Cold-weather cycling.

>>1034232
you can get by in shorts and an extra layer up top down to about 35-40F I keep the rides at that point to about an hour to 2 hours at best.

its really about layering and keeping the wind and wet out.

I used to ride to school as a kid and the lowest I went was about -10f and maybe a foot of snow but that was only 2 miles. I just stayed in the car tracks and wore all sorts of winter gear.

now when I ride in lo temps I have some shoe covers, an extra pair of socks, thermal leggings and ind breaker style pants over top. I layer my upper body too, sleeveless shirt, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, hoody, windbreaker jacket.. all this will probably have you sweating so you might not want a hoody. I try to cover my face but my mask and scarfs blow all my breath into my glasses and then they fog so I usually give up... besides once you face freezes you dont notice it at all. I have a thermal cycling hat that covers my ears too.

I run a cx bike all winter and just go ocd on cleaning it after every use so the salts from the roads dont fuck anything up. You can actually buy studded tires if you choose but I just avoid the ice or slow down when going over it.

btw 20 degrees is pretty mellow compared to what some of peeps round here are willing to ride in... personally if its near zero I dont do it unless its a really short ride to the gym or something.. less than 5 miles

>>1034234
About all the gear I wear, but still mildly overkill as I live within 2 miles of gym/campus/job, so short rides. Was -15 with -31 wind chil this morning, and fingers were a bit chilly. If i went longer, would invest in ski goggles, but just not worth it.

With wheel well deep snow, some might accumulate on v-brakes if you riding with those (dads old 90's mtb) so breaking distance is lowered.

Honestly, the worst part of winter is that transition period, where its floating around freezing. Ice is the worst. Slush that gets walked on then freezes make these really risky ruts that can easily throw a tire. Fell a few times last winter.

>>1034232
I always thought "fair-weather" applied to not riding in the rain (which I don't do, fuck rain). When it's cold, but dry, all you need is to put an extra layer under and/or some jacket to seal you from the cold wind.
>Is there a special lubrication I should >use for gears?
I think I was reading some non-4chan forum posts about this, but how cold would it have to be to actually seize your cranks?
>My plastic STI shifters need any special handling?
I don't think so.
>Will my brakes for summer still be effective in the winter?
I reckon they will, but remember that in cold weather it's easier to skid so slow down gentler and earlier.
>Should I run a specific PSI in my tires?
Maybe lower than usual to maximize the contact area and thus grip.
>Should I run a different tire?
Studded ones are only good for a lot of ice and hardened snow. Otherwise they wear out too fast.
>What are the best styles of clothing for these rides?
Depends on the specific conditions. Very cold and windy - membraned ones to seal you off completely. Chill and not very windy - put on something extra but breathable to not get sauna'd underneath.
>What's a good beverage to have in my bottle?
Anything hot IMO. Me pops used to drink a thick mix of coffee and cocoa but that was, like, 40 years ago.

However I don't have much experience in winter cycling so whatever.

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>>1034232
Personally, I ride for fun in the cold to a point - if it's below 15 or so i'd rather go for a hike/jog in the snow than deal with all the gear to go for a ride that's going to be long enough to be worthwhile. But I commute by bike regardless of the weather. It's supposed to be -3°f when I ride home from work two nights from now, so I'll be using ALL the gear - boots, wool socks, wool pants, rain pants, base layer underwear, shirt, jacket, two pairs of gloves, face mask, wool cap, balaclava, AND ski goggles.

>Is there a special lubrication I should use for gears?
No, but wet-weather chain lubes generally hold up better
>Will my brakes still be effective in the winter?
Yes. But, surface friction decreases, so you brake, accelerate, and corner differently.
>Should I run a specific PSI in my tires?
standard rules still apply to finding proper tire pressure in cold weather, but you usually end up running a bit less because cold makes rubber slightly stiffer.
>Should I run a different tire?
Maybe. It depends what surface you're riding - studded tires are indispensable if you're going to be riding over solid ice often, but are unnecessary for snow, and are horrible if you find dry pavement. On the other hand, if you're riding on dry pavement in the cold, there's no reason to switch out your standard road tires.
>best styles of clothing for these rides?
Layering is more important than anything else, you want just enough insulation to avoid sweating, and a wind-proof outer layer. Wool is great for insulation layers, cotton is okay but you should not wear it against your skin in extremely cold conditions (think single digits fahrenheit or colder) because cotton traps moisture and if that moisture against your skin freezes it can cause frostbite.
>What's a good beverage to have in my bottle?
water, save the hot drinks until after the ride

>>1034300
>how cold would it have to be to actually seize your cranks?
really fucking cold, see pic

>>1034232
If we're talking clear roads, blue skies, just cold... there's really not much you need to do.

I make zero changes to my bike. I add arm warmers, leg warmers, and a windproof vest to my regular kit, and I switch to full-finger gloves. Below 40F or so, ear warmers are nice, and they're basically necessary below 30.

I drink water.

This basic setup works from around 10c to -10c.
- merino baselayer (you can substitute with synthetics but it really feels nicer when wet, and you will get wet, no getting around it)
- thin fleece mid layer
- ''''breathing'''' wind breaker like the pakajak or montane velo. They don't do that much breathing IME but they're better than stewing in some completely waterproof oilskin

Additions:
- insulated tights (swap for something with a membrane on the front below -5C)
- fleece skull cap (again, switch to membrane when it gets freezing, possibly add a thin balaclava under it for your cheeks/nose)
- windproof gloves, optionally with merino inserts (above 5C i like slightly airy gloves with wool inserts, prevents clammy hands and cold numb fingers at the same time)
- windproof shoe covers or shoes
- merino socks
- bidon cage-friendly thermos

How do I stop my toes from getting cold as fuck

>>1034331
Put clothing over them.

>>1034331
>How do I stop my toes from getting cold as fuck

wool socks (I especially like Defeet Woolie Boolie wool socks)

apply duct tape to your bike shoes so you create a windproof barrier for the toe area

>What does /n/ do when they want to ride their bike in the middle of an otherwise beautiful day except for the fact that it's 20 degrees outside?

I dress warmer and go ride my bike.

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Just HTFU

>>1034352
Haha Vancouver fag here, I love riding in the rain but this last week we've been at like -3c for our daytime high and I've been hiding out inside on the trainer. WAY to cold for our weak asses

>>1034234
riding in shorts in 35f

lel

you obviously don't because you'd know about this thing called wind chill

>>1034352
ok show your strava from that day big boy

>>1034352
Holy shit.

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>>1034390
Not him, but those temps are doable but not exactly fun. It takes my Garmin upwards of 30 minutes to reach the ambient air temp. This was a fatbike ride, hence the ridiculously low average speed. After two weeks of this shit weather I'm ready for next week's single digit negatives.

>>1034396
Can you take a picture of your bike and what you wear when you ride in these temps?

>>1034389
harden up son

>>1034396
8 miles
6.8mph

this is not a ride, this is a commute.

anyone who lives in cold places knows you get completely fucked up in cold weather when actually doing legit rides because of wind chill.

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>>1034331
i had this problem, pic related is my foot in the shower after riding for a while and having it fucking frozen

i tried snowboard socks, didn't work, then fucking expensive ($45) socks for cycling which improved the situation but didn't quite cut it, and then I decided to go get overshoes and that totally did it, some cheap neoprene overshoes that cost like 30 bucks totally did it and my feet stay warm and dry

now keep in mind too if you wear thick socks it might mess up with your circulation and therefore get your feet cold and shit so yeah

>>1034414
Fuck your elitism. At least anon went out, unlike OP who doesn't want to go out riding because mommy isn't there to dress him properly.

>>1034426

What the fuck.... Stop wearing your shoes so fucking tight. This is how people loose digits climbing mountains...

I still overheat in -35, I don't know why you people are having issues riding in 0 degree weather.

>>1034426
dude get bigger shoes fuck

>>1034426
Thats an image of stupidity.

>>1034466
>I still overheat in -35, I don't know why you people are having issues riding in 0 degree weather.
I'm in the same boat as you, dude - I'm built for the cold. But I also recognize that everyone's different, and that not everyone has as awesome circulation in their extremities as I do.

>>1034479
>>1034480
lmao that happened because i was wearing summer socks, shoes are my size
anyway, that's nothing, it was just a half hour ride, i would have not gone longer than that obviously
if stuff like that scares you, you need to harden just a bit

>>1034466
my dad used to hike in the mountains with -30C temps, now that's how you lose your toes, not from riding your bike half an hour at 5 celsius

>>1034398
What I've been wearing this week is:
- wool socks, wolvhammer boots with hotronic electric heaters
-UA Base 4.0 long underwear with Specialized Therminal Tights (1 size up so they are more like pants than tights).
-Arm warmers, UA Base 2.0 shirt, Gore Xenon Windstopper softshell.
-balaclava, neck gaiter, respirator and helmet
-liner glove, insulated glove, and XL Black Diamond leather ski glove with liner removed.

Exertion level usually throws a wrench into clothing selection. If I was using my touring or rigid mountain bike I would have gone with a heavier shirt. As it was working hard on the fatbike, I left my jacket half unzipped most of the time.

I've always had problems keeping my hands and free warm so I probably use more on them than most people would need. I start wearing my winter boots around +2C. I use a respirator because its the only way to keep my face fully covered without fogging / icing my glasses.

Biggest problem this week was a cold forehead since I'd sweat then ice would form in the balaclava. For longer rides when its fairly cold it is a good idea to carry a second balaclava you can switch to.

I stayed closed to home, if I was venturing further I'd take my full zip merino fleece in case I needed to stop for more than a few minutes.

>>1034426
that's a toe that's a short while from dying

>>1034527
fucking hell haha thank god they invented winter sports, this sounds like so much work

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>>1034591
Stop typing out "haha".

>>1034626
the angry music man

>>1034232
>Is there a special lubrication I should >use for gears?
No, you should only be lubing your chain (and occasionally cables, brake pivot points, brake/shift lever pivot points, derailleur pivot points, derailleur pulley centers), DO NOT FUCKING LUBE YOUR SPROCKETS, and wipe your chain dry after lubing it (lube chain, let lube sit 10 minutes to sink in, then wipe chain, outside of chain should be dry, lube is for internals of chain links)
use wet lube, it's better than dry especially during winter
>>My plastic STI shifters need any special handling?
no
>>Will my brakes for summer still be effective in the winter?
yea
>>Should I run a specific PSI in my tires?
little lower than you would during summer
>>Should I run a different tire?
sure, a little wider and knobbier than what you ride during summer
>>What are the best styles of clothing for these rides?
Nordic ski clothing is nice (i.e. Sporthill 3SP), it's warm and not baggy. For pants you want something not baggy cause baggy stuff would catch in your drive train. For jacket just wear whatever, gore-tex is nice cause it's breathable and waterproof. Downhill ski helmets and ski goggles are great as well. And ski gloves of course. On the real cold days get one of those half face masks that covers your lower face, combine that with ski helmet and goggles to keep your head/face warm. Giro makes super comfy ski helmets btw, go to a ski shop and try some on
>>What's a good beverage to have in my bottle?
Water

>>1034305
Wool stuff is shit, synthetic is way better.
>>1034331
Ski socks, warm shoes. There's also cycling shoe covers.
>>1034338
Synthetic is better. Darn Tough synthetic ski socks are nice.

>>1034389
I ride in shorts in teens (F). Get fucked.

>>1034438
another fag that doesn't know shit about riding in cold weather

6.8mph on a fat bike on a trail thats sheltered in the woods from wind is in a different plane of existence from training through the winter and descending 10miles in 25f at 40mph gives you frost bite on your dick

>>1034702
>Wool stuff is shit, synthetic is way better
Your opinion is shit. Synthetics are fine but wool is fabulous.

I just rode home from work in -10°(f) conditions and my wool socks, wool cap, and wool liner gloves all did exactly what they're supposed to and kept my extremities warm but not sweaty.

>>1034704

Pussy. Try sending blood to your dick...

>>1034639
haha

>>1034731
My synthetic gear does the same, but it does it better.

>>1034859
I've tried merino next to skin as a base layer and didn't like it. Doesn't wick so well leaving you with a clammy greasy feeling.

Great stuff to change into after a ride. Even more comfy than merino is cashmere. I got a couple turtle necks dirt cheap at a liquidation sale and they are so soft.

>>1034859
I used to have all synthetic stuff, mostly Craft brand. But today I like wool better because when it is actually cold, like -20 or -30 it is noticeably warmer, especially socks.
Plus all my synthetics smell like BO no matter how much I wash them, but I can wear same wool shirt all week long and doesn't smell at all.

I think the wool is more expensive to me it is worth it for the comfort.

And sheep are way cooler than plastic

>>1034389
pussy, I use to wear shorts in -20 winters

>>1034952
Pussy, I still do

Call the bike shop I work at and ask them if you don't believe me

>>1034859
It stinks though

>>1035139

Not if you wear it once then wash it. You shouldn't be wearing anything repeatedly anyways, that's just asking for a bacterial infection.

>>1035139
No it doesn't you fucking faggot

>>1035173
Polyester totally stinks. Mine gets nasty after just a single ride. Some of the better stuff has anti-odor additives, but that wears off after repeated washing.

Though in my observation its only the next to skin layer that develops an odor. It act as a filter so the outer layers only get wet / salty.

>>1034859
No it doesn't.
Wet synthetic is better than wet cotton but that's about it. It can't hold a candle to wet wool, which behaves pretty much the same as dry wool.
>inb4 I don't get wet when I ride

>>1035179
Mine doesn't even after many uses and many washes
>>1035245
But that's wrong you fucking retard. Stop cheaping out and get good synthetics.

>>1035313
And what would those be?

>>1035173
>>1035313
>getting this angry over cloth

>>1035335
Sporthill 3SP is great, designed for nordic skiing but great for cycling base layers in cold weather
Darn Tough and DeFeet make nice synthetic socks

avoiding riding because i only have a full-sus trail bike and i don't want to fuck out all those moving parts with salty shit from the roads.
anyone wanna sell me a $25 BSO?

>>1035720
>avoiding riding because i only have a full-sus trail bike and i don't want to fuck out all those moving parts with salty shit from the roads.

>babying your bike

I stop riding in the winter because park paths don't get plowed and I'd have to deal with cagers every day.

For now I take the bus.

>>1035728
i think he's babying his wallet based on his last sentence. see, not everyone rips off the modern world with cushy deskjobs at 20$ an hour to sit on your fucking ass. a lot of us have to get fucked to make a living.