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How cold is too cold for you?

I was out in the upper teens and low 20's(F) a couple weeks ago in PA for a good 45 minutes or so. One piece thermal suit + fleece hoodie + waterproof boots + thermal socks + 40gram thinsulate gloves + ATV mitts = mostly comfortable haha.

Stupid salt kills a bike though. After riding in a slight mist on roads that had salt on them, I had to scrub every inch of my bike. Anywhere I saw the stupid white salt, I sprayed down with WD40 and scrubbed with a nylon brush to make sure salt was gone. My chain which I cleaned/lubed the next day already had surface rust forming.
 
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The coldest I've had a chance to ride in is about 38F on my 30 minute commute. It hasn't gotten colder than that yet here in Nor Cal and may not this season.

38F was do-able with long johns and my overgloves on (to provide a little more protection from the wind than my leather gloves). I don't wear anything on my neck so it gets a little cold. My wife refuses to kiss me when I get home until my chin warms up LOL!
 
Wildcard said:
I was out in the upper teens and low 20's(F) a couple weeks ago in PA for a good 45 minutes or so. One piece thermal suit + fleece hoodie + waterproof boots + thermal socks + 40gram thinsulate gloves + ATV mitts = mostly comfortable haha.

Stupid salt kills a bike though. After riding in a slight mist on roads that had salt on them, I had to scrub every inch of my bike. Anywhere I saw the stupid white salt, I sprayed down with WD40 and scrubbed with a nylon brush to make sure salt was gone. My chain which I cleaned/lubed the next day already had surface rust forming.
Click to expand...
I am cleaning my chain every other day.
I will have to get my bucket of water out and give her a scrub.

The thought of getting a winter hack has become more appealing.

Nelly
 
CHEMIKER said:
The coldest I've had a chance to ride in is about 38F on my 30 minute commute. It hasn't gotten colder than that yet here in Nor Cal and may not this season.

38F was do-able with long johns and my overgloves on (to provide a little more protection from the wind than my leather gloves). I don't wear anything on my neck so it gets a little cold. My wife refuses to kiss me when I get home until my chin warms up LOL!
Click to expand...
I have textile suit with under liners, silk under gloves and winter mits. I defo need to cover my neck, MarkyG got me a great thing from a BSB race. It is like a Lycra fine mesh tube and It keeps the draft out really well.
My commute is so short that I have not felt cold, I have a 35 mile run next week which will test my gear better.

Nelly
 
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If it's below 35 and raining it sucks, but I might still ride in it. If there is ice on the ground it's too cold.. which just doesn't happen here heh.

Coldest ride I've done is air temp at 22degrees cruising at ~85-90mph in west texas. Got so cold that ice was forming almost instantly on my visor, and everything else for that matter, as I rode from the dew in the air. When I got off the bike there was a nice crunching sound as the ice that'd formed around my seat. My fairing had icicles forming on the leading edges heh. Would have taken pictures but it's hard with mild hypothermia. While it's interesting, I don't recommend it. :thumbdown:
 
Gave my kit a good test today About 110 mile round trip -3 at the start and 1 at the end.
2 sets of thermal underware
1 fleece
2 pairs socks
thermal balaclava
thermal undergloves
TCX infinity GTX boots
Alpenstars jet goretex jacket and pants
Shoe Raid helmet
Hein Gericke All season 2 finger mitts.
No electrics except heated grips.
70mph toasty warm.......80mph.........started to feel cold in r/h thumb ?.......90mph cold head, both thumbs and toes just starting to get cold...............slowed back down to 70mph and within 5 mins back to toasty warm all over.
What did I learn today? Mother nature tells you when to slow down.
Decent kit can make the difference between another day at home or getting out there.:rockon:
 
You have to dress for it, but I've been comfortable down to 18 deg. F with no ice on the roads. Ski pants, and a sweatshirt under my Kilamanjaro jacket do a great job. I look forward to a hot cup of coffee at the end of the ride though...
 
I've been riding around in this insane cold snap that England has been having recently and I've been fine although I find no matter what gloves I wear my hand are still frozen. However about a month ago when it was also really cold, like late November time I rode for an hour and when i got off at the other end i was starting to go hypothermic, and its not fun in the slightest. But then again I was riding in a pair of jeans, summer boots, summer gloves, 4 t-shirts and a winter textile. That's why I decided to invest in some decent kit lol
 
If there ain't Ice or Snow on the roads, its warm enough.
Here in Denmark we basicly can't get an insurance that will cover in our winter months (Dec - Feb), so driving in those 3 months are a no-go.

This also means that the remaining 9 months of the year are when i feel alive, - hence ride when ever I get a chance. Besides snow and ice NOTHING could keep me from riding.
Any day can become perfect if you dress right and ride according to the weather.
 
I'd be on the road on it now if there weren't patches of ice randomly, and the 1/4" of salt on the road. Once we get a good rain to wash that crap off the roads I'll be cruising. Temp is just a number.;)
 
I'll pretty much ride anytime it's above freezing but I prefer it to be above 50*. Matter of fact I am going on a trip in 2 weeks(1500+miles) to Florida and just hoping it doesn't rain. I don't mind the rain, I don't mind the cold but I hate them together.
 
For all of you who have your hands freezing off, I SWEAR by those ATV mitts. I have no problems with my hands getting numb or even cold.
 
I have too ride in the cold! Because I insisted on having my bike instead of a car after her acura tl type s got totaled in a flash flood!(i was like, just drive my truck baby, ill be fine) IM A FREAKIN GUINNESS! LOL!!! that was in May when it was 90degrees everday now im stuck in the coldest winter in 50 years! whew hoo! the ol lady did let me spring for the scorpion riding gear that stuff works in the pic it was 24degrees and i made it comfortably to say the least.im gettin her a mustang in march!
 
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