Please understand that this is not personal at all. But- I hate you. I. Hate. You.
Why? Cuz you make it look ez. like you are comfortable. like its not that different from May or October. HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
See, I’ve been on the trainer in the basement, but, also getting outside a couple of times a week. Definitely outside for the LSD. Usually, my gear is more than adequate. But today broke me. And it wasn’t ‘cold’ by your standards. I’ve seen the temps you guys ride in, and I’m sure you’d be going with shorts and sleeveless with my ride today, not to mention holding your Rock Racing pace. Don’t forget your suntan lotion and umbrella drinks.
OK, I’ll throw it out there for ridicule. But I still hate you. And because you’re out there riding, I am too. And because I’m cussing you, you’re helping me.
23, winds 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, wind chill of 9.
I’ve ridden colder, but not with the combo with the wind. I think its the wind that did me in. I just wish it had rained the whole time, then I could have claimed “Epic”.
Kidding aside, props to you guys/gals that have it much rougher than this and you still put the time in the saddle!
I got broken two weeks ago in only 40F and moderate wind that was a headwind in the second half of a 75mi ride. You know, sometimes it is a combination of your current level of fatigue, nutrition state trough the week, other BT workouts…that lead to that. I fnished the ride(dragged myself home) and went into a 5mi run, but was wasted. I made extra effort to recover as fast as I could, nutrition/sleep… And I will do it again in colder and more wind.
My bike shop owner back home always says “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear”. He’s right. Since I’ve been in NYC I’ve observed tons of people riding (both commuters and delivery people) when the weather is nice, say 30*. When it rains, most seem to vanish, but a few remain. When the mercury drops into the single digits, there are very few of us dingdongs out there; it appears to be the few than ‘need’ to be out in it (to earn a living delivering crappy food for dinner). The doormen in my building say I’m the die-hard, no one else rides in the crap I do. My advice for riding in the winter, buy some nice baselayers, and a great shell top and bottom, good gloves/mittens, etc. Suck it up, its not that bad And by the way, back home I’m the first one to be a sissy and ride the trainer or rollers. Now get out there.
FWIW - there’s a point when colder is warmer. My rides last week with a high of 7 were much warmer than my ride yesterday with a high of 29. The slush and puddles turned my feet into painful bocks of ice.
I’m with you on the road bike, but I love to ride the mountain bike in the cold and snow. I can pack on the layers, try to pound through the snow, the cold gives me motivation to keep the HR up, etc.
And by the way, back home I’m the first one to be a sissy and ride the trainer or rollers. Now get out there.