Bike Winter newbie thread

Because we all need to share triumphs and disasters with other people!

This morning's chilly ride went well, although I'm starting to wonder how I'll keep my face comfortable in January when I'm already wearing a balaclava over my cheeks right now. Gloves kind of failed: I was testing out some Garneau wind-blockers, and my pinky fingers went numb partway through. Looks like I'll be back to the Bar Mitts-and-gloves combo soon, unless I can figure out something else without dropping too much cash.

Also: I'm not sure about anyone else who's doing this for the first time, but I'm gonna have to invest in fleece bike pants. The snow pants shell + heavy capilene tights just aren't doing it for me.

Random winter experience: using my bike like a crowd control device to move a squirrel out of the traffic lane. I think he'd been grazed by a car; no visible injuries, but not interested in moving, either. It was a very gradual procession to the sidewalk. I'm pretty sure I amused/confused more than a few motorists who passed me on Oakbrook by MLK.

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Permalink Reply by R Vance Brinkerhoff on November 18, 2011 at 10:33am

and just like swimming goggles and shower mirrors, good old fashioned spit works pretty well.

Thunder Snow said:

I've always found the rub on paste wax Cat Crap very effective, though you have to reapply it whenever you begin to fog up. While skiing, I often reapply several times a day. And some folks, unclear on the concept, apply the anti-fog to the outside of the goggle rather than the warm moist inside, defeating the purpose.

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Permalink Reply by Meg Matthews on November 18, 2011 at 10:45am

Jamais, oh man, do I feel ya on the legs--last night, I biked home from Old Town Social to Hyde Park, and despite two heavy layers and windproof snow pants, my thighs felt like icicles. However, the bar mitts worked like a charm, even if they still seem a little weird...

Not gonna lie, last night was rough for me! My knees are a little achy this morning. However, I made it and I'm planning to get back in the saddle on Monday. (Fridays are driving days because I go out to Countryside after work.)

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on November 18, 2011 at 10:46am

This will be my third year of biking in winter- I have yet to find a cheap way to keep my fingers warm when it dips below 20 degrees (I hate the idea of spending $70 on gloves or over $50 on barmitts) but I think I might try this DIY version of barmitts and see how it goes:

http://singletrackminds.blogspot.com/2010/12/diy-bar-mitts.html

If I manage to find a suitable coat in my closet or the thrift store to re-purpose for this project, I will post some pics and let everyone know how it works.

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on November 18, 2011 at 10:50am

Vance: I don't see the world through rose colored glasses. And I prefer not to see the world through a huge loogie of my own spit. But I'm content to see the world through a layer of Cat Crap, as the world can be a crappy place from time to time. I'm a curmudgeon.

R Vance Brinkerhoff said:

and just like swimming goggles and shower mirrors, good old fashioned spit works pretty well.

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on November 18, 2011 at 1:26pm

+1

Chris C said:

Also check out the military surplus stores in your area. Wool clothing can be had cheap.

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Permalink Reply by Cheryl on November 18, 2011 at 2:51pm

For folks with delicate ears (like me), I've found these work pretty good to keep them warm: www.earpops.com. I think I learned about them on Chainlink a few years ago.

They work very well under helmets. I tend to wear them once it drops in to the 40s, and when it gets below freezing I add a hat/balaclava/hood over them to keep my head warm.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on November 18, 2011 at 3:01pm

"180s," the earmuffs with the band in back, are widely available (Target, Macy's, online) and fit under a helmet as well.

cmz said:

For folks with delicate ears (like me), I've found these work pretty good to keep them warm: www.earpops.com. I think I learned about them on Chainlink a few years ago.

They work very well under helmets. I tend to wear them once it drops in to the 40s, and when it gets below freezing I add a hat/balaclava/hood over them to keep my head warm.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Sterling on November 18, 2011 at 3:36pm

I ride year round, regardless of conditions (up yours mother nature). The only day I didn't ride last winter was the day after the blizzard, in part b/c my office was closed. I've been an everyday commuter for the past three years. My commute is 6 miles each way.

I use the following setup in the winter:

Long underwear shirt, hardshell jacket, liner gloves and outer gloves, military surplus BDU pants, wool socks, leather hiking boots, neck gaiter, hat, sunglasses, and your ass pedaling the bike. It has yet to fail me. I've done this over the past three winters, so pick the coldest day of the year, I was out in it, w this setup.

A lot of people seem to be swearing by Smartwool. I have some SW stuff, and it's nice for sure, but it's so fucking expensive. You can get long undies by TerraMar, ColdPruf, Cabela's, Duofold, or military surplus that is MUCH less expensive and 95% as warm, meaning you'll be able to afford 3 or so shirts instead of one. This makes a huge difference when you're sweating them out everyday on the bike.

I have gloves right now but am going to bite the bullet and get split finger gloves this season. Mittens can be had for very cheap, I just don't like them. For people who are already complaining about how cold it is, don't fuck around w gloves. Get mittens, and get liner gloves under the mittens, for a second layer of warmth/lighter layer when it's almost warm outside.

I have leather hiking boots and plain old wool socks for my feet. I don't clip in (I have in the past, though), and even if I did, I don't see the point of spending hundreds of dollars on shoes you're only going to wear a few months out of the year. You might not use hiking boots for hiking, but you can't really use winter cycling shoes for anything else. Also, hiking boots typically are built w a solid footbed, yet allow ankle movement, exactly what you'd want for a bike.

I don't wear long undies for my legs. Yes, my legs go numb when I'm riding. It's winter outside. They warm right back up when you get inside, and numb legs won't felch up my commute the way freezing fingers will. The BDU pants I have are a bit thicker than normal khaki/jeans, and they have some poly in them, meaning they block more of the wind than a cotton pant will. Plus, I find that I get hot as shit if I totally layer up w long undies. I have to pick a spot to go lean, and it aint gonna be my upper half.

The hat I have is really thin, it basically only has one side, and it's not wool, it's fleece. If you're doing it right, you'll get hot while riding in the winter. I have many wool hats, and save all of them for when I'm not riding. A neck gaiter is key, though. I'd want to kill myself wo one.

I have a few hard (aka not soft) shell jackets that I've used. I think this is the most important piece. Even w long undies, if your jacket can't take the teeth out of the -5 windchill, you're toast. You need a jacket that will block the wind, period. I find backpacking gear to work best, as it usually breaths as well (Goretex, eVent, or any of the various companies' proprietary laminates/coatings). If there's one piece of gear I'd say DON'T skimp $ on, it's this.

I don't have goggles, but I think I might get some this year. Sunglasses work well for me. Yes the exposed skin gets cold, but again, you're biking in 15, 10, 5, -5, etc. What are you expecting.

I've gotten a lot of stuff off Campmor's website. They in general have stuff that is cheap. REI is a nice place to see what's out there, but they'll rape you every chance they get at the cash register.

The most important thing to remember too is that your clothes shouldn't keep you warm, they should keep you not cold. You should keep you warm, by pedaling. As someone else said...if you're cold, you're not pedaling hard enough. Using the setup I described above, I'm never not hot after a 6 mile commute. I'll get cold if I stop pedaling for more than a couple minutes, but why the hell would I ever do that.

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Permalink Reply by Allison Gessner on November 18, 2011 at 10:11pm

I walk dogs, so I'm outside all the time. If you're shopping on a budget, the best solution I've found is 1pr long underwear, then 1pr sweatpants, THEN the wind-proof pants. That'll keep you warm even in the below zero times. Same for the top, but feel free to add more layers if you need it.

I have a pair of "texting" gloves from Target, they're pretty good so far, though I do have a heavy pair of fleece gloves. I like the UnderArmour balaclava, because it's a full-head one that you can easily pull the lower part down if you need to, and the upper part is fairly wind-proof for your ears and fits under a helmet! Of course I add a warm hat on top of the balaclava for my walks when I'm helmet-less. If I need more protection on my lips/nose, I have a wide/short fleece scarf that adds more warmth to the face area. Of course, sunglasses are a must, even on cloudy days.

It's really not that bad yet, wait until Feb. when the windchill is in the -double digits. :D If you're feeling wind-burnt, check out Kiehl's winter-sport face cream, it's SPF 30 and the texture of patroleum jelly so it really works to block the wind from your face, it's the best.

Happy biking! Stay safe!