A winter ride



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David Kerber

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Those of you in New York and New England (and probably Tennessee Titans
fans as well) know what kind of weather they're talking about for today.
Not all-time record low, but probably a record low for the date, and
possibly a record lowest daily high. When I got up this morning it was
about -2°F, and by 10:00 it had warmed up to a toasty zero.

My family had been bugging me last night to go out and get ice cream, but I refused. However I
decided today might be a good day for a winter ride just to see how I fared, and to get the ice
cream without having to worry about it melting on the way home. So went through my ski clothes
trying to figure out what would be about right to keep my face, hands and feet warm without making
my torso sweat. For my hands, I ended up with a pair of Pearl Izumi full-finger cool-weather cycling
gloves under a pair of heavy leather fleece-lined mittens. On my head I put a silk balaclava mask
with a foam rubber-like half-face mask over it, and my helmet on top. Then a regular cotton t-shirt
and turtle neck, and my regular winter coat with a liner which can be zipped separately. On my legs
I had a pair of sweat pants under a pair of insulated nylon warmup pants. My feet had a pair of thin
UnderArmor socks underneath some heavy ski socks.

Once I started moving, I tried the shifters to be sure everything was working, and that I could
control them ok with the mittens on. Shifting the Tiagra STI's with heavy mittens was a little
clumsy, but acceptable as long as I was a little careful. The front shifted a little stiff but still
worked ok, since I only expected to need to shift it once.

Then I headed out. To be sure I didn't work up a sweat, I went up the hill from my house in the
granny (30x23), and kept my cadence down to around 70, but I still ended up fogging my glasses. So I
took off the half-mask and pulled down the opening in the balaclava to below my mouth. The bike came
with an 11-32 cassette, but I had swapped it out for an Ultegra 11-23 a month ago to get some closer
gears for racing, and because I never needed the 30x32 or 30x28 gears.

Going to the store was with the wind (not a whole lot of it; maybe 5 - 10 mph), and I was able to
maintain about 15 mph with little effort at a lower-than-normal cadence. I quickly found myself
starting to get excessively warm, so I unzipped the outer coat about half-way, and that seemed to
work well.

Loading up to head home from the store, I had to rearrange things a bit because I was heading into
the wind. I needed the half-mask to keep my cheekbones from feeling like they were going to freeze,
and my forehead above my eyebrows felt like it was going to no matter what I did.

By the time I got home, the thermometer on the house was registering about 6°F, but I was sweating
pretty good even with both the outer coat and the liner zipped halfway down from riding into the
wind, and my toes were cold. So I still have a bit to learn about what to wear to keep from
sweating, and need to figure out something to keep my toes warm.

Other interesting lessons learned:

My Specialized SpeedZone pro computer doesn't register the temperature when it gets down
around zero (the manual says what the minimum it will register is, but I don't remember off
the top of my head), and the LCD display is a bit slow to update, but seems to work fine
otherwise. No problems like others have reported with blank displays or inaccurate readings
on other brands of computers.

My new seat (Specialized BG2 Sport) is great, and works well with non-biking clothes. The
cutout gave enough room for the crotch seams of my two pairs of pants so that I had no
problems with pressure points or chafing. It was a short ride, though, so that might change
with more time in the saddle.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
Originally posted by David Kerber
Those of you in New York and New England (and probably Tennessee Titans fans as well) know what kind of weather they're talking about for today. Not all-time record low, but probably a record low for the date, and possibly a record lowest daily high. When I got up this morning it was about -2°F, and by 10:00 it had warmed up to a toasty zero.

kept my cadence down to around 70, but I still ended up fogging my glasses.


Here in Minnesota for winter rides I've used a pair of old Scott dual lens ski Goggles which solved the fogging issues.
 
I give you alot of credit. I rode earlier this week when it was 5F above
but at -8F (upstate NY) this am, I headed for the trainer in the heated
garage. What did you wear for shoes? What kind of UnderArmour socks? I
can stay warm enough to ride even at zero, but haven't found anything to
keep my feet warm
"David Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Those of you in New York and New England (and probably Tennessee Titans fans as well) know what
> kind of weather they're talking about for today. Not all-time record low, but probably a record
> low for the date, and possibly a record lowest daily high. When I got up this morning it was about
> -2°F, and by 10:00 it had warmed up to a toasty zero.
>
> My family had been bugging me last night to go out and get ice cream, but I refused. However I
> decided today might be a good day for a winter ride just to see how I fared, and to get the ice
> cream without having to worry about it melting on the way home. So went through my ski clothes
> trying to figure out what would be about right to keep my face, hands and feet warm without making
> my torso sweat. For my hands, I ended up with a pair of Pearl Izumi full-finger cool-weather
> cycling gloves under a pair of heavy leather fleece-lined mittens. On my head I put a silk
> balaclava mask with a foam rubber-like half-face mask over it, and my helmet on top. Then a
> regular cotton t-shirt and turtle neck, and my regular winter coat with a liner which can be
> zipped separately. On my legs I had a pair of sweat pants under a pair of insulated nylon warmup
> pants. My feet had a pair of thin UnderArmor socks underneath some heavy ski socks.
>
> Once I started moving, I tried the shifters to be sure everything was working, and that I could
> control them ok with the mittens on. Shifting the Tiagra STI's with heavy mittens was a little
> clumsy, but acceptable as long as I was a little careful. The front shifted a little stiff but
> still worked ok, since I only expected to need to shift it once.
>
> Then I headed out. To be sure I didn't work up a sweat, I went up the hill from my house in the
> granny (30x23), and kept my cadence down to around 70, but I still ended up fogging my glasses. So
> I took off the half-mask and pulled down the opening in the balaclava to below my mouth. The bike
> came with an 11-32 cassette, but I had swapped it out for an Ultegra 11-23 a month ago to get some
> closer gears for racing, and because I never needed the 30x32 or 30x28 gears.
>
> Going to the store was with the wind (not a whole lot of it; maybe 5 - 10 mph), and I was able to
> maintain about 15 mph with little effort at a lower-than-normal cadence. I quickly found myself
> starting to get excessively warm, so I unzipped the outer coat about half-way, and that seemed to
> work well.
>
> Loading up to head home from the store, I had to rearrange things a bit because I was heading into
> the wind. I needed the half-mask to keep my cheekbones from feeling like they were going to
> freeze, and my forehead above my eyebrows felt like it was going to no matter what I did.
>
> By the time I got home, the thermometer on the house was registering about 6°F, but I was sweating
> pretty good even with both the outer coat and the liner zipped halfway down from riding into the
> wind, and my toes were cold. So I still have a bit to learn about what to wear to keep from
> sweating, and need to figure out something to keep my toes warm.
>
>
> Other interesting lessons learned:
>
> My Specialized SpeedZone pro computer doesn't register the temperature when it gets down around
> zero (the manual says what the minimum it will register is, but I don't remember off the top of my
> head), and the LCD display is a bit slow to update, but seems to work fine otherwise. No problems
> like others have reported with blank displays or inaccurate readings on other brands of computers.
>
> My new seat (Specialized BG2 Sport) is great, and works well with non-biking clothes. The cutout
> gave enough room for the crotch seams of my two pairs of pants so that I had no problems with
> pressure points or chafing. It was a short ride, though, so that might change with more time in
> the saddle.
>
> --
> Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!
>
> REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
"David Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Those of you in New York and New England (and probably Tennessee Titans fans as well) know what
> kind of weather they're talking about for today. Not all-time record low, but probably a record
> low for the date, and possibly a record lowest daily high. When I got up this morning it was about
> -2°F, and by 10:00 it had warmed up to a toasty zero.

About a dozen of us did our 351rst consecutive club Saturday morning ride (30 mile loop), starting
from Newton, MA, it was our coldest in that 7 years (~0 deg. F).

http://home.comcast.net/~peter_cole/index.html

I can honestly say that I've gotten things dialed-in to the point where I didn't have the slightest
discomfort riding for 2 hr in 0 deg F. I was riding a fixed gear, so shifting wasn't an issue,
though my other bikes have bar-end which works well with mitts, too. I used a thin fleece balaclava,
with a separate band of stretch fleece (home-made) over my nose & upper lip, the only skin showing
was my lips. I didn't have any trouble with fogging at all.

My hands were too warm in LL Bean expedition mitts, I should have stopped and removed either the
shells (lined) or the inner mitts (med. fleece). I had 3 layers of fleece on top (stretch shirt,
jacket, windbloc vest), which was too much, I unzipped both (and got a little pink belly from that).
I had stretch fleece warmups over stretch fleece tights on my legs, which was perfect.

For my feet, I used 2 pairs of socks (stretch fleece inner, smartwool outer), oversize MTB shoes
(Sidi), with home-made booties (stretch fleece over plain fleece). My feet were good, cold, but not
uncomfortably so, and they weren't getting any colder during the second half of the ride.
 
In article <cU%[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> I give you alot of credit. I rode earlier this week when it was 5F above but at -8F (upstate NY)
> this am, I headed for the trainer in the heated garage. What did you wear for shoes? What kind of
> UnderArmour socks? I can stay warm enough to ride even at zero, but haven't found anything to keep
> my feet warm

As I said in the OP, my feet got cold, too, though not to the point of being worried about
frostbite. The UnderArmor socks are a thin lycra sock designed for wearing under other socks. They
helped a bit, but not enough, so I'm still looking for an answer to that. My shoes were some LL Bean
hiking boots that I only break out for cold weather or camping. I have a pair of very bulky
snowmobiling boots which would keep me warm,

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
You guys have pretty big cojones to be riding in this sort of weather. I'll lift a steaming hot
coffee in your honor at the local Starbucks here in Austin (where it will reach a nice 60
degrees today.)

r.b.

"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<cU%[email protected]>...
> I give you alot of credit. I rode earlier this week when it was 5F above but at -8F (upstate NY)
> this am, I headed for the trainer in the heated garage. What did you wear for shoes? What kind of
> UnderArmour socks? I

>>By the time I got home, the thermometer on the house was registering about 6°F..
 
flatline top-posted:

> You guys have pretty big cojones to be riding in this sort of weather.

Well, maybe PRIOR to riding!

Bill "basic physiology" S.
 
In article <[email protected]>, blue_x21 @usa.com says...
> You guys have pretty big cojones to be riding in this sort of weather. I'll lift a steaming hot
> coffee in your honor at the local Starbucks here in Austin (where it will reach a nice 60
> degrees today.)

When I was in school back in the mid-70's in Iowa, my bike was how I got to school, and I rode every
day. My record was about -20°F with a 30mph wind. Better to do it on a bike and get there in 15-20
minutes than walk and have it take 45.

>
> r.b.
>
> "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<cU%[email protected]>...
> > I give you alot of credit. I rode earlier this week when it was 5F above but at -8F (upstate NY)
> > this am, I headed for the trainer in the heated garage. What did you wear for shoes? What kind
> > of UnderArmour socks? I
>
> >>By the time I got home, the thermometer on the house was registering about 6°F..
>

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
In article <[email protected]>, sorni@bite- me.san.rr.com says...
> flatline top-posted:
>
> > You guys have pretty big cojones to be riding in this sort of weather.
>
> Well, maybe PRIOR to riding!

The cojones don't shrink, but what they're connected to sure does!

...

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
Was it up hill with a head wind???

Did you have a hole in one shoe?

Burr

David Kerber wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, blue_x21 @usa.com says...
>
>>You guys have pretty big cojones to be riding in this sort of weather. I'll lift a steaming hot
>>coffee in your honor at the local Starbucks here in Austin (where it will reach a nice 60
>>degrees today.)
>
>
> When I was in school back in the mid-70's in Iowa, my bike was how I got to school, and I rode
> every day. My record was about -20°F with a 30mph wind. Better to do it on a bike and get there in
> 15-20 minutes than walk and have it take 45.
>
>
>>r.b.
>>
>>"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:<cU%[email protected]>...
>>
>>>I give you alot of credit. I rode earlier this week when it was 5F above but at -8F (upstate NY)
>>>this am, I headed for the trainer in the heated garage. What did you wear for shoes? What kind of
>>>UnderArmour socks? I
>>
>>>>By the time I got home, the thermometer on the house was registering about 6°F..
>
 
In article <[email protected]>, usenet- [email protected] says...
> David Kerber wrote:
> > Those of you in New York and New England (and probably Tennessee Tita=
ns
> > fans as well) know what kind of weather they're talking about for tod=
ay.
> > Not all-time record low, but probably a record low for the date, and possibly a record lowest
> > daily high. When I got up this morning it wa=
s
> > about -2=B0F, and by 10:00 it had warmed up to a toasty zero. kept my cadence down to around
> > 70, but I still ended up fogging my glasses.
>=20 20 20 20
> Here in Minnesota for winter rides I've used a pair of old Scott dual lens ski Goggles which
> solved the fogging issues.

If I can find mine, I'm going to try that next time. It would=20 probably also help fix the frozen
forehead problem if I can keep them=20 overlapped with the facemask.

--=20 Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> Was it up hill with a head wind???

Only going there. Coming home was mostly down hill, with the prevailing wind.

>
> Did you have a hole in one shoe?

I know you are joking, but I'll answer seriously anyway: no, I had good boots, a heavy winter parka,
face mask etc. The school system had a rule that if you lived less than a certain distance you
couldn't ride the bus, and I was just inside that limit (don't recall the limit, but in Jr. High, I
was about 2 miles from the school).

....

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
[top-posting fixed]

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 02:37:28 GMT, Burr <[email protected]> wrote:
>David Kerber wrote:
>> When I was in school back in the mid-70's in Iowa, my bike was how I got to school, and I rode
>> every day. My record was about -20°F with a 30mph
>
>Was it up hill with a head wind??? Did you have a hole in one shoe?

Shoe? Back in his day, they didn't HAVE shoes. They didn't need them, because they didn't have FEET!
Feet weren't invented yet. They had to walk uphill both ways in 20 feet of snow on their ANKLES!
David was lucky to have a bike, which he had to pedal by reaching down with his hands every few
seconds and hand-turning the cranks...

>Burr
--
Rick Onanian
 
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> [top-posting fixed]
>
> On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 02:37:28 GMT, Burr <[email protected]> wrote:
> >David Kerber wrote:
> >> When I was in school back in the mid-70's in Iowa, my bike was how I got to school, and I rode
> >> every day. My record was about -20°F with a 30mph
> >
> >Was it up hill with a head wind??? Did you have a hole in one shoe?
>
> Shoe? Back in his day, they didn't HAVE shoes. They didn't need them, because they didn't have
> FEET! Feet weren't invented yet. They had to walk uphill both ways in 20 feet of snow on their
> ANKLES! David was lucky to have a bike, which he had to pedal by reaching down with his hands
> every few seconds and hand-turning the cranks...

Now, now Rick, don't exaggerate. My ankles worked just find for pressing on those platform pedals
from back in the stone age, even if my arms at that time were still long enough to pedal an
ordinary with!

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 20:32:38 -0500, David Kerber
<ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:
>Now, now Rick, don't exaggerate. My ankles worked just find for pressing on those platform pedals
>from back in the stone age, even if my arms at that time were still long enough to pedal an
>ordinary with!

You guys had platforms on your pedals? I thought you just had unthreaded spindle-holes that you had
to stick your fingers in to get a grip.

Well, maybe that was a few years before you rode.
--
Rick Onanian
 
Hey Rick,

What's the matter stupid asshole???

Everyone knows tha tyou are an ASSHOLE now!!!

Wild Bill Kizer the MAN!!!!
 
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