How cold is too cold? Poll, sorta.

[pistolclass]

So the mercury says 34 deg F. I have a quick errand to run and I just want to ride.

What is your limit, provided of course the roads are clear of Snow/Ice?


(can't wait for our Canadian Brother to answer this, eh) :hehe:

[tortoise]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc_IKEdptq0

[JerryHawk250]

As long as it's not raining it doesn't matter. Just put layers of clothes on. But then again in south Louisiana we don't see temps in the 30's too much.

[pistolclass]

After Action Report:

So my round trip was about 7 miles. The helmet that I have is very well ventilated which is appreciated in the summer, no so at 34 deg F. I had a head sock which didn't exactly cover to my nose but when I did manage to stretch it there it just fogged my shield so it was little help. Again my riding jacket is well ventilated, but I had enough layers on that I managed to keep the wind off me.

Gloves did well. I feel I don't have the proper equipment to do a long ride in sub 40 deg temps. Looks like I will be shopping.

Finally my tires are inflated to 30 psi, and I felt that the rear was particularly squirmy so I kept speeds down below 45 mpg.

[JerryHawk250]

The coldest I have rode in was 28 degree weather. A misty rain had started to fall. By the time I got home I had a layer of ice on my gloves, clothes and helmet.

[pistolclass]

Do you change PSI in the tires for colder weather?

[JerryHawk250]

Do you change PSI in the tires for colder weather? I never have. But winters are pretty mild around here.

[Mudflap]

Minus 18 F one morning when I left for work on my Vespa 200 with sidecar. Wife needed the car so I had no choice. The control cables were all sticking because of the hard grease. I looked like the Michelin man with all the layers of cloths but I made it the 8 miles to work where it was only negative 15. Nowadays 50 is too cold.

[Sport Rider]

it's much easier to ride in the cold when you have a C10 with a big fairing and windshield, and heated grips. :p

As far as snow, etc.....sidecar! :p

[Emerikol]

"There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing - Alfred Wainwright". I've ridden in ice and snow before. I don't recommend it, however. Cold is just cold, and can be dealt with. However, I got caught in a doozy of a storm ferrying a crotch rocket through the Adirondack Mountains in March. I let some of the air out of the tires, put on every layer of clothing I had with me and tucked as much of my body as I could behind the windscreen. I also found staying tucked in behind big rigs kept the wind from blowing into any gaps in my cloth armor. The downside to that is the trucker can't see you back there, at all. Kind of have to decide if it's better to be seen and safe, or warm.

[cheesy]

-15F on a bicycle, but the body is its own mini nuclear reactor on one of those, so proper gear for fingers and toes is more important than core insulation.

18F on the Ural. Heated grips with handlebar mitts/60's Swedish Army winter motorcycle garb/Turtle Fur balaclava/Sorels.

[culcune]

We hit mid to low 40s most of /Late December/January/February/part of March. Sometimes high 30's with a couple high 20's. Layers clothing and nitrile gloves underneath my layers of gloves usually do the trick. :tup: I have noticed the scooter has better wind protection than my TMEC enduros had.

[Megadan]

My general rule of thumb is anything below 40 degrees is when I start to put my bikes away. The coldest I have ever ridden in was -4 degrees. No special heated equipment, 3 layers of gloves, 5 layers under my riding jacket - which has a windbreaker liner. And 3 layers of pants under my riding pants. And 3 pairs of socks with my waterproof riding boots.

not the most comfortable I had ever been, but tolerable. Keeping my visor clear was the hardest part, because even with a Pinlock on my visor my breath would freeze to it. I ended up wearing a scarf wrapped around my face and neck under my helmet which helped a ton with keeping my nose and cheeks relatively warm lol.

This is on a bike with no wind protection, because that is all I ever own.

[kirbo7106]

In Florida! There might be one or two days that I will pass on riding! I’m getting old! I try and avoid rain and temps below 50!:p

[JerryHawk250]

50? :lmao:In Florida! There might be one or two days that I will pass on riding! I’m getting old! I try and avoid rain and temps below 50!:p

[cheesy]

50? That's mid May up here. And it was probably snowing in the morning. :)

[culcune]

We moved out of Chicago in August of 1979, the same year of the blizzard (that helped push us out). When we talk about it nowadays, and especially with friends (in sunny So. California), my mom insists there was snow on the ground until early June, LOL :lol:

[Sharpy]

As long as it's dry it's a good day to fly...

With the right gear that is.

[cheesy]

We moved out of Chicago in August of 1979, the same year of the blizzard (that helped push us out). When we talk about it nowadays, and especially with friends (in sunny So. California), my mom insists there was snow on the ground until early June, LOL :lol:

It probably was. My very pregnant wife would waddle down to the end of our driveway to check for cars when I would back the Opel out. The snow piles on either side of the driveway reached up to the eaves on the garage.

[pistolclass]

I just mounted my snow plow on my dump truck. This is not a good sign for riding. Hopefully this year won't be like 2013, where in 24 hours we got 38 inches of snow!! For my metric friends, that is a meter.

Once the ground is white, no more bike for me. I have a Place in Dalton, NH, so now I'm starting to look for a sled.

[Sullybiker]

If it's not snowing or a day following rain, I've ridden down to 15F. It's tolerable with heated gloves and a decent jacket and pants. I can do my 40 minute commute in it without too much drama.

Today was 28F. 15-25 kind of feels similar. The hardest thing about the cold is starting the bike if it's been standing for more than a week. Takes a few cranks.

[BlackBike]

If it's not snowing or a day following rain, I've ridden down to 15F. It's tolerable with heated gloves and a decent jacket and pants. I can do my 40 minute commute in it without too much drama.

Today was 28F. 15-25 kind of feels similar. The hardest thing about the cold is starting the bike if it's been standing for more than a week. Takes a few cranks.

Cue up the iron man intro riff.:tup:

[JerryHawk250]

Well no riding today. We got this white stuff falling from the sky. This very rare for South Louisiana. Its been cold and raining since Monday and i'm ready to get out the house. Been stuck inside way too long. Good news is it will clear up tomorrow and will be cold but sunny. Guess who is going riding? :yay:This guy.

[katoranger]

I always drew the line at freezing. Rode home once in sleet.

[pistolclass]

CT is expecting 3-7 inches of the white stuff.... See you guys in April.....

[cheesy]

My little sister, who grew up in Wisconsin and spent years in Wyoming, now lives in Louisiana. She was the only one to show up at work today. Her take was that such a small amount of snow wasn't worth worrying about.

She can be a smartass.

[Azhule]

I will say, it's too cold to ride when the outside temps (without windchill) is around 40 degrees F... wind speeds are easily in the 60+ mph range with gusts of 80+... a lot of ice patches and tumbleweeds the size of go-carts to battle also...

I would have usually layered up to go out for a nice ride to gaze at the scenery (actually have a sitter today for the kiddo) but I think I will say "it's too cold (and windy)" to ride :hehe:

[JerryHawk250]

My little sister, who grew up in Wisconsin and spent years in Wyoming, now lives in Louisiana. She was the only one to show up at work today. Her take was that such a small amount of snow wasn't worth worrying about.

She can be a smartass. What part of Louisiana she in? We are just not prepared for this kind of weather here. Most of the bridges and overpass are closed due to freezing.

[cheesy]

What part of Louisiana she in? We are just not prepared for this kind of weather here. Most of the bridges and overpass are closed due to freezing.

Pineville. She said that her horse was happy to frolic around its' pasture in the white stuff.

Right now, though, my take on it is quite different. Umpteen flight delays and cancellations due to the weather in the southeast. I should have been home around 8:30pm CST. Now 11:00pm EST and still sitting on my butt in Charlotte.:wtf:

[culcune]

We were in the upper 40's yesterday early morning, and probably near the same today. People at work can't believe I rode, but then again, I have been riding for the last 5 years straight, so not sure why they are so surprised?! I mentioned it before, but have noticed how much different (and for the better) riding a scooter is as far as wind protection goes. I know it will get worse before it gets better, and I have not put on an extra layer yet, but that is coming.

[BlackBike]

CT is expecting 3-7 inches of the white stuff.... See you guys in April.....

I heard Joe bastardi on the Sean Hannity Show yesterday and he said the north east will have heavy snow fall throughout the next 2 month with events likely every 2 weeks.

Enjoy

Im here waiting for temp to rise above 55. Yes, I'm a pus when it comes to cold. Currently 53. We even had snow here in South texas yesterday. :crazy:

Culcune...you da man!

[pistolclass]

I heard Joe bastardi on the Sean Hannity Show yesterday and he said the north east will have heavy snow fall throughout the next 2 month with events likely every 2 weeks.

Enjoy

Im here waiting for temp to rise above 55. Yes, I'm a pus when it comes to cold. Currently 53. We even had snow here in South texas yesterday. :crazy:

Culcune...you da man!

Where's the thumbs down button? My buddy has a bunch of sleds up at his cabin in Maine. Looks like I need to buy some new toys.

[cheesy]

Was out yesterday on the RPOC. 25F when I started, 29F by the time I got back home. Fleece lined jeans and leather chaps, lined leather bomber, winter boots, and heated grips with hippo hands. Comfy, except for little Jim and the twins. There was shrinkage.

That aside, I went to an indoor MC swapmeet. The RPOC was the only bike in the parking lot yet all the patrons were in uniform.

[JerryHawk250]

Pineville. She said that her horse was happy to frolic around its' pasture in the white stuff.
.

That's up by Alexandria. Been through there a few times on my way to Dallas. The snow was pretty but glad it's gone. I did get so ride time in Sunday. Saturday was out of the question because the bridges were still iced up. Being down in bayou land there are a lot of bridges. lol

[cheesy]

It was too cold today. 12F with a -9 windchill. Brrr!