Winter prep and purchases

anonymousblackfg

Do remember the cartilage in your knees don't have much blood supply to keep them warm and subtle in cold weather...

I got fed up of replacing crap on my bike so hence the fixed with discs setup, but I've even snapped an 1 1/8" chain after 18 months on that.

meanredspider

Coach H wrote:

I don't do cold but IMO you need to be a bit overdressed rather than underdressed in Winter.

Don't totally agree. You need to carry clothes if you need them (I always carry a windproof jacket and an emergency foil blanket). Worse is that you get hot and sweaty in too much gear and then stop and get cold because you're soaked in your own sweat.

cookeeemonster

Coach H wrote:

I don't do cold but IMO you need to be a bit overdressed rather than underdressed in Winter.
All the people who rejoice is telling the world how they can ride in single figure temps in shorts or at worst knee warmers obviously have never had the joy of having a puncture/mechanical in an exposed location. Once the shivering starts (and it will) they all wish they had put longs on and not been quite so smug.

A few years ago I had to escort someone home who I found at the side of the road shaking uncontrollably trying in vain to fix a puncture. Single digit temps and even lower with the wind chill but this guy was out in shorts, ss jersey and armwarmers no hat as he 'ran hot' and was fine before he stopped. Took us over an hour to get him the 5 miles to his house. His wife's relief and thanks turned into outrage and scorn just as I turned off his drive!!

Yeah it's worth packing a jacket at least if you're not going out in much when its cold. But longs...no. Just no. I'll say it again....NO.

Don't like the look, but couldn't give a toss what other people wear or ride so please ignore me in favour of common sense and practicality

To be fair it's only my shins that get exposed and I dont feel the cold so much there, but I do get your point about breaking down/puncture etc.

Coach H

meanredspider wrote:

Coach H wrote:

I don't do cold but IMO you need to be a bit overdressed rather than underdressed in Winter.

Don't totally agree. You need to carry clothes if you need them (I always carry a windproof jacket and an emergency foil blanket). Worse is that you get hot and sweaty in too much gear and then stop and get cold because you're soaked in your own sweat.

Correct. Perhaps I should have put 'bit' in bold.

Just for interest (or being a pedant) but how do you keep your bottom half warm with a foil blanket if you have gone out wearing shorts? Do you wear it like a sarong?

roger_merriman

Coach H wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Coach H wrote:

I don't do cold but IMO you need to be a bit overdressed rather than underdressed in Winter.

Don't totally agree. You need to carry clothes if you need them (I always carry a windproof jacket and an emergency foil blanket). Worse is that you get hot and sweaty in too much gear and then stop and get cold because you're soaked in your own sweat.

Correct. Perhaps I should have put 'bit' in bold.

Just for interest (or being a pedant) but how do you keep your bottom half warm with a foil blanket if you have gone out wearing shorts? Do you wear it like a sarong?

surely a lot is about knowing how your body copes with cold? and time and place.

I run ridiculously hot and have and still do spend time in the high hills, even with a mechanical I'm comfortable down to -20 in baselayer plus a jacket if there is a wind.

But this is rather a tangent for commuting where most are in warm urban places.

meanredspider

Coach H wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Coach H wrote:

I don't do cold but IMO you need to be a bit overdressed rather than underdressed in Winter.

Don't totally agree. You need to carry clothes if you need them (I always carry a windproof jacket and an emergency foil blanket). Worse is that you get hot and sweaty in too much gear and then stop and get cold because you're soaked in your own sweat.

Correct. Perhaps I should have put 'bit' in bold.

Just for interest (or being a pedant) but how do you keep your bottom half warm with a foil blanket if you have gone out wearing shorts? Do you wear it like a sarong?

Dunno - never come close to needing it. I tend not to feel the cold and, certainly, if my top half is warm I'm fine. I mostly carried it in case of an accident. In fact the first one I gave up to a kid that had broken his collarbone on one of LA's Twitter Rides.

Generally, though, I agree with the comment that you need to know your own body - dress accordingly and carry what you need if things go wrong (even if that's just a mobile phone for a taxi or your wife to rescue you)

k1875

I've been giving some thought to a belt drive contraption as a winter steed but have literally no experience of such things. Good plan ? Any suggestions ?

asprilla

I used to have one.

The belt did exactly what I was supposed to and required no maintenance at all.

I did snap a belt 5 miles from home after I over tightened it, which was a pain. My biggest issue was pairing with an Alfine hub which had an uneven spread of gears and was mad from small bits of neutron star.

Initialised

Contemplating either 30mm Winters or 35mm Marathon Winters for the road bike. I have some 26" Snow studs for the MTB so will probably just stick them on and for the worst days or when I want to get off the roads.

Fettle wise I'll be vaselining all my nuts and bolts, and that gap between the cranks and the BB, trimming and bleeding the brake lines on both, the MTB needs a rear brake swap and the grips are going to need drilling off as the heads of the bolts are chewed up.

andrewc3142

OK, correction to earlier post. Just ordered a Blaze rear light. I've been using the Exposure Race Maxx front for a few years now and very happy with it so reckon this should also be good.

daddy0

I've decided I can't afford a decent enough bike with discs.

So, as my Franken-Hybrid is half decent (a Scott Sportster with Kinesis CX forks weighing in about 10kg), I am sorting it out with the following:
2 x 25mm GP 4 seasons
A Charge Spoon saddle
Clarks Aqua-Guide V brake pads
A set of Crud Road Racer guards
A new set of Jagwire brake and gear cables

It might also inherit some well used Fulcrum 5s as best bike needs new wheels. Should bring the weight down a bit and make it a tad quicker; its current wheels are heavy, not too round and don't roll very well... Anyone seen any good wheels less than £200?

Also bought myself some extra gear, i.e.:
Some DhB toe covers
A pair of Sportful No-Rain leg warmers

Almost ready for winter then, just need to give the Scott some TLC with a heavy fettle session.

rubertoe

Tortec reflectors tiagra Cassette and I am winterised.

cyclingprop

Daddy0 wrote:

I've decided I can't afford a decent enough bike with discs.

So, as my Franken-Hybrid is half decent (a Scott Sportster with Kinesis CX forks weighing in about 10kg), I am sorting it out with the following:
2 x 25mm GP 4 seasons
A Charge Spoon saddle
Clarks Aqua-Guide V brake pads
A set of Crud Road Racer guards
A new set of Jagwire brake and gear cables

It might also inherit some well used Fulcrum 5s as best bike needs new wheels. Should bring the weight down a bit and make it a tad quicker; its current wheels are heavy, not too round and don't roll very well... Anyone seen any good wheels less than £200?

Also bought myself some extra gear, i.e.:
Some DhB toe covers
A pair of Sportful No-Rain leg warmers

Almost ready for winter then, just need to give the Scott some TLC with a heavy fettle session.

http://jagwire.com/products/v/road_elite_sealed_shift (and brake) is what you probably want, rather than just new cables.

daddy0

cyclingprop wrote:

http://jagwire.com/products/v/road_elite_sealed_shift (and brake) is what you probably want, rather than just new cables.

Cheers, I got a couple of these as they were super cheap:

http://www.koo-bikes.com/jagwire-gear-and-brake-cable-kit.html

Kieran_Burns

rubertoe wrote:

Tortec reflectors tiagra Cassette and I am winterised.

You got me thinking...

Well they say we soldier through the Winter so...



Scare the motorists as you go past

cyclingprop

Daddy0 wrote:

cyclingprop wrote:

http://jagwire.com/products/v/road_elite_sealed_shift (and brake) is what you probably want, rather than just new cables.

Cheers, I got a couple of these as they were super cheap:

http://www.koo-bikes.com/jagwire-gear-and-brake-cable-kit.html

Fair play, that is dirt cheap. Another time, fully sealed though!

seajays

Well I got some long Roubaix bib tights (splashed out on a Castelli pair as well as GoreTex), gloves, some long sleeved base layers and one of the dhb Roubaix Windslam jersey's. This morning it was down to 3°C, so felt a bit chill when I took the dog out first (had my leg/arm warmers on), so decided to give the jersey a go, on top of my short sleeve/arm warmers - plus balaclava. Phew - warm or what!

My only dilemma just now is that for the long bibs I was waiting, as although the morning's are cold enough for them, the evenings are still pretty warm - at some point I'll have to make the switch over though.

Also ordered some new Schwalbe Winter tyres from advice elsewhere on here. Think I'm going to need them at some point so best be ready. Don't think I can go whole wheelset yet though (given I just splashed out on the above), so figure I'll change them when the conditions have changed enough and then leave them on and use the inflation/deflation technique they talk about for when I really need the spikes. Extra drag = Extra exercise!

seajays

Colleague at work thought it was already too cold for anyone to cycle - emailed me this: