I try to keep riding no matter what

I never put the bikes away for the winter but I seldom ride below 32F….especially when there is wind

Not for the season, only for seasonal weather.  I wanna go south so I have less of it!  Maybe global warming will help

This is my first year riding in this region, so our intent is to ride through the winter (wind chill permitting based on how good we get our clothing situated).  If the trail becomes impassable for the road bikes (e.g. snow, ice), we plan on taking shorter rides on the mountain bikes.

Call us sadistic, but we are the same ones that used to scuba dive all winter long here in the Midwest and try to climb out of our gear (after a dive) before it froze solid to us in sub-freezing temps.

wb416 - 12 November 2008 01:32 PM

Call us sadistic, but we are the same ones that used to scuba dive all winter long here in the Midwest and try to climb out of our gear (after a dive) before it froze solid to us in sub-freezing temps.

You should do fine…you don’t need to climb out of the cycling gear in cold temps

I’m the ‘other half’ of that sadistic we. I voted five inches of snow. I’d do ice with studded bike tires…...but not too sure how easy it would be to pedal through five inches of snow. Unless I could get WB to go first and follow in his tracks….......*hmmmmmm*

I have ridden in snow while commuting.  About 2 years ago, we had a real hummdinger of a snowfall that hit about 3 hours before it was forecast, and by noon they were sending people home in over 3 inches of snow.  It just happened to be about time I was going home anyhow, so no early release for me, but thousands on WPAFB were wanting out, and there was a line of big carbon footprint cars over a mile long that I just rode past on my way out.  The rode at the traffic light was polished so slick by spinning tires, that only 2-3 cars could get out of the base before the light on 444 changed, so it took a very long time to get off base.  One guy at work said it took him 1 1/2 hours to get off base, and he left the same time I did.  Heck, I had ridden the 12 miles and been home for half an hour when he finally got off base!  The traffic on Airway was so slow, I just rode right along with them in the right lane.  I actually had to use my brakes some going down the big hill.  It was actually quite fun.  The bike path on Iron Horse from Airway to Woodbine (only about 2 miles) was incredibly pleasant, though physically demanding riding in the snow.  So incredibly quiet.  Only a set of foot prints here and there on the way home.  Very serene.  The next several days I drove because of all the piles of snow from plowing that make bike-proof barriers and no shoulder to ride on.  Not good on a 45 mph road where most traffic goes 50-55.

As we all know, Ohio weather keeps changing each hour and can be quite challenging, that is why I kind of like it. When the snow is up past my rims you can find me on the streets commuting to and from work. It is sad that Kettering street crews find it easy to plow all the snow on to the sidewalks and bike path corners-entrances and exits aprons blocking any thoroughfare . To think that the city of Kettering will force you to pay and replace your sidewalk if it has a small crack but yet allow the plows to block any pedestrian and bicycle traffic and forcing the cyclist and pedestrian to walk in the narrow streets with no safety exits.
With all that being said, it is always nice to be riding on a snow covered path making solitary tracks and finding someone else commuting. 
One time I commuted from Xenia to downtown Dayton and the front of my closes had about a half inch of ice and my eyebrows and mustache were frozen rock hard. That was my first time in freezing rain. To think I just came from Sunland, California.

I’ve been riding in NW Ohio this week, and between getting adjusted to near freezing temps and the chilly rain, my main concern has been the Deer Hunters, so I’ve started wearing a light orange rain jacket over my normal “giddyup”....LOL.

I never, put the bike away, but do change to a mountain bike, when the
snow fly. I had some good times, last year riding the Creekside to Xenia.
Even met awanabug, a couple of times on the bike way. I know the cold
weather cuts down on bike traffic, so you have the bikeway, almost to
yourself. I even saw a few cross country skiers, last year, when the bikeway
was covered with snow.
So never put that bike away in the winter, riding will let you eat that extra
piece of pie, or that sweet treat, at the holidays

Just wash off the salt and keep it lubed!

The hotter the better for me.I like riding when its really hot but below the 70’s I start taking walks.