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