Winter is so hard on us few brave souls who continue to ride throughout the colder months. Some of you retreat to trainers or rollers in heated basements or family rooms. Some of you just put the bike away except for for those rare warm enough days.
But we forge ahead here in Florida. It was so cold one day last week that I had to wear BOTH an undershirt AND arm warmers. Another day, it was so bitterly frigid that I couldn't even take my shower outside like I usually do.
When it gets below 70 degrees at dawn, we have to start layering to keep our core warm. Those extra undershirts basically mean our workout laundery almost doubles. What a pain!
Today was typical. It was 66 degrees at 6:45 AM. I bundled up in a short sleeve undershirt and a short sleeve bike jersey. It was still kind of dark, but the light from my front bike light somehow made me feel warmer. Within a few minutes, I had worked up a sweat. Out on my usual 25 mile before work route, I couldn't help but notice the many cyclists who were out and about with their long sleeve jerseys, a few jackets and a few arm warmers. Let me tell you, it was no picnic out there, watching the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean as the temperature never even broke 70!
You poor northerners should pay us a visit. It has been absolutely perfect down here.
Yep compared to last year this winter has been like midsummer on the Kolyma...
Most of my trainer rides in my unheated basement garage are done between 50 and 55° in just a t-shirt and gym shorts. Last year they would have been about 5 to 10° cooler.
May I add to 67walkon's miserys....this morning I actually had to wear my wind-breaker to protect me from the brutal 62 degree wind chill that blew across the frigid Intracoastal waterway. But I pushed on......
Then at noon finally the thermometer inched upwards to 77 degrees allowing me to shed my jacket. I may have to use the heater tonight for the newsman says temps will drop drastically into the 50s. OH the humanity of it all.
Sometimes I wonder if I should move to warmer climate hmmmm Hawaii maybe
I am normally a really easy guy to get along with, but I'm really starting to want to throttle a couple guys from Florida . I bet I could find a lot of northern riders to help.
Did a night ride a couple of days ago and it was in the 40s. Felt like a heat wave. Can't complain that much, it's been a really mild winter so far. -- posted by boonerider
It's the "so far" that has me nervous. Got some light snow today - freezes up the mtn bike trails in my woods which is a plus as it makes them less soggy to ride - but then removes my excuse to hide in the gym on the rollers. Got out for a couple of road rides the other day in balmy near 50s... overdressed, and boiled my tail off. I miss living in Tampa!
Just when I was feeling so smug, I looked at the forecast for Saturday. It's gonna be in the low 50's at 8:00 AM. How are we supposed to deal with that kind of cold?
This part of Florida, technically the "Treasure Coast", is incredibly perfect for riding this time of the year. We don't usually have as much wind as we do in the summer months, temps are rarely lower than the 60's or higher than 80, humidity is managable and the sky is usually cloudless. The only down side is that the snowbirds are here so there are a few more cars on the road.
You really feel blessed when you roll out for a long Saturday ride with a cloudless sky, knowing it will soon be in the 70's.
.... Out on my usual 25 mile before work route, I couldn't help but notice the many cyclists who were out and about with their long sleeve jerseys, a few jackets and a few arm warmers. Let me tell you, it was no picnic out there, watching the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean as the temperature never even broke 70!
You poor northerners should pay us a visit. It has been absolutely perfect down here. -- posted by 67walkon
Yes, it has been brutal, no snow, record high temps... Until yesterday!!! 6 inches of snow and temps in the teens and low 20's. WoooHooo! Snow riding season is finally here!!!! If you haven't experienced Fat-Bike riding in the snow, you're missing the most fun you can have on a bike.
Yep compared to last year this winter has been like midsummer on the Kolyma...
Most of my trainer rides in my unheated basement garage are done between 50 and 55° in just a t-shirt and gym shorts. Last year they would have been about 5 to 10° cooler.
70s? We don' need no stinkin' 70's! -- posted by markiansj
Just happened to notice you have "0" miles!! -- posted by Firecracker
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