The Chainlink

Who will/has ridden when it is -13 with wind chill of -40?

How will/have you done it?  I no longer debate with myself whether to ride when it is -1 or -2 and the wind chill is *only* -10 to -15, but I have been debating with myself about Monday and Tuesday riding.  So far the "Are you crazy" side is definitely winning, and I am leaning to waiting until it warms up to -1 on Wednesday before I ride again.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on January 5, 2014 at 3:13pm

I'm not sure but I imagine it depends on the ability of the lubrication to not freeze. I bet Dug has some good insights on this.

El Dorado said:

If you bike in 0 degree weather doesn't the derailer freeze up and will the brakes still work?

Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on January 5, 2014 at 3:20pm

I just saw a girl cross-country cross-city skiing.

I'd love to have one of these right about now:

Permalink Reply by Eric R on January 5, 2014 at 3:23pm

It is the waiting for and walking to/from the bus is why I figure riding would be just as uncomfortable and both leave me outside for roughly the same amount of time.

I mean, people have ridden across Antarctica so riding tomorrow can't be that dangerous... http://halfpastdone.com/2012/12/06/pedaling-across-antarctica/


Eli said:

Is anyone's office/work closing tomorrow? Or allowing a "work" from home day?

Yes, my office is having everyone work from home tomorrow (although I work from home anyway).

I've noticed even yesterday that buses were running pretty erratically, with lots of 30+ minutes between buses on the bus tracker for buses that normally run every 10 minutes or so. I can only imagine it will be worse tomorrow as the salt stops working and all the slush freezes. Waiting for a bus when it's 10 below with 25mph winds is going to be rough.

Permalink Reply by Steven McNulty on January 5, 2014 at 3:37pm

Times like this i've found it best to just bike to the nearest transit.

Permalink Reply by David Altenburg on January 5, 2014 at 4:04pm

I think you've just convinced me to stay off the bike.

I was going to Divvy since I could just dock the bike and hop on public transit if I got too cold. But that's no longer an option.

Jeff Schneider said:

Friends, one day in the not-so-distant future we will again have resonsble temperatures for riding.  When that happens, I still want to be the proud owner of feet, hands and nose.  I can live without riding for a few days. 

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on January 5, 2014 at 5:21pm

Our office is closed tomorrow, so the decision was made for me. I can work from home, so that I do not lose time. I will probably head out at some point, just to test things out and see if I will ride Tuesday.

After watching The Wildest Dream last night I was ready to ride tomorrow. The movie was about George Mallory's 1920s ascent of Mt. Everest 30 years before Sir Edmond Hillary's. I was hyped. Then I went out to feed the birdies tonight, and thought twice about riding. Then got word of the office closing. This up and down has my head swirling.

My helmet is off to those of you who ride tomorrow and to those who who know your bodies well enough to use discretion. 'Tis not an easy choice. That we have a thread like this is a tribute to all you trooppers.

Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on January 5, 2014 at 6:25pm

Work called and said don't come in...unless you take a taxi, which they'll reimburse me for...and my GF said she'd kill me if anything happened to me on my bike tomorrow...I'm not riding for those two reasons.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 5, 2014 at 6:35pm

Work just emailed: Work from home. Not that I planned on riding in tomorrow...

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on January 5, 2014 at 6:39pm

Woo hoo! As I was reading this thread, got a robocall that the office is officially closed tomorrow. I was planning to take the bus, use bus tracker to minimize wait time. 

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on January 5, 2014 at 6:41pm

This is not quite as bad, but reminds me of winter 1983 when I lived in the suburbs and went to school at Mundelein College on the weekends.  There were days when the real temperature was -25 and the wind chill was -80 something.  I would put my snow mobile suit on, go out and start my car in the middle of the night to get it up to operating temperature just to be sure it would start in the morning so I could get to school.  And I went.  And at lunch I went out and ran the car to make sure it would start when I left.  There is really something weird about the human psyche, no?

So far, I have to go to work, but it will still be by Blue Line.  Fortunately I can go to the Division stop which is a subway.  I read something earlier today that they were having problems on the CTA train lines.

Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on January 5, 2014 at 6:55pm

The chart below is supposed to indicate how long it takes for exposed body parts to show signs of frostbite. According to a weather website I just checked, it will be -16 w/ a windchill of -47 tomorrow at 8am. That would put us deep in the dark blue region, near the purple region of the chart below. This chart does not take into account the hundred other factors that are relevant but it does demonstrate the severity of the cold. Please be careful out there tomorrow, even if you're not riding. Walking any significant distance or standing on a train platform for more than a few minutes can also be dangerous.


Permalink Reply by Dave Grossman on January 5, 2014 at 8:09pm

My work is closed.  There is no way I would ride tomorrow.  I am crazy, but not that crazy.

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