The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: StashinIt on January 01, 2013, 12:18:38 AM
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Let's ring in 2013 with a ton of miles!
Last month we had 35 riders and a collective 3,726 miles (5,997 km)!
Here's the new spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvFvGQgkkFLldENOaG5LZlpQSlI3MVduNFEyVDUyRGc
If you contributed miles to the December challenge, you already have a page on the spreadsheet set up for you. Please let me know if you see any errors on the spreadsheet or need some help getting your name on there (for new riders).
So what are you biking goals for the new year? Let's hear it in the comments.
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I want to build up to cycle 3 days per week to and from work first half of the year and slowly move to 5 days per week by the end of the year 2013.
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My car was written off recently and my resolution for the year is not to replace it, so my biking goal is to learn to make biking work well enough for me.
I have had two rides so far and my bottom is sore, but I am committed.
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Yes please, I would like to be added to the spreadsheet but I'm not sure how to do it. I biked 6.4km today.
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I'm shooting for commuting 350 miles for january.
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i am getting studded tires and aiming for one day a week!
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Bookmarked!
I hope the weather stays like today. Last week (of course on the day we drove home from christmas) we had a bad storm that gave us a lot of snow accumulation. For a few days we didn't really leave the house. It was awesome being off of work during those days. Gotta go back to work tomorrow though and if it stays like it has been the past couple days I will rock the winter riding. Nothing has been coming down, so everything is nicely plowed and melted off the roads. Just checked the weather and we should have some nice days coming up. It'll be cold but as long as there are no blizzards I can handle it :)
I'm still going to dig out my car today, just in case.
Oh and I've moved my bike to inside the house, since our detached garage is way behind our house and behind a fence (not very snow-friendly). There isn't any room to store it on the first floor so it's in the basement. We have pretty narrow basement stairs so this will be interesting...
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Yes please, I would like to be added to the spreadsheet but I'm not sure how to do it. I biked 6.4km today.
I added a tab for you on the spreadsheet and added your riding. Just fill in the kilometers section and it will do the conversion to miles. Welcome!
General FYI to everyone. If you're not already click on the 4 horizontal bars (next to the 'Master Summary Tab' to easily find your tab. Now that we have a good number of riders finding your tab can be annoying.
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I'll try to remember to put mine in here. I already log my training elsewhere, but I do try to commute quite a bit also. Florida right now is featuring notably non-badass weather; it was gorgeous this morning and it's probably 70 degrees now that I just got home from riding.
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Thanks for setting this up! My goal is to bike at least once a week during January.
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Let's ring in 2013 with a ton of miles!
Last month we had 35 riders and a collective 3,726 miles (5,997 km)!
Here's the new spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvFvGQgkkFLldENOaG5LZlpQSlI3MVduNFEyVDUyRGc
If you contributed miles to the December challenge, you already have a page on the spreadsheet set up for you. Please let me know if you see any errors on the spreadsheet or need some help getting your name on there (for new riders).
So what are you biking goals for the new year? Let's hear it in the comments.
Thank you for setting up this month's challenge! Happy New Year everyone!
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Thanks for setting up the post for the month! Happy New Year All!
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Thanks stashinit!
First day of work tomorrow...I don't know if I'm badass enough to bike in the forecasted -23C. Yes that is -9F. Any fellow ottawans doing it on square tires tomorrow?
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It's 1 degree with the wind chill in Chicago today. I'm just not that badass...I went ahead and signed up for employee parking on campus, which is $20 every two weeks, paycheck deducted. Yuck. Hopefully I can push myself enough to bike on days it's more manageable until I cancel the parking in March. I just can't bring myself to ride on the snow & ice that I know is coming.
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It was 13F with the wind chill this morning - snow on the ground, but none in the air. The roads were nice and clear! My town is all about the plowing.
My round trip is a tiny 3.2 miles from home to the train station and back again, but my goal is to do it every day the roads are safe. I dropped out of corporate parking at work, so I don't drive anymore - when I don't bike, I'll have to take the bus to the train. And I realllllly hate the bus. So I think I've got a good shot at keeping up with my goal this year.
I'd bike all the way to work and ditch my transit pass - it's really not that far, less than 10m round trip - but so far I haven't found any decent way into downtown Boston from the north.
Studded tires and fender are on, and all my cold-weather gear seems to be holding up so far.
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It's 1 degree with the wind chill in Chicago today. I'm just not that badass...I went ahead and signed up for employee parking on campus, which is $20 every two weeks, paycheck deducted. Yuck. Hopefully I can push myself enough to bike on days it's more manageable until I cancel the parking in March. I just can't bring myself to ride on the snow & ice that I know is coming.
I'm visiting Chicago this week (from Seattle, where it's 47F), and boy is it cold! I walked to the park with the children but I'm not sure if I could ride a bike with this wind chill. My hat goes off to you Chicago natives!
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It's 1 degree with the wind chill in Chicago today. I'm just not that badass...I went ahead and signed up for employee parking on campus, which is $20 every two weeks, paycheck deducted. Yuck. Hopefully I can push myself enough to bike on days it's more manageable until I cancel the parking in March. I just can't bring myself to ride on the snow & ice that I know is coming.
I'm visiting Chicago this week (from Seattle, where it's 47F), and boy is it cold! I walked to the park with the children but I'm not sure if I could ride a bike with this wind chill. My hat goes off to you Chicago natives!
Enjoy the windy city!! I'm ready for winter to be over. I miss my bike already, but I just can not deal with this cold.
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Is this a bad time to mention that I rode home from work today in shorts and a short sleeved jersey? :-)
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It's 1 degree with the wind chill in Chicago today. I'm just not that badass...I went ahead and signed up for employee parking on campus, which is $20 every two weeks, paycheck deducted. Yuck. Hopefully I can push myself enough to bike on days it's more manageable until I cancel the parking in March. I just can't bring myself to ride on the snow & ice that I know is coming.
I'm visiting Chicago this week (from Seattle, where it's 47F), and boy is it cold! I walked to the park with the children but I'm not sure if I could ride a bike with this wind chill. My hat goes off to you Chicago natives!
Apparently I'm more badass than I thought. I live in Chicago. I biked 5 miles to work, and realized I forgot to do something important at home. So I took a 10 mile round trip there during my lunch break. Once you get going you actually feel very warm!
But then, perhaps I'm just warm blooded. My boyfriend visited from FL this weekend, and I was pretty amused by our lunch yesterday. We were sitting in the kitchen, he was in long underwear, jeans, tee shirt, a hoody and socks, and was complaining about the cold. I was wearing lingerie and some sheepskin slippers and feeling just dandy :p
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I went for a walk today along the trail I ride to work for 2-2.5 miles from downtown Pittsburgh to my office. I hadn't seen it since we got a bunch of snow around Christmas and it is treacherous. I don't think it's been cleared at all -- it was basically just a solid path of inches-thick ice.
I do not see myself riding on that, even with studded tires. I mean, what if I had to put my foot down and stop? I'd just slide straight into a split!! Yikes.
Here's hoping we get some kind of thaw soon ...
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Yes please, I would like to be added to the spreadsheet but I'm not sure how to do it. I biked 6.4km today.
I added a tab for you on the spreadsheet and added your riding. Just fill in the kilometers section and it will do the conversion to miles. Welcome!
Thanks :)
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I have two biking goals. One is kind of an anti-driving goal. I want to get by on no more than one tank of gas per month. That means no driving during the week for me! And on weekends only for necessities.
My other goal is to only use my bike and the train to get to work. I live about 3 blocks from a bus stop, and that bus goes to the train station that gets me in to work; my Charlie card (t-pass) is good for both the bus and the train. In December I managed to never use the bus, and I only drove in one day (for a doctor's appointment, logistically necessary). In January I want to hit that goal again, minus that one day.
I thought yesterday was cold, at around 15F in the morning when I road in. Today it was 9F just north of Boston, with wind chill to -5. YIKES. But clear and beautiful, and a really nice ride.
Of note, last night I was wearing a pair of gloves that were meant to be all-weather, super-insulated, and of course super-pricy when I bought them. I thought I was going to lose some fingers. This morning, 10 degrees colder, I wore my old Target-bought $10 convertible mittens/fingerless gloves. My hands were never worse than cool..
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Glad to see a January biking challenge!
Most of my Christmas gift ideas people insisted I give them ended up being items I needed for my Bicycle (floor pump, lights and speedometer).
So today I finally rode my bike to work for the first time since college. Now back in college work was 4 miles away. Now work is 17 miles away so today's commute will be a 34 mile round trip!
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This thread is keeping me honest. :)
It was a balmy 27F when I rode in this morning. I almost switched over to my summer bike, but since I haven't prepped it at all, I stayed with the winter studs. I'll kick the tires and grease the chain this weekend, just in case next week is nice too.
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So...
Rain is nothing (especially with my awesome *rain pants*)
I don't feel the cold in my bundled-up state
I can handle the snow we've had so far
I can even handle small lengths of ice as long as I can anticipate them, but...
How the hell do you guys bike against the WINNDDDD??? I was absolutely dying by the time I got to work on Wednesday with almost-20mph winds in my face plus all of the cold making my lungs mad. I drove today, it was closer to 30mph woulda-been-in-my-face winds and I felt a little crappy so I was NOT up for it. The wind is in my face on the way to work about 90% of the time and pushes me home the same amount, since it's usually coming off of the lake.
So, is there a cutoff where you would say no to biking in a certain speed of wind? I am by no means aerodynamic with my heavy commuter bike and super sexy outfit of a giant winter coat and other warmnesses. Oh, and I think gusts were up to 50mph today and apparently there was an airplane that got turned 90 degrees trying to take off. It was windy.
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So, is there a cutoff where you would say no to biking in a certain speed of wind?
When I was biking the Lakeshore multi-use path to work in Chicago, my rule of thumb was - when you start rolling backwards, take the bus. :)
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Anything above 50 kph headwinds pretty much makes biking a non-starter for me. At that point it's probably faster to walk. A decent balaclava is essential for windy days too.
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Welp I had my first negative experience with bike commuting today. I ride a wooded asphalt "bike" trail that crosses a river for a short stretch of my daily commute. It is usually quite nice, however, this morning is was a giant sheet of black ice. I bit the dust at about 16 mph about halfway down the hill. I rode the brakes pretty hard but it didn't matter. Overall though my pride is hurt more than my person. I have a nice new hole in my jacket, a nicely skinned elbow and a nice size bump on my hip. Oh well, live and learn, right?
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I'm aiming for biking to work and back every day that my wife is off, which means I'm not taking the little one to day care. It's already helping us save money in this new year!
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It's going to be a warm week in Boston -- 34F-45F and sunny every day. I've switched back to my summer bike, no studded tires and no fenders. I've missed it! It's so much lighter than the winter mountain bike.
Today I didn't even bother with a jacket, just thermals and a t-shirt. Plus gloves, of course! Crazy, that 34 degrees warrants a "summer bike", right? But I guess it's all in what you can get used to.
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It's going to be a warm week in Boston -- 34F-45F and sunny every day. I've switched back to my summer bike, no studded tires and no fenders. I've missed it! It's so much lighter than the winter mountain bike.
Today I didn't even bother with a jacket, just thermals and a t-shirt. Plus gloves, of course! Crazy, that 34 degrees warrants a "summer bike", right? But I guess it's all in what you can get used to.
Definitely busting mine out this week too. And, we rode bikes to the grocery store this weekend instead of driving. Just have to get used to the weird center of gravity on my bike w/my milk crate on the back...
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If you get some hooks and bungees from the hardware store, you can mount your milk crates like panniers on the side of your rack. . . Lower centre of gravity doesn't want to fall over as much as long as you keep the weight more of less balanced.
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Alright, Im in!
Put some street tires on the mountain bike and going to start commuting and riding for fun.
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My goal for 2013 is to bike to work every day except:
- When it rains
- When it is below 30F
- When I am carpooling
- When I am sick
- When I have to carry my computer
Also to bike on more errands, primarily to the grocery store.
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When I have to carry my computer
Desktop commuter? Come on now! ;-)
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Awesome 3 days this weekend in Colorado . It was 40 F on Tuesday morning. Going to miss this spring type weather on Friday.
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It was lovely here too - plenty warm enough to skip the hat and gloves. It's likely to be warm all week - I'm excited!
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When I have to carry my computer
Desktop commuter? Come on now! ;-)
Laptop... I tried it once and it was fairly awful. I don't have panniers so it goes in the backpack. Complainypants I know, but I'm still easing into the bike commuting thing.
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Laptop... I tried it once and it was fairly awful. I don't have panniers so it goes in the backpack. Complainypants I know, but I'm still easing into the bike commuting thing.
You'll get used to it. I leave mine at work most nights so I don't have to shlep it back and forth. I bought a nice laptop sleeve to protect it in my backpack. Pretty pricy but I figured it was a good investment, and it's lasted me 3+ years. Look for one with padding under the zipper since that's normally a weakness.
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Laptop... I tried it once and it was fairly awful. I don't have panniers so it goes in the backpack. Complainypants I know, but I'm still easing into the bike commuting thing.
You'll get used to it. I leave mine at work most nights so I don't have to shlep it back and forth. I bought a nice laptop sleeve to protect it in my backpack. Pretty pricy but I figured it was a good investment, and it's lasted me 3+ years. Look for one with padding under the zipper since that's normally a weakness.
The backpack I have has a padded section for laptops, right against my back. 90% of the time I leave mine at work as well, but occasionally I'll have to be on call and take it with me.
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I have a rule that nothing goes on my back, the bike carries everything. I've tried backpacks, and bought my wife a couple of hip messenger bags that she uses, but they overheat me and make my back ache over any distance.
Get a good rack and a set of panniers and you can carry a laptop, change of clothes, etc. etc., no problem.
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Wow . . . weather up to 13 (55.4 for Celsius challenged individuals) degrees today. Sure a lot nicer biking than in the snow, grit, rain, and salt that we've had lately. I didn't even wear a jacket or hat!
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I travel to Austin for work every couple of months, and I keep a bike there to get around. HOLY CRAP was it ever amazing to ride bicycles without a balaclava, two pairs of gloves, and moon boots.
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Went for a spin yesterday, 25 miles in 70+ weather. Bliss.
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That was awesome!
I woke up this morning to a text from my room mate, who leaves before I wake up - "Snow! Take the bus!" So of course there was no way I wasn't biking in after that.
Outside, my neighbor was shoveling his driveway. He laughed and said, "S said you were going to do that! She said she told you not to!" I said, "Well, that's mainly why I'm doing it!" He wished me luck, and off I went.
30F, snowing pretty hard, lots of snow on the ground/roads. Switched back to winter bike with the studded tires, the first time I actually NEEDED them, and put the fenders on, too. That was a blast! My first ever real snow-ride. I stayed pretty toasty in my snow sneakers, Target special glovemittens, and bright purple coat. :) One spot got a little fish-taily and I got splashed a few times - this was a pretty wet snow. But overall it was really just a lot of fun.
Hardest part was at the train station, getting all the snow off me and the bike and my backpack. It took a little longer to actually get inside than it usually does. I looked like a bright purple abominable snow-person. :)
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Snow riding is fun . . . there's this terrible magical temperature around freezing where all the snow sticks to you, your bike, and everything that can get kinda miserable. Sounds like you were hitting around that mark. Just make sure to hose the bike down and lube up when you get home . . . because that snow melts and turns into gritty/salty mud that makes your bike sound awfully squeaky/grindey otherwise.
This morning on my commute (-7 C, 19 F) I finally figured out a technique to deal with the high winds on a mountain bike:
- Take one arm and lean just above the elbow on your handlebars so your hand is sticking straight in front of you, and your head is about an inch off the stem.
- Keep your other hand next to the break, but tuck your elbow in under your chest.
You still have a little control over the bike in case of hitting potholes with the one hand, and can brake if necessary . . . but get about 90% of the benefits of being in the drops on a road bike. Shaved a few minutes off the commute with this technique!
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Good advice, GuitarStv! I'm way more confident with biking than I am with bike maintenance, but you have to learn sometime, right?
And yeah, the snow was just wet enough to crust, which made everything just that more interesting. :)
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Once again, kudos to all of you in the snow and ice! You encourage me for the dreaded 10 or so days when our temps drop to 32 in the morning. It was 80 here in Jacksonville for my ride home today. :-)
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Riding in cold weather is just physical; but mainly psychological adaptation...and appropriate clothing certainly helps here! As long as you continue biking as the temperatures get colder it is not big deal. This is my first year of winter biking inspired by Mustachianism. The previous 6 winters I lived through in Ottawa I stopped biking immediately at the first sign of snow or heavy frost (i.e. November) then started again when the last lingering snow piles retreated (April).
It has taken a bit to dial down the appropriate clothing depending on temperature and wind chill ranges. I find overheating to be the most frequent problem! I always get a kick out of people shivering in their cars at a stoplight and looking at me like I'm strange!
For instance today, while not too bad at -12C, was quite windy (windchill of -19C). Today was an outer windproof shell day to keep the wind from mercilessly sucking away precious body heat...but then on arrival at work I can't get the stuff off fast enough - as it's not particularly breatheable and I start sweating almost immediately!
I would suggest that cycling in the heat has its challenges too! For me the summer here, while glorious, leaves you drenched in sweat no matter what you wear (no shower at work).
Good on everyone for biking wherever they are. In particular I commend anyone who has started biking that didn't - or that has extended their biking seasons into previously off limits weather.
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I just started riding my bike to work in Oct so this is all new to me. I have found the colder it gets it seems like it saps my strength more. Like this morning was rough. It was below 10 F and I think there was a small headwind.
I was just curious if anyone experiences this.
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I just started riding my bike to work in Oct so this is all new to me. I have found the colder it gets it seems like it saps my strength more. Like this morning was rough. It was below 10 F and I think there was a small headwind.
I was just curious if anyone experiences this.
I'm glad someone else said this! I've been feeling that I've been riding pretty slowly lately. Inflated my tires this morning, but today's commute didn't feel faster. Here's hoping that it's the weather, and that once warmth returns I'll be zipping along like a gazelle. Or maybe I'm just slow :/
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I think I tend to go a bit faster in the cold - on purpose, to stay warm! But I don't often have to fight the wind.
I do find that I wear out a little easier. But my ride is so short, it's a very minor difference.
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Personally I am a bit confused by it. In Oct and November it did not seem as bad but then again, I am riding more often and longer distances to make a goal I set for myself.
And to lay it all out before you I am overweight so I have that working against me as well as it seems like I am always struggling with "hills" or a "headwind." I guess I just figured at some point the rides would get easier over time but it has yet to happen.
It is good to hear others feel similar or say they seem to wear out easier in the cold. I just wonder if sometimes I am doing something wrong.
bcg
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Interesting observation and question...There are a lot of variables to consider from my perspective:
1) I deflate my 2.1 inch mtb tires to 30psi in the winter on purpose (more contact and hence grip to road/ice/snow). This necessarily causes more friction and therefore more pedal pushing power required.
2) All moving components on bike are encumbered by more friction. Most greases and lubricants stiffen up in very cold weather. Additionally, corrosion happens very quickly to the drive train...btw I use chainsaw oil in the winter on my chain - works very well and is very sticky - salty stuff doesn't penetrate.
3) Moving more weight - more clothing worn and adherence of ice to most of my bike.
4) The surfaces I'm riding on are typically ice, compacted snow, slush, wet and sometimes even dry...these all slow things down alot due to friction and also an abundance of caution - I do not really want to crash...I havent' yet this winter!
5) I find I have less access to air with my balaclava on...not sure if this is a restriction or not.
6) My glasses can fog up and even ice. This is not great because then I can't read upcoming road conditions and necessarily slow down.
Here's a good information resoure for biking in very cold winter weather:
Dressing:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/strategy.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/strategy.htm)
Riding Techniques:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm)
Winter Cycling Experiences in Ottawa:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/Ottawa.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/Ottawa.htm)
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Could be a combination of the things, not the least of which is that cold air is denser than warm air, thus requiring more effort to move through. http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm) It was 2F here this morning, it was tough just getting on the bike, much less pedaling it.
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Could be a combination of the things, not the least of which is that cold air is denser than warm air, thus requiring more effort to move through. http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm) It was 2F here this morning, it was tough just getting on the bike, much less pedaling it.
Hey YAR, I didn't see that! ha ha...would have saved me from typing out the crap I did! And I missed some of the most important reasons to boot!
Look on the bright side though - you'll be super fit, strong and fast when the weather gets more agreeable!!
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Could be a combination of the things, not the least of which is that cold air is denser than warm air, thus requiring more effort to move through. http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/SlowerWinter.htm) It was 2F here this morning, it was tough just getting on the bike, much less pedaling it.
Hey YAR, I didn't see that! ha ha...would have saved me from typing out the crap I did! And I missed some of the most important reasons to boot!
Look on the bright side though - you'll be super fit, strong and fast when the weather gets more agreeable!!
(I think we were making our posts at about the same time this morning)
A good friend of mine who is a former automotive engineer and cyclist (and my "mustachian" mentor) first pointed the cold air thing out to me a few years ago. I just always took his word for it but when I saw this post this morning I thought I better get independent verification. The good people at ICEBIKE did a nice job of laying out what a big deal it is.
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My commute in this morning would be toasty warm to you in Ottawa, but at 28F it was fairly cold for me here in FL. It was actually a nice morning, or rather a nice middle of the night as I left at 4 AM (!) with another co-worker who's starting to ride in.
He wanted to get an early start and ride a route that includes some sidewalks, as he's not comfortable with my usual road route. It took about 1:20 to ride 23 miles this way. I was reminded of how much I hate riding on sidewalks; they are not engineered for riding at any speed. One road featured sidewalks that made sharp, more than 90 degree turns at each development entrance.
Here's hoping continued advocacy results in more (and safer) bike lanes here in FL; Jacksonville has the dubious distinction of earning Bicycling magazine's Worst Cities for Cycling award for several years.
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We've had a week of -20 to -30 C with windchill here in the GTA . . .
About ten below is no problem for me on the bike. Below that, and longer rides just feel miserable. Every part of me that isn't too cold is overheating and sweating . . . my eyes are running constantly from the cold, my glasses fog up every time I need to stop at a light. I have a new found respect for those of you in Ottawa who deal with these temps on a regular basis!
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Interesting observation and question...There are a lot of variables to consider from my perspective:
1) I deflate my 2.1 inch mtb tires to 30psi in the winter on purpose (more contact and hence grip to road/ice/snow). This necessarily causes more friction and therefore more pedal pushing power required.
2) All moving components on bike are encumbered by more friction. Most greases and lubricants stiffen up in very cold weather. Additionally, corrosion happens very quickly to the drive train...btw I use chainsaw oil in the winter on my chain - works very well and is very sticky - salty stuff doesn't penetrate.
3) Moving more weight - more clothing worn and adherence of ice to most of my bike.
4) The surfaces I'm riding on are typically ice, compacted snow, slush, wet and sometimes even dry...these all slow things down alot due to friction and also an abundance of caution - I do not really want to crash...I havent' yet this winter!
5) I find I have less access to air with my balaclava on...not sure if this is a restriction or not.
6) My glasses can fog up and even ice. This is not great because then I can't read upcoming road conditions and necessarily slow down.
Here's a good information resoure for biking in very cold winter weather:
Dressing:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/strategy.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/strategy.htm)
Riding Techniques:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm)
Winter Cycling Experiences in Ottawa:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/Ottawa.htm (http://www.icebike.org/Articles/Ottawa.htm)
The other problem I have is the colder it gets, the tighter my muscles feel starting out and the longer it takes to adapt. I sort of think of biking in the cold as the opposite of hot yoga. My ride is short, so I never bother stretching before, but I really should in the winter.
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The other problem I have is the colder it gets, the tighter my muscles feel starting out and the longer it takes to adapt. I sort of think of biking in the cold as the opposite of hot yoga. My ride is short, so I never bother stretching before, but I really should in the winter.
I hear you for sure on that one!
Today was apparently quite cold for Ottawa (-30C on the thermometer):
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/01/22/ottawa-coldest-day-in-eight-years.html (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/01/22/ottawa-coldest-day-in-eight-years.html)
In actual fact I didn't find it cold at all! This is great news - if I can handle the coldest day in 8 years - I can handle any other cold days this winter...statistically speaking... (apart perhaps from a super-wind induced windchill factor...).
Here's what I wear below -10C in order of putting on:
Tight Merino long-johns (from Costco)
Tight wool socks (standard)
Bigger tight wool socks (Red Head)
Tight cycling pants (Mountain Equipment Co-op - Rouibax http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/MensClothing/Cycling/PantsTights/PRD~5021-691/mec-roubaix-tights-mens.jsp (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/MensClothing/Cycling/PantsTights/PRD~5021-691/mec-roubaix-tights-mens.jsp)
Polypropylene skin tight long sleeve shirt
25%Merino 25%Cotton 50% poly (Standfield's long sleeve looser fitting shirt)
Pants - Waterproof/Windproof Bontragers (from Bushtakuh)
Jacket - Waterproof/Windproof (orange) - http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cycling/MensClothing/JacketsVests/PRD~5026-469/mec-hydrosecteur-jacket-mens.jsp (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cycling/MensClothing/JacketsVests/PRD~5026-469/mec-hydrosecteur-jacket-mens.jsp)
Balaclava 1- tight polypropylene
Tight ear headband
Balaclava 2 - Bula - Polartec
Gloves - Kombi - goat skin outer
Hiking boots - goretex - Lowa
when warmer - i.e. sloppy roads I also wear waterproof gators.
I have the eyeglasses freezing up problem too...I've been thinking about getting some ski goggles. Does anyone have experience with using these for biking? I think the newer ones can accomodate glasses and also have good airflow to prevent the goggles fogging...
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Just reading this is making me cold! Y'all are extra-badass! And I thought it was chilly here in Seattle last week, at 30F (that's 30 above zero!)
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Today was my coldest ride yet, at -11F (wind chill). I wasn't actually all that cold, except for my fingers - I have yet to find a decent pair of gloves for this kind of weather. Though, today I put my gloves on then ziplocked my hands (bags over gloves, hair scrunchies over bags to cinch wrist) and my fingers stayed warmer than they usually do. After about a half-mile the inside of the bags had started to fog up - I think my sleeves were venting warmth into the bags, which helped a lot.
The one thing that annoys me about cold rides is that it takes me so much longer to prep in the morning. I think this is because it's hard to get the "bike engine" (i.e., me) running when it's cold out. I do everything slower, and there's more to do. By the time I got to work this morning, I'd been bundled up for so long I forgot which clothes I was actually wearing. :)
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I've been reading this thread for inspiration, but until today, hadn't managed to actually get on the bike. This morning, our old truck was ready to be picked up from the shop, so rather than wait until tomorrow when DH would be available to give me a lift, I rode the 2.5 miles to go get it.
It's a windy 32F out there, but I guessed right on my clothing layers (most importantly, the stretchy gloves covered by DH's fleece-lined leather work gloves) so it wasn't too bad. I did have to walk all the up-hills, but it was fine. After experiencing some discomfort in my shoulders and Googling how to fit a bike, I can tell that I'll need to make some adjustments to handlebar and seat height. Otherwise, with the addition of a bike rack and milk crate, I should be all set.
SO! I'm ready for Step 1 of my own personal biking challenge: No car use for mid-day errands.
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2 flats in my last 2 days of riding :( I've ordered think tubes and liners, so I guess I won't ride again until they arrive.
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Everyone here gets major props! With the cold front that moved in I turned to walking rather than biking to stave off the windchill. But serious badass points to everyone else! I'm hoping to get back on the bike as soon as it gets a bit above 0F again.
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40km round trip biking in -18C
best of luck to you fellas, I'm going to stick to my metropass
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Just found this video on winter bike commuting:
http://vimeo.com/19145245
It's filmed in Chicago so there are some Chicago-specific tips, but also lots of good info about layering for warmth.
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I cannot claim any level of badassity, because I just rode my bike in 43 degree weather. Seattle weather for you:) But I'm back on the bike 4 weeks after surgery (two weeks sooner than expected) and am going to continue to get more riding time in!
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Don't worry, Tami - I'd trade all my badassity for a couple of weeks of 43 degree weather, in a heartbeat! =D I'm badass out of necessity, not by nature...
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This morning as I was dropping my son off at daycare I counted 7 SUVs and one car. The two SUVs right in front of my bike were both Mercedes to boot.
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This morning as I was dropping my son off at daycare I counted 7 SUVs and one car. The two SUVs right in front of my bike were both Mercedes to boot.
That's a fabulous mental image. Thanks for the laugh.
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Would you please add me to the sheet? I ride my bike all year round to work here in the south of Sweden. It's only a 8 km round trip but very steep, easy 9 minutes to go to work and 19 not so easy minutes going home. Today was -14C and my sinuses froze just a tad. Note to self - only exhale through nose when under minus 10!
The town I live in has a really good bike path network throughout town and a very neet bike online map provided by the city. You type in your starting point, destination and the map gives you three different route suggestions and tells you distance, estimated time and how strenuous the ride will be. Great for varying your commute and estimating arrival time when going new places.
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The town I live in has a really good bike path network throughout town and a very neet bike online map provided by the city. You type in your starting point, destination and the map gives you three different route suggestions and tells you distance, estimated time and how strenuous the ride will be. Great for varying your commute and estimating arrival time when going new places.
Sounds like awesome software!
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Could be a combination of the things, not the least of which is that cold air is denser than warm air, thus requiring more effort to move through.
Cold air at the same pressure is denser...which means, effectively, at sea level. Up here, it's less dense in winter--the denser air down there has to come from somewhere! (Our air goes south for the winter.)
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I've turned a corner this month, somehow. My biggest challenge has been paying attention to recording my mileage, etc., because under the tremendous influence of the last few months' bicycling challenge, getting around exclusively by bike has become the norm, without my having to think much about it. This is FANTASTIC, and I thank you all for it. I don't have much daily travel in terms of distance, it's true. But it's also true that because I'm on my bike I'm much less likely to go gallivanting all the hell over the place. Totally fine with me.
This past week, when several people have said to me, "What are you, nuts? It's too cold to bike," I simply chuckled. I am perfectly warm moving about on my sweet short bike ride, in a way I would not be if I were sitting in my car for that same short ride. If anything, I try to add more mileage to my ride, to make the most of being out and about in this time of Winter that can feel so limiting. So, thank you, thank you.
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I totally wimped out today and drove to work. Having wiped out on ice once already this winter, (first bike related spill since 1978) I decided discretion was the better part of not having a broken hip or something. Anyway, the freezing rain should be gone by tonight and it will be back in the saddle again tomorrow.
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I know it's kind of late in the season to be putting this out there, but for anyone stuck on a road bike wishing you had a touch more traction through the snow, I have a tire recommendation for you: Kenda Kwick cyclocross tires. They are:
-hella cheap. $15 each
-knobby on the sides for grip and smoothish in the middle for easy rolling
-small... 700Cx30. They fit in my regular road calipers with room to spare
I've had them for a month or so now but wanted to wait until we got real snow before I made an actual recommendation. We got a good fall at the end of last week so I got to test them out and boy are they great. Even on the slick packed-down driven-on snow I could monstertruck around with no worries of sliding out. Way better than the sorta-treaded Vittoria Randonneur x Conti Gatorskin matchup I was riding last year.
Only downside: they're super thin so they probably won't last more than 500 miles on dry pavement, and will puncture easily. I only plan on running them through the snowy season though, so they should still last a few years. They're also not studded (should be obvious but I thought I'd mention it anyway...), so ice is still a no-no
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The cross tires do square off when you ride them on roads regularly, but they still seem to last ~1k miles or so for me. I have some cheap Kenda cross tires (don't remember the specific model) on my cross bike and I've been very happy with them for light off road use and stuff like gravel/sandy roads. I air 'em down to about 50 psi for sand; I don't have snow riding experience but I imagine it'd be similar.
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~1k miles? That's what, about a month for you, kendallf? ;)
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~1k miles? That's what, about a month for you, kendallf? ;)
Yes, although I'm on a reduced training schedule this year as I need to do a lot of home repair/renovation. :) I also have a lot of bikes.. I like to build them from scratch, and I buy and sell bikes/parts to fund my more expensive race bikes. I buy things like tires, chains, and cassettes in batches from whichever online vendor is cheapest (often in the UK, for some reason).
For instance, this bike was given to me, with most of the parts currently on it. I have ~$100 in it (powdercoat, replacement decals, tape, cables). Everything else was polished and reused, or came from my parts bin. Restoring it was just a fun project; I rode it a few times and decided it was surplus. It's currently for sale for $550 at a local shop.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/6967700251_f13ca2446c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26276815@N07/6967700251/)
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Hey,
Can I get my name on the sheet? I have some miles to contribute to January. I started biking into work, today 6.86 miles.
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Hi, Martyn - I added you in to the spreadsheet and updated your miles. You're all set. :)
The one thing I didn't know how to do was add a line for Martyn in the chart on the master summary page. Anyone know how that works?
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Hi, Martyn - I added you in to the spreadsheet and updated your miles. You're all set. :)
The one thing I didn't know how to do was add a line for Martyn in the chart on the master summary page. Anyone know how that works?
I updated the chart.
To update the chart: Click on the graph. A drop down arrow will appear in the upper right hand corner. From the drop down select "Advanced Edit". Then click the "Start" tab and modify the "Data - Select ranges …" to include the new riders.
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Well dang. I was hoping to make it to 350 miles this month, and assuming I could do my normal commute + an extra mile tomorrow, that was going to happen. There's been below freezing temperatures, which has been fine. For the past few days there's been rain, which has been fine. But tomorrow the high is 16... after two days of rain... think I'm going to just succumb and take public transit tomorrow, as I am pretty sure the roads (and especially the bike lanes) are going to be straight ice. Alas!
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Hi, Martyn - I added you in to the spreadsheet and updated your miles. You're all set. :)
The one thing I didn't know how to do was add a line for Martyn in the chart on the master summary page. Anyone know how that works?
I updated the chart.
To update the chart: Click on the graph. A drop down arrow will appear in the upper right hand corner. From the drop down select "Advanced Edit". Then click the "Start" tab and modify the "Data - Select ranges …" to include the new riders.
Thanks to both of you. It was a baptism of fire today:
A new bike, I'm 25 and I've not ridden a bike since I was at least 15. Bikes have advanced a'lot. I'm being very inefficient with my gears, (I'm putting it down to not being very used to the bike with it being new) I keep lowering gears instead of raising, mostly leaving me spinning the pedals like a mad man on flats and in top gear when going up hills and at junctions. I had gale force head winds that just sucked all the energy out of me through losing speed constantly and abruptly. Then to top it off the seat is hard as hell, hence I've been left with a tenderised bum. Oh and the chain slipped off when I was halfway up a hill on the way home.
Against all the odd though I'm happy I just got on with it. I'll be off again on Friday. I'd like to do it all again tomorrow but I can't sit on the seat as it hurts quite a bit. Can anyone recommend a good comfy one that isn't going to cost the world?
Total miles today 13.87
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45 kph headwinds on the way to work this morning. . . holy crap that makes the ride a lot harder!
A new bike, I'm 25 and I've not ridden a bike since I was at least 15. Bikes have advanced a'lot. I'm being very inefficient with my gears, (I'm putting it down to not being very used to the bike with it being new) I keep lowering gears instead of raising, mostly leaving me spinning the pedals like a mad man on flats and in top gear when going up hills and at junctions. I had gale force head winds that just sucked all the energy out of me through losing speed constantly and abruptly. Then to top it off the seat is hard as hell, hence I've been left with a tenderised bum. Oh and the chain slipped off when I was halfway up a hill on the way home.
Against all the odd though I'm happy I just got on with it. I'll be off again on Friday. I'd like to do it all again tomorrow but I can't sit on the seat as it hurts quite a bit. Can anyone recommend a good comfy one that isn't going to cost the world?
Total miles today 13.87
Bike seats are very personal. I am comfortable on stuff that my friends can't sit on for more than 20 minutes. Buying a seat depends on how upright you are, how far you're going, how your butt is shaped, and what kind of shape you're in. My advice would be to give it two or three weeks at least with your current seat before you decide to change it.
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Seconding what GuitarStv said - sadly, seat cushiness is not a guarantee of comfort. I think a lot of it is just what you get used to. I ride a Trek 7200 with a relatively firm seat in summer, and it's achy for the first couple of days, but after that I don't even notice it. When I switch back to the mountain bike for winter commuting, the seat is far softer and more cushiony, and that hurts too, until I'm used to it again.
Congrats on your first day! Almost 14 miles - that's awesome. My commute is far shorter; I'm constantly looking for ways to lengthen it. :)
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Seconding what GuitarStv said - sadly, seat cushiness is not a guarantee of comfort. I think a lot of it is just what you get used to. I ride a Trek 7200 with a relatively firm seat in summer, and it's achy for the first couple of days, but after that I don't even notice it. When I switch back to the mountain bike for winter commuting, the seat is far softer and more cushiony, and that hurts too, until I'm used to it again.
Congrats on your first day! Almost 14 miles - that's awesome. My commute is far shorter; I'm constantly looking for ways to lengthen it. :)
45 kph headwinds on the way to work this morning. . . holy crap that makes the ride a lot harder!
A new bike, I'm 25 and I've not ridden a bike since I was at least 15. Bikes have advanced a'lot. I'm being very inefficient with my gears, (I'm putting it down to not being very used to the bike with it being new) I keep lowering gears instead of raising, mostly leaving me spinning the pedals like a mad man on flats and in top gear when going up hills and at junctions. I had gale force head winds that just sucked all the energy out of me through losing speed constantly and abruptly. Then to top it off the seat is hard as hell, hence I've been left with a tenderised bum. Oh and the chain slipped off when I was halfway up a hill on the way home.
Against all the odd though I'm happy I just got on with it. I'll be off again on Friday. I'd like to do it all again tomorrow but I can't sit on the seat as it hurts quite a bit. Can anyone recommend a good comfy one that isn't going to cost the world?
Total miles today 13.87
Bike seats are very personal. I am comfortable on stuff that my friends can't sit on for more than 20 minutes. Buying a seat depends on how upright you are, how far you're going, how your butt is shaped, and what kind of shape you're in. My advice would be to give it two or three weeks at least with your current seat before you decide to change it.
Cheers for the advice on the seat guys. I had the same advice off one of my colleague regarding waiting a few weeks to see if I get used to the seat, rather than going out and buying one. I did a bit of research this morning on them and it seems quite a complicated science in picking one that matches the shape or your arse. Still a little sore but I'm still going to get on with it tomorrow.
I just keep reminding myself that its saving the best part of £5 a day in commuting costs.
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And this is why you should always check the weather BEFORE you bike to the office:
- 45 kph/28 mph winds (with gusts up to 80 kph / 50 mph)
- Near white-out conditions
- -14 C / 6.8 F
- recently thawed snow melt frozen over everywhere
- blowing (horizontal) snow falling
To be fair, it was +14 C/57 F yesterday . . . figured it would be alright today too.
Dammit.
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I just added the last kilometers to this month. Stachinit, will you please add my 90 something kilometres to the total?
Biking is soo great - the best thing is the way it wakes me up in the morning and not to mention the $8 a day I save in not taking the bus!
Will the challenge continue in February?
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I just added the last kilometers to this month. Stachinit, will you please add my 90 something kilometres to the total?
Biking is soo great - the best thing is the way it wakes me up in the morning and not to mention the $8 a day I save in not taking the bus!
Will the challenge continue in February?
Most definitely! I'll crank out the February spreadsheet today.
I added your kilometers to this month's chart!
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Looking forward to the February challenge!
I haven't biked to work in years, but you guys have motivated me to pick it up again.
My goal is 8 RTs in February...I had to post this publicly, or it's unlikely to get accomplished.
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I'm so inspired by all the miles logged this month! Especially from those in very cold climates (aka The Badasses)
Here's the spreadsheet for February:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Am8qaK8Qf80edERXRG15N19aOTBpRTQxR3ExZkFoRmc
I'll start a new thread here on the forums! See y'all in February!