CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Getting ready for winter

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  1. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I guess we've all been thinking recently about the nights drawing in, weather getting colder and winter being on the way and was wondering what preparations others are making to get ready. We have a thread about spiky tyres, but thought I would open this up a bit wider.

    So far in about the last 3 weeks, I have;

    * Got a dynamo hub front wheel (but have yet to get a light for it!)
    * Got some winter cycling boots (last year's MW80)
    * dug out my merino skullcap, but it appears to have shrunk somewhat and I might need to get a new one if it keeps retreating back up my head, exposing my ears
    * put the tinted glasses lenses away and dug out the yellows and clears
    * put the retro-reflective band back around my helmet
    * I'm going to do the old Respro-taping up the frame trick.
    * I'm also considering putting my old rack on the bike and going back to a pannier for the winter - as much as I like my courier bag, it does encourage back sweat. The rack is also a further place to mount a clearly visible tail light.
    * Might also pop into Tiso for another icebreaker top and some short merino socks. I used normal wooly walking socks last winter, but they aren't much good for the ankle-fastening boots.

    Anyone else making any other preparations for the impending "brutal Siberian"* conditions that are on the way?

    *EEN journalistic meteorology licence

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. wee folding bike
    Member

    I wear most of the same kit all year.

    Lowe Alpine hat has been out more in the last couple of weeks. I haven't used the fleecy lined Craghoppers yet.

    Trike needs a few repairs. I started on that today and it's not got much wrong. I found some used gear cable outer which will be ok. It's from a Brompton so it's broken where the BB bends it but there is enough for the Longstaff gear lever to the down tube cable stops. I can screw lights to the bottom of the luggage rack so I might get some angle brackets from B&Q and put some more LEDs on it.

    Pashley is grubby but it works. It went to Morisons today for curry ingredients.

    Fastest Brompton is in the downstairs toilet and will be there till April. Second fastest will be getting put away soon. Slow one will only be out over the winter when I really need a Brompton.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. wingpig
    Member

    I'm going to bodge my Minoura SpaceBar onto the back of the rack to give me somewhere to mount the TL-LD170 and AU100BS where they won't be obscured by or interfere with the mounting of panniers and seats. I have added a pair of stirrupped tights to my modular clothing system and shall fit some spare cleats to the slightly-too-big eBayed Sonoma I tested cleat-dom with so that they can alternate (when padded with thicker socks) with the equally non-waterproof Tahoe. SpareBike is sitting almost ready to use (currently one spoke down - tempted to rebuild the rear wheel as the broken spoke feels like spaghetti) with mudguards and 35c tyres for when the snow or ice comes (or when grinding-paste injuries take out normalbike). I shall buy a few spare brake and shifter cables and label this year's 12-pack of AAA cells then that should be me sorted.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. steveo
    Member

    Swapped to merino riding tops earlier in the week, got a second pair of thermal seal skinz, my surplus wool balaclava that served well in the bivvy will be used for my ears and face. Fitted the big lights to the roady had to use them a couple of times now. Got everything I need for my dynamo wheel bar spokes once that's done I can test the dynamo lights.

    Mountain bike is stil set up from the holiday so that'll do me for the snow, need to get the death rays finished for it but I'm still waiting in parts.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. Arellcat
    Moderator

    My blue bike hasn't seen much action since my Brompton arrived, and has mostly spent the spring and summer being repaired following last winter's damage when even my Scottoiler froze up and fractured.

    I too have some spiky Schwalbes to fit to the bike, and I might swap the long reach stem for my upright one. Other than that I think I'm good to go. My bike lights are now the twin Smart Lunar 35s, since my Vistalite halogens more or less kicked the bucket.

    I'll probably go back to riding flat pedals and hiking boots, with multiple layers of lycra and Polartec fleece as I did last time around. I used panniers to keep my centre of gravity as low as possible, though my rucksack did act as a nice back protector when I fell off.

    When I'm on foot, I shall be deploying my Yaktrax.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Speaking of on-foot, I found my Grivel Spiders, so I'm ready for slidy surfaces!

    I have just ordered the Busch & Muller IQ Cyo because I found it on a site I've used before for £20 less than SJS wanted, so couldn't really turn that down.

    It will give me 60 luxes of battery-free lighting. I shall transfer all battery-operated light weaponry to the rear of the bike.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. Instography
    Member

    I confess I don't have that much experience of winter cycling so all I've done so far is changed from summer shoes to Goretex MTB boots and cranked the socks up a notch. And lighting - some Light and Motion front and back. Oh, and gloves with fingers. And pedalled faster to warm up.

    I need longer leg wear - the 3/4 length shorts are giving chilly calfs but mainly I'm pretty well insulated by my layer of blubber without adding more clothes.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I've started using my winter bike a bit more and putting on more layers but mostly it's the distance I can go that falls away. You really can find yourself blown far from home on a freezing day staring at some too distant view.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    Sweaty rides to work today?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. Min
    Member

    I've started standing on telephone wires with all my friends.

    And also put my lights on, looked out my reflective bits and put my summer jerseys away. :-(

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. wee folding bike
    Member

    Not on iOS5 then?

    I mostly like it.

    You can't delete individual images from the photo stream and iWork files are getting lost in the cloud.

    Flipping around without using a hardware button is nice.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. steveo
    Member

    Sweaty rides to work today?

    I was blooming roasting this morning didn't notice till I got off the bike though, too much wool....

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    "Not on iOS5 then?"

    Yes??

    "I mostly like it."

    Ditto. Faster - except getting email adds from Contacts, strange. Lots of small tweaks that are improvements (not least the fact that horizontal screen grabs save horizontal and don't need to be rotated).

    "You can't delete individual images from the photo stream"

    Yes you can.

    "and iWork files are getting lost in the cloud."

    Don't use iWork, but not signed up for iCloud yet - seems to have 'issues'.

    "Flipping around without using a hardware button is nice."

    Was looking forward to that. Using less than I expected, perhaps because I have a flipover case.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. Uberuce
    Member

    I was caught by that almost calculatedly annoying thing where the point that you realise it really is time to take off a layer is just at the point where you're so close that it's not worth stopping for.

    Although now that I see that written down, it occurs to me that since I was going to take my jacket off anyway, I should just have stopped.

    Mark that one up to experience for my wintern00bscuminess.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I indulged in a pair of Sealskinz gloves yesterday. And the lights are back on the bike (Hope Vision 1 up front; Cherrybomb (constant) and Mars 3.0 (flashing) on the back (though I see there is now a 1 watt Cherrybomb which is sorely tempting)).

    I need a new waterproof/windproof jacket - was being told good things about the Madison in TBC when I was last there.

    Toyed with the idea of putting the pannier rack on again and getting some Bike Bins, but I just need to fix my Carradice mount really.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. gembo
    Member

    I had my sealskinz on yesterday - they are good in the cold, but absorb a great deal of water in the rain so still can be damp on way home which ain't too good now [listening to BB King Live in Cook County jail as I type]

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. wee folding bike
    Member

    Even Stephen Fry can't delete individual images from the photo stream. You can delete the whole thing. How are you deleting one image?

    Boys have a habit of pressing the screen shot button in their Elmo game so I end up with pictures of Big Bird in Aperture on the iMac.

    I like avoiding the button because it's a hardware moving thing which will wear out. It took a day or two but I'm swiping much more now.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. riffian
    Member

    Dug out the winter gloves, balaclava and oversocks for Thursday's ride in - cold, cold, cold. Found I was overdressed for the return trip...

    Fitted the B&M Toplight onto the rear rack at the weekend. My front light (S-Sun 130w) has developed an annoying rattle since it was put away for the summer. Will have to try and rectify with some strategically placed tape this weekend.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    I can only assume I am misunderstanding what you mean -

    EDIT

    Perhaps you're talking about the Cloud.

    In which case, does it matter?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. wee folding bike
    Member

    No work today. I put on the fleecy lined Craghopper trousering. As a result I'm way too hot and sweating like the piggy who knows he is dinner.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  21. wee folding bike
    Member

    That's the camera roll. In photo stream your 1000 most recent photos are pushed to the iCloud and any participating devices. I have the iPad, iMac and MacBook signed up. Generally it's very nice. I can put photos on the iPad when I'm out and about and they are already on the iMac when I get home.

    http://www.apple.com/icloud/features/photo-stream.html

    You can use iPhoto or Aperture on a Mac. They have added some much needed editing options to the Photo app. I like the red eye tool particularly.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    "That's the camera roll."

    Yes, misunderstanding resolved!

    Back to "Getting ready for winter"

    Posted 13 years ago #

  23. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I fail to see how updating your iphone operating system helps one prepare for winter :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  24. wee folding bike
    Member

    You can send pictures of cars stuck in the snow.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    "I fail to see how updating your iphone operating system helps one prepare for winter :)"

    I hear what you say.

    And I respect your right to say it.

    It would take too long to explain...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  26. chdot
    Admin

    Nearly posted yesterday about the number of people I saw riding without gloves.

    Went out mid morning and stopped quickly to remove them.

    Then stopped again to take my jacket off!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  27. Dave
    Member

    Yes, warm today.

    I haven't changed anything for winter yet, having got through the last couple with occasional use of my walking gear (i.e. gloves, balaclava, thermal trews), should be more of the same this time around.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  28. gembo
    Member

    I have had the warmer biblongs on and the 3/4 length biblongs or bibnotsolongs already

    Posted 13 years ago #

  29. thebikechain
    Member

    you know it's winter when Santini send you THE THICKEST ROUBAIX bibs you have ever seen!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  30. custard
    Member

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-Bike-Bicycle-Light-HeadLight-headLamp-/170692029675?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_Bike_Lights&hash=item27be09aceb

    these worth a punt for a winter light?

    Posted 13 years ago #

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