Winter Preperations

tptvmbircn

I don't want to put the downers on anyone but its going to happen!

after a bike setup i've got planned which should be perfect from last years experience the one thing that bugged me was face wear. I have the buff but wanted to go a bit out of my depth to keep those elements off.

The idea's:

1. Paintball mask? something on the lines of this and the helmet will accopany it on top.

2. full face helmet with gogg's?

3. you're suggestion's?

I'm also considering safety, being up in the north east it does get pretty bad indeed!

Blue Meanie

For winter riding I'd recommend some MTFU applied before every ride.

Seriously though, last winter I wore a 'buff' up to my chin (can't stand anything covering mouth/nose), a skull cap under my helmet (I only wear a helmet when I think I might come off) and some clear or yellow lenses. Yeah sometimes the headwind was biting cold, but your blood's warm and circulating.
I made it to work every day of Nov/Dec/Jan on the bike and only had one off (stupid land rover).
I also bedecked myself in scotchlight, decent lights and even a flourescent ankle band thing (not very Blue Meanie, but hey ho)

Stanners79

those goggles will steam up no matter how much anti fog spray/cleaner you apply to them.

best bet is get a buff as that helped me all over the last two winters

The Rookie

Buff here, plus soft shell and going from shorts to 3/4 and full finger gloves, that's me sorted down to about the lowest I see (-7 ish last winter).

Simon

MichaelW

Merino buff is good. I use the one from
http://www.chocolatefishmerino.co.uk/ac ... uaras.html

tptvmbircn

Thanks guys, I have a buff and skull cap so think i stick to my MTFU and normal ways haha, my main investments will be studded tyres and new endura waterproofs well the ventrini ones as the're getting good reviews also and my jacked has kicked the bucket!

So should be fine, The other thing is that i heat up quickly and was thinking about the steam, on the plus side could boil up the water bladder on the way in?

Conjoy

The other thing about the masks is that theres evidence that because they dehumanise you, they otice you less, and you are more at risk of accidents. Well, the evidence is that cyclists in masks have more accidents, the theory on why that is, is speculation (could just be that masked cyclists take mroe risks??).

Moodyman

Balaclava - get the motorbiking type so it's thin enough to fit under a helmet and is breathable.

You won't be able to wear glasses if you wear a balaclava (they steam up), but the cold air in your eyes is only a nuisance for the the first 5 mins. Don't worry about dust in your eyes - there isn't any in winter as it's always damp.

Neck, ears and cheeks all nice and toasty. Also, warms the air that you breathe so no constant chesty cough either.

Those folk who say MTFU - nothing manly about freezing your bits off. That's just stoooopid.

meanredspider

We haven't left last winter yet, FFS!

When it's really cold (-5 to -11C), I use a thin balaclava I picked up when snowboarding and a Buff to keep my ears warm. Apart from usual cycling shades, my face is clear - though apply some form of balm to lips to prevent them cracking.

Lobster gloves are a top tip for really cold days over the usual early winter gloves.

will3

Just grow a beard, that'll keep your chin warm.

meanredspider

will3 wrote:

Just grow a beard, that'll keep your chin warm.

Warm chin - cold bed

shouldbeinbed

free C+ buffs x 2: 1 for the chin and cheeks one as a skullcap and ear cover leaving me with the flamboyant ninja look and only my eyes uncovered. worked fine down past zero.

for the properly cold darkness rides (-10 and below) I have a gore windstopper balacalava that is the best £3 bargan bin find I've ever made.

tptvmbircn

So i guess the moral of the story is, ditch the FFH and PBM and stick with the thin layer thermal method

meanredspider wrote:

Lobster gloves are a top tip for really cold days over the usual early winter gloves.

Got some madison ones and they are the best things ever!

shouldbeinbed wrote:

I have a gore windstopper balacalava that is the best £3 bargan bin find I've ever made.

That does look like a good idea, many thanks!

Initialised

North East England or Scotland?

I held out through the snow season in Newcastle. Main tip is to get the Snow Tyres in early as everywhere sells out quickly as soon as the weather forecasts say snow.

Worst temperature was -12C. Goggle/glasses help when it's snowing, flakes in the eye hurt.

Clothing was OK three layers was plenty on top, two on the legs, three on the feet, upto two on the hands, cap and buff on the head and neck.

tptvmbircn

Initialised wrote:

North East England or Scotland?

I held out through the snow season in Newcastle. Main tip is to get the Snow Tyres in early as everywhere sells out quickly as soon as the weather forecasts say snow.

Worst temperature was -12C. Goggle/glasses help when it's snowing, flakes in the eye hurt.

Clothing was OK three layers was plenty on top, two on the legs, three on the feet, upto two on the hands, cap and buff on the head and neck.

north east uk, yes tyres are an issue i did'nt get any last year and stuggled a little bit but was ok, have to agree with the glasses!

meanredspider

The trouble with tyres is hardly anybody stocks them before winter and then it snows and you can't get any.

I bought my Ice Spiker Pros from Germany in the end (cheaper too). Might try some Marathon Winters for the icy but not full-on snow commute.

Another top tip is to keep your feet warm, focus on keeping your legs warm. It doesn't matter how many pairs of socks you have on if the blood arrives at your feet stone cold or in tiny quantities because your blood vessels in your legs have contracted.

tptvmbircn

meanredspider wrote:

Another top tip is to keep your feet warm, focus on keeping your legs warm. It doesn't matter how many pairs of socks you have on if the blood arrives at your feet stone cold or in tiny quantities because your blood vessels in your legs have contracted.

Thanks much appreciated, got overshoes sorted already they make a big difference imo

sheep_go_baa

meanredspider wrote:

The trouble with tyres is hardly anybody stocks them before winter and then it snows and you can't get any.

I bought my Ice Spiker Pros from Germany in the end (cheaper too). Might try some Marathon Winters for the icy but not full-on snow commute.

Where have people got their snow tyres from? What would you recommend, and possibly more importantly what would you avoid? (This is for 26" wheels on a Carrera Subway 1)

meanredspider

sheep_go_baa wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

The trouble with tyres is hardly anybody stocks them before winter and then it snows and you can't get any.

I bought my Ice Spiker Pros from Germany in the end (cheaper too). Might try some Marathon Winters for the icy but not full-on snow commute.

Where have people got their snow tyres from? What would you recommend, and possibly more importantly what would you avoid? (This is for 26" wheels on a Carrera Subway 1)

Got my Spiker Pros from actionsports.de (Germany) - prices & availability better than UK - delivery about a week. I'd waited & waited for Wiggle to get stock in (my only gripe with Wiggle - never order from them if they don't have stock). Colleagues got theirs from actionsports too - all happy. The Marathon Winter looks like a good winter/ice commuting tyre

MichaelW

When the shops run out, you makes spiked tyres very easily. MTB knobblies are good for snow but spikes are for ice.
Get some cheap tyres. I searched all over and found Duro Raider 26x1.75" to have the best pattern for spiking.
Attack them with a bradle and some panhead, self tapping screws, Dremel to length and glue on some patches of inner tube to cover the heads.
There are plenty of DIY instructions around.

meanredspider

MichaelW wrote:

When the shops run out, you makes spiked tyres very easily . MTB knobblies are good for snow but spikes are for ice.
Get some cheap tyres. I searched all over and found Duro Raider 26x1.75" to have the best pattern for spiking.
Attack them with a bradle and some panhead, self tapping screws, Dremel to length and glue on some patches of inner tube to cover the heads.
There are plenty of DIY instructions around.

Doing that 600 times? Very Easy? Ride on tarmac for 30 miles and they'll have disappeared, too. Hmm. Think I'll just get to the shops early.

tptvmbircn

meanredspider wrote:

MichaelW wrote:

When the shops run out, you makes spiked tyres very easily . MTB knobblies are good for snow but spikes are for ice.
Get some cheap tyres. I searched all over and found Duro Raider 26x1.75" to have the best pattern for spiking.
Attack them with a bradle and some panhead, self tapping screws, Dremel to length and glue on some patches of inner tube to cover the heads.
There are plenty of DIY instructions around.

Doing that 600 times? Very Easy? Ride on tarmac for 30 miles and they'll have disappeared, too. Hmm. Think I'll just get to the shops early.

that is a valid point but also a bodger, if i've sourced some fair play if not it might be fun however haha

buy_my_cookies

I did it last year with cheap mtb tyres, worked great but the screw heads will eventually work there way through the spare innertube and into the main innertube.
I tried using a few layers of gaptap as well as innertub to stop them and it still didnt work after about 50miles the screw heads would be attacking the main innertube.

Any ideas on a better protection layer type thing? oh and i will be buying marathoon winters this year but want to keep the home made ones on knobblies for the deep snow.

tptvmbircn

what about a glue gun? or something similar to give the joint a smooth preference for the main innertube?

buy_my_cookies

mmm good thinking batman!!!! never tried that.

tptvmbircn

buy_my_cookies wrote:

mmm good thinking batman!!!! never tried that.

well report back if you get round to it if you don't mind!