The Chainlink

Winter 2015- who's still riding?

Traffic 'round these parts dropped off pretty dramatically a few weeks ago... hard to tell from the "I rode today" thread who's still riding, as one would have to conclude that Gene is the only one out there most days by reading it....

Who's sticking it out and plans to continue to ride pretty much every day regardless of weather?

(Was winter 2013;   2014 starts on p. 36;   2015 starts on p. 61)

 

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on November 27, 2013 at 10:53am

Are the divvy's holding up in the snow and ice? I'm thinking that could be a great option for me in slippery weather since they have thicker tires than my road bike.

Anne Alt said:

I plan to ride throughout winter as I usually do, but less mileage than in warmer months. I've taken a couple of Divvy trips this week.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on November 27, 2013 at 11:03am

I rode one yesterday and had no problems.

Julie Hochstadter said:

Are the divvy's holding up in the snow and ice? I'm thinking that could be a great option for me in slippery weather since they have thicker tires than my road bike.

Permalink Reply by Nançois on November 27, 2013 at 11:08am

I am still riding, but not the whole commute this week--too icy to feel comfortable, plus I'm just plain tired and in need of a wee vacation. I will be back next week for the 8.5 x 2.

Permalink Reply by morebanjo on November 27, 2013 at 11:30am

I just got this Schampa combination gaiter/cap.  I was sweating in it when it was over 30 but it's PERFECT for sub-25 riding.  Has a thinner breathable fabric around your mouth/nose that should prevent chapped lips.   Schampa's stuff is marketed for motorcycle riders but it's good quality and much less expensive than a lot of the cycling company brands.  They have some lighter weight gaiters that would be good for over 25 but still cold riding.

Now I just need to figure out how to keep my hands warm...  Anyone have a good recommendation for gloves that keep you warm on a 15 degree morning like today? 

Any recommendations on a good balaclava?

I'm using a Buff now, in combination with a fleece cycling cap, and I think I could do better. I'm mostly interested in avoiding chapped lips, so I guess I'm looking for something that I can cover my mouth with and still breath easily. Or, maybe some good non-drying chapstick...

Permalink Reply by Mark on November 27, 2013 at 1:01pm

I still bike every day.  Even if it is only from the train station to the Union office.  I bike a couple times to spin class as well.  Usually if the sun is out and shining, the roads are ok.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on November 27, 2013 at 2:45pm

Is there still snow and ice in parts of the city?
 
Julie Hochstadter said:

Are the divvy's holding up in the snow and ice? I'm thinking that could be a great option for me in slippery weather since they have thicker tires than my road bike.

Anne Alt said:

I plan to ride throughout winter as I usually do, but less mileage than in warmer months. I've taken a couple of Divvy trips this week.

Permalink Reply by Reuben Hussmann on November 27, 2013 at 3:05pm

I'm not loving the feel of my Nishiki 10 speed's tire control for slick conditions, especially with pannier bags loaded up for groceries and/or my laptop bag.  Still a bit iffy on using it as frequently as I thought I would.

 

With that said, I'm finding my Divvy membership to be incredibly useful.  I typically try to walk to work each morning (about 3 miles) only to then toss my laptop bag into the front panel and ride Divvy home.  Monday night, with a lot of black ice everywhere, I found the control to be actually pretty good.  The internal hub gears allow a smooth shift and despite them feeling very top heavy, I think they work well in the crappy weather (mainly because they are just heavy overall).

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on November 27, 2013 at 3:06pm


Pearl Izumi "Lobster mitts" have worked for me down to -20F. They work even when they are wet somehow. I have at times tried insulating liners under them, but these don't seem to be necessary.

I've been out in very cold weather for a couple hours; my hands would be sweating through the gloves, yet they still keep me warm. They seem to have been redesigned since I bought mine, and they are a bit more expensive (I seem to remember paying ~$50 for them several years ago). See here: MITTS.

These are good gloves, but I think the "lobster" design is possibly the most important thing. The fingers are separated into two groups: the ring and little fingers hold the bars, and the index and middle fingers operate the brakes and shifters. Since there is less surface area than a five-finger glove, the fingers stay warmer. There might be cheaper versions, but Pearl Izumi makes pretty nice stuff; mine have lasted me five or more years.

Steve


morebanjo said:

Now I just need to figure out how to keep my hands warm...  Anyone have a good recommendation for gloves that keep you warm on a 15 degree morning like today? 

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on November 27, 2013 at 4:24pm

The internally geared hubs and roller brakes work fine in very cold temps. I've got these on my "winter bike". The tires have a wider contact patch, and the bikes are heavier... these should help to some extent in snow, but not too much on ice. I guess it's too much to expect for Divvy to equip their bikes with studded tires!

Steve

Julie Hochstadter said:

Are the divvy's holding up in the snow and ice? I'm thinking that could be a great option for me in slippery weather since they have thicker tires than my road bike.


Permalink Reply by Reba 4.0 mi on November 27, 2013 at 6:00pm
Even when it's 35° they make my face sweat! Ha!

h' 1.0 said:

Why can't you wear your goggles in the summer?

Reba 4.0 mi said:

I'm so excited that it's cold enough to wear my goggles again!

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on November 27, 2013 at 7:47pm
It was 13 this morning but a tailwind and sun made it feel like 17 or 18 degrees. Gotta remember my goggles my glasses didn't block enough wind and my eyes were watering.
Permalink Reply by Anne B. on November 27, 2013 at 11:18pm

I think I'd read that Divvy would be reducing their fleet (taking some bikes in for the winter) and it's really been looking like that at a lot of stations- like maybe even 50% or less of the regular amount of bikes. That or there are dozens of people Divvying on recent very cold days, which I'd love but somewhat doubt. Anyone else noticed this? Apologies if someone has already asked this elsewhere. 

I haven't had a problem getting a bike yet but a lot of stations I pass in the morning have just 2-3 bikes at them. It does make returning your bike super easy though! I don't have a smart phone so I usually just write down station locations on post-its. The bikes seem to be holding up very well- I've yet to have a problem with one and increasingly find their slowness and handling kinda comforting.  

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