Winter weather here in the Mid-Atlantic is pretty similar, my favorite move for winter cycling (and this also works for motorcycling where wind-chill hits so much harder) is a pair of deer/elk-skin roper gloves with a pair of merino wool liner gloves underneath. Good dexterity, and all-natural to boot
For a synthetic option that's like half the price of the above, I've heard good things about Handup's winter MTB gloves
Used to use them for commuting in the snow and winter MTB rides. They're not the most breathable but they are warm.
All that said the version of them that are currently sold look different and certainly less bulky than mine so i don't know if they're still as cold weather friendly
Lobster gloves can be a pretty good way to go, they're warmer than normal gloves but you don't lose dexterity like you do with just plain mitts. How much dexterity you need depends on your ride, though -- shifting gears is normally okay but some bells are impossible to ding with gloves on because of how the dinging part is made, for example.
Pogies are _great_, but take a bit of getting used to -- as with dexterity, if your ride needs you to make hand signals a lot because of traffic / intersections, then pogies will be more hassle than if you just keep your hands on the bars the whole time. I have one of these monobrow-pogies sort of things, exactly because I found that it was a pain having to take my hands out of pogies, or rather it was a pain putting them back in again. It doesn't provide the same amount of insulation as the more all-enclosed ones, but it still makes a huge difference because it reduces the effective wind.
I had never heard of pogies before, those look like they would work really well. But also that I would hate using them I think, with how my rides around town go.
While looking around I knew not all sizing would be the same of course, but I came across one manufacturer whose sizing guide placed me at a small. Everything else I wear is L/XL, sometimes down to a M for gloves if they run larger, but apparently these guys make gloves for giants :O
I wish it were easier to actually try on some of these, none of the local places that might have any meaningful selection are remotely convenient for me to get to while feelin' like butts, but dealing with the worse health problems is what's prompted me to make an actual effort to get some real winter hand protection.
Thinking about throwing a messenger-style porteur rack on the front of my bike soon, mostly so I have a good option for transporting heavier stuff like my locks without my backpack -- would make bicycling to the grocery store especially effective too, perhaps in conjunction with a Wald 137-style basket
Plus I just think they look neat and sometimes that's all you need
Maybe this is what you mean, but you could get a front rack that's flat, with no lip, and use a wald basket for volume carrying. I ended up getting a surly 8 pack rack that I've liked. I strap my sleeping bag there for camping, and I can easily strap my u lock to it with voile straps.
Maybe this is what you mean, but you could get a front rack that's flat, with no lip, and use a wald basket for volume carrying. I ended up getting a surly 8 pack rack that I've liked. I strap my sleeping bag there for camping, and I can easily strap my u lock to it with voile straps.
Yup yeah that's more or less the exact format of rack I had in mind, though I'm looking at my options for axle mounting since the Rush doesn't have any eyelets
Plenty of small companies making 'em with fixed/track/SS frames in mind too, with those axle mounts specifically in mind
Maybe this is what you mean, but you could get a front rack that's flat, with no lip, and use a wald basket for volume carrying. I ended up getting a surly 8 pack rack that I've liked. I strap my sleeping bag there for camping, and I can easily strap my u lock to it with voile straps.
Yup yeah that's more or less the exact format of rack I had in mind, though I'm looking at my options for axle mounting since the Rush doesn't have any eyelets
Plenty of small companies making 'em with fixed/track/SS frames in mind too, with those axle mounts specifically in mind
It just straps on to the front forks. Once I got it tight enough, it did stay in place on long tours. But at first, it started drooping a bit and rubbed against a tire before I tightened it again. It looks kinda cool though and it's really easy to put on any bike. Not for anything too heavy though.
I had never heard of pogies before, those look like they would work really well. But also that I would hate using them I think, with how my rides around town go.
While looking around I knew not all sizing would be the same of course, but I came across one manufacturer whose sizing guide placed me at a small. Everything else I wear is L/XL, sometimes down to a M for gloves if they run larger, but apparently these guys make gloves for giants :O
I wish it were easier to actually try on some of these, none of the local places that might have any meaningful selection are remotely convenient for me to get to while feelin' like butts, but dealing with the worse health problems is what's prompted me to make an actual effort to get some real winter hand protection.
Ended up going with some Showers Pass gloves made right across the river, a lot of local reddit nerds seemed to think highly of them, and they're currently on sale as well, hooray!
Ended up going with some Showers Pass gloves made right across the river, a lot of local reddit nerds seemed to think highly of them, and they're currently on sale as well, hooray!
My complaint with those is that they don't really offer anything a handlebar bag doesn't already give you because of how close it is to the handlebars and its size.
My complaint with those is that they don't really offer anything a handlebar bag doesn't already give you because of how close it is to the handlebars and its size.
One thing racks like that seem to be super handy for is supporting larger handlebar bags, like a Fab's Chest or similar, to keep it up and forward from the wheel
That and holding smaller lashable stuff like coats
After racing a few alleycats on my commuter bike, slowly raising my intensity and volume day by day to try and get into a local fixed gear closed-course crit race. I don't think I'm necessarily gonna win or even finish but dammit, I finally have something approaching a competitive impulse for the first time in years
I am also treating myself to building a crit bike accordingly, since my commuter bike is not really built for such, and this thing is gonna be a spicy meatball
In further dadification, it looks like I'm getting a Tern HSD. We got a big Urban Arrow already, but we have to change kindergarten this summer to one much further away and the tern is just way more flexible as a commuter at the same time.
At least it looks like we can save a bunch of taxes buy leasing it through my job. Even with buying it after three years leasing it's supposed to save like 25-30% on the total including the inspections, spare parts, and insurance the job pays for. These tax rules are all a bit absurd to be honest
My dad put my mom's old training bike in the shop for a refresh and asked if I want it -- the other one I used back in college got stolen, so I'm a little burned on losing her last one, but I know my parents would rather it get used. But but but I also need a good outdoor storage option since I don't have space for an inside rack, and Texas sunshine does Bad Things.
But my, it is a beauty, (someone else's) 1985 Trek 500:
Ran my third alleycat race on Sunday, feeling in much better shape than even just the one I did in February let alone the Thanksgiving charity one in November
Did take a very hard fall in literally the last corner of the race, where a downhill->flat transition had deposited some surprisingly deep sand into the tight part of corner (and my line was *very* tight). Nothing broken thankfully because the entire left side of my body distributed the whole impact, but my hip, shoulder, and ribs all definitely have some bruising. Plus one very skinned area of about two square inches on my elbow
No gore in the spoiler, just a big image of me looking cool with my bike
(Also damn I finally look good in a medium shirt and size 32 shorts again)
Edit: also solid fuckin' reminder to wear a helmet, I've been cocky lately and occasionally commuting without one but wore one for the race, and my week would be much worse if I had not
HerrCronIt that wickedly supports taxationRegistered Userregular
I'm getting back into cycling (tore my ACL last summer, had surgery last November, finally confident enough to be cycling outdoors again) - I'm using the city's bike share for my commute, a grey lump of a bike that weighs 18kg and has a frame only a mother could love, but the fire & forget nature of it is a real big bonus.
My own bike, for longer rides on the weekend and my hopeful return to triathlons, is a Cannondale Synapse. I swore i had a picture, but apparently not.
I'm finally getting it fitted, which is gonna cost a couple of hundred and also take half a day, but I'm hoping the improvement from actually having the bike fitted to me will be worth it.
the passenger carrying upgrade on the back is missing as are the wheelguards and the stirups for the passenger aren't mounted yet either. Makes me wonder why they said the bike was sent to the workshop for assemby before sending it out.
Mini Clubhouse, so basically the same.
They didn't even calibrate the brakes, so that's what I have to do today
Edit: is it normal for the back wheel with Nexus hub gear and e-motor to not turn so easily and make like a "chhhhh" sound? Or another thing that goes on the bad bike shop list?
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For a synthetic option that's like half the price of the above, I've heard good things about Handup's winter MTB gloves
I just ordered a pair over Black Friday, though they won't get delivered till sometime in January.
Used to use them for commuting in the snow and winter MTB rides. They're not the most breathable but they are warm.
All that said the version of them that are currently sold look different and certainly less bulky than mine so i don't know if they're still as cold weather friendly
Pogies are _great_, but take a bit of getting used to -- as with dexterity, if your ride needs you to make hand signals a lot because of traffic / intersections, then pogies will be more hassle than if you just keep your hands on the bars the whole time. I have one of these monobrow-pogies sort of things, exactly because I found that it was a pain having to take my hands out of pogies, or rather it was a pain putting them back in again. It doesn't provide the same amount of insulation as the more all-enclosed ones, but it still makes a huge difference because it reduces the effective wind.
While looking around I knew not all sizing would be the same of course, but I came across one manufacturer whose sizing guide placed me at a small. Everything else I wear is L/XL, sometimes down to a M for gloves if they run larger, but apparently these guys make gloves for giants :O
I wish it were easier to actually try on some of these, none of the local places that might have any meaningful selection are remotely convenient for me to get to while feelin' like butts, but dealing with the worse health problems is what's prompted me to make an actual effort to get some real winter hand protection.
Plus I just think they look neat and sometimes that's all you need
Yup yeah that's more or less the exact format of rack I had in mind, though I'm looking at my options for axle mounting since the Rush doesn't have any eyelets
Plenty of small companies making 'em with fixed/track/SS frames in mind too, with those axle mounts specifically in mind
You get pretty limited by size and weight when you don't have the eyelets. I had some issues. I bought this https://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Tetrarack-M1-Rack-Front/dp/B0858767BS
It just straps on to the front forks. Once I got it tight enough, it did stay in place on long tours. But at first, it started drooping a bit and rubbed against a tire before I tightened it again. It looks kinda cool though and it's really easy to put on any bike. Not for anything too heavy though.
Ended up going with some Showers Pass gloves made right across the river, a lot of local reddit nerds seemed to think highly of them, and they're currently on sale as well, hooray!
https://showerspass.com/products/crosspoint-waterproof-knit-wool-gloves?variant=40545600176328
Hopefully being made locally and being seemingly well regarded means they actually work out as promised locally, hah
Hmmm they do look promising, I'm gonna give them a go too.
Cheers for the link!
https://wholegraincycles.com/
My complaint with those is that they don't really offer anything a handlebar bag doesn't already give you because of how close it is to the handlebars and its size.
One thing racks like that seem to be super handy for is supporting larger handlebar bags, like a Fab's Chest or similar, to keep it up and forward from the wheel
That and holding smaller lashable stuff like coats
I am also treating myself to building a crit bike accordingly, since my commuter bike is not really built for such, and this thing is gonna be a spicy meatball
At least it looks like we can save a bunch of taxes buy leasing it through my job. Even with buying it after three years leasing it's supposed to save like 25-30% on the total including the inspections, spare parts, and insurance the job pays for. These tax rules are all a bit absurd to be honest
But my, it is a beauty, (someone else's) 1985 Trek 500:
Did take a very hard fall in literally the last corner of the race, where a downhill->flat transition had deposited some surprisingly deep sand into the tight part of corner (and my line was *very* tight). Nothing broken thankfully because the entire left side of my body distributed the whole impact, but my hip, shoulder, and ribs all definitely have some bruising. Plus one very skinned area of about two square inches on my elbow
No gore in the spoiler, just a big image of me looking cool with my bike
(Also damn I finally look good in a medium shirt and size 32 shorts again)
Edit: also solid fuckin' reminder to wear a helmet, I've been cocky lately and occasionally commuting without one but wore one for the race, and my week would be much worse if I had not
My own bike, for longer rides on the weekend and my hopeful return to triathlons, is a Cannondale Synapse. I swore i had a picture, but apparently not.
I'm finally getting it fitted, which is gonna cost a couple of hundred and also take half a day, but I'm hoping the improvement from actually having the bike fitted to me will be worth it.
the passenger carrying upgrade on the back is missing as are the wheelguards and the stirups for the passenger aren't mounted yet either. Makes me wonder why they said the bike was sent to the workshop for assemby before sending it out.
They didn't even calibrate the brakes, so that's what I have to do today
Edit: is it normal for the back wheel with Nexus hub gear and e-motor to not turn so easily and make like a "chhhhh" sound? Or another thing that goes on the bad bike shop list?