Bundle up on Tuesday!
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vvill.
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January 23, 2013 at 4:30 pm #960642
DismalScientist
Participant@Tim Kelley 41404 wrote:
Looking back at the past three weeks, we’ve had a good cross section of temperature and weather.
Here are the numbers from the trail counter at the top of the Rosslyn hill on the Custis:
Tuesday, 1/22 – 518 daily total riders,
8am – 9am peak: 108 riders
High of 32 degrees
Low of 19 degrees
Precipitation: 0.0 inchesTuesday, 1/15 – 438 daily total riders
8am – 9am peak: 80 riders
High of 42 degrees
Low of 37 degrees
Precipitation: .79 inchesTuesday, 1/8 – 986 daily total riders
8am – 9am peak: 167 riders
High of 53 degrees
Low of 30 degrees
Precipitation: 0.0 inchesSo, the moral of the story? What most people know anecdotally is confirmed–more riders will ride when it is very cold than when it moderately cold and rainy. 20 degrees and windy is preferable to 40 and raining.
Of course as the month has gone on, the Freezing Saddles competition is heating up. More people are taking the long way (W&OD and MVT) into work rather than the Custis shortcut.
January 23, 2013 at 4:32 pm #960643txgoonie
ParticipantI’m finding the face area a challenge. I have a balaclava, but I just don’t dig it. With neck gaiter or Buff pulled up and sunglasses, I’m good, if not a tad warm. Combine with regular no-tint glasses, the lenses fog up. Use a scarf to cover the face, something — perhaps the thinness or the not-snug fit against my face — allows exhalation water vapor to freeze on contact and make my face COLDER. I will get the combination right! And then it’ll be 50 degrees.
January 23, 2013 at 5:05 pm #960650Dirt
Participant@txgoonie 41413 wrote:
I’m finding the face area a challenge. I have a balaclava, but I just don’t dig it. With neck gaiter or Buff pulled up and sunglasses, I’m good, if not a tad warm. Combine with regular no-tint glasses, the lenses fog up. Use a scarf to cover the face, something — perhaps the thinness or the not-snug fit against my face — allows exhalation water vapor to freeze on contact and make my face COLDER. I will get the combination right! And then it’ll be 50 degrees.
I have issues because I’m a little claustrophobic. Balaclavas kinda creep me out a bit, though I used one today.
I use a cap that covers my ears and forehead, then I use a light neck gaiter or winter collar that goes up to my chin. When I’m prepping, I take a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, rub it between my hands and then put it on the exposed skin of my face. This helps get rid of the sting of wind burn and makes me feel a little warmer. That may be a mental thing, but it helps. I do the same thing with my legs when I’m riding with knickers on. Exposed skin is more comfy when it has a little oil on it. Lip balm on the lips definitely helps!
January 23, 2013 at 5:23 pm #960653KelOnWheels
Participant@Dirt 41420 wrote:
When I’m prepping, I take a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, rub it between my hands and then put it on the exposed skin of my face. This helps get rid of the sting of wind burn and makes me feel a little warmer.
May I recommend a nice chili-infused EVOO for this weather?
I need to get a wind-blocking beanie (my wool one isn’t warm enough for this weather
), some sort of face covering, warmer gloves, and warmer feet. Then I can get back out there!
January 23, 2013 at 5:24 pm #960654Tim Kelley
ParticipantVaseline works well too.
January 23, 2013 at 5:39 pm #960658Dirt
Participant@Tim Kelley 41424 wrote:
Vaseline works well too.
It does nicely on my legs. My face doesn’t like being smeared with Vaseline. Using olive oil doesn’t seem to mess up my skin.
January 23, 2013 at 5:40 pm #960659Greenbelt
Participant@pfunkallstar 41407 wrote:
I had a distinct superiority complex going this morning huffing frozen ice pelts out of my nose along the GW parkway. Also, my coworkers think I’m nuts, whatever.
A guy on the NE branch trail this morning gave me the fist pump of cold-weather triumph (superiority) this morning when he passed. Right on, brother!
January 23, 2013 at 5:47 pm #960665Dirt
ParticipantOne thing I brought up on the cold toe thread is moving around. We usually clap our hands or wiggle our toes or do other stuff to jump-start our circulation when our hands or fingers get cold. Doing those things BEFORE you get cold helps hold off the cold a little longer.
January 23, 2013 at 6:53 pm #960668Greenbelt
ParticipantCould be some light snow tonight and again Friday afternoon!
February 25, 2013 at 3:03 pm #963186Amalitza
Guest@txgoonie 41413 wrote:
I’m finding the face area a challenge.
I windburned my face last week. I did not listen to Dirt and Tim and coat it with oil or Vaseline before heading out. Let this be a lesson to the rest of you– I am still slathering lotion and aloe on my cheeks to soothe them.
I have a gaitor which does a good job of protecting my face and keeping it warm if I keep it pulled all the way up to my sunglasses, but I don’t do that because I absolutely can not stand trying to breathe through it. Makes me feel like I’m suffocating. (Can’t sleep with my head under covers for the same reason). So I rode 90% of the time with it pulled up just covering my chin, and occasionally pulled it all the way up for 30 seconds or so just to warm up my face. This was acceptable for keeping warm enough, but was not sufficient for protecting exposed skin from dry, cold, 20mph winds. Near the end of the week, I had the idea of shifting my headband down to fit across my cheeks and nose. (was wearing a light beanie plus a headband for extra ear protection) So the headband covers my nose and cheeks from the bottom of my sunglasses to my upper lip, and the gaitor covers neck and chin up to my lower lip, leaving my mouth free for breathing and drinking. I expect it looked mildly ridiculous, but it worked. Too bad I didn’t think about it earlier.
February 25, 2013 at 3:26 pm #963189dasgeh
Participant@acl 44590 wrote:
I have a gaitor which does a good job of protecting my face and keeping it warm if I keep it pulled all the way up to my sunglasses, but I don’t do that because I absolutely can not stand trying to breathe through it.
I accidentally grabbed my husband’s gaitor today. The one he used this weekend on a training ride. STINKY!
February 13, 2014 at 4:41 am #993605peterw_diy
Participant@Dirt 41284 wrote:
I use plastic bags on the outside of my Moose Mitts when it is raining and I want to keep my hands dry.
How bad are Moose Mitts in the rain? I’m looking for more warmth in sub-20F weather and find it disappointing to think MM aren’t good in the rain. Must I go for goretex ski gloves?
February 13, 2014 at 1:58 pm #993624hozn
Participant@acl 44590 wrote:
I have a gaitor which does a good job of protecting my face and keeping it warm if I keep it pulled all the way up to my sunglasses, but I don’t do that because I absolutely can not stand trying to breathe through it. Makes me feel like I’m suffocating. (Can’t sleep with my head under covers for the same reason).
I found this gaiter to be the most breathable yet — and very warm.
I also use the Smartwool face mask gaiter sometimes which has some mouth ventilation, but it not nearly as good for breathing — or warm.
On very cold days I pair this with an Under Armour Cold Gear hood and just pull the gaiter up loosely as needed.
February 13, 2014 at 2:07 pm #993625vvill
ParticipantI have one of these for really cold days. http://airholefacemasks.com/airtube/ If you can keep it on just right under your helmet strap and breathe only through your mouth it doesn’t get too moist.
Otherwise one or two Buffs works well although anything over your breathing passages will get moist.
@peterw_diy 77252 wrote:
How bad are Moose Mitts in the rain? I’m looking for more warmth in sub-20F weather and find it disappointing to think MM aren’t good in the rain. Must I go for goretex ski gloves?
I think the material is waterproof but considering there are huge openings for your hands and along the large velcro strip for adjustment/attachment I think your disappointment is a little ill-founded.
On shorter rides they are close enough to waterproof, I’ve found.
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