Winter Riding

[SirHansford]

Just a little info about cold temps and wind chill factors.  Thought it might be useful for people who plan to ride through the chilly months!  Bundle up folks!   (I apologize to the rest of the world that it is in fahrenheit lol) Here is the conversion formula :  T(°C) = (T(°F) - 32) / 1.8

[the_63]

Could've used this earlier this year. Riding to placement in sub 30^oF and arriving teeth chattering, hands so cold I couldn't operate my iPhone and tears stuck to my face. The women were powerless to resist my badboy biker image 

[ShowBizWolf]

Speaking of this, I rode to work today... right now it's 23F which is fine, I've ridden in the 20's before but the snow started to fall shortly after I clocked in... it wasn't supposed to start for another 8 or so hours...

Gonna be an interesting 2.5 mile ride home later 

[Atesz792]

Sounds like a nice afternoon walk!

[Big Rich]

Won't ride in the rain, but will take on PA's snow....haha.

How did you make out Showbiz?

[rscottlow]

Now that the sub-freezing temps are a regular occurrence, my bike is essentially garaged for the winter. If we get a weekend day with temps in the 50's (F), I'll try to get out, but otherwise I'll call it a season until March. I don't have winter gear, or the funds available to purchase any. Now I'm using this time to do some maintenance that I've been putting off - valve clearances, oil change, and the LED turn signal diode mod. I'll probably get started on all of that stuff after the holidays.

[Watcher]

I don't have winter gear, or the funds available to purchase any.

One simple and cheap way to get by is to go to a local military surplus/camp store and buy a snowmobile suit.
Like a one piece jumpsuit thats all insulated.
And size it so you can get in while wearing your riding gear.  Usually the legs are on zippered gussets or something for easy on/off with boots.
While you're there get some "trigger finger mittens" and wool socks.

The whole shopping spree might run you $100+ but it's a fraction the cost of real cold-weather riding gear and gets the job done well enough for the rider who just wants to take the bike out now and then for a spin in sub freezing.

[rscottlow]

There's an Army surplus store right down the road from work. I'll have to swing by and check out prices on my lunch break sometime.

[twocool]

I've been wearing a snowmobile suit when riding, for years when it is cold!

Cookie

I don't have winter gear, or the funds available to purchase any.

One simple and cheap way to get by is to go to a local military surplus/camp store and buy a snowmobile suit.
Like a one piece jumpsuit thats all insulated.
And size it so you can get in while wearing your riding gear.  Usually the legs are on zippered gussets or something for easy on/off with boots.
While you're there get some "trigger finger mittens" and wool socks.

The whole shopping spree might run you $100+ but it's a fraction the cost of real cold-weather riding gear and gets the job done well enough for the rider who just wants to take the bike out now and then for a spin in sub freezing.

[ShowBizWolf]

A snowmobile suit is a brilliant idea !!

@Rich... lol yeah I don't really enjoy the rain cuz I have yet to get any rain gear... surprised you remembered that about me  it's on the list to get haha! Made out OK, learned that I do need to figure out something better for my glove layers. It was about 19F when I left work at midnight to go home... and even though I was going slow, avoiding snow drifts and being super nervous about being attacked by black ice, I lost a lot of feeling in my fingers by the time I was turning onto my street. I don't really want to go the heated grip route, would rather get some heated gloves or hippo hands... time to do some online shopping

[Big Rich]

I still have those Moose Racing hand covers from my GS450 (they looked like Mickey Mouse ears....). They just attached with velcro, so it was easy to install / remove them, and they blocked a LOT of cold air.

Glad to hear you didn't find too much snow after work!

[the_63]

I might need to look at some big obnoxious hand guards for the winter. I struggle in big gloves, I wear summer gloves all year because anything thicker and I'm just clumsy with the controls. I catch the horn when I switch off the turn signal in bare hands, let alone winter gloves. 

I only ride in textile gear, being a student I can't really manage any kind of leathers. I'm a massive guy too so don't really want to be packing myself into leather...

[ShowBizWolf]

Thanks Rich!!! Boy am I glad too. If it would have kept falling and piling up I would have prolly surrendered and gotten a ride home with a friend... then came back later with the van and took the bike home that way.  Don't wanna puss out but I also don't want to cause an accident for someone else on the road... or break myself and be off work for idk how long 

Nice to know the hand covers work well!! I'm not sure if I want to go with something like that or really treat myself to these that I found recently:
https://www.cyclegear.com/gear/joe-rocket-rocket-burner-heated-gloves

I'm thinking that the hand covers wouldn't have done much to help my situation last evening because the wind wasn't an issue at all. Ugh I wish my freeze-out glove liners worked better under my leather gloves but they cut off circulation and that is the opposite of help. All the rest of the freeze-out stuff I continue to love (I know I've mentioned it in the past on the forum) but the gloves I only wear when I'm shoveling snow lol!

Sounds like the hand guards would be awesome for ya 63!!

[the_63]

The xj6 I learned on had heated grips and I found that back of the hand/fingers get the worst of it. The hand protectors deflect the wind reducing the cold issue 

in theory

[Big Rich]

I've read an argument for each (heated grips w/ covers, and separate heated gloves).

People that have wired in heated gloves prefer them because they heat basically every surface of your hands. Heated grips & covers are nice since they are always there once installed. Those Joe Rocket gloves would be really nice for me since they have their own batteries and aren't wired into the bike.

So many good options these days!

[Watcher]

I only ride in textile gear, being a student I can't really manage any kind of leathers. I'm a massive guy too so don't really want to be packing myself into leather...

Leather has a handful of downsides, cost being a big one, but leather is also heavy and requires some maintenance to stay "healthy".
But its also so comfy, is generally more durable than textile, and has a sweet look!
I'd go leather for the track (do textile racing suits even exist) but I'll stick with textile for street.


Think of this, though, Columbia jackets aren't leather and they work great!  The textile can be an awesome wind barrier, but it lacks in insulation.  That's why you need a fleecy liner.

I actually use a Columbia liner under my First-Gear textile.  The Columbia shell lasted a few seasons and got stained and disgusting, so I tossed it, but the liner was good to go so I just started using my moto jacket as a winter jacket, lol.

[ShowBizWolf]

Those Joe Rocket gloves would be really nice for me since they have their own batteries and aren't wired into the bike.

That's exactly why I am considering them! How much simpler can ya get? Sure they say "up to 4 hours of heat" or whatever but there's no way I'd personally need them for anywhere near that long. Plus I could wear them when shoveling my driveway and front steps.

[the_63]

Leather has a handful of downsides, cost being a big one, but leather is also heavy and requires some maintenance to stay "healthy".
But its also so comfy, is generally more durable than textile, and has a sweet look!
I'd go leather for the track (do textile racing suits even exist) but I'll stick with textile for street.

Think of this, though, Columbia jackets aren't leather and they work great!  The textile can be an awesome wind barrier, but it lacks in insulation.  That's why you need a fleecy liner.

I actually use a Columbia liner under my First-Gear textile.  The Columbia shell lasted a few seasons and got stained and disgusting, so I tossed it, but the liner was good to go so I just started using my moto jacket as a winter jacket, lol.

See that's my first mistake, bought an entry level jacket without a lining. It is waterproof and proven itself to be very good, but no water in means no water out and after 8-9 months of consistent wear, including summer means it is a little gamey now.

[yamahonkawazuki]

I don't have winter gear, or the funds available to purchase any.

One simple and cheap way to get by is to go to a local military surplus/camp store and buy a snowmobile suit.
Like a one piece jumpsuit thats all insulated.
And size it so you can get in while wearing your riding gear.  Usually the legs are on zippered gussets or something for easy on/off with boots.
While you're there get some "trigger finger mittens" and wool socks.

The whole shopping spree might run you $100+ but it's a fraction the cost of real cold-weather riding gear and gets the job done well enough for the rider who just wants to take the bike out now and then for a spin in sub freezing.

i ended up cheaper when id ride either the gs or the sporty in 30f 6mi each way to work. id use plastic trash bags as wind blocks between the leathers and my clothing. as well as decent winter gloves.
Aaron

[Atesz792]

i ended up cheaper when id ride either the gs or the sporty in 30f 6mi each way to work. id use plastic trash bags as wind blocks between the leathers and my clothing. as well as decent winter gloves.
Aaron

Newspaper also works wonders in wind deflection used in a few layers
Handlebar muffs & summer gloves worked for me too, only have to figure out a way to keep it from applying my front brake over 100 km/h (because of wind pressure).