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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6892
Location: Maine12/1/13 2:15 PM |
Winter shakedown cruise
Great ride today, in unconventional conditions: 32F, cold/freezing rain, roads a combination black ice and slush. Perfect, eh?
I put the studded Hakkas on my Tout Terrain this am, and wanted a test ride (it's a bit of a process with a generator hub, Rohloff hub, and hydraulic disks). Plus I have my new cold weather boots, and I also just got a fancy shell with the eternal waterproof/breathable claim. I have used the shell in dry conditions enough to conclude it is very breathable, but hadn't put the waterproofness to the test yet. So a perfect day for a test ride, and I went out on my favorite dirt road loop with some short, steep climbs.
Everything worked great! I knew the tires worked in these conditions, but at least I didn't screw anything up putting them on. I could take my "test" sweeping downhill without braking. Boots continued great, feet warm and dry.
The shell is fantastic. Water beads up on the outside and doesn't seem to penetrate, even in periods of steady rain, and it's much more breathable than any other shell I've had. Only slight clamminess was honking up the hills, not surprising as it was raining and I had two layers of wool under the shell. If I'd used the old PI yellow shell, I'd have been soaked from the inside and out.
Also the most strenuous ride I've done since I started having knee issues, and no problem there.
So riding was good today.
Last edited by dan emery on 12/1/13 3:29 PM; edited 1 time in total
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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19091
Location: PDX12/1/13 2:21 PM |
I feel like such a woos!
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Dave B
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 4511
Location: Pittsburgh, PA12/1/13 3:18 PM |
Good report. Friday the snow finally receded and today it finally got into the low 40's here so riding has been ok if not great since Thanksgiving.
BTW, what make is that magic waterproof and breathable shell you reported on?
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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6892
Location: Maine12/1/13 4:40 PM |
Shell
The shell is from my new favorite company, a Brit outfit, Rohan Designs. It is not a cycling company, but this is a cycling shell. It is more expensive than most would pay, but I can use it commuting year round (high visibility is also a plus), plus I hate products that breathe poorly.
I have bought several products from this company they all have been great. The other cycling product they make is a free floating chamois for commuting type use - you just stuff it in your pants and remove as desired. I saw it in the catalog and said "no way that works," but decided to try it and it works perfectly.
Another product I bought from them is a "travel suit" which is all synthetic but looks like a nice wool suit, doesn't wrinkle, can be hand or machine washed, has all kinds of zippered pockets, etc. It has buttons to close the jacket vents, for the sole reason that the jacket won't flap around while riding a bike. Love those Brits.
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rickhardy
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 1492
Location: Needham outside of Boston - the hub of the universe12/2/13 9:16 AM |
Flahute!
Temps du flahute
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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT12/2/13 10:52 AM |
Travel Suit
The suit looks impressive! And last year's color is even on sale for a very good price--unfortunately, not in my size :-(.
That shell is certainly pricey, but if it works and you have the cash, worth it!
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Dave B
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 4511
Location: Pittsburgh, PA12/2/13 6:03 PM |
The shell jacket is indeed pricey but at half the price of a couple of Assos jackets it seem like a bargain.
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ErikS
Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 8337
Location: Slowing boiling over in the steamy south, Global Warming is real12/2/13 8:10 PM |
I used a long sleeve jersey and shorts. The sleeves were optional actually.
Nice ride for me and used my GoPro for the first time.
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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19091
Location: PDX12/2/13 8:28 PM |
"Not so good because he can't pay attention to anything for more than a few seconds. "
Unlike many of us ?
Coapman sent me a VID on his handlebar earlier this year, I got motion sickness watching it. ;)
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ErikS
Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 8337
Location: Slowing boiling over in the steamy south, Global Warming is real12/2/13 9:29 PM |
Wrong thread.
Last edited by ErikS on 12/3/13 3:12 AM; edited 1 time in total
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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC12/2/13 10:33 PM |
Am I the only one losing the plot?
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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6892
Location: Maine12/14/13 9:44 AM |
Colder test
We're supposed to get a foot of snow tonite, so I thought I'd get a ride in and, at 6F, a good chance to test my upgraded winter gear. So I went out and did a hilly dirt (ice) road loop, out a little better than an hour.
I wore the Wolvhammer boots with a medium pair of socks, polypro long johns under Craft storm tights, a wool t-shirt, crew and sweater under the Rohan shell, down mittens, a thin wool balaclava under my normal hat.
Perfectly comfortable, in fact I could have lost one of the layers of wool. One foot was starting to get a little cool (not uncomfortable), but plenty of room to add more or heavier socks. The shell continues to amaze me - in addition to being waterproof and breathable, it absolutely kills wind. Even on fast downhills in this weather, no cooling effect from air at all, it's kind of like you're in the calm at the eye of the hurricane. So you don't need as much insulation as you would think. The down mittens are great - hands toasty the entire ride.
One thing I've noticed is that in really cold weather the Rohloff sometimes sort of gets hung up in neutral during a shift, so you are monetarily spinning without the gear engaging. Maybe I need to shift to winter weight gear oil....But there are a couple things you can do to get it to engage, so it's really not a problem as long as you're used to it.
I take inspiration from my dogs. Earlier, at 3F, they were demanding their walk.
I think I'd need a fat bike to ride tomorrow.
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rickhardy
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 1492
Location: Needham outside of Boston - the hub of the universe12/14/13 10:02 AM |
Good for you!
10 degrees here by the Charles, going for a walk / hike to Noanet Woods today
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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT12/14/13 10:29 AM |
Cold is Relative
When I lived in Wisconsin, I used to ride to work year-round. Not long, 8 miles or so each way. In the winter I used studded tires, and I used to start early so I had time to cool down before starting work.
I used to run across this guy going the opposite direction. He rode from La Crescent, just across the Mississippi, to the McDonalds by the mall in Onalaska, just north of La Crosse, every morning to have coffee with his buddies. He was 80. He told me he'd ride until it was 15(F) outside.
Cold is a relative thing. Prepare yourself and you'll get a little cold, but not a lot. I rode down to -10(F), and it was a challenge at times, but a thermal bottle filled with hot tea generally helped, and when I learned about deerskin mittens, I stopped having problems with my hands getting cold.
Cold weather riding is a blast...you just have to be prepared for it.
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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC12/14/13 11:32 AM |
quote:
I think I'd need a fat bike to ride tomorrow.
Wouldn't xc skis be more appropriate?
quote:
Cold is a relative thing.
I'm a big fan of the saying "there's no too cold weather, only inappropriate clothing"! :o)
That said, I don't ride when it's below 45, only because I decided long ago NOT to invest in clothing to deal with temperataure below 45! I have clothing for xc skiing down to sub-zero temperture but nothing between 25-45. I rode in 30 degree temperature with my heavy weight ski clothing when the NYC transit worker went on strike. But I got really sweaty half way through my 3 mile ride!
So skiing it will be at that temperature.
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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19091
Location: PDX12/14/13 11:52 AM |
Yeah, the other day I went out in 26^ first to the closed PO and was dressed too warm for pedaling I learned. Went back after their lunch hour dressed better and even went down a long dirt road out and back.
But my Triple Point Ceramic Ski jacket and a fleece top over bike lower layers was plenty warm enough.
The first trip I had long johns under and it was a mistake. need wicking against your skin for sure!
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henoch
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 1690
12/14/13 12:41 PM |
Mittens
I'm curious what mittens you guys use when riding? and how do you shift while wearing them?.
The only thing that I have trouble with while riding in the cold are my hands.
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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6892
Location: Maine12/14/13 2:36 PM |
Mittens
I use an LL Bean down mitten similar to these:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/79883?feat=502856-GN2&page=baxter-state-parka-mittens
Mine may be a bit different in that they have an inner glove with fingers that gives you a bit of dexterity. The winter bike I use now has a Rohloff hub with a grip type shifter, and mtn bike style brake levers, so I don't really need dexterity. But I have used these with my cross bike and could shift and brake OK. I use XC ski gloves (including an insulated pair) down to about 10F.
I got these mittens after commuting at below 0F and deciding I wanted something warmer than my gloves and more dexterous than my old school shells and Dachstein mitts. The Bean salesman immediately recommended these, and since he is a well known mountaineer, I figured it was a good recommendation.
April you're right, I'll probably be on snowshoes tomorrow.
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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT12/15/13 5:04 AM |
full mittens
In Connecticut, I use 2-part Garneau gauntlets with polypro inner gloves and a wind shell. But I found that, in Wisconsin, these were inadequate starting around 15F. So I picked up some fur-lined deerskin mittens at a local surplus store and used those. No problem, since I use DT shifters or an old 3-speed trigger setup (mostly the latter in that weather).
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DPotter
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 953
Location: Portland, Maine12/15/13 8:17 AM |
If I had any doubt you were a "hard man" Dan, you have removed it completely!
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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19091
Location: PDX12/15/13 12:11 PM |
I first back in NJ started using the bar con exactly for winter and glove friendly shifting. I always liked silk fingered liners inside either fingered gortex or mittens, all ski gear fallout.
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dddd
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3345
Location: NorCal12/15/13 1:09 PM |
Pretty cold last weekend, even here. I got in one extra evening ride using plastic bags over my gloves, which made the grip slippery but kept absolutely warm.
I headed out into 38F range yesterday AM on a sort of down hill time trial 10 miles to the ride start, and got by with 3 layers top, 2 layers bottom, some Craftsman mechanic's gloves and wool socks in 1cm-oversized Sidis. I was actually comfortable all morning.
I went to a party last night just 10 miles North of here, and was reminded of conditions back in NY. Was barely able to make it up the slickened driveway even with FWD.
I've been using downtube shifters, which seem to be friendly to any kind of glove requirement (even the plastic bags).
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