COLD!

Post by **jmazza** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:00 pm

Ok Denver area riders, time to test the cold-weather gear...

Yesterday's high was 84, this morning it's around 35 and only going up to 53!

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:27 pm

I know what you mean. The high here is Tucson is only going to be 93. Starting Tuesday, highs are only going to be in the mid-80's. Brrrrr!

Howard

Tristik · Post by **Tristik** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:00 pm

~~
I work 3rd shift so I get the cold temperatures at night and in the morning. Pretty sure I've already had to ride home at temps around 40 or so.

I definitely need better riding gear if I'm gonna drive in those temps. A pair of thin-ish snow pants probably and a decent scarf should do it.

~~

Scooterboi · Post by **Scooterboi** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:36 pm

So far, so good. Broke out the cold weather gear (teens and below) but didn't have to use it.

I do have to switch to the heavier gloves though. The fleece leather gloves just don't quite do it in the mid to low 30's. And the legs were getting a little chilly as well. Time to get out the "skirt" as it looks to be cold for the next week or so.

I actually like when it gets below 40. More room in the M/C parking lot at work.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:59 pm

jmazza wrote:Ok Denver area riders, time to test the cold-weather gear...

Yesterday's high was 84, this morning it's around 35 and only going up to 53!

If you think the cold is bad, wait until you feel the winds rolling down the canyons in Dec and Jan.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:41 pm

High in the 40s or 50s today! Rode around town and was sleeted on! Fall is upon us! Bring it on!

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:29 am

It was a very chilly ride home from work yesterday afternoon.

I'm thinking maybe cold-weather gloves might not be a waste of money after all...

z20k · Post by **z20k** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:38 am

Me and the gf picked up these: http://www.scootertronics.com/armadilli.html

Protection + wind & waterproof. Perfect!

KeLynn · Post by **KeLynn** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:46 pm

I'm in Ohio, the high today is supposed to be 59 and during my commute it was mid-30s.

My core was warm enough - I wore a camisole, tank top, cardigan, down vest, and GoGoGear "military" trench jacket. A huge scarf around my neck.

Boots were leather knee-high boots with Wigwam Belo Zero hunting socks underneath....that did OK for the first 20 minutes or so, but then my toes were freezing. I need a better solution there...do they make heated socks I can plug into my cigarette lighter?

I wore my new Joe Rocket SubZero gauntlet gloves but I couldn't tell you if they were warm or not - I seem to have bought a size too small and my fingers were cold, but maybe from being squeezed so tightly and getting no circulation. They don't look used, but I probably shouldn't return them since I *did* wear them out. Blech.

I just wore jeans, so my thighs were freezing, but after a few minutes they went numb so I didn't feel it anymore...

Looks like I have a few kinks to work out

agrogod · Post by **agrogod** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:03 pm

When all else fails these will do the trick, Foot Warmers.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:07 pm

agrogod wrote:When all else fails these will do the trick, Foot Warmers.

I have considered using something like that but it would be expensive to commute back and forth 5 days a week and have to use a pair for each commute, plus the green chemist in me is rather bothered by one use heat sources

For me the quintessential piece of gear for winter commuting has to be the Tucano Urbano Termoscud, along with a set of their handlebar muffs

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:09 pm

First frost this morning, with air temps around 40F. Not quite cold enough to require switching to the leather jacket, but I broke out the face/neck gaiter, and got back into the habit of breathing down instead of into the face shield.

Probably not directly to blame on the cold, but I think my battery is finally on its last legs (3.5 years, almost 18K miles). The past week or two I've frequently had to kickstart the scooter first thing in the morning, or after it's been sitting all day. Putting it on the battery tender overnight helped, but that didn't last. I'm contemplating whether to replace the battery now, or wait until Spring, so I don't have to worry about keeping a new one charged over the Winter.

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:28 pm

Lokky wrote:For me the quintessential piece of gear for winter commuting has to be the Tucano Urbano Termoscud, along with a set of their handlebar muffs

+1
I will tout the usefulness of these the rest of my life, whether I ride again or not. The lined lap cover helps the frozen-thighs thing, and cuts down wind to the feet. It'll keep you dry in rain, and the seat also while you're indoors doing whatever. But it's def not perfect for 40 or below... invest in long johns, and thermal socks.

I haven't fixed the heat in my house yet- the HVAC contractor just came today for a consultation. I wasn't prepared for this cold! Had no idea it was gonna happen! Last night was probably 30, today has been mid 40's, but my house is a really old one with lots of brick and concrete, so it's colder in here than outside... time for the space heater, cashmere socks, flannel pjs, robe, and forcing my cats under the covers with me.

The forecast alleges that starting tomorrow, the days go back up into the mid and high 60's, so hopefully the house will warm up a little again...

ed85379 · Post by **ed85379** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 11:00 pm

Lokky wrote: For me the quintessential piece of gear for winter commuting has to be the Tucano Urbano Termoscud, along with a set of their handlebar muffs

I got the apron last year, because it was advertised as being able to just be rolled up out of the way. I tried it on once... and it just seemed so big and unwieldy, and it takes way too long to take it on and off. So I never ended up using it. Also, I ended up not actually riding below 33 degrees for fear of black ice after I went down once. I was pretty much okay wearing long underwear.

I was also using heated glove liners last year, and while they did keep my hands warm, they also made it more difficult to use my hands in general because of the tightness and the big battery pack on my wrist.

So this year, I ordered a set of HippoHands (http://www.hippohands.com/scooters.htm) handlebar muffs. I tried putting them on already, and they went on quickly and easily. They make a set specifically for the Genuine Buddy, with a cutout for the DOT turn signal, and it worked over my windshield hardware as well. I plan to write up a review of them on here once I actually get the chance to use them when it gets colder.

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:29 am

Handlebar muffs are pretty much the only way to keep your hands from shrieking in pain on a bike in really cold temps. Even heated grips don't do enough as the wind flowing over the tops of your gloves will just leach the heat away. Your fingers and toes are at the extreme distal end of your circulation so they will suffer the most. Your feet are pretty well protected in boots behind the leg shield of a scooter but not your hands!

My battery is 4 years old (and >30k miles) and it wasn't holding the charge this morning in ~28 degrees. My heated grips wouldn't stay on and my fingers were killing me long before I got to work. Granted, my commute is over 20 miles at speeds generally over 50-55 bmph so it gets pretty cold.

I'll throw on my handlebar muffs in the morning if it's cold again. I don't care how dorky they look. I mean, I ride a scooter, ya know?

Oparu · Post by **Oparu** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:46 am

Last year, I wore a down jacket with lined gloves. I also wore flannel lined jeans from Eddie Bauer. It takes about 45 minutes each way and the clothes kept me from freezing. I'm trying gaiters this year to keep the wind from going up my pants. The pants are a little too thick to tuck in my boots.

SYMbionic Duo · Post by **SYMbionic Duo** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:04 am

It's been in the 30's here during my morning commute. Which just means that i have to close the vents on my jacket.

Saturday night it was 38 and i was cold standing around in my kilt, but on the Stella, was fine. go figure.

I think that once it gets into the teens, I'll put the lining into my jacket.

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:22 pm

I rode both Saturday and Sunday mornings!!
Saturday out the door temp was 43, Sunday's was 38.
But it was SOOOO much fun

KC had a MOD v Rockers

Post by **jmazza** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 4:43 pm

It was about 38 this morning when I rode in. Not bad at all except I couldn't find my cold weather gloves and my summer ones (with mesh and vents) were not a great idea!

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 12:09 am

ed85379 wrote:
Lokky wrote: For me the quintessential piece of gear for winter commuting has to be the Tucano Urbano Termoscud, along with a set of their handlebar muffs
I got the apron last year, because it was advertised as being able to just be rolled up out of the way. I tried it on once... and it just seemed so big and unwieldy, and it takes way too long to take it on and off. So I never ended up using it.

Did you get an actually Tucano Urbano one or a generic knockoff?

The Tucano ones come in many different sizes and are tailored to specific models.
For luna's buddy we ordered the ET4 model and it worked pretty darn well, it rolled out of the way just fine.

ed85379 · Post by **ed85379** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:55 am

Lokky wrote:
ed85379 wrote:
Lokky wrote: For me the quintessential piece of gear for winter commuting has to be the Tucano Urbano Termoscud, along with a set of their handlebar muffs
I got the apron last year, because it was advertised as being able to just be rolled up out of the way. I tried it on once... and it just seemed so big and unwieldy, and it takes way too long to take it on and off. So I never ended up using it.
Did you get an actually Tucano Urbano one or a generic knockoff?

The Tucano ones come in many different sizes and are tailored to specific models.
For luna's buddy we ordered the ET4 model and it worked pretty darn well, it rolled out of the way just fine.

I got the actual Tucano Urbano, and the model that was suggested by people on here. Perhaps I have a different opinion on what is fine and out of the way. I just didn't like it.

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:03 am

It was cold here in PHX this morning, 74 degree F, had to put on gloves – thankfully it heated back up to 94 in the afternoon.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:09 am

^^^^

Yeah, got a cold snap here too, had the extra gear I carry on coming back from the Gettysburg rally this veekend.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 2:56 am

Got on the scoot to go to the gym for my lunch break, and it was raining very lightly. Except that the rain drops were frozen. About 45ºF at ground level, but apparently colder higher up.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:24 pm

Scooterboi wrote:So far, so good. Broke out the cold weather gear (teens and below) but didn't have to use it.

I do have to switch to the heavier gloves though. The fleece leather gloves just don't quite do it in the mid to low 30's. And the legs were getting a little chilly as well. Time to get out the "skirt" as it looks to be cold for the next week or so.

I actually like when it gets below 40. More room in the M/C parking lot at work.

I use long johns under my gear and a heavier winter jacket. Came back from Bermuda and had to ride in 35, quite a change! Fortunately the new gloves I got for winter make a big difference.

Modern Buddy

COLD!

COLD!

Re: COLD!