Monday, February 6, 2012

There is no bad weather, there is only inappropriate clothing

The winter was kind to us cyclists, so far. We have been lucky to enjoy outdoor sports at rather mild temperatures. Nonetheless, make sure you dress appropriately. Here a couple tips:
  1. Dress in layers. That way you can strip a layer if it's getting too warm.
  2. Zippers are your friend. You can easily control air circulation by opening a zipper.
  3. Pay special attention to your feet and hands. Wear booties and gloves. Insider tricks include: apply lotion to feet and hands (and your face). Or if it's getting really cold, wear a plastic bag between 2 pairs of socks. I guarantee you won't get cold feet!
  4. Wear a hat! Under your helmet...
  5. Pick fabric that breathes (e.g. Gore-Tex)
  6. Carry a rain jacket. Even if it doesn't rain, that helps to shield you from the wind chill.
  7. Wear a wind-stopper west. Or go like the pros and simply carry a sheet of newspaper between your layers to shield your chest from the wind chill.
  8. Use a small gear with a high cadence to warm up
  9. Design your ride with an early climb that will help your body to warm up. Avoid staring off with a downhill.
  10. For mountainbikers with cold feet: just run for a few minutes and your feet will warm up quickly.
  11. Use the pockets of your jersey wisely, to carry extra layers that you may need or that you just stripped.
  12. Bring flashlights in case you get caught by the dusk!
In general, keep in mind that the first 30 minutes may be the worst. You probably just came out of your warm house or car, and your body has not yet warmed up from the inside. Also, your body will adjust to the cold and it may warm up later in the day. So even if you feel a bit brisk i the beginning, don't give up until you went for 30 minutes.
Stay warm and enjoy your ride!