[user not found] wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 12:09 pm
D Griff wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:12 am
I went out in 37F yesterday... very cold. That said, I got pretty
climbing hard. I forgot my heart rate monitor but I was certainly in the 180 BPM range, some tough climbs up to higher rates may help you warm up.
I also just wore a normal coat (not cycling) ... looked goofy, but got the job done. Surely you must own other coats having lived mostly in the north your entire life? The cycling purpose built shit is definitely nicer to use, but is it really a requirement? Nah.
I also just layer my fleece under my cycling outer shell... I look weird and fat but it is pretty warm.
The cycling stuff is necessary sometimes because it not only keeps you warm, but also wicks sweat and breathes in critical areas to keep you from getting either too
or too hot. And it’s not bulky or loose.
The right gear can be a little
sometimes, but as you ride more you do find the worth in it. If you time your purchases, you can save some shekels, and it does last forever if you take care of it.
I’ve made some investments in proper cooler weather gear this year (better gloves, better shoe covers, my first insulated long sleeve jersey), and it’s made a huge difference in even wanting to ride in sub-50 temps. I logged 578 miles in November, a month in which I typically ride next to nothing.
Granted,
seems to be even more of a lizard person than myself with a greater intolerance for cold, so aside from telling his wife to quit Corning and move somewhere better for both of them,
Save the outdoor riding for the “nicer” days perhaps, and do some hard HIIT workouts and climb exercises to boost your VO2 capacity.
I agree that it is worthwhile, I love the cycling stuff I bought. That said, Troy has spent something like $4-5K+ I think? His wife may be sick of it for a while, and there is nothing
with making do with what you have as you slowly build your arsenal.
I guess the stuff I have is at least not super awful as I've always been fairly active with running, hiking, other outdoor shit, so I have things like a waterproof coat, mostly synthetic/sweat wicking winter wear, that while less aero and annoyingly bulky for cycling, at least keeps the body temp regulated. I assume most (wealthy DFD) people own such things, but I could be
If the only option was something like say, a pea coat, yeah, I would just use the trainer. I have a Northface raincoat that breaks the wind and keeps me warm. It looks goofy on the bike, the hood is annoying for visability, and it gets hot as you start climbing, but it beats freezing, IMO. I am like Troy in that I hate being cold. If I wear something like that and start to sweat though, I need to be able to go inside as soon as my ride is over, if the plan is to go somewhere and hang out outside at a coffee place or brewery, it sucks to be sweaty in the cold.