Riding in the cold makes you strong

[M.J]

Who else is still getting outside and riding? Obviously, if you live in Florida or Arizona or Oz you are (or you should be...), but what about my fellow Midwesterners and others who have actual winter?
My riding has changed, for sure. I spent March-November doing long open road rides but spent most of December riding on trails and in town. Every day that it's above about 20°F I get out and do shorter rides that are focused on climbing. I did less than half the miles as in July but gained more elevation.
I can already feel the difference. I'm sprinting harder without running out of breath and climbing longer in higher gears. In the cold, your tires roll slower, the air is thicker, and you're bundled up in non-aero gear. I think of it as "swinging two bats in the on-deck circle".

 

[Andrew Wilson]

That’s why I’m glad I’m in NC and not back in Indiana. That reminds me, I need to call my Dad in Indiana and rub it in that it was 70 deg yesterday

 

[Alex Lemann]

Milwaukee checking in! My record is 9 degrees. Biggest game changer for me has been ski goggles that fit over my glasses. Now I have to figure out how to keep my fingers from going numb. Going to try battery powered heated gloves.

And yes, it is definitely harder!

 

[Jeffers]

Plus with all your winter gear on you're not as aerodynamic. So you're 'over training' in that respect too!

 

[benphyr]

Best way to keep anything warm is: First keep the wind off, then insulate, you still want to breathe. I ride a mountain bike in the winter with studded tires for the rare Snow and ice confidence/agility. So I have made hand guards out of "crazy carpet" plastic that keeps the wind off my hands. Envision half a cylinder of plastic like a 2L pop bottle (1/2 gallon soda bottle) fitted over the end of the handlebar so that it wind hits it and is pushed around past the brakes, fingers, shifters, hands. The difference is huge. Cross country full finger mountain bike gloves have mesh across the back of the hand to breath in summer... I ride with just those gloves down to 5 C (40F) sometimes freezing depending on wind and how warm I start and add a shell glove over top down to -5C (23F), add wrist warmer to -10C (15F), Then I have to add more core warmth to warm the periphery.

 

[benphyr]

 

[DavidCH]

I'm riding a road bike with a mask and visor looking like Darth Vader

 

[cranky cyclist]

May the force be with you! Your power must be incredible. -

 

[paco1961]

I stay off the pavement below freezing but just came in from a drizzly, 36 degree 42 miles. Grip Grab neoprene booties
https://www.gripgrab.com/collections/shoe-covers/products/racethermo-hi-vis-1
Best on the planet. Colder? Add heat pack to each shoe, on top of toes. For some reason my head, neck, ears never get cold. Under armor heat gear compression turtle neck under winter jersey is perfect down to 40, with or without a wind vest depending on sun and wind. Hands . . . Always my challenge. Cabela’s neoprene fishing gloves are amazingly warm for very cold rides but are too hot at 40F. Aerotech Designs fleece cycling tights are tops

 

[Frito Bandito]

Paco, I might have to get a pair of those for Winter here. The heat pack is a good idea as well.

I did 91km yesterday on the V20 and 60km today on my road bike. Both days had a high of 8C but today's wind and my late start made today's ride a lot colder. I didn't wear the toe covers yet but I did wear snowboard socks, so that helped quite a bit. For bottoms, I wore Under Armour tights and another set of tights on top for aero purposes. For tops, I wore a long sleeved under shirt, a thicker long sleeve Under Armour shirt, and a typical cycling shirt, all of which fit snugly. A beanie under my aero helmet kept my head warm enough, but I definitely needed more chap stick to keep the pucker from drying out. Any colder and I'd either need another layer, or at least 1 of them to be much thicker. For gloves I found a pair of relatively thick motorcycle gloves that have a CF shell over the knuckles and little plastic knobs on the fingers for additional protection. They aren't very aero, and let in a little bit too much air as they are, but I will start wearing a pair of Mont Bell neoprene gloves underneath since I won't be setting any PBs with all the additional clothes I'm wearing anyway.

 

[M.J]

I don't worry too much about aero once it gets cold (below about 45° F, 7°C). I wear thermal tights under sweatpants, regular socks under the pants and wool socks over the cuffs to keep the breeze out (recumbent probs...), and a cycling windbreaker with a couple thermal layers underneath.
Since I've only been doing lower speed, more climbing rides I don't have much trouble keeping my extremities warm.

 

[DavidCH]

Paco, I might have to get a pair of those for Winter here. The heat pack is a good idea as well.

I did 91km yesterday on the V20 and 60km today on my road bike. Both days had a high of 8C but today's wind and my late start made today's ride a lot colder. I didn't wear the toe covers yet but I did wear snowboard socks, so that helped quite a bit. For bottoms, I wore Under Armour tights and another set of tights on top for aero purposes. For tops, I wore a long sleeved under shirt, a thicker long sleeve Under Armour shirt, and a typical cycling shirt, all of which fit snugly. A beanie under my aero helmet kept my head warm enough, but I definitely needed more chap stick to keep the pucker from drying out. Any colder and I'd either need another layer, or at least 1 of them to be much thicker. For gloves I found a pair of relatively thick motorcycle gloves that have a CF shell over the knuckles and little plastic knobs on the fingers for additional protection. They aren't very aero, and let in a little bit too much air as they are, but I will start wearing a pair of Mont Bell neoprene gloves underneath since I won't be setting any PBs with all the additional clothes I'm wearing anyway.

You are very brave... don't like going on the V as it gives me too much wind chill

 

[Frito Bandito]

You are very brave... don't like going on the V as it gives me too much wind chill

As we all know, it is always a headwind on a V20 I just try to head into the wind on the outward bound leg and try to push hard enough without sweating so the return trip is easier. Fluffy material closer to the skin and shiny material on the outside makes it bearable. It's almost cold enough to need to tie a bandana around my face or wear a neck warmer. Since I don't have an indoor trainer I'm screwed. The wife would probably approve of one since it would be safer, but all the buildings in Tokyo make it a claustrophobic city so I just bite the bullet and get out as much as possible.

 

[3bs]

ride in the cold up north and ride in the warm down south.
on snow and ice i ride the trike with studded tires and a windwrap.
t50 is on the wahoo kickr
sofrider is really the first choice in winter with spotty surfaces, but will ride the v20 whenever i can. i think my static temp is Fahrenheit teens....

 

[GetBent]

So where does one get studded tires for a trike?

 

[3bs]

i have studded schwalbe marathons on my expedition. i know you can get them direct from schwalbe north america, but hostel shop may have them or bike tires direct. be sure and get all three.
i have a pair of 16" i am not using (i sent the greenspeed to florida.) but as i recall the picture of your trike it had 26 and 406?