Coldest morning

Adamskii

I don't know about the rest of the country (world) but up north in the UK this morning it had to be the coldest so far. The pain in my fingers was so bad I actually shed a tear! My fingers still haven't warmed up fully and I've been in work for 3 hours.

The roads were also very slippery, less so than the pavements as many people were struggling to actually walk with out slipping.

Just so I know I'm not suffering alone, is anyone else as foolish as me and still cycling in?

melliff

Jolly cold here in London too. I was pleased I only had to go as far as the station on my Brompton this morning. The train was lovely and warm.

ChrisLS

...wasn't slippy down here,Hertfordshire into Essex, but bloody cold. I usually work up a bit of a sweat over my 11 miles, but today I arrived cold, not even a perspiring glow...we're hard us cyclists... 8)

Shadowduck

Still cycling in, it was about -2 here (Rochdale / Oldham area) but not as bad as you describe!

I'm beginning to sound like a stuck record with this, but get yourself some Gore-Tex ski gloves (mine were about £12.99 in TK Maxx) - they're a little thick for gear levers etc but you soon adapt and it's a lot easier than frozen fingers! Not had so much as a tingle in my fingertips since I got them, lovely stuff.

spen666

Freezing cold here- but wrap up warm and cycle on the main roads- no problems

Adamskii

I'm hoping Santa will bring my something better than the gloves I have, even though they are supposed to be good down to -5.C.! Factor in the wind chill though and it was probably closer to -20.C. At least I only have one more day with my woefully inadequate gloves.

misterben

Despite being even further up north than the OP it wasn't that bad this morning - it was cold, but not freezing (attested by the lack of frost, which had all melted).

Mog Uk

-3 here in Macclesfield this morning, can't honestly say I felt it though :? I love these cold crisp mornings, get's you glowing for the day ahead, love it....

clanton

Gf's car registered -6 this am at home so I felt well 'ard riding in. Struggled with ears even under balaclava and also fingers (Endura Strike gloves plus thin liner gloves underneath) but rest was fine - my Shimano MW02 winter boots have just been elevated to top of the list for best every cycling purchase!

william79

I gave up the car completely in May; still cycling now.

I had the chance to take the wifes car last week but just got on the bike - I really enjoy the ride, despite the freezing temperatures of last week.

Not sure how cold it was this morning in Sunny Somerset, but my Altura jacket seems to be just right for Autumn & earlier Winter riding but i think I need to invest in some good winter gloves, as it takes me 3-4 miles to get the hands warm.

daniel_b

Agreed, coldest morning so far noticeably, mate who came in by car said his was registering -6 as well!

Don't recall that being forecast.

Found I cycled/pushed harder to keep heat in the body up, and wind chill didn't matter too much - got here pretty quickly.

Everything toasty apart from the ends of my fingers, but I can live with that.

Ayup's did a cracking job of cutting through the thick fog this morning, and made me feel a bit safer that car drivers would see me.

Anyone else have freezing fog to deal with?

Dan

clanton

Daniel B wrote:

Agreed, coldest morning so far noticeably, mate who came in by car said his was registering -6 as well!

Don't recall that being forecast.

Found I cycled/pushed harder to keep heat in the body up, and wind chill didn't matter too much - got here pretty quickly.

Everything toasty apart from the ends of my fingers, but I can live with that.

Ayup's did a cracking job of cutting through the thick fog this morning, and made me feel a bit safer that car drivers would see me.

Anyone else have freezing fog to deal with?

Dan

No fog here - crisp clear and great! Not convinced that it was a REAl -6 degrees but it makes for a good story ;-)

daniel_b

clanton wrote:

No fog here - crisp clear and great! Not convinced that it was a REAl -6 degrees but it makes for a good story ;-)

I concur, reckon it was around -3 or so - nice and sunny and cold here now - would love it to be like this on Christmas day, but bet it will be warmer and dreary...

TheFoolio888

Yup...still cycling here...

-3 and foggy in birmingham this morning...lovely and toasty except the end of my fingers...flippin painful they were by the end.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

I didn''t think it was that bad this morning. Just checked the met office website and it stated that at 8 am it was minus 0.1 deg C in these parts.

Still tropical

chronyx

Adamskii wrote:

Just so I know I'm not suffering alone, is anyone else as foolish as me and still cycling in?

Yeah - but I just wore wooly gloves, a hat, a coat, and a lip balmed smile.

By the way did you used to be on the Honest John forum? Ignore me if not...

misterben

I'm still cycling in, and, due to a lack of alternatives, still in fingerless gloves and an uncovered face and ears.... 's fine after the first 1/2-3/4 mile.

t4tomo

Only a short commute either side of train journey but this am was chilly. Got myself some line combat trousers which were notically warmer than ripped jeans!!
Face & ears were cold though, had to ease up a bit on a downhill strecth as by eyes were starting to stream.

graeme_s-2

Daniel B wrote:

Anyone else have freezing fog to deal with?

Dan

Yep, in Coventry it was about -2 with freezing fog. A good thick frost as well. I still reckon I felt warmer than the people scraping frost off their windscreens looked.

spen666

chronyx wrote:

Adamskii wrote:

Just so I know I'm not suffering alone, is anyone else as foolish as me and still cycling in?

Yeah - but I just wore wooly gloves, a hat, a coat, and a lip balmed smile.



......

you are lucky not to have been arrestedfor indecent exposure

wastelander

In Yorkshire the early week frosts and sub-zero temps have been replaced by balmy 2-3c days. I've been able to swap the bib tights/jacket for 3/4 shorts, leg warmers and and s/sleeve jersey with long sleeve base layer and arm warmers - Heatwave, island in the sun 8)

Plax

No idea how cold it was in N Wales - I had a nose bleed this morning an felt really tired all yesterday so couldn't be bothered cycling in and took the car. Didn't have to de-ice it today though, but I couldn't get warm, and my fingers were freezing. Dread to think what I'd have been like cycling in!

chronyx

spen666 wrote:

chronyx wrote:

Adamskii wrote:

Just so I know I'm not suffering alone, is anyone else as foolish as me and still cycling in?

Yeah - but I just wore wooly gloves, a hat, a coat, and a lip balmed smile.



......

you are lucky not to have been arrestedfor indecent exposure

:twisted:

ademort

Live in a town called Middelburg in the Netherlands and set off to work at 06.15 this morning for my 16Km ride into work. Normally take 30Minutes, but this morning having braved the elements arrived at 07.02. A 47Minute nightmare, roads very slippy, snow on the cycle paths(ungritted) dense fog and bloody freezing. The huge digital matrix board at work showed 07.02 and -3°. To make matters worse i was working outside all day today.Tomorrow is my last day at work till next year and will be very happy by this time tomorrow night. Greetings Ademort

jefferee

Still biking.

Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with anything colder than -14 C so far. +2 C and raining can feel chillier, actually.

I do just over six miles (10.2 km) each way. With heavy studded tires, a MTB, and plenty of traffic lights, I generate a lot of heat and don't need to worry about windchill (or even taping up my helmet vents). Winter boots, gloves, and a headband to cover my ears, though!

I was off the bike on Monday, waiting for the snowplows to deal with the foot of snow we got over the weekend. 8)

william79

-14oC :shock:

tardington

william79 wrote:

-14oC :shock:

!

Ah, he's a canadian! 8) I'm interested in the studded tyres I have to say.

I've just had freezing fog and spinning my end out on the corners, but my sister has just cycled from Stranraer to Edinburgh over the last 2 days - the water in her bottles froze solid!

jefferee

tardie wrote:

I'm interested in the studded tyres I have to say.

I've just had freezing fog and spinning my end out on the corners, but my sister has just cycled from Stranraer to Edinburgh over the last 2 days - the water in her bottles froze solid!

I'm on a MTB, running 26 x 1.90 Schwalbe Snow Studs. 100 studs per tire, along the edges, an arrangement that seems to minimize noise on bare asphalt. The link is from their North American site--suggested price seems to be around $65 USD but I paid $55 CAD/tire at a retailer in Toronto. Like any 26 x 1.90 MTB tire would be, they're heavy, noisy, and have an incredible amount of rolling resistance but they do allow me to safely maneuver on ice so slippery I would have to walk carefully. I figure the extra rolling resistance is just more winter training. 8)

For the roadies, Snow Studs are also available in a 700x38. Schwalbe also makes a few other spiked tires, and I have seen some spiked tires from Continental at a LBS in Canada as well.

jefferee

*bump*

-18C here this morning. My beard was frosted from ear to ear when I got in to work. Judging by the red band across my belly, a pair of bib shorts or bib tights might be a wise investment.

fossyant

-18C....oh my good god......... it's about +1C in the UK now........

dirk_van_gently

Bloody cold here in East Anglia (norfolk/suffolk/cambridgeshire border).

The cable ties that held my lights on the handlebar snapped, being brittle from the cold. Had to ride holding the light, bracket, now fixed.