Bikies,
I commute 5 miles one way and am able to stay quite warm even in subzero weather
by using the layering technique.
As was mentioned for feet, keeping your ankles warm helps maintain circulation to
your feet so they can stay warm. This applies more generally to keeping your legs and
arms warm if you want to keep your feet and hands warm. When I notice my hands or
feet getting cold, I generally notice that my arms or legs are not totally
comfortable. Another hint is to stand in the peddles occasionally to prevent pressure
from the seat from reducing circulation to your feet. For the same reason, take your
hands off the handle bars occasionally and work your grip.
As for my layering technique, today I wore the following. Legs: polyester long
underwear, polyester dress work pants, Performance Gore-Tex rainpants. Feet:
polypropylene socks, smart wool socks, Merrell hiking boots. The long underwear is
pulled over the polypropylene socks and the smart wool socks are pulled over the dress
pants. Any colder and I would pull out my gaiters. Torso: heavy polyester long
underwear, polyester fleece top from Lands End, Performance Gore-Tex rain jacket. The
Performance rain suit is yellow and reflective. Much colder than today and I pull out
my parka in place of the outer two layers. Head: Performance polyester fleece
balaclava pulled over my nose, put on and clip my helmet which has a visor, pull a
neck gaiter over my helmet and balaclava to overlap the balaclava, pull up rain jacket
hood, and zip jacket all the way up to keep hood in place. Hands: Performance
Gore-Tex winter cycling gloves covered with Performance Gore-Tex mitten !
shell. I can put polypropylene liners under the gloves for even colder conditions.
I wear glasses too and find that an anti-fogging coating every now and then keeps
them from fogging up. The glasses in combination with a hood protect the oval around
my eyes. The hood traps enough warmth that I don't need to wear goggles although I
have thought about buying some goggles to experiment.
As for bike chain lube, Robbie is exactly right that White Lightning is worthless
below freezing. I would add it is worthless above freezing as well. The best lube I
have found for all weather riding is good old motor oil. Don't let people buffalo you
with talk about oil attracting dirt. Metal surfaces attract dirt with or without oil.
What you need is something that has flow, and can lubricate and suspend the dirt out
of harms way to some extent. You also need something to protect against corrosion and
moisture. These are the properties for which motor oil was developed. Hint: in
winter use a lighter oil like 10 weight oil because 10W-30 gets like honey at these
temperatures.
Finally, a word about internally-geared hubs. I do not recommend that people get
any currently manufactured internally-geared hubs for winter use unless you are
willing to learn how to tear them apart at least once a year or more. I got a Shimano
Nexus 7-speed hub in November 1997. That winter and after each of the next two
winters, I had to have the hub or the hub guts replaced. The problem is that the
Nexus hub as well as currently manufactured Sturmey-Archer and Sachs internally geared
hubs are NOT sealed. They get water in them and if you don't disassemble them
periodically to relube them, they will start turning into balls of rust. The Nexus
right-side bearings (there are two sets) are especially susceptible to water
infiltration. I am still using my Nexus hub but I had Eric of Mobile Mechanics (can't
remember their new name) add two grease ports which has helped some. I am still
experimenting with different types of grease for winter use. Ideally what is nee!
ded is a sealed internally-geared hub that is filled with oil. This is exactly what
is done with most other gear boxes in vehicles and machinery. The old Sturmey-Archer
hubs to which you add oil probably are better suited to winter use than the new
so-called maintenance free hubs.
Mark Shahan
>
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Date: 2003/01/23 Thu AM 11:54:51 CST
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [Bikies] Winter riding question
>
> OK, how does one keep the oval around your eyes/top of nose from freezing?
> And how do you keep glasses from frosting over? Not to mention feet and
> hands - I have good gloves, but should I switch to mittens? My left
> outside fingers got a bit fried, as did my toes through 3 pairs of socks...
>
> I have discovered that -9 is a wee bit too cold to ride with present gear.
> Especially since my transmission and hubs are kind of sucky at that temp.
> Is there a better grease I could be using than White Lightning on
> chain/transmission, and whatever wheels are normally packed with?
>
> Thanks,
> Rich
>
> ***************************************
> Richard Frueh
> WHEDA Network Systems Administrator
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> (608) 267-1080 (o) (608) 267-2825 (f)
> ***************************************
>
>
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