Cold cycling questions
suzyb
Posts: 3,449
The past couple of rides I've found my chest get quite painful, presumably due to breathing in the freezing cold air. Would wearing a buff and pulling it up over my mouth solve that.
Also when I got back in and went for a shower patches on the tops of my legs got really red and a bit sore. Will that have anything to do with going from the cold to the warm so quickly.
Also when I got back in and went for a shower patches on the tops of my legs got really red and a bit sore. Will that have anything to do with going from the cold to the warm so quickly.
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suzyb wrote:The past couple of rides I've found my chest get quite painful, presumably due to breathing in the freezing cold air. Would wearing a buff and pulling it up over my mouth solve that.
Also when I got back in and went for a shower patches on the tops of my legs got really red and a bit sore. Will that have anything to do with going from the cold to the warm so quickly.
1. Not a whole hell of a lot - keeps your face warmer though
2. Yup. Wear warmer legwear - I added a layer and it cured the issue/Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
I wear Shutt Roubaix tights over bib shorts - if there is one part of me that is always (in the cold) at the right temperature it is my legs. As for top half - there are two bib layers under a base layer, a softshell and a fluoro jacket. Today I was too warm rather than too cold.
Buff over face makes breathing a bit awkward on climbs. I usually wear one around my neck to stop draughts getting in, one semi balaclava style (back of head to chin) and an Aldi fleecy under helmet cap to leave eyes to mouth uncovered. That's generally fine for me.Faster than a tent.......0 -
I am asthmatic and find that wearing a buff over my mouth/nose helps to warm the air a little bit before breathing it in. you should find it does help a bit, why not give it a go0
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just wear normal tights, wooly or otherwise, that'll add a layer under the lycra and baggies0
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About the breathing in of cold air..I use a Respro pollution mask. It has the added benefit that it warms my face, and stops me breathing in cold air. It makes quite a big difference, something I didn't think about when I brought it. If your commute is quite long though, the filters get blocked up with moisture 'n stuff0
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I've no personal experience of this company but am told their kit is good and available in a wide range of sizes
http://www.corinnedennis.co.uk/longs.html?gender=1
Looks reasonably priced too so may be worth a go.0 -
suzyb wrote:The past couple of rides I've found my chest get quite painful, presumably due to breathing in the freezing cold air. Would wearing a buff and pulling it up over my mouth solve that.
Also when I got back in and went for a shower patches on the tops of my legs got really red and a bit sore. Will that have anything to do with going from the cold to the warm so quickly.
I believe one of the purposes of the throat is to warm air before it gets to the lungs. If your body is cold then perhaps there is not enough warmth in your throat to do its job properly.
Definitely wear more. For -2 degrees I wear cycle shorts, thermal long johns, then long trousers. Up top I have sports t-shirt, merino long sleeve, windproof coat. Then I have a neck tube, then hat. I am very toasty after 10-15 mins.0 -
pshore wrote:suzyb wrote:The past couple of rides I've found my chest get quite painful, presumably due to breathing in the freezing cold air. Would wearing a buff and pulling it up over my mouth solve that.
Also when I got back in and went for a shower patches on the tops of my legs got really red and a bit sore. Will that have anything to do with going from the cold to the warm so quickly.
I believe one of the purposes of the throat is to warm air before it gets to the lungs. If your body is cold then perhaps there is not enough warmth in your throat to do its job properly.
Definitely wear more. For -2 degrees I wear cycle shorts, thermal long johns, then long trousers. Up top I have sports t-shirt, merino long sleeve, windproof coat. Then I have a neck tube, then hat. I am very toasty after 10-15 mins.
Not so sure about the throat, but the nose is a heat exchanger in some species:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Af7I ... ng&f=false
Perhaps you should just breath through your nose more?0 -
notsoblue wrote:Perhaps you should just breath through your nose more?
For sure - it will help moisturise the dry air too (cold air = dry air). Personally, I can't really see how a buff or any filter will warm the air - unless it's directing it/drawing it over a warm surface on its way in.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
notsoblue wrote:
I believe one of the purposes of the throat is to warm air before it gets to the lungs. If your body is cold then perhaps there is not enough warmth in your throat to do its job properly.
Definitely wear more. For -2 degrees I wear cycle shorts, thermal long johns, then long trousers. Up top I have sports t-shirt, merino long sleeve, windproof coat. Then I have a neck tube, then hat. I am very toasty after 10-15 mins.
Not so sure about the throat, but the nose is a heat exchanger in some species:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Af7I ... ng&f=false
Perhaps you should just breath through your nose more? [/quote]
The large Neanderthal nose is generally considered to have been a cold adaptation.
I can't imagine breathing in with my mouth whilst cycling - forget the cold, it'd get pretty dry and sore. and my buff would get utterly manky if I covered my mouth with it...0 -
I do cover my mouth with a Buff if it's really cold, but I also find it makes it harder to breathe in. Hard enough to notice, at least. I also find that I have to pull my lips in over my teeth (like I'm trying to be a gummy old man), because that helps stop the Buff getting sucked in and blocking my mouth even more. All in all, it's a bit of a help, but the downside means I pull it down as soon as I've warmed up.0
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I always dress up up in MTFU before riding in the cold, seems to work.FCN16 - 1970 BSA Wayfarer
FCN4 - Fixie Inc0 -
meanredspider wrote:notsoblue wrote:Perhaps you should just breath through your nose more?
For sure - it will help moisturise the dry air too (cold air = dry air). Personally, I can't really see how a buff or any filter will warm the air - unless it's directing it/drawing it over a warm surface on its way in.
The warm, moist exhaled air gets partly trapped inside the buff or facemask, which helps to warm fresh air coming in. You could always try going gimpy like MonkeyMonster and me (and a surprising number of other cyclists I might add), but they take some getting used to and can be a world of snot, dribble and sweat on a bad day. They do restrict your breathing a bit, particularly if you get a lot of condensation building up, which you do on a cold day, but then the cold air is restricting your breathing anyway.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
rjsterry wrote:The warm, moist exhaled air gets partly trapped inside the buff or facemask, which helps to warm fresh air coming in.
I believe youROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
meanredspider wrote:rjsterry wrote:The warm, moist exhaled air gets partly trapped inside the buff or facemask, which helps to warm fresh air coming in.
I believe you
That might not be the exact mechanism, but it certainly works one way or t'other.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
If you start googling about this subject, hits often mention "Cold induced asthma". If you think your suffering is abnormal it might be a good idea to visit the quack.0
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rjsterry wrote:That might not be the exact mechanism, but it certainly works one way or t'other.
I'm sure it has a bit of an effect but, as a heat-exchanger (and moisture system), I can't imagine it's particularly effective. I tried a buff over my face once just to keep the cold off but it just got soggy and I struggled to breathe through it.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
meanredspider wrote:rjsterry wrote:That might not be the exact mechanism, but it certainly works one way or t'other.
I'm sure it has a bit of an effect but, as a heat-exchanger (and moisture system), I can't imagine it's particularly effective. I tried a buff over my face once just to keep the cold off but it just got soggy and I struggled to breathe through it.
I'm talking about a proper facemask (bought initially for the filthy London air, but proving useful in the cold also), so it's closely fitted around the face rather than loosely covering it, and has exhaust vents to make breathing out easier. I can see that a buff might not be much better than wrapping a scarf over your face as I used to do when riding in winter in my teens. It does get pretty soggy, in there, but that's a good thing. Part of the problem with very cold air is that it is also generally very dry - being cold, water vapour condenses out.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
rjsterry wrote:cold air is that it is also generally very dry - being cold, water vapour condenses out.
Yup - that bit of it makes some sense. Cold air is very dry &, apparently, is one of the reasons for more colds in the winter than summer. It's why breathing in through your nose, though, helps your lungs. I guess a mask acts as an extension of that system. Keeping it clean, though, must be a bind.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
Replaceable filters.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0