Two out of the last three days the morning leg of my daily commute has been 14° and 18°. Layers and neoprene shoe covers made for a comfortable ride. You can do it.
4 tips for cold weather dressing. http://www.active.com/cycling/Artic...tm?cmp=282&memberid=21339982&lyrisid=21199704
I have a neoprene face mask, fleece-lined on the inside that I wear skiing. Yes, helps cut the wind-chill significantly.
I wear a balaclava that covers my mouth. You're right, breathing through something beats sucking in freezing air.
I saw a bike that had 5 thick, presumably carbon spokes in the front tire. Looked very, very cool. I'm a cheap bastard, so that's not quite my plan. My son turns 11 in January, so he's got a chance to hit a growth spurt fairly soon. I'll hand mine down to him, which will force me to get a new one. The thing that really turned bike riding into my bliss is the combination of riding on the greenway, so I don't have to worry about getting killed by a car, and wearing my mp3 player. It's the best thing I've found of the sort since I stopped playing basketball at the Y for 3 hours. Which happened 20 years ago.
There's a part of Raleigh's greenway that's 4.6 miles out, so it's a little over 9 miles round trip. I'd set a goal of doing 3 laps. Yesterday, I did it!!! But lemme tell ya, the last 6 miles or so was NOT bliss. It wasn't so much that I was out of energy. I was, but I just decided to fight through and go, like, 12-13 mph instead of 14. What was tough was the lower back pain. I stopped a couple of times and just reached for the sky, and that worked for the next ~4 miles. I think I either need to get a riser for my handlebars so they're a couple inches higher, or maybe get one of those combo handlebar thingies, where you can grip like a comfort bike, or lean forward. I'll consult with my chiro in case he knows anything about this. Still, the feeling of accomplishment was great. I couldn't really feel my thighs, they were just spend. I haven't been riding much due to the weather, and my basic plan was to get ~22 miles. I did 2 "laps" and felt pretty good, so I decided to shoot for 25 altogether. And then I thought, don't be a pu$$y David, just go that extra mile "out." You'll get back to your car. You don't want to get close like that and not get it. I guess the next goal should be 1/3 century, right?
Congrats! Sorry to hear about your back hurting, though. Did you have your bike fitted by a pro at your lbs when you bought it? That might make a difference. Sounds like your seat post might not be the right height. Also, if you're carrying a little too much weight around your midsection you might notice it in your lower back. In any event, congratulations on the milestone. Keep it up!
My mileage goal for 2010 was 3,000 miles and I made it with 1 mile to spare. I'm not sure I'll make it out today as the forecast calls for freezing rain. Hope it clears up tomorrow for the New Year's Day Penguin Ride. Should be around 22° with 16 mph winds. Ah, lovely.
Got out before the weather started turning and got in an hour ride. This will be the last ride of 2010. 3,014 miles is the final total. December 2009, January and February 2010 were terrible weatherwise and I only managed 157 miles. I managed 296 miles for December 2010 and hope January and February 2011 will be a bit more accommodating. Goal for 2011 is 3,500.
Congrats. You've about doubled me. Did not get out this fall - at all. May try tomorrow to do a three mile loop at the NYS office campus several times.
One thing I've been noticing is that if I go on a long ride, 1 1/2 hours or more, in cold weather, I feel chilled for a couple of HOURS afterward, until/unless I do something drastic like get under the bed blanket while wearing a couple of layers. Is this normal? Is there a way to avoid it?
very normal (at least compared to me). Don't know the scientific reason. I feel that way in the summer, even on really hot days. I'll finish a ride, jump in the pool or shower and then put on a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt.
Circulation issue? Are you cooling down when you come home with some dynamic stretching and movement exercises? Or, are you just getting off the bike and plopping down into a static position until you get some energy back?
[sheepish grin] OK, once I finish, I do stretch for a minute or two, but I guess nothing like what I need to do.
thanks for this thread now i know what to wear and to do.. I'm a big fan of cycling and i love to bike ... really thanks for that advice ;D
Some things that you might want to consider Do you want rollers or a trainer? -Noise factor. Some can be very noisy -Overheating. Will you need to get some fans to direct on the trainer itself? -Warranties -How does it feel? Is it too rigid for you if you care or does it have a more natural movement? Unfortunately they are not cheap, but some of the online dealers do have sales or discounts. Will let you know if I see any. I use a Kurt Kinetic, which I quite like. Not very noisy and I have not had any issues with overheating http://www.kurtkinetic.com/ Some other popular ones Cycleops http://www.cycleops.com/products.html Lemond Revolution http://www.lemondfitness.com/product_detail/465/lemond-revolution?gclid=CKuv46OhkqcCFQO8Kgod3GZ9dw There are a few youtube vids out there as well on these products.
This thread also has a bit about it: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1227300 Check post #11.
I have the Cyleops Mag (about $175). Trainers are nice for spinning, but are somewhat limited vs. what you can do in a spin class or rollers. Would like to get some rollers.
About the only benefit I get out of my trainer anymore is pure cardio and that's it. Rollers are fun and do wonders for your balance but the first few times I got on them was pretty dodgy but once you are in a groove it's a blast.
Are good rollers cheaper than a good trainer? Will I need to use the rollers near a wall or something? How bad am I going to bust ass?