How do you hold in this this temp??

[jasonc]

overshoes and long gloves are the two essentials. if your feet and hands are warm, everything else is easy to keep warm.

[barefoot]

Appreciate this is aimed at those who are acclimatised to SEQ weather, but the same sequence applies regardless where you are... just at differing thresholds.

In order of application for increasing coldness...

Jersey, knicks, fingerless gloves
Short sleeved or sleeveless base-layer (merino)
Swap short base for long base or add arm warmers
Leg warmers or long over-tights
Long finger gloves
Gilet
Overshoes
Warmer long-finger gloves
Scull cap (may come out earlier depending on head-shave status). I have a few - polypro, merino, fleece - depending how cold.
Rain jacket instead of gilet (rarely - turns into a steam bath pretty quick if riding more than 15 minutes)
Fleece vest (under shell)
Neck muffle thing
Central-heated house and doona

I'm probably heading out pre-dawn tomorrow, when it's forecast for -1°. Some parts of the loop will probably have pools of -3°-ish air. I'll probably go with the merino scull cap.

tim

[DavidS]

We certainly are all different. It's forecast to be 3 tomorrow morning in Melbourne. I'll be riding up the beach in my shorts as usual. I only pull out the sleeved jacket when it is below 7 and pretty much the same with swapping the crocheted summer gloves for full finger gloves. But the humidity in Brisbane would make me faint!

Someone said to keep hands and feet warm, I find it is my core I need to keep warm. That's where the sleeveless jackets or gillets really work well. If I wear sleeves when it isn't cold my arms just sweat, then of course that sweat cools my arms down too much if exposed to the wind. Sleeveless is great, especially when you can just attach sleeves if you need to.

DS

[Brenchen]

I also once read somewhere make sure you are drained well before you ride, as the body tends to use fair bit of warmth for the bladder. Maybe someone can confirm this?

Been riding in around 9-12 yesterday/this morning, and getting out is the painful part. I used what I got, knee/arm warmers, long wooly socks (would work even better if I can find my overshoes), $5 cotton gloves as lining for long finger gloves, a thin base layer, jersey/bibs, a fleece lined gillet, and a bandanna. Does a reasonable job, but room for improvement.

[Kentarou]

I don't have a lot of gear; and I see people riding around in footy shorts and a tshirt; or straight knicks and jersey only.

Got some weird looks being in 2xu long tights, over boots, jersey and rain jacket. Heh.

I found the worst part is my fingers and ears, my gf sewed on some soft microfiber stuff onto my helmet; were the v of the straps are. Stops the super cold air battering my ears, and actually keeps them warm. No issues there now. Got long gloves somewhere but they're hiding. Just moved house, it'll be in a box somewhere.

I found up until a few days ago, my fingers, ears and toes would be either numb or super cold and painful. About to leave for uni, 12deg apparently. Think I'm developing a cold, so may rug up more than necessary.

I think I want one of these gillet thingos.

[Brenchen]

When my core is warm and my extremities are cold, I hypnotise myself by saying hot blood will soon pump hard around the body, so arms/legs/fingers/toes will be nice and warm soon! Don't know if the hypnosis that works or time just comes, things got better down the track.

[Kentarou]

Wasn't too bad this morning; went sans skins, and only fingerless gloves. Nose/throat are an issue; but I think that's more a symptom of getting a cold.

[ValleyForge]

Started at 11 degrees and was 8.9 degrees at the end of our river loop today. Not as cold as Wednesday or Tuesday.

Lowest we have ever got was 3.5 degrees at Dutton Park hill last year. That meant triple layers on top, deep winter bibknicks, skull cap, neoprene overshoes and full gloves. Sounds a lot, but mind you, cool when you stop. Good gear stops you getting too hot. I personally can't stand arm warmers or gillets. We ride from 4:45 until about 6:30 and the temperature only changes a few degrees in mid-winter.

[TraceyG]

Zero degrees when I left home this morning - neoprene overshoes made a huge difference to previous cold morning rides.

[Stoo]

Road to work this morning, left just after 6 and i believe is was at about 12deg when i left.
With knee warmers, bibnicks, jersey, gillet, full gloves and skull cap.
May have to invest and some shoe covers as my feet froze.

i hate the cold

[rkelsen]

12deg
...
cold

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV60901 ... 4868.shtml

I left home at 07:00. In shorts...

[barefoot]

12deg
...
cold

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV60901 ... 4868.shtml

I left home at 07:00. In shorts...

*sigh*

This thread wasn't supposed to be a pissing competition for people in Southern states who know what real cold is.

But if you're going to start a pissing competition, you'll want to start with a stronger flow than that

I left home at 5:45. In somewhat more than shorts, as per my list above.

My outside thermometer said -2°. BOM says Ballarat airport was -3°. The were definitely some low-lying pools of air around the place significantly colder than that. I went the polypro scull cap and overkill winter gloves. Was quite comfortable after the first 10 minutes or so.

Yeah, it's funny seeing these northerners carrying on about 12° being cold when we often go weeks without reaching 10° maxima. But the dressing list still applies, regardless of personal thresholds.

tim

[elantra]

Road to work this morning, left just after 6 and i believe is was at about 12deg when i left.
With knee warmers, bibnicks, jersey, gillet, full gloves and skull cap.
May have to invest and some shoe covers as my feet froze.

i hate the cold

In the hills south of brisbane it occasionally gets down to 5 below zero.

There is a story about a couple of brisbane cyclists who went for a long ride in mid-winter a few years ago and started to get early frostbite.
But they found a fireplace at a roadside rest area and lit a fire- someone had a lighter.
Urban legend or true story ?

[Semar]

Ballarat is on a high plateau overlooking Antarctica. Ask a Victorian about it and the inevitable response is, 'Lovely city, except for the horrible weather.' Melbourne has a gentle coastal climate in comparison. Take Barefoot's advice, chill wimps.

[marinmomma]

Ballarat is on a high plateau overlooking Antarctica. Ask a Victorian about it and the inevitable response is, 'Lovely city, except for the horrible weather.' Melbourne has a gentle coastal climate in comparison. Take Barefoot's advice, chill wimps.

Most Victorians would wilt in seconds riding up here in 30+ and 90+% humidity...

The OP's question was posted in the Qld section for a purpose, not for a HTFU competition

[coffeeandwine]

Ballarat is on a high plateau overlooking Antarctica. Ask a Victorian about it and the inevitable response is, 'Lovely city, except for the horrible weather.' Melbourne has a gentle coastal climate in comparison. Take Barefoot's advice, chill wimps.

Most Victorians would wilt in seconds riding up here in 30+ and 90+% humidity...

The OP's question was posted in the Qld section for a purpose, not for a HTFU competition

Good point Lisa,
I hate the heat-I really struggle when it is up in the 30's (I think it is my natural "extra" insulation); the QLD humidity isn't much fun either. I think it is what you get used to...

quite balmy this morning in 'sunny' Ballarat, 3.3° (-1.4°C apparent), agree with Barefoot's dress guidelines, progressively adding insulation seems to be the key. Still not as bad as European winters.

Great idea to share information, happy riding everyone.

[Lukeyboy]

I think I put in something like 4500km during last summer and for the majority of February I wasn't on a bike. Love the Queensland Summers!

[koen]

Seems like everyone is different but you can possibly try being cold and retraining your mind.
I have lived all my life in Brisbane or further north and I thnk I am just genetically less inclined to perform in heats over 35 but I can tolerate cold easily..well better than most seem to...as long as my feet are warm! I never use arm or leg warmers but stick a bit of paper up my front until I am warm. The cold kind of hurts but it also kind of hurts when you ride up big hills and you can easily get used to it and try to rename the feeling. Give it a try!
I still jump in the creek at Upper Brookfield after my Saturday morning rides so that maybe has killed off some nerves

[DavidS]

Yes, easy for a thread like this to go off track. I suppose the notion of being cold in 12 degrees is a bit funny to us further from the equator. Hopefully our experiences of colder weather are of some use. I think the conclusion in this thread is to rug up with layers you can remove as you heat up. Cycling is difficult to dress for. When it is cold you can add layers, but then they make you sweat as you warm up. Trouble is you are sweating and moving through the cold air at anything between about 25 and 40 KMh and the sweat caused by too much heat, causes you to lose too much heat if it is cold. Can be quite a balancing act. I think removable, and especially partially removable, layers are an excellent solution.

30 degrees isn't that bad, when it hits 40 I start looking at taking the train. What would be difficult for me in Brisbane would be the humidity, how do people cope with that?

DS

[ldrcycles]

What would be difficult for me in Brisbane would be the humidity, how do people cope with that?

I can't speak for others, but I can't, even though I've lived here all my life. The sort of stifling, smothering summer days that we haven't seen for a few years absolutely knock me for 6. Sweating doesn't really achieve anything when it's that humid. We had one day in particular this last summer which was very hot but also dry, and it was the most novel thing in the world to me!

[elantra]

..................................................................................................................................................
30 degrees isn't that bad, when it hits 40 I start looking at taking the train. What would be difficult for me in Brisbane would be the humidity, how do people cope with that?
DS

There is nothing good about humidity, it paralyses one's energy and vitality Jan/Feb/March.
But the paradox is - it detracts less from road cycling from from any other form of land-based physical activity.
At least you get some breeze on a road bike.

And in Brisbane the early mornings are not always that unpleasant in summer.
It can be worse in other parts of Qld and even in north coastal NSW the humidity can be worse than brissie.

[burgesyd]

Not sure if this is a bit OT but I wanted to see if others that feel the cold have experienced the same thing.

My hands seem to feel the cold the worst. I have tried a couple of different winter gloves with the most recent being a pair of Assos Early Winter 851 gloves. They are warmer on their own than my previous combination of merino liner and wind proof outer but my hands were still getting cold 15-20 mins after starting riding. One thing I noticed Sat morning (quite possibly the coldest morning I have been out this year) was that my hands stated to warm up towards the end of my ride - the part where there are less hills.

One thought that crossed my mind was that I might be going too heavy duty in the gloves and they are causing my hands to sweat too much and get cold. Has anyone else had similar?

[barefoot]

30 degrees isn't that bad, when it hits 40 I start looking at taking the train. What would be difficult for me in Brisbane would be the humidity, how do people cope with that?

^^ this.

Even in >40° dry heat, it's really not too bad when you're moving, getting some airflow over your sweaty skin to cool you down. It gets messy very quickly once you stop though.

But Queensland-ish wet heat... ugh. You can keep that.

In the cold (where this thread started) you can always add clothes. In the dry heat you can use your body's built-in temperature regulation mechanism. In humid heat, there's just nothing that can be done.

tim

[RonK]

I also once read somewhere make sure you are drained well before you ride, as the body tends to use fair bit of warmth for the bladder. Maybe someone can confirm this?

Been riding in around 9-12 yesterday/this morning, and getting out is the painful part. I used what I got, knee/arm warmers, long wooly socks (would work even better if I can find my overshoes), $5 cotton gloves as lining for long finger gloves, a thin base layer, jersey/bibs, a fleece lined gillet, and a bandanna. Does a reasonable job, but room for improvement.

If you don't feel cold at the start, then you're overdressed and will be overheated after twenty minutes.

Keep your feet warm. You need good overshoes - if your feet are cold you'll feel cold all over.

[RonK]

In humid heat, there's just nothing that can be done.

Actually there is - you can get out early and be finished your ride by the time the sun gets high. That's why we start riding at 5:30 am all year round here in Brisbane. Apart from that, hydrate correctly and you'll soon acclimatise.