Fair Weather Cycling

[Amanda_W]

Hey folks!

Do you have a limit on what type of weather or temperature you'll ride in?
I don't like to ride outside when it's under 40 degrees Fahrenheit because of the risk of ice (plus I don't like being cold!). So in the winter, I just stick to indoor trainer rides, but then it takes awhile to adjust to riding outside again. How about you?

Do you ride outside all year round? Or do you have a limit? What kind of gear do you use to keep warm?

[Rick Ankrum]

I ride year round but if it is below 60F I ride inside on Zwift. No upper limit on the temperature. Rain will keep me inside too.

[Talha]

(04-26-2024, 09:35 AM)Amanda_W Wrote:  Hey folks!

Do you have a limit on what type of weather or temperature you'll ride in?
I don't like to ride outside when it's under 40 degrees Fahrenheit because of the risk of ice (plus I don't like being cold!). So in the winter, I just stick to indoor trainer rides, but then it takes awhile to adjust to riding outside again. How about you?

Do you ride outside all year round? Or do you have a limit? What kind of gear do you use to keep warm?

Safety is key, especially when it comes to icy conditions. I can ride in snow but that dirty slush is scary and makes me not want to take my bike out.

[rydabent]

Unless there is a compelling reason, I wont ride unless it is 65 degrees, and never in the rain.

[GirishH]

A topic I love, @Amanda_W! Like you and Talha, I was wary of icy conditions when I commute in the Boston area. Winter biking was my favorite because it kept most cyclists home, leaving only a few die-hard enthusiasts out there. In fair weather, anyone with a bicycle would hit the road, making riding, walking, and driving really unsafe. So, I enjoyed the reduced and cautious traffic during inclement weather. Since I never got studded tires, I was very cautious of black ice and fortunately encountered it rarely. Sometimes, I would just wait for about half an hour for safer riding conditions.

If anything, rain scares the life out of me. Rain reduces motorists' visibility and, even worse, they seem to forget how to drive in it. (That includes me as well). So, rain scared me more than cold winter conditions.

As for the cold, after a few years of trial and error, I learned how to keep my body just warm enough during winter rides. I initially thought I might have Raynaud's syndrome and struggled a lot before finding a way to deal with cold hands and feet. Finally, when I accepted that it’s usually only until my body warms up that I feel cold, I was able to enjoy the rides. Like I've mentioned in other threads, I always repurposed my outdoor gear. For example, I wore my winter hiking/backpacking jacket, pants, boots, and mittens during winter rides. The boots and mittens were key because they mostly prevented my feet and hands from getting too cold, keeping them operable.

(04-30-2024, 01:01 PM)Talha Wrote:  

(04-26-2024, 09:35 AM)Amanda_W Wrote:  Hey folks!

Do you have a limit on what type of weather or temperature you'll ride in?
I don't like to ride outside when it's under 40 degrees Fahrenheit because of the risk of ice (plus I don't like being cold!). So in the winter, I just stick to indoor trainer rides, but then it takes awhile to adjust to riding outside again. How about you?

Do you ride outside all year round? Or do you have a limit? What kind of gear do you use to keep warm?

Safety is key, especially when it comes to icy conditions. I can ride in snow but that dirty slush is scary and makes me not want to take my bike out.

[Dusan]

I'll typically avoid riding outside if its 50F or lower, though I have ridden at around 40F, and it's not too uncomfortable as long as you're riding. But I don't like the fact that you can't really stop for more than a few minutes because you'll start shivering, which is why I avoid it.

Same goes for riding in hot weather. Where I'm from, summer temperatures can go up to 104F in the shade, so that's a no-no for me. It's too uncomfortable and even dangerous, I've been close to getting a heat stroke a few times.

[Nutribun]

I live in Manila and average temperature here is around 28 degrees Celsius. On hotter days it will be around 32 degrees celsius. We typically ride early in the morning and usually ends around 9am.

[Talha]

ice and the cold just aren't for me! I switch to indoor trainer rides during the winter, and it does take a bit to get used to riding outside again in the spring.

For those brave souls who ride year-round, what kind of gear do you use to stay warm?