FS Newbies

[Birru]

@chuxtr 169840 wrote:

FULL DISCLOSURE: I’m also a Gore Influencer so, yes, I’m supposed to say nice things about Gore products.

How does one become a “Gore Influencer?” If they wanted to send me a Gore One Shakedry jacket I’d happily shill for them.

[AFHokie]

@Birru 169843 wrote:

How does one become a “Gore Influencer?” If they wanted to send me a Gore One Shakedry jacket I’d happily shill for them.

Me too

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[chuxtr]

@Birru 169843 wrote:

How does one become a “Gore Influencer?” If they wanted to send me a Gore One Shakedry jacket I’d happily shill for them.

@AFHokie 169844 wrote:

Me too

My wife used to be in the bike biz, which is how I got hooked up with Gore. Unfortunately, free product isn’t part of the deal. But I do have a Shakedry jacket.

And I’m not afraid to be constructively critical of their products. I’ll have a review of the Oxygen Classics bibs and jersey on PezCyclingNews.com (probably sometime in January) where I point out a few things with the product that I think don’t hit the mark.

[Steve O]

@AFHokie 169833 wrote:

This page explains wind-chill and how it can effect you when riding in the cold: https://www.icebike.org/wind-chill-chart-for-winter-cyclists-and-ice-bikers/

Here’s the deal with wind chill: what they say on the radio is not relevant, because, as cyclists, we create our own wind chill. If over time you have learned what works for you at 20 degrees that really is 20 degrees + 12-18 mph wind, so you are already incorporating wind chill into your equation. My coworkers would always comment to me, “It’s, like, 15 degrees out with the wind chill!” To which I would reply, “There’s always a wind chill when you ride your bike.”

If you are newly figuring this out, then the chart can be helpful, but experience is the much better teacher. Your experienced wind chill tailwind v. headwind can differ by 15 degrees, which is a lot.

What chuxtr said about stopping the wind is absolutely correct, although I do not know the point of a windstopper base layer. Wind stopping should always be on the outside.

[chuxtr]

@Steve O 169862 wrote:

What chuxtr said about stopping the wind is absolutely correct, although I do not know the point of a windstopper base layer. Wind stopping should always be on the outside.

I haven’t tried the Gore Windstopper base layer. But I have worn my Oxygen Classics jersey as a base layer under a long-sleeve jersey. Since the windstopper fabric both blocks wind but also breathes it “works” used as a base layer. And even under a jersey, it also “works” as a wind blocker without it having to be on the outside. And eliminates the need for both a base layer for thermal/wicking purposes and an outer layer for wind blocking purposes. That said, based on temp and wind, I’ve also added a Windstopper wind vest on top of that when it’s 30-something degrees and blowing 15-20 mph. As you suggested, people should experiment with different layers and configurations of layers to figure out what works for them under what conditions.

[AFHokie]

Layering guide from bicycling.com: https://www.bicycling.com/rides/beginners/your-cold-weather-layering-guide/slide/3

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[ltierstein]

The previous responses seem to have addressed keeping the toes warm, but not keeping the bike upright.
Re: Keeping toes warm
As usual, YMMV.
– I love winter bike shoes (I have a pair of ancient North Waves). They were worth the $$, since nothing else seems to work for me. Or work as well, and be less hassle to contend with.
– Mittens are much warmer than gloves — your fingers keep each other warm.
– Whatever gloves/mittens you end up wearing, carry a thin pair of gloves for contending with mechanical issues, if any arise. With the touch-sensitive finger tips.
Re: keeping the bike upright
– Studded tires. In DC, the return on investment might be marginal, since there is usually not that much snow or ice lingering on the roads (but more on the paths), but these are incredibly useful. I rode securely those days last week when there was some snow/ice. It’s easier to have a spare wheel set up (I actually just use a studded tire on a front wheel), but you can obviously swap tires with the weather. Studded tires won’t fit on narrow road rims, so make sure you have a rim width that will work.
General
At one point, I actually made up a chart, which showed which type of clothing/shoes/other I needed to use with each 5-degree change (drop) in temperature. It was really helpful, especially from one season to the next, when I might forget, oh, how many/which layers do I need on top when it’s 30 degrees out, with a windchill of 20. I think I saw one of these published somewhere recently.

[chuxtr]

@ltierstein 169881 wrote:

The previous responses seem to have addressed keeping the toes warm, but not keeping the bike upright.

Training wheels are always an option.

[chuxtr]

WRT keeping toes warm …

Beyond good shoe covers that are both windproof and thermal, I find using disposable toe warmers really help a lot. I’ve also used the full-length insole foot warmers. They aren’t “heaters” but I find they make a difference in warding off the cold. They’re pretty cheap and even cheaper if you buy in bulk. I don’t think the brand matters so much. I’ve used both of these and found them to be pretty much the same.

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[Judd]

@ltierstein 169881 wrote:

The previous responses seem to have addressed keeping the toes warm, but not keeping the bike upright.

There’s usually only a few days in the season that this becomes challenging. A few tips:

1. Get creative on the timing of your bike ride when bad weather is expected. A midnight sleaze a few hours ahead of Snowmageddon or an ice storm helps avoid the risk altogether.
2. Use wider tires. You’ll be happier on 32s on a rutted trail than on 23s. You’ll be even happier if you have a fat bike.
3. Determine multiple routes to get to work if you’re a commuter. Some routes will be better than others after a snow. Check in on the forum for reports on what trails/roads are clear.
4. Go slower. Be particularly cautious on curves and turns.
5. Know when to bail. If it looks unsafe or feels unsafe, it’s totally okay to bail out on a ride and live another day.

[Birru]

@ltierstein 169881 wrote:

The previous responses seem to have addressed keeping the toes warm, but not keeping the bike upright.

Lending a shovel to keep trails clear boosts Bike Karma and provides a magic cloak of protection.

[Judd]

@Birru 169890 wrote:

Lending a shovel to keep trails clear boosts Bike Karma and provides a magic cloak of protection.

Also this. Birru cleared a lot of the W&OD in Falls Church last year. LSG, Komorebi and Bobco cleared the ramp to the 14th St Bridge and a path through the LBJ Memorial Grove last year.

Good news is that the NPS has markers up this year indicating plans to plow LBJ.

[Steve O]

@chuxtr 169864 wrote:

I haven’t tried the Gore Windstopper base layer. But I have worn my Oxygen Classics jersey as a base layer under a long-sleeve jersey. Since the windstopper fabric both blocks wind but also breathes it “works” used as a base layer. And even under a jersey, it also “works” as a wind blocker without it having to be on the outside. And eliminates the need for both a base layer for thermal/wicking purposes and an outer layer for wind blocking purposes. That said, based on temp and wind, I’ve also added a Windstopper wind vest on top of that when it’s 30-something degrees and blowing 15-20 mph. As you suggested, people should experiment with different layers and configurations of layers to figure out what works for them under what conditions.

Totally agree that combining different layers for different conditions is the way to go. Also, there’s a distinction between WindStopper(TM), a brand, and wind stopping, which is what windbreakers and shells and ski jackets do. WindStopper(TM) is welcome to sell jerseys and base layers and coffee makers and electric dog polishers with their branding if they like, whether or not they actually stop the wind.

If one wears two layers of wind-stopping clothing, only the outer layer stops the wind. The inner layer still provides additional thermal comfort, but its wind-stopping quality is irrelevant. Perfectly sensible, though, because on a warmer day, that inner jersey may be the outer layer, or the only layer. So it can serve multiple purposes.

A base layer by definition, though, is always worn under and, presumably, only on days when it is cold enough to also wear a shell or other wind-stopping layer on top of it. Wearing a non-wind-stopping layer on top of a wind-stopping layer results in losing almost all the thermal warmth of the outer layer because the wind steals it away. When it is cold enough to need to stop the wind, the wind-stopping always goes on the outside. Hence it makes no sense to have a wind-stopping base layer. A WindStopper(TM) base layer, that is branded such and meant to be paired with other WindStopper(TM) products is a fine marketing idea. However, it only needs to be thermal, not wind-stopping.

[Judd]

@Steve O 169906 wrote:

Totally agree that combining different layers for different conditions is the way to go. Also, there’s a distinction between WindStopper(TM), a brand, and wind stopping, which is what windbreakers and shells and ski jackets do. WindStopper(TM) is welcome to sell jerseys and base layers and coffee makers and electric dog polishers with their branding if they like, whether or not they actually stop the wind.

If one wears two layers of wind-stopping clothing, only the outer layer stops the wind. The inner layer still provides additional thermal comfort, but its wind-stopping quality is irrelevant. Perfectly sensible, though, because on a warmer day, that inner jersey may be the outer layer, or the only layer. So it can serve multiple purposes.

A base layer by definition, though, is always worn under and, presumably, only on days when it is cold enough to also wear a shell or other wind-stopping layer on top of it. Wearing a non-wind-stopping layer on top of a wind-stopping layer results in losing almost all the thermal warmth of the outer layer because the wind steals it away. When it is cold enough to need to stop the wind, the wind-stopping always goes on the outside. Hence it makes no sense to have a wind-stopping base layer. A WindStopper(TM) base layer, that is branded such and meant to be paired with other WindStopper(TM) products is a fine marketing idea. However, it only needs to be thermal, not wind-stopping.

Who’s on first?

[Steve O]

@Judd 169910 wrote:

Who’s on first?

tl;dr – Wind stopping goes on the outside. Base layers go on the inside. Q.E.D. – base layers that are wind stopping are non-sensical

[Author]

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