Cold

bogmonster

Pedelecer
Aug 8, 2008
127
1
Rode 9 miles into work this morning. Temperature at work was 0 deg C and thick fog. Will be setting off home again in about 30 minutes time. Temp currently 1 deg C and thick fog again. On the plus side the wind is ony 3 knotts and it will be a tail wind!


My Aldi winter cycling gear was OK. Kept me warm enough.
The Aldi stuff is working well for me as well. I am getting cold feet though. I have about 21 miles each way and I find the second half is where I get cold - last trip was 0c when I got home and thick fog. I think I am getting too tired and too slow. But a big thumbs up to Aldi. I am especially pleased with thier gloves that have worked very well.

BM.
 

halflife

Pedelecer
Jul 12, 2008
33
0
I have also been impressed with the Aldi gloves, they do not really seem that thick so was not expecting much, but they are waterproof and do a good job of keeping the cold at bay. The Gel inserts seem to make the ride a little more comfortable as well.

I cannot remember exactly now but i am sure they only cost about £10:)
 

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
The Aldi stuff is working well for me as well. I am getting cold feet though. I have about 21 miles each way and I find the second half is where I get cold - last trip was 0c when I got home and thick fog. I think I am getting too tired and too slow. But a big thumbs up to Aldi. I am especially pleased with thier gloves that have worked very well.

BM.
Are you wearing overboots? I find they make a big difference and not just in the rain.
 

musicbooks

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2007
719
29
Hi

I find a couple cans of Carlsberg Special Brew and a wooly hat usually works before i set of to work on my winter shifts, soon warms the cockles.

My sandwiched keep fresh in panniers in this weather so i leave my lunch outside in them to reduce refrigeration costs, and a sneaky beer but don't tell the boss.

That is on special offer in Aldi at the moment £4.55.

thx

Bob
Are you a police officer or an ailine pilot?:D
bw
musicbooks
 

tenderbehind

Pedelecer
Oct 31, 2008
159
0
Nothing wimpish about wanting to keep your hands warm...
I used to use the old fashioned hand warmer, white stick thingies a bit like cigarettes to look at, contained in a metal case, I saw one in a shop window the other day. As far as I can remember they were difficult to light and once lit were difficult to kep lit, effective whilst warm though.
I don't think you can beat a good pair of gloves for keeping your hands warm for a long as you need to, and it would be arkward to operate the bike controls, steering, brakes etc while holding a hand warmer. :eek:
 

WALKERMAN

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2008
269
0
Keeping Warm

I keep warm with several layers of clothing and the outer set is all warterproof stuff which keeps the wind chill out. The only problem I have in really cold weather is that my finger tips get painfully cold. I wear sealskin gloves which are great most of the time.
Has anyone get any hints or tips for keeping the fingers warm?
 

Barnowl

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 18, 2008
954
1
Yeah and a big thumbs up from me for Aldis winter cycling kit. Great stuff and very reasonable cost. I think those gloves only cost me £3.99. Brilliant buy! Trousers are damned good too :) Bit of a shame you have to be so quick off the mark to beat the rush though. All snapped up in no time at all. Suspect some folk are wearing them in bed :D
 

Andrew harvey

Pedelecer
Jun 13, 2008
188
0
Wyre Forest
www.smiths-cycles.com
I have, as well as cycling, spent 30 years throwing myself of hills with a hang glider in some pretty cold weather, the absolute best thing to keep hands warm is a pair of old fashioned Damart driving gloves under a pair of neoprine mittens.
I've being into Birmingham looking for a new pair of the Damarts but the shop has shut since I last went in (about 10 years), but mittens if you can get along with them work better than gloves, if you can find a pair of neoprine mittens you should be laughing. Oh and the neoprine overshoes are worth their weight in the gold stuff, they keep not just your feet but your ankles warm and your shoes dry, now if the just made some seat liners out of the stuff we could all be happy.
 

Phil the drill

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 14, 2008
395
6
TR9
I keep warm with several layers of clothing and the outer set is all warterproof stuff which keeps the wind chill out. The only problem I have in really cold weather is that my finger tips get painfully cold. I wear sealskin gloves which are great most of the time.
Has anyone get any hints or tips for keeping the fingers warm?
Hi Walkerman

Have you tried using heated gloves? They will keep you nice and toasty and run off rechargeable AA batteries. Run approx 3hrs continous on a good high capacity battery. Currently waterproof ones will only set you back about £17
Warmawear Deluxe Heated Glove £16.95

Cheers, Phil
 

essexman

Pedelecer
Dec 17, 2007
212
0
cb11
How many of you have a car,at this time of year if it is wet or very cold,i take the easy option,i see an accident due to the weather wet roads or ice,could cost far more than a few quid in petrol.
I feel safer on the bike that way i can quickly avoid the morons on the road who dont know how to drive in cold condtions ~90% of drivers in the South!
 

dodgyal

Pedelecer
Jul 16, 2008
50
0
Yeah, Aldi stuff works well, wear plenty of layers (tshirt, aldi jacket and waterproof mac) surf trousers and waterproof overtrousers.

I do still need to sort out gloves (aldi ones are a little small for me) plus feet and neck still get a little cold.

I also just got an Ice tyre on the front (metal spikes, £20) as the humber bridge does get covered in ice in winter.
Schwalbe Snow Stud 26 x 1.9 Tyre

I do take my camper van to the bridge in winter then cycle the 4 miles to work on my 905se. my van runs on LPG so its still pretty cheap up here at 49p litre.:cool:
 

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
I also just got an Ice tyre on the front (metal spikes, £20) as the humber bridge does get covered in ice in winter.
Schwalbe Snow Stud 26 x 1.9 Tyre
I don't know if they come with instructions but usually when you reach the ice you drop the pressure in the tyre and the studs come down to grip the road surface, then when back on normal roads you pump them up again to lift the studs off the road and ride normally.

I forgot to put on the overshoes this morning and my feet were painful by the time I got in the shower at work, not forgetting that again!. Hopefully my overtrousers will be delivered today as well so I'll be cosy as the temperatures drop again this week. :)
 

dodgyal

Pedelecer
Jul 16, 2008
50
0
I don't know if they come with instructions but usually when you reach the ice you drop the pressure in the tyre and the studs come down to grip the road surface, then when back on normal roads you pump them up again to lift the studs off the road and ride normally.
30PSI to use the spikes, 40PSI if you dont The recon they will last two seasons, but I guess that depends on what surface, distance and pressure.
 

Neil

Pedelecer
Mar 28, 2008
63
0
Cheap Overtousers

I commute to work 9+ miles along country roads on my pro connect. It is a very messy bike as it sprays up dirt from the front wheel. I use cheap Track suit trousers from Primark both to keep warm and stop my trousers from getting dirty.
 

Nick

Pedelecer
Nov 4, 2006
152
0
Hi Phil

I'd be interested to hear if you have tried those heated gloves as, if they're any good, I may go for them over some gel handwarmers and a pair of ski mittens.

Thanks
Nick
 

keithhazel

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 1, 2007
997
0
Hi Phil

I'd be interested to hear if you have tried those heated gloves as, if they're any good, I may go for them over some gel handwarmers and a pair of ski mittens.

Thanks
Nick
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there was a pair on here advertised at about £16 withing the last 2 days, they would in the long run be better value then maplins gear as i bought a non effective electrical bodywarmer last year and also a non working working wind up torch..which he put back on the shelf..i said "but that doesnt work".. he replied..."its still sealed"..:eek: not the first time i have taken duff stuff back.....maplins fan im not...
 

Nick

Pedelecer
Nov 4, 2006
152
0
Hi Keith

Thanks for that. I wasn't so impressed by the look of the Maplin ones, but the ones Phil linked to looked to be better. That siad, I have tried some before (a different sort) and they were all but useless.

(&*&^%$! winter!