Bundle up and get ready to ride! Winter Wheelers begins today!

Our weather is going to be rather mild for the next few days, with lows in the mid-50s; but with patchy fog Thursday night through Friday morning. It looks like I won\’t have to bundle up much; and that\’s fine with me.

Other parts of the country won\’t be blessed with this relatively balmy weather; and where there\’s plenty of snow, a fat tire bike might be a good idea.

SAIGULA Fat-Tire Bicycle

When the weather turns cold, of course we bring out the cold-weather cycling togs; but there\’s a bit more to winter riding than polar clothing. Lip balm is a good idea; and as long as your face isn\’t covered by a balaclava, don\’t forget the sunblock! Sunburned noses can happen in Winter, too.

Good sunglasses are a must; especially if the day is sunny, but there\’s snow on the ground. You\’ll get the sunlight from above; and reflected glare from the snow! I can\’t say for sure, but maybe polarized lenses are wise for such conditions.

If you have trouble with cold hands, Hotnwarmer Packs are a great help. I\’ve used them since las Winter, and I like them; but I wish I had room for them in my shoes! Even thermal socks don\’t quite cut it on the most frigid days.

Incidentally, exactly what is \”frigid\”? To me, it\’s anything below 45 degrees; and if there\’s a strong wind, frigid begins as high as 55 degrees! For someone in New England, that\’s probably shirt-sleeve weather. It depends on what you\’re used to; and cold weather is more tolerable in drier climates.

My Cold Rides

It\’s cool enough now for me to need leg warmers; and a skull cap; and heavyish gloves. I also need to wear my vest under my jacket. On the coldest days, my water bottles get well chilled; and keeping hydrated during a long Sunday ride means that I get chilled from drinking cold fluid!

I wonder whether a polar water bottle is good for keeping liquids warm as well as cold. I tried one once, but it\’s longer than a standard water bottle; and I had trouble getting it in and out of the bottle cage because of my road bike\’s frame size.

This morning it was in the mid-50s; so I didn\’t have to bundle up too much. I kicked off Winter Wheelers with a ride of 13.2 miles; and it was worth it. I saw Orion setting; and I saw what\’s left of the moon, with the dark part showing. I love that! There were patches of ground fog; and I saw orange sky as the sun began to rise.

I hope we don\’t get a cold snap like we did this past Winter; but if we do, all I can do is to bundle up and ride.