| If you live in an area with four seasons, it's wonderful | | | | work up a major sweat, you'll still be wet when you |
| to watch the year go by on a mountain bike. You see | | | | get to the top, no matter what you do. Be ready to |
| each cycle unfold and blend into the next. When the | | | | shed a layer or two, if you get too warm. It's OK to be |
| leaves turn to gold and skis and snowboards come | | | | a little chilly at first; you'll warm up once you get going. |
| out of the closet around the country, my mind turns to | | | | There are three basic layers to wear while riding in |
| ... riding my bike at night in subfreezing temperatures, on | | | | cold conditions. First, wear a layer of polypropylene |
| bulletproof ice. Winter, especially, offers exhilarating | | | | next to your skin, then an insulating layer of polyester |
| riding-if you prepare properly. When snow and silence | | | | fleece or other material that has a nap to capture an |
| blanket everything, the terrain becomes incredibly | | | | insulating layer of air. On top of all this wear a |
| beautiful. | | | | breathable wind-resistant shell. Unless it's very cold (20 |
| In a more practical vein, winter riding keeps you in | | | | degrees or less) you probably can skip the middle |
| shape by extending your season. Come spring, you | | | | layer on your legs. Experiment with different weight |
| won't have to start your training from scratch. Your | | | | fabrics for different temperatures. Make sure your |
| rides won't be as long, and you probably won't ride as | | | | torso is well insulated, as this is where your core body |
| often as during the warm months, but at least you'll | | | | temperature is regulated. If your core is warm, then it's |
| retain much of what you accomplished the previous | | | | more likely your extremities will also be warm. |
| season. Many road bikers take to mountain biking in | | | | Here's a list of cold weather riding accessories: |
| the winter to maintain their training schedule. Since | | | | Booties. Your feet are probably the most vulnerable |
| mountain bikes travel at much slower speeds than | | | | part of your body in cold temperatures. The pressure |
| road bikes, there's less windchill. | | | | of pedaling tends to cut off circulation to your toes, |
| Sometimes, I even turn winter jaunts into excursions | | | | which can put you at risk for frostbite. Neoprene |
| that provide a whole different experience. I bring | | | | booties are a must in subfreezing conditions. You can |
| matches, bread, and cheese; stop halfway through my | | | | find neoprene overboots in most bike mail-order |
| ride to toast myself a grilled cheese sandwich; and eat | | | | catalogs. They zip on over your cycling shoes and |
| lunch by the fire. Like most of mountain biking, | | | | have a pattern in the sole where you can cut out a |
| coldweather riding is all attitudinal. If you tell yourself | | | | piece to accommodate cleats. |
| you're going to be miserable, you will. If you tell yourself | | | | Gloves. Several manufacturers make 'lobster gloves,' a |
| you're going to have a good time, you will. So just | | | | mitten-glove hybrid that separates the index finger and |
| relax, be careful, and enjoy yourself. | | | | thumb from the rest of your hand. They're warmer |
| Ice riding opens you up to other experiences. You | | | | than regular gloves, and the distinct index finger allows |
| become more willing to take risks and make yourself | | | | you to operate your shifter and brake levers. Carry a |
| vulnerable, less hesitant to put yourself in uncertain | | | | pair of lightweight polypropylene glove liners as a |
| situations. You trust yourself more. You learn how to | | | | backup if your hands get cold. If you have to stop to |
| stay in control-and when it's OK not to be in control. | | | | take care of a minor repair, liners can protect you |
| Off-season riding also opens you up to a | | | | from the cold while allowing you the dexterity needed. |
| multidimensional relationship with terrain. If you hide the | | | | Glasses. Wraparound glasses that provide maximum |
| bike when it gets cold, and you don't ski or do anything | | | | wind protection are best to protect the eyes and |
| else, you're experiencing only one aspect of the | | | | prevent tearing, more of a problem in cold |
| landscape. Part of the challenge of the sport is pushing | | | | temperatures than in warm. As we mentioned in |
| your limits-and your bike's. That's the idea behind ice | | | | chapter 5, glasses with interchangeable lenses of |
| riding, snowtire slaloms, and other ostensibly insane | | | | varying darkness will prepare you for dusk and |
| activities. Whatever the parameters of your | | | | darkness. Again, stick with shatterproof plastic. |
| experience, you'll always be pushing the old limits and | | | | Socks. Wear heavy socks, but be careful not to have |
| discovering new ones to surmount and surpass. You | | | | too much bulk. An overly heavy sock will make your |
| can do it on several levels-endurance, weather, | | | | shoes tight, cut off circulation, and make your feet cold. |
| whatever. | | | | Try socks made for cross-bined with wind-resistant |
| Weather conditions, of course, vary according to | | | | covers can keep country skiing; they're warm, |
| where you live. In the coastal Northeast, there's a long | | | | lightweight, and ride high on the calf, offering a little |
| period with no snow in the winter. Cold temperatures, | | | | extra protection. If you feel you need to have an extra |
| rather than cold conditions, are the thing that's different | | | | layer, silk ski socks are very warm, also extremely |
| from the rest of the year. You can probably ride most | | | | lightweight, and won't add much bulk. |
| of the season on dirt, especially from the Middle | | | | Underwear. Polypropylene is the best and is available |
| Atlantic to down south. | | | | in various weights. Lightweight is best for temperatures |
| Obviously, you won't mountain bike all winter. But ice | | | | above freezing (32 to 50 degrees), while heavier |
| riding at least gives you the option of taking advantage | | | | weights are necessary for colder temperatures. |
| of all of it and the feeling of having that possibility is | | | | Insulating layer. Polypropylene fleece is the best. Like |
| wonderful. It's empowering. It expands your perception | | | | underwear, it's available in various weights. You can |
| of where you live. You need to take just a little extra | | | | probably skip this layer in temperatures over 50 |
| care to ensure that your bike-and you-function | | | | degrees, but may need two insulating layers in very |
| optimally in cold weather. You have to become | | | | cold conditions (20 degrees or less). |
| conscientious about what to wear, what to eat and | | | | Wind protection. Moving air is the main cause of body |
| what to buy for your bike. | | | | heat loss. Good wind protection will allow you to vent |
| Cycling in cold weather (45 degrees or less) has | | | | perspiration while protecting you from windchill. Most |
| always been a challenge. The problem is that you start | | | | windprotection gear is made of nylon laminated with a |
| out cold, then warm up and break a sweat, which | | | | wind-resistant material. Choose a jacket and pants |
| makes you wet. Then, while going downhill, the | | | | based on durability, breathability, and price ' as this sort |
| combination of wet skin and windchill makes for a truly | | | | of clothing can be quite expensive. If you ride in traffic, |
| bonechilling experience. Clothing manufacturers have | | | | at dusk, or at night, find an outfit that incorporates |
| responded by inventing various kinds (mostly knit | | | | reflective material to make you more visible to |
| polyesters) of space-age fabrics designed to wick the | | | | motorists. |
| moisture away from your body and into the outer | | | | Helmet, liner, and cover. Your mother always told you |
| layers of clothing, where it's released into the air | | | | that 50 percent of your body heat is lost through your |
| through evaporation, thereby keeping you warm and | | | | head; she was right. Helmets are designed to be cool |
| dry. | | | | in the summer, not warm in the winter. Fleece helmet |
| Sounds pretty good, huh? The problem is that while | | | | liners keep your head and ears warm in cold |
| these fabrics really do make this kind of winter activity | | | | temperatures. |
| possible, they're not perfect. If you climb a big hill and | | | | |