Is riding in the cold any good for you?

gtvlusso

Well,

Quick thought:

Is there a minimum temp that you should perform exercise in?

For what it is worth, -6 is starting to get a bit too cold - sweaty when I get to work, but cool down very quickly when stopped/locking bike up and so on....

Thoughts?

Mr Plum

I'm sure I read somewhere once that doing heavy exercise in low temperatures is bad for your respiratory system cos heavy breaths of cold air being sucked into your hot lungs shocks your system and it somehow tries to over compensate... something like that anyway, apparently it can be 'dangerous' for those who suffer with asthma. Maybe someone with a bit of medical knowledge will be able to tell me that this is BS?

itboffin

I don't think so although I do limit the range i'll travel when it's this cold, so if it came to it I could run, walk, crawl home. Wouldn't fancy a 20-25 mile walk.

nich

Dehydration. I think people tend to drink less when it's cold, so there's more of a threat - I'm guilty of this

edit - I didn't really read the question properly I think...

I can't imagine it's good for you when your feet/fingers go numb and start tingling

rjsterry

Mr Plum wrote:

I'm sure I read somewhere once that doing heavy exercise in low temperatures is bad for your respiratory system cos heavy breaths of cold air being sucked into your hot lungs shocks your system and it somehow tries to over compensate... something like that anyway, apparently it can be 'dangerous' for those who suffer with asthma. Maybe someone with a bit of medical knowledge will be able to tell me that this is BS?

Well, cold air is certainly a trigger for attacks. Depends how badly one suffers from asthma as to how dangerous that might be. A buff or facemask normally overcomes that problem though, although they can be a world of snot, dribble and condensation.

asprilla

Generally you'll burn more calories exercising in the cold, I read somewhere that it was about 5% more.

I think it was on my copy of the internet, so it must be true.

Oddjob62

Mr Plum wrote:

apparently it can be 'dangerous' for those who suffer with asthma. Maybe someone with a bit of medical knowledge will be able to tell me that this is BS?

I'm definitely more wheezy during a cold weather ride.

Blue Meanie

If you have to ride in the cold, always remember to MTFU first. I've always found this helps.

EKE_38BPM

gtvlusso wrote:

Blah blah blah - sweaty when I get to work - blah blah blah

Try venting before you get sweaty so you don't freeze when stationary.

fossyant

If you are perfectly healthy, then not an issue, wear the right stuff.

The only thing I've noticed, is the cold is cracking up my skin under my eyes (the thin delicate stuff) - even having to use moisturiser...oh heck........ (oh and I wear cycling specs)......

hfidgen

Judging by my hacking cough and the prodigious quantity of snot bubbling around...

Probably not.

robz400

Maybe but the confused looks you get from drivers when sat at the lights on a freezing Sunday afternoon more than makes up for it :-)

notsoblue

fossyant wrote:

If you are perfectly healthy, then not an issue, wear the right stuff.

The only thing I've noticed, is the cold is cracking up my skin under my eyes (the thin delicate stuff) - even having to use moisturiser...oh heck........ (oh and I wear cycling specs)......

I get the same and I always figured this was because my eyes water more when its cold and the salty residue it leaves on the skin under the eyes dries it out.

If my hands and feet are warm, its dry, theres no black ice, and I've had a good 20 minutes of cycling at pace to get warmed up, then I love cycling in the winter....

Initialised

www.allsportmedical.co.uk wrote:

Moderate – High Intensity Exercise

During Moderate – high intensity exercises such as running or cycling there is little concern for core temperature due to the heat generated through the exercise. It is only when the air temperature reaches -10 oC that a loss of performance will become a factor.

Link

At -10C my snots and tears start to freeze.

secretsam

It's not good if you come off on black ice

Frankly, I'm scared sh17less riding on untreated roads when it's cold, for fear of having another near-fractured-hip experience

meanredspider

I've not noticed any Ill effects other than dry lips. My wife bought me some insanely expensive lip balm stuff endorsed by American Football or something. Those guys play in extremely low temps. There are plenty of other sports played at very low temps so the MTFU advice is probably the best.

pshore

gtvlusso wrote:

Is riding in the cold any good for you?

Hell yeah. When you are the only one left in the office who is cycling still cycling in, you can crown yourself as the winner of MTFU. It make's SCR seem like childs play.

cyclopsbiker

pshore wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

Is riding in the cold any good for you?

Hell yeah. When you are the only one left in the office who is cycling still cycling in, you can crown yourself as the winner of MTFU. It make's SCR seem like childs play.

yey, I hereby crown myself as winner of MTFU. on at least 2 occasions in the last 2 weeks I've been the only cyclist cycling to work. yippeee. kinda reminds me that while I'm having a tough time cycling it's still worth it

pshore

I am crowning my self winner of MTFU for those who commute into the city rather than across it. I don't count a 10min jaunt across town as an entry for MTFU.

Still, I have paid for my efforts, 2 days off sick, going back in on the motorbike today then back to the cycle the next.

[BA Baracus voice on] I pity those fools who say they cannot get to work any other way than by car. My response is that you can walk the 7 miles home. MTFU. We did not win two world wars and conquer everest and the pole with today's 'man' attitude.

prb007

Surely it's just bloody-mindedness, riding when the mercury is lower than minus a couple? :shock:

MTB in the snow is fine, I find and is actually quite a laugh, plus I generate more heat when working harder at (comparitevely) lower speeds.

I work 7/7, 12hr shifts, so the thought of my 40min/12 mile commute on dark, salty, icy,
sh!tty roads at 06.00hrs leaves me cold (pun intended).

Call me a fair-weather cyclist if you like, but will be getting my heart rate up via other methods until the temps get to the right side of zero!

prb007

Pedro Delgado 1988

prb007

or maybe I should MTFU, like this girl ... hardcore or what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUREhsg1 ... _embedded#!