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 Jenn_5.5 mi on November 27, 2012 at 6:29am

Still Riding!! Last year was my first year in Chicago & biking all year round.

I am still adjusting to the change in temperatures this time around... My stuff from last year doesn't fit so I am still working out those perfect layers. My legs got cold around mile 3 of 6 and slowed me way down this morning. Brrr!!

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Permalink Reply by Jamais716 on November 27, 2012 at 7:05am

Doesn't help that the temperature keeps bouncing up and down so you can't get properly acclimated to the cold. Plus it's not supposed to be 22 degrees yet!

I just ordered some insulated pants from REI. Last year was my first winter riding and the backs of my legs would start going numb halfway through my ride when it hit 16 degrees. I get the feeling that it's going to be much colder this winter.

Jenn_W said:

Still Riding!! Last year was my first year in Chicago & biking all year round.

I am still adjusting to the change in temperatures this time around... My stuff from last year doesn't fit so I am still working out those perfect layers. My legs got cold around mile 3 of 6 and slowed me way down this morning. Brrr!!

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Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on November 27, 2012 at 7:15am

Still riding. I don't do ice and salt, but until they salt the roads, I'm down. I don't care about wind, or light snowfall. I ride a hybrid, and I'm a Clydesdale.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on November 27, 2012 at 8:08am

I was thinking that most winter days in Chicago don't start out a whole lot colder than this and it is nice when one is moving and does not have exposed skin.

I noticed David Barish mentioned hand warmers on another thread. My hands are the only thing I just can't quite get, even with mittens--how do those handwarmers work? They had them at Costco when I was there on Saturday. Maybe I should go back to see if they still have them?

h' said:

. . . For anyone going into their first bike winter-- the majority of winter cycling is not much different than today.

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Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on November 27, 2012 at 8:10am

...and with more snow on the ground

h' said:

I thought it was pleasant today. Was braced for much worse when I saw the temp listed at 22 degrees. For anyone going into their first bike winter-- the majority of winter cycling is not much different than today.

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Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on November 27, 2012 at 8:14am

It's a pouch with some kind of powder that gets hot when exposed to air. When it's hot, you can put them inside your gloves. They will warm your palm, but unless you've got mittens, will probably not warm your fingers.

Lisa Curcio said:

I noticed David Barish mentioned hand warmers on another thread. My hands are the only thing I just can't quite get, even with mittens--how do those handwarmers work? They had them at Costco when I was there on Saturday. Maybe I should go back to see if they still have them?

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on November 27, 2012 at 8:16am

Reply by Kevin C on September 13, 2010 at 7:21amDelete

Some people call them pogies, some call them moose mitts, or overmitts, but they are the solution for cold hands. I got a relatively cheap pair from Cabela's last year and loved them. Wear a thin glove on even the coldest days, stick your hands into the overmitts and you'll be toasty warm with no loss of dexterity and no bulkiness. One legitimate complaint I've heard is that you'll end up signaling less because frequent slipping hands in and out of the pogies is not convenient. I found that to be true.

http://www.icebike.org/Clothing/handprotection.htm

And here's a discussion from last October.

Lisa Curcio said:

I was thinking that most winter days in Chicago don't start out a whole lot colder than this and it is nice when one is moving and does not have exposed skin.

I noticed David Barish mentioned hand warmers on another thread. My hands are the only thing I just can't quite get, even with mittens--how do those handwarmers work? They had them at Costco when I was there on Saturday. Maybe I should go back to see if they still have them?

h' said:

. . . For anyone going into their first bike winter-- the majority of winter cycling is not much different than today.

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on November 27, 2012 at 8:16am

Hands and feet are hardest for me, but this is due to having inadequate shoes and gloves for cold weather at the moment. I saw a pair of waterproof and battery operated heated mittens on STP for cheap that you might want to check out. They got good reviews.

Lisa Curcio said:

I was thinking that most winter days in Chicago don't start out a whole lot colder than this and it is nice when one is moving and does not have exposed skin.

I noticed David Barish mentioned hand warmers on another thread. My hands are the only thing I just can't quite get, even with mittens--how do those handwarmers work? They had them at Costco when I was there on Saturday. Maybe I should go back to see if they still have them?

h' said:

. . . For anyone going into their first bike winter-- the majority of winter cycling is not much different than today.

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Permalink Reply by Deet 4.5mi on November 27, 2012 at 8:58am

i am going into my first, this morning wasnt bad at all, as long as the road surface is dry. I cannot see the temps like this in the morning being a problem.
h' said:

I thought it was pleasant today. Was braced for much worse when I saw the temp listed at 22 degrees. For anyone going into their first bike winter-- the majority of winter cycling is not much different than today.

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Permalink Reply by Will on November 27, 2012 at 8:58am

I was riding on the lakefront path this morning, and as I was eating some cashmere off my scarf, I thought that I'd better find myself a merino wool scarf instead, as they tend to shed less wool. Then I thought, why not just get a merino neck gaiter, instead of a full scarf? Then I remembered that I actually have a merino neck gaiter in the closet at home.

I'm still riding, but I'm not really in the swing of bike winter yet. :/

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on November 27, 2012 at 9:17am

Took a little hunting, but I found them on Cabela's web site for $24.99! They seem to be made for ATVs, and I found them by searching "Handle bar mitt". They are backordered! but only about two weeks, it seems. The company that makes "Moose Mitts" sells them for about $80. Of course, they are hand made to order ;-) Thanks, Kevin.

Kevin C said:

Reply by Kevin C on September 13, 2010 at 7:21amDelete

Some people call them pogies, some call them moose mitts, or overmitts, but they are the solution for cold hands. I got a relatively cheap pair from Cabela's last year and loved them. Wear a thin glove on even the coldest days, stick your hands into the overmitts and you'll be toasty warm with no loss of dexterity and no bulkiness. One legitimate complaint I've heard is that you'll end up signaling less because frequent slipping hands in and out of the pogies is not convenient. I found that to be true.

http://www.icebike.org/Clothing/handprotection.htm

And here's a discussion from last October.