Confessions of a self-admitted wuss

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SCgurl · #1 Unread post by **SCgurl** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:33 am

You Canadian folks will laugh at this, but-

It's a beautiful, sunny, clear, dry day here in SC. So why am I inside on the computer and not out riding? Because it's friggin' 40 degrees outside!

I haven't ridden in 2 weeks. Forget about getting me out in the morning on the way to work-the birdbath has been frozen over every morning. No matter how many layers I wear, I get around the block and go "NUH UH!" and revert to the cage. It's not the discomfort, really-it's that I can't stop shivering. If I can't stop shivering, I can't steer.

It's so cold, I can't steady my hands long enough to check tire pressure.

Maybe it's that I feel the need to wear a t-shirt, knit shirt, and a sweater indoors (at 68 degrees). Maybe it's that it was 90 degrees here 2 weeks ago, and the temps dropped overnight. Maybe it's that I rode all summer in the same 90-100 degree temps, with 80% humidity.

All I know is, if I can't find a jacket with the equivalent warmth of my ski jacket soon, I will be wearing said ski jacket (which is not bike-friendly-it rides up in the back) until the temps come back up to normal. And if I don't ride soon, I'm liable to go postal.
:shooting2:

I've tried leather and textile, and nothing seems to cut the chill. I don't think my bike's battery will handle heated gear. So if you folks in the colder climes would be so kind as to: a) tell me what you wear or b) take your cold air back, it might prevent me from moving to, say, Costa Rica in search of tolerable temps.

Thanks for letting me rant!

Shorts · #2 Unread post by **Shorts** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:32 pm

Well the wind chill got me pretty good up here. The small thing that really made a difference was a neck warmer. I just wore a fleece wrap and cinched it with its little cord to make it snug and comfy. It was the smallest winter thing I did that made the biggest difference.

For pants, I wore Under Armour underneath my riding jeans (that were already warm with the kevlar layer).

I've never tried these but they seem like they'd do a job is the hand guards that go in front of the handlebars. They keep the wind off.

Also, get a good screen for winter. It makes a very big difference.

They key to staying warm when its cold out there is cutting the wind chill.

goodies · #3 Unread post by **goodies** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 1:35 pm

I hear you SC!! Your not alone! I am in the Charlotte NC area, it has been bitter and record lows. I am one of those to that will have a jacket on when it is 70 too

I did go last Sunday, it was low 50's, but the wind chill made it so much colder. I couldn't hang long, even with chaps and my other warmer gear. I seen a guy riding to work the other morning and it was 17!!! He became my hero!!

Hopefully tomorrow it is supposed to be mid 50 and no wind, so I am going to try it again.

#4 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:53 pm

Take a look at page 161 in this online catalog... The storm walker jacket only draws .6 amps of power... Although, I think the Stormrider vest is the one I'll be getting and it pulls 4.1 amps. It will also heat my body to 122*F and keep it there if I so desired, with that said, the thermostat is also on order....

http://www.motovan.com/common/cat/2009f ... ng_en.html

ofblong · #5 Unread post by **ofblong** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 3:11 pm

i wear

teknic textile jacket with liner
heated leather gloves (hooked right to battery mmm toasty warm. makes my hands sweat at 40F if turned on)
thermasilk long johns,

blue jeans
and under 35F i wear my carhart coveralls.

That combo has kept me warm down to 14F. 14 I could start to feel the cold through the clothing. Oh and I have a WINDSHIELD on the bike.

SCgurl · #6 Unread post by **SCgurl** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 3:43 pm

*Sigh*....

I tried again today. Mostly, with borrowed stuff-this is still experimentation for me. Today's run:

Long johns (both leggings and shirt)
Jeans
chaps (that were big enough to ride up and cover part of my big butt-go figure)
long sleeve t-shirt
long sleeve knit shirt
long-sleeve fleece pullover
Big ol' leather jacket (that the friend I borrowed it from swears by)
Fleece Buff as a neck warmer
Knit scarf around neck and tucked into jacket, but covering mouth
Knit hat
Full-face helmet with vents closed
Leather gloves
Knit gloves under those
2 pairs of socks
And a partridge in a pear tree...

So, I traded the cold for ever having any hope of disrobing in time to use the restroom if need be. Or, you know, moving my arms higher than waist level. And it took assistance just to get on the bike.

Just for a comparison, I learned to ski in the Alps, at night, in February, at 3900 meters. I wore the fleece pullover, 2 t-shirts, jeans (uh huh, jeans-I was ill-prepared), wool gloves, and long johns. Aside from my gloves freezing to my poles, I was fine. Actually, I was sweating. Although there were a few shots involved as well...

I have a windshield on order. I need it, like, yesterday.

Thanks for the suggestions on the heated gear-I'll have to see if my bike can be wired for it. Of course, this wouldn't be a problem if we didn't have freakishly cold weather.

And goodies-I thought you guys were getting the really hard freezes? I know we're usually a good 10-15 degrees warmer than you folks...

Sat Nov 22, 2008 5:11 pm

I wear a balaclava under my helmet. It keeps the neck, chin, and ears warm.
I also wear a lightweight down jacket under my riding jacket. My riding pants have a quilted liner.
I finally resorted to heated gloves because my hands would never warm up no matter what gloves I used.

You can get some of those heat packs that last for about 5 hours to stick inside your boots. They will keep your feet warm on a cold day.

It was about 45F here today. I didn't put my down jacket on until the sun went down. I'd guess it was about 38F by the time I was heading home.

Brackstone · Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:27 am

SCGurl if my wife was riding i'm sure she'd be exactly like you so I find it very amusing and a great write up!

Any chance we can get a picture of you when you are fully geared out with everything you listed above? I would absolutely LOVE to see that

ofblong · #9 Unread post by **ofblong** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 3:13 am

ahh no wonder your cold. Trust me that windshield will make more of a difference in keeping you "wamer" than you can ever imagine.

SCgurl · #10 Unread post by **SCgurl** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:42 am

Brackstone (puts finger to nose)-you get it!

Re: pics-yes, a pic was taken. Unfortunately, that camera is headed back to Savannah as we speak. If you have ever seen "A Christmas Story" and remember Ralphie in the snowsuit-well, that's what I looked like. Only in leather and with a much tinier head

In other news-whoooohoooo! It's supposed to get to 70 degrees today!

I might be able to do something with that!

I've ordered yet another jacket (Kilamanjaro) since the reviews seemed to indicate it was a good jacket for cold weather. I'm going out looking for Carhartts today (had forgotten about those). I also ordered fleece glove liners. I've been knitting a neck gaiter for about 2 weeks-I need to step up that schedule. And as soon as the BF wakes up, we'll start looking at wiring the bike for heated gear (he's done the whole EE thing). Other than that, I think it's gonna be just wait for the windshield. And keep looking for my own chaps. They seemed to cut the cold on the legs the best so far.

Today's lesson-we now know that fat people are not necessarily comfortable in cold...