Winter Biking Problem



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Ralph Burns

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I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner gloves,
keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son suggested installing a warming
device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No possibility since
there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their hands from freezing at
-45degree temp? Ralph
 
Ralph Burns <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner
gloves,
> keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son
suggested
> installing a warming device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No
> possibility since there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their
> hands from freezing at -45degree temp? Ralph

A warm fire?

Shaun aRe
 
Shaun Rimmer wrote:

>> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
>> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
>> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner
>
> gloves,
>
>>keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son
>
> suggested
>
>>installing a warming device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No
>>possibility since there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their
>>hands from freezing at -45degree temp? Ralph
>
>
> A warm fire?

...and a glass of cognac.

I know it's often said here that there are no seasons for mountain biking. However, who honestly
would consider going out riding in -45 deg temps, and then only complain that their thumbs are a
little chilly (apart from the Canucks)?

Nutters. The lot of 'em.

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

b.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm
 
Ralph Burns wrote:
> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner
> gloves, keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son suggested installing a
> warming device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No
> possibility since there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their
> hands from freezing at -45degree temp? Ralph

Actually, I suspect that when it's -45, most of them stay home.

I'm not a canuck, nor do I play one on tv, but when the mercury drops below, say 20, 25 degrees
(depending on the wind), I consider it too cold to ride. I live in Missouri, though, and considering
we have only maybe fifteen, twenty days a year like that, it's not a huge hardship. We lose a lot
more riding days to mud than cold.

Kathleen
 
"Ralph Burns" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner
gloves,
> keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son
suggested
> installing a warming device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No
> possibility since there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their
> hands from freezing at -45degree temp? Ralph

You need Sub-Way bags. Not kidding. The bags that Sub-Way subs come in. Use the bag on the inside of
the mitten.

If they are good enough for the iditarod, the iron butt, and icebike.com, they should be good
enough for you.

Worked well for me once upon a time, although I did use bags other than the Sub-Way version.

darsh
 
"Ralph Burns" <[email protected]> spake thusly on or about Mon, 27 Jan 2003
11:43:24 UTC

-> How do people in Canada keep their hands from freezing -> at -45degree temp? ->

well at -45 I am likely going to stay inside but my mitts worked just fine keeping my hands warm at
-35 C. Those were the louis gaurneau lobster claw styled ones. I also have som military surplus
arctic mitts that are too warm at that temperature but they were dry and the others were not.

the real problem is keeping eyeglasses from fogging up.

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
[email protected]
 
"Ralph Burns" <[email protected]> wrote:
> ...How do people in Canada keep their hands from freezing at -45degree temp?

Uh, by staying inside?

Sorry to be a smart-a$$ but in all seriousness, once it gets to be below a certain temp, there isn't
all that much you can do other than not be out for more than a little while (if you want to be able
to shift and brake). I've ridden at 0 fahrenheit and a bit below that, but only a fairly short
commute. As I recall, I was glad to be heading inside after that much time when it was below 10.

Aren't there some battery-powered gloves out there? Seems like that would be a more direct solution
than trying to heat the bars.

I'm sure you'll get more useful responses than mine, but allow me to point out: Zero
Fahrenheit is COLD!
--
Tom Purvis - http://www.arkansasvalley.net Salida, CO
 
[email protected] (Tom Purvis) spake thusly on or about Mon, 27 Jan 2003
16:51:13 UTC

-> I'm sure you'll get more useful responses than mine, -> but allow me to point out: Zero
Fahrenheit is COLD! ->

Yawn

in general 0 F/-18c is a lovely day to ride go sledding or whatever. cold starts around -30C and too
cold(for me because I cannot protect my face and see both) is around -40. If i could keep my glasses
from frosting over I could and would still ride. Tyres are frozen solid and offer little cushion at
around -37 C. thick lubes should be avoided in the winter.

windchill is a factor of what direction you are going, how fast and the reletive air movement
--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
[email protected]
 
[email protected] wrote:> [email protected] (Tom Purvis) spake thusly on or about
Mon, 27 Jan 2003
> 16:51:13 UTC
>
> -> I'm sure you'll get more useful responses than mine, -> but allow me to point out: Zero
> Fahrenheit is COLD! ->
>
> Yawn
>
> in general 0 F/-18c is a lovely day to ride go sledding or whatever. cold starts around -30C and
> too cold(for me because I cannot protect my face and see both) is around -40. If i could keep my
> glasses from frosting over I could and would still ride.

I have a hard time once it gets below 0 F because my gloves get too thick. As for the face, a nice
mask, snowboard helmet, and ski goggles solve that and do a good job of not steaming up. If you're
into army surplus stuff, get a tank drivers mask, those are warm down to any temp.
 
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 05:43:24 -0600, "Ralph Burns" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner gloves,
> keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son suggested installing a warming
> device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No possibility since
> there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their hands from freezing
> at -45degree temp? Ralph
>

I lived there also, and that's cold even for MN....stay the hell inside.

Peace, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind
should give an immediate view instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]
 
"Ralph Burns" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner
gloves,
> keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son
suggested
> installing a warming device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles. No
> possibility since there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their
> hands from freezing at -45degree temp? Ralph
>

http://www.enteract.com/~icebike/Clothing/handprotection.htm
 
RE/
>How do people in Canada keep their hands from freezing at -45degree temp?

Dunno about -45, but down to about 20 below how about switchint to cross-country skiing? Less wind
chill, more amenable to mittens...
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell
 
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 22:18:01 GMT, "D T W .../\\..." <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>
>"Ralph Burns" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> I live in Minnesota, USA. In the winter, I have a problem keeping my thumbs from freezing. The
>> mittens I wear are designed for snowmobiling. Since the thumb is separate from the rest of the
>> fingers, below zero, I can't keep the thumbs from freezing. I tried inserting nylon inner
>gloves,
>> keeping the thumbs next to the other fingers, to no avail. My son
>suggested
>> installing a warming device on the handle bars which come as standard equipment on snowmobiles.
>> No possibility since there is no electrical system on a bike. How do people in Canada keep their
>> hands from freezing at -45degree temp? Ralph
>>
>
>
> http://www.enteract.com/~icebike/Clothing/handprotection.htm
>
>
>
Nice link,

bill

The mind serves properly as a window glass rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind should give
an immediate view instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]
 
**** <[email protected]> spake thusly on or about Mon, 27 Jan 2003 19:09:20 UTC

-> I have a hard time once it gets below 0 F because my gloves get too -> thick

not an issue with thinsulate winter bike mitts but the ones i have do need to be died out
between rides

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
[email protected]
 
Check out a motorcycle shop , there are heated plug in gloves.

Fire up MTB 03
 
Michael Dart wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>Check out a motorcycle shop , there are heated plug in gloves.

> Plug in to what?

"Don't ask, don't tell."
 
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