how cold is too cold?

[oldschoolsdime92]

I figure there is a thread about this, but I am beyond bored tonight. I have been riding down in the mid 30f. How cold do you normally ride?

[86gn]

If its mid 40s and warming I'll go out for the day...300 to 400 miles but if its colder than that its just short trips or stay home. If I had heated gear I would venture out in colder weather.

[oldschoolsdime92]

yea i dont venture to far when its that cold. its only a few miles to work, so ill ride to work, or just go for a local cruise. In here in ohio, it gets mid 30s, and then it snows. I cant justify heated gear at the moment.

[Tri-oomph!]

I rode just shy of 200 miles on Thanksgiving day but it was around 50 degrees and sunny. Pretty comfortable for what gear I have, but riding through the shade in a canyon got pretty chilly. A few spots still had moisture on the road that was probably slick earlier in the day.

Other than short rides in town, 50 and calm is about my bottom limit for a ride of any length. I find that discomfort can overtake boredom pretty fast sometimes.

[Wombat]

Seeing as the record temps range here between 55f and 95f, I just ride all year round.

[Croak]

With the heated gear on, I'll ride in the teens if need be, as long as the roads are clear and I have the right helmet (thick faceshield with a Pinlock as a double pane. But the chances of black ice or just plain old ice make it a very conservative ride at those temps.

And sometimes, I'll do something really really stupid, like this:



20f, give or take, about 50 feet visiblity until I hit the summit at 9900 feet. That's what happens when you just follow a GPS route and don't bother to check the terrain. I had no idea I was going up a 10000 foot mountain.

[KitNYC]

Yeah, below 20º F is too cold. Obviously, too icy happens before that and supersedes it. (I've ridden as low as 14º F.)

Cheers,
-Kit

[ride4321]

32 or higher and I'll ride to work. Did around 120 miles Thanksgiving morning in the high 30's. The previous day did around 350 miles in the mid to high 40's with light rain. I think it's about time to pack the bike away for the season here though.

[oldschoolsdime92]

croak, that picture is absolutley priceless! I have still been riding in the 30s 40s and 50s, but its lonesome rides by myself! everyone else bails!

[evilted]

I pretty much stop riding when temps drop to near freezing (so mid to lower 30s F), particularly if that's the daily high.

Loss of grip scares me lots more than being cold, though I am generally not cold when wearing heated stuff.