Is anyone still commuting on their bikes in this nippy weather? Had a problem with the car yesterday which is my usual winter transport for the 20 mile commute to the train station, as it’s steering related I wasn’t going to risk the drive this morning, so I had to use the trusty Thruxton! Really wasn’t looking forward to setting off in temperatures of 1 C (bloody freezing) at 6.30 this morning, however with a couple of layers and me long johns on it was actually quite good fun! By the time I got to the train my fingers had just started going numb (no heated grips or gloves) And added bonus of a bike rack I could chain the bike to at the station! I might carry on doing this after the cars fixed !! All the best Nick
Not this year. I commuted 10 miles each way, all through t'winter last year. I missed about 6 days, due to it being icy. I live up a lane, which is really slippy, until you get to t'main road.
I think ice or snow are the two things that I definitely wouldn’t want to be riding in, all other weathers is just a case of the right clothes
I'm retired now, so by definition I no longer have to commute. When I was still working I did used to use my bike quite often for the trip to work and as I worked odd ball shifts, I sometimes ended up riding very early on a frosty morning. Thats when I discovered the delights of heated grips. Lol.
Up until 2011 I used the bike all year round, now I have a car, lovely. My daily commute varies from between 50 to 75 miles there and the same back, sometimes further, and of course I need to shift kit, which was always a pain on the bike, involving either get stuff shifted at the start and end of the job, or making do with a lot less equipment. Now I bike only for pleasure or sometimes if I am local on a long running site or in the office I might ride in.
Mrs Tiger and I went for a blast on Sunday, just to give the bike a run, and keep the battery up. It was sunny but chilly, but with all the gear on it was lovely. as long as I stayed away from the soaking wet leaves.
I remember commuting from Cardiff to Bedford area on a monday in the winter, it was so cold I couldn't feel my hands or find my willey when stopping for a roadside wee. During the week it was parked up and the rev counter cable froze solid. I bought a huge pair of normal gloves from a petrol station and jammed my normal leather gloves inside them.
Took my Sprint GT out for a run day before yesterday. Was about 2degC and bearable with the heated grips. But wind chill is fecking cold whether heated grips or not. I only have a cheap Jet jacket from ebay, but with a nice thin wooly jumper underneath, it wasn't bad. Wouldn't want to ride in any lower temp though. Oh, and the my visor and bike was covered in cr@p from salt and mud when I got back - that was the worst thing.
I live in the Pennines and the climate varies within as little over a mile and is very harsh. Occasionally I commute a fifty mile round trip but the pleasure versus the shitty grey grime on clothing and also the bike, including a second warm set of day clothes after just one day just doesn’t do it for me.
In fact I’ve bought myself a far lighter ‘winter’ bike for that reason where slides and mishaps are more manageable. Unfortunately it also happens to be far too good to ruin so back to square one
