I just read that Gubbins doesn't tend to ride much when it gets very cold and it's caused me to start this thread which will hopefully give me and others some thoughts and ideas about riding in winter. So it would be good to get some tips from you folks that ride all the year around.
I have recently been giving winter riding some thought and have bought a couple of items that will hopefully allow me to ride through a lot of the cold weather. I have bought a pair of sealskins gloves, so far the coldest I have used them in has been about 10 degrees C. and they were fine. I do suffer with cold hands and feet but I think I should be OK with these down to around 6 degrees.
I have also bought a buffalo jacket. I used to have one of these for cycling over 20 years ago and they were terrific. From what I can tell (haven't used it yet haven't needed to) not much has changed with the design so I think it should still be excellent.
I have a couple of balaclavas that I use with my motor bike which will fit under my cycling helmet so that should be head and ears sorted. I am also thinking of buying a pair of over shoes type things which will help with my cold feet.
I live on the North Wales coast and we don't tend to get very hard winters. During the day average mid winter temps are typically around 6 to 8 degrees. I wont be riding in snow and ice so wont be going out in minus temperatures.
I'm lucky in that I have retired early and so don't have to go out to work on cold dark mornings in the Winter, I would be looking to get out on the bike no earlier than say 9 perhaps later if its still very cold at that time.
We do get lots of wind down on the coast so wind chill will be a factor. I imagine there is a table somewhere on line that gives wind chill temps, but lets say its 6 degrees and I am riding at 15 mph into a 30 mph head wind Im guessing it may well feel like a sub zero temperature which could be a problem.
I wonder if it might actually be easier riding an e bike in cold temps than a normal one. I can remember years ago that when I went mountain biking in the hills on a cold day the problem was sweating too much on the up hill parts and then freezing to death when coming down hill. On an e-bike one does not need to put so much work in to get up the hills and hence one doesn't sweat so much, therefore it should not feel so cold when coming down hill.
I have recently been giving winter riding some thought and have bought a couple of items that will hopefully allow me to ride through a lot of the cold weather. I have bought a pair of sealskins gloves, so far the coldest I have used them in has been about 10 degrees C. and they were fine. I do suffer with cold hands and feet but I think I should be OK with these down to around 6 degrees.
I have also bought a buffalo jacket. I used to have one of these for cycling over 20 years ago and they were terrific. From what I can tell (haven't used it yet haven't needed to) not much has changed with the design so I think it should still be excellent.
I have a couple of balaclavas that I use with my motor bike which will fit under my cycling helmet so that should be head and ears sorted. I am also thinking of buying a pair of over shoes type things which will help with my cold feet.
I live on the North Wales coast and we don't tend to get very hard winters. During the day average mid winter temps are typically around 6 to 8 degrees. I wont be riding in snow and ice so wont be going out in minus temperatures.
I'm lucky in that I have retired early and so don't have to go out to work on cold dark mornings in the Winter, I would be looking to get out on the bike no earlier than say 9 perhaps later if its still very cold at that time.
We do get lots of wind down on the coast so wind chill will be a factor. I imagine there is a table somewhere on line that gives wind chill temps, but lets say its 6 degrees and I am riding at 15 mph into a 30 mph head wind Im guessing it may well feel like a sub zero temperature which could be a problem.
I wonder if it might actually be easier riding an e bike in cold temps than a normal one. I can remember years ago that when I went mountain biking in the hills on a cold day the problem was sweating too much on the up hill parts and then freezing to death when coming down hill. On an e-bike one does not need to put so much work in to get up the hills and hence one doesn't sweat so much, therefore it should not feel so cold when coming down hill.
