First Bike Ride of the Season

stevej37 · 02-19-2026, 02:47 PM

Did 12 miles this afternoon in great Feb weather. Just a sweatshirt and jeans..50 F.
Legs feel good...knees are a little sore. Looks like the next ride won't happen for a while here....Snow forecast for tomorrow.

Jeff Higgins · 02-19-2026, 06:49 PM

I don't have to stop riding due to weather up here in the Seattle area. At least not "seasonally". It might rain for awhile, which is the only thing that really stops me, but we will typically get a few hours in a several day span where it quits for long enough to sneak in a ride. It doesn't get all that cold around here, and I'll keep riding right down into the low 30's, so that isn't a factor. We hardly ever get any kind of snow accumulation. I don't even "winterize" my motorcycles, since I can get them out every week or so as well. I did my 20 mile "hilly" loop this morning on the bicycle, it was 37 degrees and dry.

stevej37 · 02-20-2026, 02:48 AM

^^^
Never see any bikers out in the winter here....except for the Amish. They ride every day to work as long as there is road showing. (if it's snow covered, they take the horse)
My bike doesn't do good on ice or snow.

flatbutt · 02-20-2026, 04:49 AM

There still isn't any real room to share the roads here yet.

rwest · rwest's Garage

For several years, I rode year round 20 miles each way to work; rarely missing a day even with snow and below zero weather- it sucked like nothing else has ever sucked!

I had fat type tires with studs, but still managed to go down on a large area of ice and do the famous tib/fib dual break.

Just to let you know what crazy dude you deal with, there was no reason besides my own stubbornness that I couldn’t have just hopped in my car...

On the plus side, I have a good supply of cold weather gear and experience. I will ride at just about any temp now that I’m retired if the roads are clear.

Best tip is ski boot heater inserts for my shoes and a set of dogsled mittens made here in Ely MN. Bonus tip is put a sock on your c@ck when the wind is harsh.

stevej37 · 02-20-2026, 09:31 AM

^^^

Yes, mittens are twice as warm as any gloves. I use them with the snowblower and my hands never get cold. When I use gloves, the ice cold handles freeze my fingers.

When I first started biking in cold weather, I found that my head was getting the worst of it because of the slotted bike helmet. Someone on here suggested a beanie under the helmet and it works great. It can even cover my ears if needed....I like it.

herr_oberst · 02-20-2026, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevej37

Someone on here suggested a beanie under the helmet and it works great. It can even cover my ears if needed....I like it.

One of my favorite cold weather cycling garments these days is a base layer hoodie. I think it might be from Mtn Hardware, but all the outdoor clothing companies make 'em. The hoodie is thin under the helmet, but still keeps the cold at bay, it also keeps the neck warm and you don't risk losing it if your head gets too hot.

Good on you for getting out, it's not easy kitting up and kitting down for the cold weather rides, but cold weather rides really make you feel pretty alive!

stevej37 · 02-20-2026, 11:15 AM

^^^ Yeah...the lightweight hoodie makes sense....I might do that.
Thanks!

stevej37 · 03-04-2026, 02:42 PM

Sunny and 50 today....great weather for biking.
Put on 12 miles....roads are bad yet from the frost in the ground. Warm rain for tomorrow might solve that.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 03:36 PM

I had to take the day off to stay at home to let gas company in to do some work.
They were done by noon.

Off to ride- I chose a local climb with some snow drifts on the side of the road that hadn't melted yet. Very TDF looking. 58-63 degrees out. It was just good to get out. Mountain streams ran cold and clear.

On the side of the road finds today, I found, several pieces of firewood, a hack saw, and a trek bike. Yes, an early 80's Trek. No room for any of it. The oak firewood appealed to me most! but no real desire to drive back out to pick any of it up.

stevej37 · 03-04-2026, 04:11 PM

Yeah it's easy while biking to see what's revealed in the ditches after the snow melts.
Here it's mostly deer carcasses and 'Monster' cans that have been tossed out the window.

I understand why people throw beer cans out to get rid of evidence, but there is no reason to throw energy drink cans out. We do have good people that clean up sections of the road in the spring/summer.... thankfully.

rwest · rwest's Garage

I’m pretty sure the local rail to trail is clear of snow and ice by now. I have one last indoor track meet on Sunday and after that I can get back on my bike, weather permitting.

I have 15lbs of winter “padding” that needs to be removed!

LEAKYSEALS951 · 03:37 PM

Yup, second ride of the season. 70 degrees and bliss. On one hand, I wanted to jump in the mountain streams. On the other, the snow on the side of the road (although dirty) was like an ice cooler!

EDIT- Still didn't pick up the firewood or spare bike (It was a bit trashed)

stevej37 · 03-07-2026, 04:23 PM

I wanted to ride today....the forecast was for 60 degrees. It rained all morning and around noon the wind picked up and it went from 60 to 45 in less than an hour.

Maybe tomorrow, they are saying more snow for next week.

.

flatbutt · 03-08-2026, 10:08 AM

I just did my first ride. Last nights rain cleared the roads of salt and sand and the temp is 60F but cloudy. I only did 10 miles. I'd like to say it was the wind and that did hurt but my winter regimen did nothing to keep me road worthy. OOf that hurt.

rwest · rwest's Garage

Good job gents!

I got out today and did my 28 mile rail to trail route and it was almost completely clear of snow and ice, only a few hundred feet here and there with ice, but every section had at least a few feet of clear pavement on the sunnier side.

This is supposed to be my off week from exercise as my indoor running season just ended, but today it got to mid fifties with some sun and the rest of the week it is supposed to get colder with more rain/snow, so get while the getting is good! I’m calling it a bonus day.

stevej37 · 03-09-2026, 01:05 PM

^^^ Well...you went seven times as far as I did today! It was almost 50F and I was two miles out and the wind was bad....25mph. I was not dressed for that, so I went back. Strong storms called for tomorrow and much cooler.

rwest · rwest's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ Well...you went seven times as far as I did today! It was almost 50F and I was two miles out and the wind was bad....25mph. I was not dressed for that, so I went back. Strong storms called for tomorrow and much cooler.

Wind can really be strong this time of the year. I got lucky or second or third best lucky as I had a headwind leaving, so a tailwind for when I was tired and going up in elevation. Normally my rides have a tailwind coupled with a slight downward elevation. Which convinces me that I’m in great shape and having a good day... then I turn around to a brutal headwind going uphill. Having done this ride hundreds if not thousands of times, I still can trick myself into thinking I’m superhuman every time.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

I'm jealous, it was a sunny 70 here today, first really nice day of the year, but still feet of snow/ice, puddles and rivulets everywhere and worst of all ice dams on the Mohawk causing the better bike routes to be several feet under water

rwest · rwest's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Verburg

I'm jealous, it was a sunny 70 here today, first really nice day of the year, but still feet of snow/ice, puddles and rivulets everywhere and worst of all ice dams on the Mohawk causing the better bike routes to be several feet under water

You’re jealous Bill, I’m jealous that you got snow. This is our third year of hardly any snow in MN and I only got to CC ski once in the last three years; hoping for more next year!

I hope you don’t get any major flooding.