Need info on riding in temps below freezing

[BMWWANDRR]

I have a question for my more experienced cold weather riding friends. When do you get cautious about riding in cold weather. Tomorrow I have to go to the hospital at 5am and temps should be upper 20's. Need advice!

[jdubeemer]

Take the truck!

[BamaBiker]

I ride (with electric clothes/gloves) in temps down to about 20 degF, BUT NOT WHEN THE ROADS ARE WET! Then I stay home or take the car/truck! When the roads are dry, I ride, but I pay special attention to shady areas that may hide icy patches.

Whatever/however you choose to go -- be careful and watch for icy patches.

[Vance]

Take the truck!

Well, other than that (which IS very god advice indeed!) if you do not have heated gear, then layers will do the trick. Layer...layer...layer. Depending on how far you have to travel other preparations should include the best gloves you have, maybe some type pf liner glove even if it is a pair of jersey gloves, a balaclava and the will to grin and bear it. Be aware and pay attention to keep from getting too cold....your hands will likely go numb first. You will certainly need them...after you get to work!
Also be aware that your shield will fog if you don't have a fog free shield. So you may need to "vent" your shield to the first notch opening. If that is the case, then be ready for your eyes to water!
All of this may sound really bad...it is not all that bad if you prepare. Like other gear it may take a few times to determine how to prepare and react to what happens.
But remember...it IS about the ride! Good luck, be careful and let us know how it goes!!

[R90srider]

Good advise, all. Additionally, make sure that your riding jacket is tightly fastened around your neck and wrists to prevent the cold air form flowing into your inner clothing.

[Remy]

Hippo Hands or the like really help keep your hands from getting numb. I finally decided not ride when it gets down to 20 or below though.

[Norwood]

Good advice from all.... my 2 cents worth....

Caution for Black Ice.... Black ice is a dangerous wintertime hazard because the icy road may not always be visible to the rider. Indeed, melted snow or ice that refreezes may still look deceivingly like a dry road. And temperatures don't have to be below freezing for black ice to develop. Black ice can occur if temperatures are near the freezing mark--or even a few degrees above it. (many articles on Black Ice)

Caution near large trucks: If they have traveled in ice and snow conditions, large pieces can fall from anywhere on or under the truck at any time...sometimes large sheets of ice or snow...kinda like the mattress coming out of the pickup truck on moving day.

Get a PinLock insert for your faceshield..that way you can close your face shield, stay warmer and no fog...it really works... mine works great...on the coldest morning my breath will not fog the shield...amazing addition to your helmet.

Of course heated gear as mentioned is a must....a thin longsleeve turtle neck under shirt is best with a jacket liner...you want the warmth from the jacket...to reach you...while a bulky sweatshirt will block the warmth.

Hope this helps... ride safe...stay warm!

[Gail]

Greg, you might want to wear a balacava under your helmet. Really helps prevent losing body heat thru your head, and keeps your mouth and chin warm. Gail

[jeanne z]

Another thing to consider is your tires. I believe the glass point of the rubber is somewhere around 20 degrees and the "stickiness" of the rubber suffers below 30 degrees. Therefore be mindful of available traction and lean angles.
Take the truck.

[Bikebum]

I tried riding my old airhead once when it was 13 degrees and the grease in the steering head "froze", making it all but impossible to ride. Strange as it may seem I could not go in a straight line (NO ALCOHOL INVOLVED).

[SteveHebert]

I rode my LT that I purchased back in Nov 05 from Rhode Island to VT. It was in the 20s the entire time. No heated clothing was necessary behind the LT but I used the heated seat and the grips, both on HI. I layered clothing as discussed but made it as thin as possible so that I could still turn my head and such. The balaclava is critical as Vance and Gail have stated. Keep your neck warm and all will be okay.

I never worry about temps as long as the road is dry.

[BMWWANDRR]

Thanks all for all the good advice. I have never heard the term glass point. What is this referring to? The morning riding has been great with temps in the high 20's without problems. I'm just always interested in riders ideas about tires in contact with asphalt and upright motorcycles.

[jeanne z]

also called glass transition temperature, the temp @ which rubber looses the elastic characteristics that allow them stick to the road. Winter car tires are made with softer rubber than summer. Google for details.
Jeanne

[AbnCavScout]

The #1 cold weather riding tip ...

The Number One Cold Weather Riding Tip I can offer for somone who does not have speciffic cold weather riding gear - is to block the wind as best as possible from seeping through your clothing. If you have any leather gear, - that is basically wind proof. If you don't have a leather jacket or pants or chaps, - put your rain gear on. Once you stop the cold air from permeating through whatever your bundled up in, - then you will only have to deal with the actual temperature and not the wind chill of riding in cold weather at 65 +/- mph road speeds. You can get a wind chill estimate at http://www.ridemyown.com/windchill.shtml ... For example if the real temp is 29 deg. and you will be riding at 65 mph, the wind chill will be only 8 deg. !!!

[cpannarbor]

I rode the backroads for two hours last week on Thursday morning from 6 to 8 am headed to Tuscaloosa on the GSA. Temps were from 35 to 41 degrees, mostly in the shade due to the type of roads I was on. I did it for a learning experience. Helmet fogging was a problem except with fully opened vents (yes, lots of tears!). I'll look up Don's suggestion of a "Pinlock." Also, worst part was eventually numb hands. Even with the grip warmers on high my fingers were numb after about an hour or so. Heated gloves will be on my shopping list. And a balaclava. It paid off though later. When I left to head back temps were in low sixties...Perfect!