Cold

[dodgyal]

I've ordered some of the maplin ones so I'll let you know, i'm going to use high amp aaa rechargable batteries and charge them at work together with my 905se battery

 

[MaryinScotland]

I don't cycle when it's frosty, because in my young days on motorcycles, I learned to be afraid of the combination of 2 wheels and ice. So I mostly use the bus in winter.

I also learned (on motorcycles, before you could get heated grips/ gloves) that the best thing for keeping hands warm were handlebar muffs, which are still around. There's a limit to how many layers of gloves you can wear, without impeding circulation or making it hard to use controls. But muffs wrap right around the whole handlebar, keeping wind and rain off, so your gloves work better.

Motorcycle muffs are designed for thicker bars than a bike has, and I don't know if they'd adapt to a bike. (But if anyone wants to try, PM me, because I've got an unused set that I ought to sell...)

Mary

 

[Mussels]

Forecast says -2 degrees C when I'm coming in tomorrow, may be an interesting ride.
I really hope my overtrousers arrived today and the parcel force man bothered to ring the doorbell instead of dropping a missed delivery note through the door so he could get back to the depot quicker.

 

[musicbooks]

Forecast says -2 degrees C when I'm coming in tomorrow, may be an interesting ride.
I really hope my overtrousers arrived today and the parcel force man bothered to ring the doorbell instead of dropping a missed delivery note through the door so he could get back to the depot quicker.

The waterproof trousers really keep the cold out. I wear them all the time now, rain or shine..
.. in bed even if it's really cold

I also bought a pair of thinsulate full finger cycling gloves and they seem to be doing the trick. The only thing I think I'll need to get is a balaclava.. but my wife says if I go out of the house wearing all of that every day.. she'll divorce me. Oh well..C'est la vie....

bw
musicbooks

bw
musicbooks

 

[bogmonster]

I don't cycle when it's frosty, because in my young days on motorcycles, I learned to be afraid of the combination of 2 wheels and ice. So I mostly use the bus in winter.

I also learned (on motorcycles, before you could get heated grips/ gloves) that the best thing for keeping hands warm were handlebar muffs, which are still around. There's a limit to how many layers of gloves you can wear, without impeding circulation or making it hard to use controls. But muffs wrap right around the whole handlebar, keeping wind and rain off, so your gloves work better.

Motorcycle muffs are designed for thicker bars than a bike has, and I don't know if they'd adapt to a bike. (But if anyone wants to try, PM me, because I've got an unused set that I ought to sell...)

Mary

I'm not getting cold hands cycling but used to do a lot of winter walking and suffered terribly with cold hands for years. I tried all sorts of gloves and mittens but nothing worked. And then somebody told me to try something and it worked really well...


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Put a hat on. Solved the problem

 

[musicbooks]

I'm not getting cold hands cycling but used to do a lot of winter walking and suffered terribly with cold hands for years. I tried all sorts of gloves and mittens but nothing worked. And then somebody told me to try something and it worked really well...


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...


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Put a hat on. Solved the problem

Absolutely true. My Father in Law suffers from white finger ( don't know the medical term) and the doc said wear a hat as rapid changes of brain temp combined with loss of heat lead to severe heat loss in fingers and toes and other nether regions of the body.. (stop it )

bw
musicbooks

 

[Mussels]

I really hope my overtrousers arrived today and the parcel force man bothered to ring the doorbell instead of dropping a missed delivery note through the door so he could get back to the depot quicker.

I found the note written at 18:20, he didn't hang around long.

 

[moon]

I love riding my wisper but decided to have a 10 degrees c cut off point as my legs have stopped working in the cold.
I keep looking at the BBC weather page to find out when I can get back on my bike but its not looking promising.
Depending on public transport is killing me and I cant wait to start cycling again. I'm doing Yoga to maintain some of my muscle tone in the meantime.

 

[Conal]

cold weather gloves and socks

Popped down to Cyclepoint in Brighton today to pick up a charger. They have Seal Skinz stuff in stock so tried on and bought a pair of hi vis luminous yellow gloves (£25) which are just what I was looking for. They are waterproof, windproof and washable and will illuminate my hand signals as well!
I pushed the boat out and bought a pair of socks made of the same material (£20), unfortunately they don't come in bright yellow so I got black.
Rhys showed me "Rainlegs" which are a good idea. I had not heard of these before. You wear these as a belt and unroll the front (they have no backs) which go just over your knees and fasten just above the knees. They are wind and waterproof and seem like a good idea as, when it rains, the front of my thighs get the most wet but I don't want to wear waterproofs just in case it rains. I was impressed so bought a pair (£24.95).
These purchases seem like a lot of money but I saved any postage costs as I was already there, and I the posts on this thread made me think seriously of improving my cold, wet and windy wardrobe, so thanks!

Rhys also showed me two new locks they have just got in. One was a completely new design - four bars attached together like solid nunchucks which open up into a rectangle and close into a thick bar. The other was the highest insurance rating and a heavy big beast. This was more conventional, flexible tubing as thick as my thumb. Didn't buy these as I have plenty of D locks and cables.

 

[Mussels]

Rhys also showed me two new locks they have just got in. One was a completely new design - four bars attached together like solid nunchucks which open up into a rectangle and close into a thick bar. The other was the highest insurance rating and a heavy big beast. This was more conventional, flexible tubing as thick as my thumb. Didn't buy these as I have plenty of D locks and cables.

Unfortunately the highest insurance rating often goes on inadequate locks, I've not seen a flexible lock yet that can be considered high security. These two sound interesting though, I'll keep my eles open.

 

[Mussels]

I love riding my wisper but decided to have a 10 degrees c cut off point as my legs have stopped working in the cold.
I keep looking at the BBC weather page to find out when I can get back on my bike but its not looking promising.
Depending on public transport is killing me and I cant wait to start cycling again. I'm doing Yoga to maintain some of my muscle tone in the meantime.

I had the problem where my legs were too cold to work properly even though I didn't feel too cold myself, a set of leg warmers or tights work wonders.

 

[Blew it]

Absolutely true. My Father in Law suffers from white finger ( don't know the medical term) and the doc said wear a hat as rapid changes of brain temp combined with loss of heat lead to severe heat loss in fingers and toes and other nether regions of the body.. (stop it )

bw
musicbooks

Very enlightning!!.

I've suffered with "woodcutters finger" for many years. One particular group of people who endure this are those employed in forrestry. The high frequency vibration from prolonged use of chainsaws being responsible.

In my own case, I spent several of my younger years driving heavy earthmoving machinery during the construction of the British motorway network. Again, the culprit was the vibration transmitted up through the control levers. ( Far too long ago for a compo claim )

As I type this, I'm on my third good Scottish whisky nightcap, and even my fingers are now feeling quite warm. If I have to make the choice between strapping a hot water bottle on my head, or having another nightcap, I think I'll go for the latter!.

Today, I popped out for a quick ten miler on the Wisper. Usual attire, thermal vest, tee shirt and two rugby shirts. ( and trousers of course ) On returning home my feet, even though wearing only light weight trainers, were as warm as toast but, the thinsulate gloves failed to keep my fingers warm. It appears, I must now change the habit of a lifetime, and start wearing a hat!!.

I've always fancied those Russian style fur hats, especially the ones with the ear flaps that can be tied under the chin(s). Time to go shopping methinks.

My thanks to both of you for pointing out the solution.

Bob

 

[tenderbehind]

Who wants to ride in this very cold weather?

I suppose it all depends on whether we have to ride or not. I can't use the bike for work at all as I carry goods for my business and on just about every journey need a vechile. So I don't need to ride in the cold, though I do because I don't want to stay in doors. I 'spose I regard it as a bit of a challenge to ride say 20 miles in low temps with a lot of satisfaction and a hot cup of tea at the end. Tony.

 

[tenderbehind]

I've never worn hats, I was once bought a Yorkshire or northern style cap, but only wore it once, in the end I threw it out, but maybe I should buy something to keep my head and therefore the tips of my fingers warm. I hadn't realised till now that a hat would keep the rest of me warm, I could start using the buit in hood in the flourescent coat.... but would I hear approaching cars etc?


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Put a hat on. Solved the problem [/QUOTE]

 

[tillson]

I bought one of these the other day. Decathlon - Hat B'TWIN - Hat/neck tube black B'TWIN - cycling in cool weather conditions. Can be worn under a helmet or around your neck. and wear it as a neck tube with an Aldi membrane hat under my cycle helmet and it works very well.

 

[bogmonster]

I've never worn hats, I was once bought a Yorkshire or northern style cap, but only wore it once, in the end I threw it out, but maybe I should buy something to keep my head and therefore the tips of my fingers warm. I hadn't realised till now that a hat would keep the rest of me warm, I could start using the buit in hood in the flourescent coat.... but would I hear approaching cars etc?

[/QUOTE]

The hat thing took me by surprise. I thought my core body temperature was well up as I marched up monroes kicking steps breaking into sweat. The last thing I wanted to do was to wear a nasty itchy hat or even worse a balaclava. I remember on one occassion where I had borrowed a set of crampons from somebody else that didn't fit my boots well and kept coming off. I had to repeatedly stop and tighten the straps which meant taking my gloves and mittens off. I was in tears at the end of it and had to get other people to help tighten the crampons as I couldn't grip the straps having totally lost the use of my hands. The thing that struck me on that trip was that there were people in my group who were in bare hands holding metal ice axes who did not have cold hands.

It was a dangerous situation on a mountain and I certainly wouldn't want to get into the same situation on a bike as I would not be able to hold tightly to the bars or operate the brakes effectively.

I tried the hat out of desperation not believing it would work and was very surprised - I was young, stuborn and stupid. I do still suffer from cold hands but the problem is massivelly reduced now. Can't promise it will work for everybody but well worth a try. The hard bit is forcing a hat on your head when your body feels too hot but your hands are cold.

BM.

 

[Rod Tibbs]

Unlucky rabbit

I believe that a very large percentage of your body heat is lost through the head. When I was in Finland I was given a fur hat with the side pieces they all wear and it made a huge difference.

I remember it well because when I opened the packing, attached to the fur was a label which read "I was an unlucky rabbit." Nice to find marketing with a sense of humour!

You can still hear traffic quite well whilst wearing it, however I always tend to rely on my faithful mirror attached to the right hand bar, to check on anything approaching from the rear.

Rod

 

[dodgyal]

Today was a test for everyone (in the north anyway) frozen rain from last night, I got to work on my trusty wisper and only 9 bikes in the rack! usually its about 40ish. Pussys!

Anyway, the ice tyre on the front got a workout! it kept me upright anyway, I could have ice skated the humber bridge this morning! (no really!)

 

[Mussels]

Today was a test for everyone (in the north anyway) frozen rain from last night, I got to work on my trusty wisper and only 9 bikes in the rack! usually its about 40ish. Pussys!

Anyway, the ice tyre on the front got a workout! it kept me upright anyway, I could have ice skated the humber bridge this morning! (no really!)

After I fell off again this morning I'm tempted to invest, is the tyre any better on heavy frosts or just for full on ice sheets?

 

[essexman]

I've never worn hats!

[/QUOTE]

Oh my GOD! How hard are you! I'm the opposite a wee nip in the air and out comes the hat. I have hats for rain, hats for cold, hats for rain and cold, hats for cycling in mild cold and high cold, hats for sun etc My son is 20months old and he has half a dozen hats already.

The best thing i own is 2 cheap fleece balaclavas. It keeps the whole head warm, but does breath and is very very washable and drys quickly. In medium cold, i'll start with it on and then pull the neck bit up as i warm up. In high cold, i'll wear an extra hat on top of it. Also because its thin, its not bulkly when in a bag.