding on paths or bike lanes, that are usually clear or semi-clear, then its not needed. Just get studded Schwalbe tires if it gets (and stays icy).
I have one of these lights. Its bright as fuck, but also has other modes. I use it on full blast and it lasts well over an hour - this is during the winter when I use it for fat biking mostly. It charges fast via usb-c fast charging, which is nice.
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Its sounds to me like you're over thinking the short bike ride. Cold hands? Put on gloves. Cold feet? Wear winter boots.
I have one of these lights. Its bright as fuck, but also has other modes. I use it on full blast and it lasts well over an hour - this is during the winter when I use it for fat biking mostly. It charges fast via usb-c fast charging, which is nice.
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Its sounds to me like you're over thinking the short bike ride. Cold hands? Put on gloves. Cold feet? Wear winter boots.
The fatbike is kinda nice for commuting, as in a "I can go anway damn way I please" and run over stuff and curbs. If you have a long commute, you lose out a lot on aero and rolling resistance obviously, but for shorter commutes 10 miles and shorter IMO, they can make a lot of sense.
I second that emotion -- I used the fatty for two summers on the road / sandy double-track for the lazy river float return to the car before acquiring the gravel N+1.
Zero fucks given and so much fun, and they can be had for not many pesos:
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But ////studded tires on a bike you already own is the frugal call
Haven't noticed that during many years of riding. Possible less vulnerable because lower tire pressure?
Or perhaps less urban detritus.
I'm assuming a commute would largely be on the road or "shiver" bike lanes, which do little more than collect small bits of garbage. My miles per flat here is orders of magnitude higher with MTB tires vs road despite being tougher.
I've been doing OK with bibs, tights, then wind-ish pants over those. Up top is usually thermal layer, another layer, then poorly ventillated chinese cycling jacket on top of that. Hat on head under helmet, and rockbros thermal gloves. Rockbros neoprene overshoes and regular cycling clipless shoes. I've been doing OK on my 16mi commute. I will try going deeper into this year and see how it goes. Gets a little tough out here- without a thaw the ice sticks around for ages, and I'm duking it out on the road and rail trail.
That is definitely a concern here, as the "bike lanes", when they exist at all around here definitely collect all the sand and street debris. They rarely, if ever, get swept. I've been relatively lucky in terms of flats, but there was a period when I was riding to the hangar where I got multiple flats in just a couple of weeks riding a pretty broad shoulder.
The only way I can keep air in tires on the road around here is to put a good quantity of sealant into a tube. The actual bike paths are fine