How cold it too cold to ride?

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:53 pm

Just curious how cold in needs to get before people aren't willing to ride. In Boston we are in the middle of a cold spell and I was still out at -15c or about 5f. I think that's pretty much the limit for me. I also removed my battery overnight.

siobhan · Post by **siobhan** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:58 pm

well, I went out yesterday and started up the Buddy. As I pulled him out of the garage to warm up, I noticed a stream of chocolate liquid on the snow. It's so cold that the little hose off what I'm assuming is the oil cooler (Buddy 150) gave up the ghost and sprouted a tiny hole

But the '86 Honda Elite started right up. Gotta love a Honda.

It was 12F when I left today. I'm considering it balmy compared to the last few days of 5F!

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:23 pm

Road conditions around here usually stop me before the temperature does. I think the coldest I've ridden in was a couple miles at about 20ºF.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:36 pm

I think the worst temp I've ridden in was 32F. Comming from So.Cal desert isn't really saying much to all those who actually get a winter. Although it does snow here from time to time....

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:54 pm

too cold is relative.

Coldest ride so far for me was -1f, but it was also 0 humidity so it felt fine compared to 22f at higher humidity.

I charge my batteries weekly during the winter and ride anytime it's dry (which is most of the time in the drought-ridden desert of Colorado).

Those of you in more humid/cold climates...brr!

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:29 pm

siobhan wrote:I noticed a stream of chocolate liquid on the snow. It's so cold that the little hose off what I'm assuming is the oil cooler (Buddy 150) gave up the ghost and sprouted a tiny hole

Stuff like this freaks me out. It seems when the cold starts, crazy stuff starts happening to the bike.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:57 pm

I used to ride my bicycle at the coldest temps Flagstaff could muster (-30 and below). But now that I'm older and living in Phoenix, 40 stands for freezing!

Stormswift · Post by **Stormswift** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:16 pm

My bike stays outside, covered. I seafoam it and leave it alone until it gets warm again. Rubber when frozen can get brittle. As I see it the less I move the bike around the less chance there is of something breaking because of the cold.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:37 pm

skully93 wrote:too cold is relative.

Coldest ride so far for me was -1f, but it was also 0 humidity so it felt fine compared to 22f at higher humidity.

I've ridden in single digit temps for no other reason than to keep my streak of riding in every month alive ... but once you start getting in the 10 deg area and factoring in your speed, there is a real threat of frostbite.

Rob

Witch · Post by **Witch** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:35 am

I've ridden in -10*F before. It really sucked. I don't have a too-cold-to-ride limit unless there's a wind chill advisory. More often than not it's the road conditions that stop me.

kooky scientist · Post by **kooky scientist** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:11 am

I ride all winter and haven't had any severe problems riding in the cold. It's more like how long can you ride for @ 0 degrees. I luckily only have to ride 15 minute spurts. Great coffee shop perfectly placed between my apt. and workplace.

My best tip is to wear latex gloves under my winter gloves to stop the wind. Helps very much.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:14 pm

[quote="kooky scientist" My best tip is to wear latex gloves under my winter gloves to stop the wind. Helps very much.[/quote]

Gee I thought I had invented that one! It does help a great deal doesn't it? R

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:26 am

Depends on your age and supply of ginger brandy.

Be mindful that there are nasty chemicals on the roads in some places this time of year. That's why we always lay up for the winter at this more informed stage of life.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:45 pm

Yeah, here the city tends to over-salt, essentially turning paved roads into gravel roads until the next good rainstorm. Grrr.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:59 pm

still shifting wrote:[quote="kooky scientist" My best tip is to wear latex gloves under my winter gloves to stop the wind. Helps very much.

still shifting wrote:Gee I thought I had invented that one! It does help a great deal doesn't it? R

I too have been doing that 20+ years, however my added 'trick' is to put my wool glove liners on first, then the latex gloves, then the leather shells of my gloves......

KeLynn · Post by **KeLynn** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:17 pm

I'm too nervous to go out if there's any threat of anything freezing, so around 40F.

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:53 am

kooky scientist wrote:I ride all winter and haven't had any severe problems riding in the cold. It's more like how long can you ride for @ 0 degrees. I luckily only have to ride 15 minute spurts. Great coffee shop perfectly placed between my apt. and workplace.

I agree. I tell people it's not necessarily the cold, but the duration you are outside. If I take the scoot into the city for a 20 minute ride, it isn't that bad. But going to work 45 min away. That's painful.

uklemond · Post by **uklemond** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 6:41 pm

mukaiboston wrote:
kooky scientist wrote:I ride all winter and haven't had any severe problems riding in the cold. It's more like how long can you ride for @ 0 degrees. I luckily only have to ride 15 minute spurts. Great coffee shop perfectly placed between my apt. and workplace.
I agree. I tell people it's not necessarily the cold, but the duration you are outside. If I take the scoot into the city for a 20 minute ride, it isn't that bad. But going to work 45 min away. That's painful.

My commute from Rowley to Boston should take me about an hour and 10, but recently it has been almost 2 hours. The snow shower we had the other day stretched my drive to 3 hours to get home. The weather nor the cold were the reason, just the traffic congestion on route 1.

Tomorrow im not bothering with the commute though as there is a 55mph+ wind advisory. No thanks

Dirvin · Post by **Dirvin** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 6:44 pm

Like others here who live in the Denver/Boulder area, I ride year round, as long as the roads are clear (which they usually are). No long trips, just short commutes to work until I hit single digit temps. Layering, a good FF helmet with neck gaiter, good gloves, windpants, and I'm good to go. After 4 years of this, I haven't had any parts break due to freezing (fingers now crossed).

Milt · Post by **Milt** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:13 am

Not as severe as as some have mentioned, but this morning it was 18 degrees when I left for a job I'm doing at the other end of town. For some reason, my Harley was the only bike I saw on the ride out.

I would have taken the scooter (the leg shield and lower speeds let me get away with lighter clothing), but I was in a motorcycle mood...

SYMbionic Duo · Post by **SYMbionic Duo** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 5:17 pm

KABarash wrote:
still shifting wrote:[quote="kooky scientist" My best tip is to wear latex gloves under my winter gloves to stop the wind. Helps very much.

still shifting wrote:Gee I thought I had invented that one! It does help a great deal doesn't it? R
I too have been doing that 20+ years, however my added 'trick' is to put my wool glove liners on first, then the latex gloves, then the leather shells of my gloves......

Thanks for this. Sometime i hate riding with my big padded gauntlets. This would probably be just as effective, but not as bulky.

anthony · Post by **anthony** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:25 pm

I just started riding in June of last year, so this is my first winter, but I've been riding every day to work (except the one day there was ice on the roads). So far, the coldest it's gotten is in the high 20s, and for the 10-15 minute commute to work, it was doable, but I definitely wouldn't want to go much lower than that. Even with my expensive gloves made for skiing/mtn climbing and wool glove liners, I could barely feel my fingers when I got to work.

EastAtlantaScoot · Post by **EastAtlantaScoot** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:58 pm

I did my first sub freezing ride this past Sat am. 45 min at 24 degrees, warming to about 30. I was not prepared in the glove area, picked up a better set that afternoon. Almost pulled the trigger on a heated pair but still on the fence...

Mutt the Hoople · Post by **Mutt the Hoople** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 7:14 pm

i go out in 35F-37F regularly, unless it is damp, and/or strong winds. I bundle up, so it is not so much the cold, but there are too many places that the roads get slick. ESPECIALLY that stuff that the patch the roads with in these parts... long strips that tend to be right where you would ride on a scooter or motorcycle, and they are slick as sh#t. I think my gear would keep me warm into the 20Fs though.

tortoise · Post by **tortoise** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:06 pm

mukaiboston wrote:when the cold starts, crazy stuff starts happening to the bike

A carb enricher switch installation may prevent stalling out while the engine is warming up. Also consider using Delo 400 LE.

Eazy · Post by **Eazy** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:43 pm

Although I am currently (mostly) scooter-less, my rule was always ride until the roads are ice.

I think the coldest I ever rode in was -15 before wind chill, but I was in full blown snowboard gear (Underhoody, coat, gloves, full face helmet, snow pants, thermals) and only had about a 5 mile ride.

dsmith65 · Post by **dsmith65** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:47 am

my general rule is sunny and at least 30. As long as the ground temperatures stay relatively warm so tires can heat up and not slide around I'll ride. Today it was 22 when I left, I only have a 20 minute ride to work.