winter riding

[sleepymas]

so with the cold moving in, i have noticed a few issues i would like to get rid of before it gets to cold.

1. what do you do about all the dew on the bike when you come back after parking it at the store or class or whatever? it sucks getting my legs wet then riding into the wind. i am thinking to just toss a rag under the seat but figured someone may have a better idea.

2. what to do about the instant fogging of the mask from the warmth coming off my face. i am not even breathing and it fogs up. would a nice balaclava help with that? if so can anyone recommend one.

 

[greg]

1) wear waterproof textiles?

2) pinlock (although mine struggles if theres a lack of ventilation and it's cold)

 

[sleepymas]

i feel stupid now, i never thought about getting water proof gear but i guess its because i got to class and have no where to store stuff.

thanks for the shield idea, i dont see my helmet model listed on their page though.

 

[Motogiro]

i feel stupid now, i never thought about getting water proof gear but i guess its because i got to class and have no where to store stuff.

thanks for the shield idea, i dont see my helmet model listed on their page though.

Cat Crap... Cat Crap Anti Fog, Cat Crap Anti-fog & Lens Cleaner | Campmor
REI also carries it.
Yeah, I thought the same thing and couldn't understand why the would call it Cat Crap. Then I thought about hikers and all the stuff they carry in their back packs and realized that they prolly have Lip Balm and it comes in the same kind of package......`Well you wouldn't put Cat Crap on you lips! Would you?!?!

Stuff works pretty good! Rub it on the inside of your shield let it dry and buff off with a micro cloth. Two treatments are even better. Works on goggles and glasses! :rockon:

 

[youngy]

you could also try a Fog City visor insert. Same as the Pinlock but has a self adhesive fitting.

Unless you have an Arai, in which case you need the Arai specific insert, others are universal.

 

[McLovin]

1- Rag under seat is perfect. After wiping, fold and put under seat, it will dry there on its own from the heat.

2- Defog It Anti Fog off Amazon

PS. Balaclava make it fog up more.

 

[rsw81]

I just crack my visor one click when going slow or stopped, lets all the hot air out and keeps me from fogging up. Once moving, there is enough air moving through there to keep it from fogging. A balaclava will help only if you have it covering your mouth and nose.

As for the wet seat... I agree, either a rag to whipe it down would work or I've seen a lot of people put a plastic bag over it. Or you could find parking that is under an overhang, which is what I try to do when possible.

 

[sleepymas]

cool thanks for all the advice this is my first winter on a bike so i want to be prepared.

i found a balaclava that has a vent so the air from nose and mouth goes down and comes out on your chest/neck. but i cant find it again.

i ride with helmet cracked on notch but helmet is quiter closed and my face gets cold. i need to build up more tolerance. I should probably also get a better helmet, the one i have now is an icon it was good enough to get me going but i want nicer now.

 

[radexS1]

I just crack my visor one click when going slow or stopped, lets all the hot air out and keeps me from fogging up. Once moving, there is enough air moving through there to keep it from fogging.

My 2cents - its 40 to 50 farenheit here now, and I find when stopped or in heavy traffic I need to open my visor fully or else it fogs up very fast. Once I get up a bit of speed on an open stretch I just have it cracked open one click like you suggest and it's ok.

I'm thinking of getting something like this though:
http://www.respro.com/products/racing/quad-atv/foggy_mask/

...tried a balaclava a few times but it made my ears sting! really badly lol. More like a burning sensation in my inner ear, doc. Its a shame because it reduced wind noise and was soft and comfy too.

 

[Gcontroller]

I use Scott Anti Fog and cleaner to control fogging. Works great.

SCOTT LENS CLEANER & ANTI-FOG

 

[craig007]

I have a fog evader Fog eVader Breath Deflector Mask, anti-fog face mask

I actually where a balaclava under it. The fog evader directs the breath down and out, so unless I'm stopped for a long time, the face shield (and my glasses) stay clear. I have gone down to the high teens with this setup

 

[radexS1]

I bought the respro one today, and it does the trick. :thumbup: It velcros on to the helmet, decent system.

Fog is reduced to next to nothing, although I have the pinlock thing as well, but that didn't help before. I had to put the mask high up on my nose to stop it from blocking the airflow to my brain, but there's plenty of room to fiddle it around and get it perfect.

Its working well now, and I would recommend it. It keeps my face toasty and warm as well!
(Also, if my breath smells I will be the first to know about it, which is the kind of reassurance I want when I buy a helmet accessory for €25!)

 

[Shawn]

Good to hear about that foggy working.. I was just on their web site yesterday looking to buy one. I'm trying to stretch my riding season until it snows. I have been leaving my visor open one click but my face gets too cold.

it was -4 celsus this morning when I rode to work.

 

[radexS1]

I noticed them on amazon.co.uk (closest amazon to IRL), but I don't know about ... googling saskathewan ... amazon.ca ?
Better value than what I paid in the shop anyway.

I find the wind blowing across my nose has some ill effects, so keeping it covered is good . The foggy mask will probably work better for some than others as it may depend on the shape of your skull and jaw. Then again, maybe not.


OT: personally I couldn't do without waterproof gear. Good waterproof gear makes it a pleasure to ride in the rain, and makes moisture generally into a non issue. I find if a single bodypart is not properly waterproofed then I will not be relaxed.

 

[Shawn]

I went right to the company website (free shipping anywhere in the world) but they don't use paypal and I was a little nervous about giving them my credit card info. Amazon.ca really doesn't have much for stuff other then movies and books. I just need to ride in a warmer climate, some where with some curves.

 

[djstrong]

I have 2 helmets that perform quite differently in cool weather for fogging up.

Scorpion EXO700 - Standard antifog coating works very good. I only have to crack it open once in a while to vent and eliminate the foging.

HJC - Fogs too easily, and for my use, it is better to not use the breath guard. If I have the breath guard on, it takes longer to vent to get rid of the fog. I thought it did have an anti fog coating, but maybe it is too old as I think the anti fog ability reduces with age.

I wear a bandana arround my nose and chin which keeps my face much warmer.

I considered getting a dual pane snowmobile shield which eliminates fogging. It is $40. A new HJC with snowmobile dual pane shield is only $80 shipped.

This morning it was 38F. I have started enjoying riding in the cold.

Happy Riding.

 

[PhotoAl]

I have a Shark RSI helmet and use a Foggy breath shield which velcos inside the helmet and seals off the face below the bridge of the nose so that your breath doesn't
Get into the visor area. Coldest I have ridden with it is 24F. Only time I get any fogging is when stopped for a long time and then little crack of the visor fixes that. Very nice in the rain. It does take some time to get the fit just right though.