Riding in the Cold

[brady]

Today I rode to work which is about a 30 mile trek. Normally its a pretty easy ride. Today however was 31 degrees.This very brisk ride got me thinking. How cold( assuming it' not icy ) before you decide not to ride and do you have heated gear?

 

[johnny80s]

I've been down to 27 with heated gloves and and jacket. As long as their is not ice I would ride.

 

[SeattleTy]

Remember to be careful even though it's 40° out, some spots are still slick because it does not get no sunlight

 

[mcatrophy]

Today I rode to work which is about a 30 mile trek. Normally its a pretty easy ride. Today however was 31 degrees.This very brisk ride got me thinking. How cold( assuming it' not icy ) before you decide not to ride and do you have heated gear?

Even though I'm much less cold-tolerant than I used to be, I'm quite happy to go reasonably long distances in near-zero ( C ) * temperatures so long as there's no risk of ice.

Witness a Christmas present delivery in temperatures barely above freezing, nearly 250 miles, also a Return-a-Handbag Trip (115-odd miles each way, temperatures a few degrees either side of freezing. In neither case was there any real risk of ice.

For the first, I had the heated grips on the bike, but no heated clothing. I put several layers under my jacket, two pairs of trousers (US: pants) under my suit trousers, and two pairs of socks in my boots. I didn't suffer except for the bulk!

For the second trip I had a heated jacket (wrote up about its controller here), one layer over that, then my jacket, and one layer under my riding pants. The heated jacket made a world of difference. Once your core is warm, the rest will be fed by warm blood, and I didn't suffer at all, the only issue was my visor misting (even with a pinlock), I had to crack it open periodically and the air was cold on my face. But I really enjoyed the trip.

I originally bought the jacket for Continental mountain passes. I wear it almost all the time now ('cept in the summer), albeit without plugging it in. Its insulating properties are excellent, and for short trips it keeps me cosy without power.

* Damned editor changes ( C ) without the spaces to the copyright symbol ©. Sometimes I hate "helpful" software.

 

[fastpappy]

I've also been down to 27*F heated grips and seat no heated clothing just layers.

As long as it's dry no problem but when there's snow around I usually pack it in.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Thanksgiving weekend, I met some folks (intech, luvtoride & scoops) down at Hungery Mother State Park in VA...when we left there on Sunday morning, it was 16 degrees.

If I didn't need heated gear at 80 mph on the slab at 16 degrees, I don't think I'll ever need it. Temps did not rise above freezing for the first 2 hrs of my 7 hr ride home, and topped out at a whopping 39.

I don't need no stinkin heated gear

 

[Checkswrecks]

Scandinavian saying:

Swedish: Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder
Norwegian: Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær

Translates to:

There is no bad weather, just bad clothes.

It depends on your tolerance, length of the ride and what unheated clothes you have.

For my 37 mile commute I don't generally bother with my heated gear till the mid/lower 30s.

 

[FJR Flyer]

Generally, if its above 30 def F, I can get by with only the heated grips and normal gear. Once it drops below 30, I usually plug in the gloves. I just got a Gerbing jacket liner over the summer and used it for the first time today, as it was 27 on the ride in. Nice addition to the arsenal. But the jacket liner doesn't help much when I'm off the bike/unplugged and walking to my office. The fleece liner is much better suited for that.

The lowest I've seen on the commute has been 16 def F. I did 23 deg F on I-81 for a couple hours on a trip to Memphis, and that was brutal with only heated gloves/grips. Wish I had the jacket liner for that trip.

Ice is my big limiting factor.

 

[odot]

You guys are tough.

 

[ionbeam]

You guys are tough.

:lol: By Eskimo standards it's still too hot to go outside and play.

 

[Bounce]

I've ridden through the night to get to a National Park 2 states away (that include half way across TX) at opening time (to start a run of NP and NHS for the day). When dawn broke, I was just pulling off I20 to head N and passed a large stream that was full of foam. As the sun came out more, I realized it wasn't foam but was ice... on fast moving water.

But I made it through the night thanks to heated gloves, vest, arm chaps, leg chaps and sock. Thankfully the Heat Troller goes to 11. The temps had gotten down to about 19 that night but it was clear and dry.

 

[garyahouse]

Anything below 40, and the cage looks more inviting. Yeah, I've ridden to work many times in the low 30's, but it's only 35 minutes, and it usually involves cold upper legs and the hands aren't happy either... EVEN WITH HEATED GRIPS. Bottom line, if I bought a bunch of heated gear, which obviously would alleviate the problem, I'd only really need it maybe 10-15 times out of the year. The big question is: how OFTEN will you ACTUALLY ride in that kind of weather, and how much are you willing to pay for it?

Gary

darksider #44

 

[odot]

I just put warm clothes on. I don't have any heated gear other then that 140 hp motor. When it's 28 outside that motor don't heat up much.

 

[Knifemaker]

I have rode a bike in 15 F temps. No more though. A lot has to do with speed and distance.... If you are just riding around town at 40mph for just a few miles its not the same as going 100 miles at highway speeds.

Nowadays I draw the line at freezing point. (32F) if ice can form I take the car. If its 35 but I have to go 40 miles on the interstate. I take the car. Above 36-38 maybe the bike if I know the return trip will be warmer.

Any long distance jaunts (30 miles plus). at anything over 40 mph I'd say is stupid without heated gear.

Now that I ride an un- faired bike, I'm sure my figures will be different than above.

 

[Intech]

What you can stand and being comfortable are two different things. I have ridden without anything heated in 26 degrees F. My hands and feet were very cold. In that condition your reflexes are affected. I now have vstrom hand guards, heated grips and much better gloves. I also put on a +4,+2 Vstream. My riding gear keeps me comfortable to the mid twenties. As Joe stated, we started out at 16 the weekend following Thanksgiving. It dd not stay that cold, so riding was tolerable. I actually ended up sweating in high 30's low 40's in traffic!

 

[Niehart]

I ride all year long here in the Pacific Northwet.

Not as tough as you folks; heated grips, police hipo hands, warm & safe heated jacket and long john bottoms. And I still whine about the cold and wet weather but still ride.

It's 27 right now and I'm glad my shock it at GP. Otherwise my stupid *** would be out riding ...

 

[Usul]

I rode an hour one time on a 21 degree morning from thurmont to Reston, va. On my ZRX...no heated nothing and no windshield. That was brutal. When I got to my destination it felt like I had smashed my fingers with a hammer. Heated grips, windshield, and fairing on the FJR make all the difference in the world. For my 30 minute commute, I'll go down to about 25 degrees and be quite comfortable with no heated clothing.

 

[RedPorscheKilla]

......Nowadays I draw the line at freezing point. (32F) if ice can form I take the car. If its 35 but I have to go 40 miles on the interstate. I take the car. Above 36-38 maybe the bike if I know the return trip will be warmer......

I second you Knifemaker, my line is crossed when you are at a bout the freezing point, here in the PNW, you will encounter a ton of roads which won't see the sunlight, so you can count on wet/icy spots.

I prefer a combination of layers and heated gear, gloves for the most part. I bought me and wifey the freezout gear from bilt @ motorcycle gear. Pretty cool stuff, I went on to our New Years ride it was in the average 35 (28 - 38), we went super slap at 80 and country roads at 60 for the 4 hours on the bike I didn't feel uncomfortable, yet give the most to my FeeJay's fairing and windshield keep s me nicely covered!

V

RPK

 

[ionbeam]

Here in nippy New England the deciding factor to buy a FJR was to extend my riding season, starting earlier in the spring and going later into the winter. With the faring, bigger windshield, heated grips and good gear the only limitations I have is snow, ice and salt. With my previous bike all riding ended at 40° F, a glance at the thermometer would let me make a ride/drive decision. With the FJR I look at the thermometer only to gauge what gear I will be wearing when I head out