Where has your bike taken you today?

['Dale]

16 minutes ago, Jako De Wet said:

N00b question, but are those extra sokkies comfortable?

Cycling shoes are a snug fit to start with.

Hey, Jako, those are overshoes (not sokkies) which protects the shoes from grime, wet stuff and buffers the toontjies from wind chill.

[throttles]

[Frosty]

2 hours ago, Jako De Wet said:

N00b question, but are those extra sokkies comfortable?

Cycling shoes are a snug fit to start with.

1 hour ago, 'Dale said:

Hey, Jako, those are overshoes (not sokkies) which protects the shoes from grime, wet stuff and buffers the toontjies from wind chill.

I read Jako’s post as (plastic) sakkies, and not sokkies. 🤦‍♂️😊🤣

[DJuice]

2 hours ago, 'Dale said:

Brrrrr 🥶

@'Dalewas going to ask if you would be willing to show us your gear to prep for these winter rides?

I have given up on the indoor trainer. Currently running @4:30 in the mornings, had three layers on this morning, how do you prepare for the wind chill?

Our winters is a bit different, yours wet, ours dry below zero. 

[throttles]

21 minutes ago, DJuice said:

@'Dalewas going to ask if you would be willing to show us your gear to prep for these winter rides?

I have given up on the indoor trainer. Currently running @4:30 in the mornings, had three layers on this morning, how do you prepare for the wind chill?

Our winters is a bit different, yours wet, ours dry below zero. 

(Red) Newspaper  on the chest works wonders 😬

the rest of the body warms up, but you MUST protect your chest. 
 

I used one of these today and any rides under 12 degrees Celsius.

Edited May 17, 2023 by throttles
Image and Newspaper

[DJuice]

8 minutes ago, throttles said:

 Red paper on the chest works wonders 😬

the rest of the body warms up, but you MUST protect your chest. 
 

I used one of these today and any rides under 12 degrees Celsius.

Thanks @throttles.

I am a bit slow today, Red Paper?

Like news paper just in red, cause red is faster!

[throttles]

8 minutes ago, DJuice said:

Thanks @throttles.

I am a bit slow today, Red Paper?

Like news paper just in red, cause red is faster!

Auto correct.. but yes Newspaper.. 🫣😬

[DJuice]

3 minutes ago, throttles said:

Auto correct.. but yes Newspaper.. 🫣😬

Finally my opportunity to start a business in the cycle industry without an exorbitant capital outlay.

Sell Red newspapers and market the marginal gains!

[Frosty]

40 minutes ago, DJuice said:

@'Dalewas going to ask if you would be willing to show us your gear to prep for these winter rides?

I have given up on the indoor trainer. Currently running @4:30 in the mornings, had three layers on this morning, how do you prepare for the wind chill?

Our winters is a bit different, yours wet, ours dry below zero. 

Gauteng is also (normally) a dry winter, and only goes below zero a few times:

Here is what I’ll add to the normal kit (shirt, shorts, socks and fingerless gloves) when -5°C to 7°C temperature range:

Body and arms:
- sleeveless vest (in wash)
- thermal sleeves (Anatomic)
- winter jacket rated to -5°C (BicycleLine)
- chest bib (newspaper can work too)

Legs:
- thermal leggings (Santini)
- toe caps (Anatomic)

Head/Face:
- buff
- cap (casquette)
- ear warmer (not always)

Fingers:
- thermal gloves (over my day2day gloves)

 

Layers are crucial because it could be -5°C at the start, and 2-3 hours later it could be 15-20°C (in winter, up here on the highveld). Full winter gear can be very hot, so being able to strip down is key.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Frosty

[The Ouzo]

Versus buff over mouth, nose and ears

long sleeve thermal sports vest (forget the name)

anatomic CSA jacket. 

long fingered gloves (with one finger tip missing because my daughter was playing with scissors the one year)

Vye shorts bib

Anatomic thermal leg warmers

And because its dark, reflective bracelet things around my ankles

And recently pulled out an olllddd pair of D'Arcs with yellow lenses. 

[Frosty]

I remember this winter (2020) as I lost a lot of plants with the black frost.

A balaclava is used on the really cold days. A buff just doesn’t cut it.
A gilet over the jacket for additional body warmth.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Frosty

[The Ouzo]

7 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I remember this winter (2020) as I lost a lot of plants with the black frost.

A balaclava is used on the really cold days. A buff just doesn’t cut it.
A gilet over the jacket for additional body warmth.

for me its the fingers that are a problem on these really cold days.

I did the nitryl gloves under regular gloves thing once, landed up with soaked wrinkly prune fingers.

[Cardio Goth]

I did a fair bit of research this European winter trying to figure out what works best and this is where I got to:

Upper body: It's not cheap, but the Assos Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket EVO is the single best winter jacket out there and, paired with a thick merino base layer, will keep your upper body warm for 6 hours in -2 degrees and no sun. Previously my arms used to get really cold and start shaking, which is obviously not ideal, but this combo fixed that.

Lower body: Rapha core winter bibs paired with a pair of thick merino socks (2 pairs if it's properly cold).

Head: Buff plus ear warmers. I prefer a Buff because I find you still need to wear sunglasses and a Buff allows you to prevent them fogging up.   

Gloves: Proper winter gloves plus thermal or merino inners. My hands still suffer the most, but double layers are a must.

[michaelbiker]

[NotSoBigBen]

Strange weather here in Howteng at the moment ...

@The Ouzo thought I'd just quote something I wrote back when I ran the social media site for a bike shop

"So a bit of 'musing' about riding in cold weather ... This morning my hands were cold, as they always are riding in winter, and I wondered if perhaps I have missed something over the years about keeping them warm?

Despite all the promises on the tags of various gloves my hands are definitely not warm, clearly they are still not as cold as if you wore no gloves or normal summer gloves though and that is for sure!

I have tried all different kinds as well as the normal 'old timer' options of wearing thin runner type cotton gloves under as well as using surgical gloves. In all these cases I guess it does make it a bit LESS COLD bit definitely not WARMER 🤔

Anyone have any suggestions? NO, staying in bed under a warm duvet is not the right answer 😜

#TheOldGeezerInTheShop"

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, DJuice said:

@'Dalewas going to ask if you would be willing to show us your gear to prep for these winter rides?

I have given up on the indoor trainer. Currently running @4:30 in the mornings, had three layers on this morning, how do you prepare for the wind chill?

Our winters is a bit different, yours wet, ours dry below zero. 

 

Come have a look at Augrabies .... 

 

surgical gloves under full finger gloves.

 

long sleeve thermal vest .... cycling top .... gillet to stop the wind .... warm cycling jacket over all of that.

 

leg warmers.

 

socks ... plastic bags, then into the shoes.  

 

a buff to keep your ears from falling off ....

 

 

serious undress session at the first water point.