Performance in the cold

dynamokev

Hi All

I'm pretty new to this cycling lark having started in April this year (too many running inuries!). Been pretty spoilt weather wise so far, so I've been improving quickly over the summer. However, in colder temperatures (this week especially in the VERY early morning) I've been a good 3-4mins slower over my regular 17.5 mile route. I've read about higher air density/resistance in colder temps so guess that could be a cause, but suspect a subconscious case of "can't be arsed" creeping in. Does anyone have more experience of this to confirm and any other likely factors?

sungod

over the likely temperature range air density will vary a few %, but it's only one factor...

extra clothing adds both mechanical resistance and drag, oil/grease is a tiny bit more viscous, etc., plus the cba factor of course

sloppyschleckonds

Plus the cda factor of course

N0bodyOfTheGoat

If you are putting the power down, the heat build up from extra insulation layers can limit your output.

kingrollo

Some of your energy is used keeping warm.

A dip in performance is pretty much the norm over the winter months....

Bottom briquettes

It depends how early, is early, and if your lights are any good ( if you’re riding in the dark ).Personally, I find I subconsciously slow down, when I can’t see as much, when it’s dark. I also slow down because it’s ‘typically’ colder, and I really don’t like wind chill. There’s only so much decent cycling kit can mitigate. I find these things have a bigger effect on speed, than things like air density and so on, and so forth.

imposter2.0

Bottom briquettes wrote:

It depends how early, is early, and if your lights are any good ( if you’re riding in the dark ).Personally, I find I subconsciously slow down, when I can’t see as much, when it’s dark. I also slow down because it’s ‘typically’ colder, and I really don’t like wind chill. There’s only so much decent cycling kit can mitigate. I find these things have a bigger effect on speed, than things like air density and so on, and so forth.

Not forgetting the 35kg backpack - that can't be helping either...

dynamokev

Thanks all - in terms of time, we're talking about 4:30am, so dark and cold (last couple of days have been 4-7 degrees when I've been more used to at least 12+). Wearing pretty thick gloves mean shifting hasn't exactly been so precise and I think there is an element of being slightly more tentative in the dark (I've got pretty bright lights that allow me to see OK but it still feels like a bit of a leap of faith as it were!). This is done before going out to work, so thankfully no additional weight in terms of backpack/panniers etc.

keef66

The 35kg backpack is a running joke from another of Mr Briquette's posts..

Christ, If I was going out at 4:30 I doubt I'd be going as fast as I do in the warm / dry / daylight. I admire your dedication / enthusiasm / obsession.

Every year Garmin tells me I'm about 2mph slower in winter

dynamokev

From this morning's ride that sounds about right. Work from home on Thursdays so get to ride in the daylight and today about 15 degrees. Hey presto - 3 minutes quicker than yesterday or Monday. 17.5 miles in a smidgen over 50 minutes, so just under 21mph average. I think there's a definitely an element of tentativeness in the dark and gear selection is a bit trickier. Doesn't help that I recently changed bike from one with a triple chainring and bar end shifters to one with a double and brifters, and I'm still getting used to them.

Bottom briquettes

Imposter wrote:

Bottom briquettes wrote:

It depends how early, is early, and if your lights are any good ( if you’re riding in the dark ).Personally, I find I subconsciously slow down, when I can’t see as much, when it’s dark. I also slow down because it’s ‘typically’ colder, and I really don’t like wind chill. There’s only so much decent cycling kit can mitigate. I find these things have a bigger effect on speed, than things like air density and so on, and so forth.

Not forgetting the 35kg backpack - that can't be helping either...

True.

imposter2.0

Bottom briquettes wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Bottom briquettes wrote:

It depends how early, is early, and if your lights are any good ( if you’re riding in the dark ).Personally, I find I subconsciously slow down, when I can’t see as much, when it’s dark. I also slow down because it’s ‘typically’ colder, and I really don’t like wind chill. There’s only so much decent cycling kit can mitigate. I find these things have a bigger effect on speed, than things like air density and so on, and so forth.

Not forgetting the 35kg backpack - that can't be helping either...

True.

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

Matthewfalle

Dynamokev wrote:

From this morning's ride that sounds about right. Work from home on Thursdays so get to ride in the daylight and today about 15 degrees. Hey presto - 3 minutes quicker than yesterday or Monday. 17.5 miles in a smidgen over 50 minutes, so just under 21mph average. I think there's a definitely an element of tentativeness in the dark and gear selection is a bit trickier. Doesn't help that I recently changed bike from one with a triple chainring and bar end shifters to one with a double and brifters, and I'm still getting used to them.

why is gear selection trickier? or is that only now you have changed bicycles?

dynamokev

Gear selection trickier due to 1) going from bar end shifters to brifters 2) getting used to a double chainring from a triple 3) having to wear thicker gloves and 4) being so dark I can't see what gear I'm in!

paulwood

lots of reasons for going slower in the cold. for me it is mainly road surfaces, just taking it slightly easier through the corners in case of damp and gravel can soon mount up to an appreciable slower time. Also warming up takes longer

sam_anon

But what about the denser air you breath meaning your cardio system is more efficient?

imposter2.0

sam anon wrote:

But what about the denser air you breath meaning your cardio system is more efficient?

Colder air may be more dense, but the proportion of oxygen content does not actually change, as far as I'm aware...

keezx

Even when that's true, taking in more oxygen doed not mean that more oxygen reaches the muscles....limited by the cardiovascular system...

sam_anon

sam anon wrote:

But what about the denser air you breath meaning your cardio system is more efficient?

This was meant with a large degree of jest!

shimanobottombracket

Keezx wrote:

Even when that's true, taking in more oxygen doed not mean that more oxygen reaches the muscles....limited by the cardiovascular system...

That sucks ass! The human body is pretty shetty in this regard. You'd think that more oxygen breathed due to denser air would mean more oxygen hitting the muscles. Yet we have to breath much faster during a workout. Could someone explain this mechanism in lay terms?

lakesluddite

Glad it's not just me then (although I suspected it wasn't). I've also been setting off and doing a fair chunk of my morning commute in the dark, and when the mercury hovers around 3-6c I get to work, look at the average speed and wonder what the hell is wrong with me!
Chapeau at setting off at 4.30am though - that's the middle of the sodding night!

dynamokev

It's the only time I can fit any exercise in! By the time I'm home from a (very long) commute and sorted stuff at home out (kids to bed, wash up, feed cats bah blah blah) it's time for bed, so crack of dawn it is!! You get surprisingly used to it once in the routine believe it or not!

roger_merriman

For commuting yes the extra layers, hinder. For road riding I run hot and if anything suffer more in the summer so unless it’s slippery etc then I’ve personally not noted any correlation, which I do for commuting not so much for time to work but less likely to push it on a section etc as it feels a lot heavier.

Bumo_b

Good article here.
https://www.icebike.org/this-is-why-you ... he-winter/

Killerclown

Imposter wrote:

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/libel

bondurant

From that link...bolded the important part for you:

Libel is the act of publishing a statement about someone that is not true and that gives a bad impression about the person.

shortfall

Killerclown wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/libel

Better men than me will know whether it's actually even possible to defame the anonymous, but the issue is further clouded by the fact that your seeming objection is to comments that are directed towards Bottom Briquettes, who in another thread you claimed wasn't you, but that you did know each other (if I'm not mistaken).

Really, this is too funny. I'd quit whilst you're behind.

PhilipPirrip

Shortfall wrote:

Killerclown wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/libel

Better men than me will know whether it's actually possible to defame the anonymous, but the issue is further clouded by the fact that you seem to be objecting to comments aimed at Bottom Briquettes who in another thread you alluded to being a different person to yourself (although you also claimed to know each other).

Really, this is too funny. I'd quit whilst you're behind.

I suspect it's time for ButtMuncher to create another pseudonym and talk of his other dopples in the third person.

Brakeless

Killerclown wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/libel

Milemuncher, Bottombriquettes, Killer Clown, Nicholas Prendiville - the gift that keeps on giving.

svetty

Brakeless wrote:

Killerclown wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/libel

Milemuncher, Bottombriquettes, Killer Clown, Nicholas Prendiville - the gift that keeps on giving.

You missed out Bikergrovish!

imposter2.0

Killerclown wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Or not. I'm going with 'not'. You've been caught telling lies so many times, I'm beginning to lose count...

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/libel

This would be hilarious if it wasn’t so desperately and predictably tragic. Let me know when your legal team has prepared its case Walt, I’ll give you my address...