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The worst "cold" is this when it hovers around -2 / +2 and you get constant freeze/thaw, icy patches, black ice, melting snow (which then sprays freezing water over everything).
I'd far rather it drop to a constant -5 or so and then just stay there; you get far better conditions for riding like frozen mud and snow that stays as snow rather than melting and then freezing into sheet ice.
Lovely out today, not too cold at all but enough snow and ice that road riding anywhere but the main road would have been a big no. Fine for the MTB (wife) and running (me) up in the hills though, a bit of walking and slithering around but that's all part of the fun.
Hmm
Winter 2010-2011 I drove to Swinnos. It said -12 and although the roads were clear the car felt like it was driving through glue. Swinnos said it was -15 in the forest when they got there. I went for a ride in the afternoon just a fireroad bimble and it was fricken cold in the valleys. I skidded off on some ice broke through to the shallow puddle and my bike froze to the ground
So for me it has to be above zero.
-5 out on the tops today. Felt fine, lovely grippy crunchy snow.
Dropper post actuator froze stuck in the open position, which was fun to sort out as it involved taking off grips and trigger so I could get it out of the frame.
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Only minus one or two up the hill yesterday, but felt colder in the open with the windchill and I had to do a wee on my gears to make them work properly.
The worst "cold" is this when it hovers around -2 / +2 and you get constant freeze/thaw, icy patches, black ice, melting snow (which then sprays freezing water over everything).
That - I was soooooo cold yesterday, but it was mainly because I got soaked early on - stupidly forgot the Sealskins and overshoes, and the water repellent leggings just weren't once sufficiently doused.
Before I left Canada, I used to ride regularly through the winter.
This isn't me, of course, but it is of a rider in Quebec - so turf I used to call my own...
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Ultimately, I am a firm believer in the 'no bad weather, just the wrong clothing' school of thought. Except when it rains. Rain definitely equals bad weather.
I worked in a commercial freezer for a while as a teenager -32c was the norm, dragging cages of frozen food about the place in crap, worn, damaged and half missing kit, you get used to it.
Was -3c at the weekend, once I had my base, mid and jacket on I was fine, pair of 100% briskers, 'summer' shorts and coolmax socks, BUT and it's a big BUT it was so cold, it was dry - it's cold and wet I hate. Last winter I rode in FOD at -6 and honestly it was lovely, I'd much rather that that than a +5c soaking wet.
For me the big thing is being able to carry an extra layer or two if I have to stop.
If it's really cold then the main thing is not to have too much clothing on that you sweat since as soon as you stop it will either freeze (if it's really, really cold) or seriously chill you. Better to be slightly cold when starting and only just warm enough when riding. Several layers that you can vent to maintain temperature are key.
+1 about planning for stops. Have commuted in, but only later thought properly about the implications of crash or mechanical in minus stupid.
@martinhutch - Weets Top?
Aye. Same old, same old! Was actually a lot nicer to ride up than normally.
The worst "cold" is this when it hovers around -2 / +2 and you get constant freeze/thaw, icy patches, black ice, melting snow (which then sprays freezing water over everything).
Exactly. So much worse than proper crispy frozen cold.
Me water bottle turned into a slush puppy once.
Rode on sunday. Car said minus 9.5. Fingertips were only issue (along with my camelback tube freezing) but trails were so fast. Toes were cold at end of a long fast descent but i only had 1 pair of socks on..
coldest I have been out in was around minus 25. It was fine. Minus 8 including windchill. Perfectly OK
I've seem -20ºC on my bike thermometer up on high ground and been warm enough.
But that's too cold because the shrinkage of a piece of essential man equipment means you need to rummage around with tweezers to find it when you need a pee.
One midweek afternoon about 10 years ago, I got caught in a snow blizzard (by South of England standards). Had popped out after lunch for a 3hr spin around the Surrey Hills when suddenly - and without forecast - snow began to fall. And on it went for the rest of the day.
Remember speaking to a horse rider and the two of us saying words to the effect of "Where the blazers did that come from? That wasn't on the forecast."
My feet were ice blocks over the last few miles but the trails were crunchy and epic.
In this part of Germany it can get really cold and seeing as most of the riding I do is after 9pm I am often out in temperatures well below -10. I think the coldest I have ridden was -25 and this was so cold it froze my Shimano disc brakes. It’s only when there has been a lot of snow tand then the thaw starts that I turn to the turbo as the roads or trails become so treacherous at night because all the melting water turns to sheet ice and you can’t really ride it at any kind of pace anyway.
Just been to Lapland and they say when it gets to -50 they just stay indoors
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-41914876
"Verkhoyansk fights over the title of the coldest village in the world with Oymyakon, an area to the south-east of the town.
However, it holds the Guinness World Record for the greatest temperature range on Earth, from -67.8C in winter to 37.3C in summer."