Biking season isn't over yet!

[rhu]

H got a bike rack for the car, so this morning I biked to work directly from JCDS after we got the kids settled in to their school day. Yay, I don't have to give up biking now that school has started! The route from JCDS to work is mostly flat, as opposed to the rolling hills of the home-to-work route, so it's a consistent amount of pedaling -- as opposed to work hard, then coast, then work, then coast.

So many people have commented on how much more fit I look, and I can feel the difference, that I am not looking forward to giving it up once the season ends. So yes, I will invest money in cold-weather cycling gear after all.

Comments

[autotruezone.livejournal.com]

The late, great Sheldon Brown was fond of saying "Massachusetts has great weather for cycling ten months of the year. But July and August are just too hot". I'm inclined to agree with him.

As for cold weather gear, different people have different tolerances to the cold, but I find that for the most part, the same winter clothes that I'd wear anyway are also fine for cycling. The only things I buy particularly for cycling might be gloves, which should be warm but flexible enough for a good grip on the handlebars (above 30° ordinary department-store insulated leather gloves are fine), and a balaclava to wear under my helmet.

Also, keep in mind that your body heat will warm you up, so when you start your ride, you should be at least a little bit cold. Wearing layers and easily unzippable clothing can help with getting the right balance between "freezing cold when I start out" and "sweating after five minutes".

BTW, today, as I often do, I took my youngest to school on the trail-a-bike, which I left at his school and then continued to work on just my own bike.

Biking season is way not over yet!

[(Anonymous)]

Glad to hear your still enjoying this. For me, biking adds 10 to 20 degrees, so I have to dress for warmer weather than it really is. If it's in the high 30's to low 40's, I'm fine in a fleece jacket. In fact, even with that I'm sweaty by the time I get to work. I find I have to feel pretty chilly when I first start in order not to overheat on the way.

Icebike.com, despite the somewhat daunting name, is great for info on winter biking, etc.

-pd

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Just be careful in icy weather, please...