Biking in the cold

[chickenfeet2003]

I am managing to keep the biking despite the distinct cooling off of the weather. It's been around 5C most days here lately which is distinctly cool on a bike. I got in 170km last week and started off this week with another 40km today. I picked a rather hilly route this morning and was very cold and tired when I got home. It's really not easy

Comments

[unblinkered]

Have you tried hand knit socks? I've never had cold feet wearing them and there are several socks yarns made for sport socks out there.

[chickenfeet2003]

No, I've tried various combos of hiking and skiing socks. I don't have any hand knit socks (or indeed hand knit anything).

[unblinkered]

Clearly, you need a knitter in your life!

[intertext]

You could do what they do in China and wear very thick felt booties. Real felt, made from wool, is very good against the cold.

[chickenfeet2003]

Yeah that would work. It works for the Red Army. I'd prefer something that would work with toe cages though. I mean I could wear my Sorels which are good down to -40 but they are a bit bulky!

[lnr]

For me the feet are fine. Cycling home last night at 2 degrees C my legs - thighs in particular - were a bit chilly, and like blocks of ice once I got on the house - and the most dreadful red colour. Even with fleecey pyjamas and the medium weight duvet in a warm house it took me ages to warm up enough to get to sleep.

This is just in jeans mind - I obviously need to dress differently when it's cold. Thermal tights underneath do help but not completely.

[chickenfeet2003]

Jeans are hopeless in the cold. I can't think of anything much worse.

[lnr]

One of the perils of cycling for transport rather than it's own sake - I was prepared for wet, but it's been so mild the cold caught me out. Mike doesn't suffer the same way - I think it's the subcutaneous fat layer which takes ages to get cold and then ages to warm back up.