[COLINx86]

First off I am doing a six hour this weekend and it is supposed to be a low of 21 and a high of 37. Second, I'm from Texas.. It's hot here most of the year.
The race starts at 9 am and it is supposed to be 22* at 9. So it's gonna be pretty cold..
Any suggestions on how I can keep my water bottle from freezing? If I remember right the laps are about 8 miles so it will be around 40-50 minutes with one bottle. Someone told me that if I use an insulated bottle it won't freeze, it doesn't really sound right to me though.

What about hands and feet, how can I keep them warm? There's a slight chance I may have to go through creek crossings too. Should I just wear my shoes loose with some normal bike socks (don't have any wool one's)? Do those hand/foot warmer things work good?

Any other tips?

Thanks,
Colin.

 

[mtbcoach_co]

not sure about the bottle issue. I haven't used an isolated bottle, but I've heard they work. I use a camelbak and keep the water flowing with lots of sips.

I live in the Rockies, and this year has been really cold. I wear my ski glove for days in the 30's and below. I also where booties over my mtb shoes. However, I just got some Pearl Izumi Barrier GTX winter shoes. They are water proof and well isolated. I haven't tried them, but I hear they are really good for cold weather.

 

[COLINx86]

Didn't think about getting some booties, I'm gonna try and get some tommorow.
Thanks,
Colin.

 

[scoutcat]

you must get something for your feet. i have winter shoes and they make a huge difference - waterproof too.

if you cant new shoes then get some good shoe covers. personally, my feet get colder more easily than my hands... by hour 3 you'll be truly miserable if your feet get wet and cold.

 

[staylor]

First off I am doing a six hour this weekend and it is supposed to be a low of 21 and a high of 37. Second, I'm from Texas.. It's hot here most of the year.
The race starts at 9 am and it is supposed to be 22* at 9. So it's gonna be pretty cold..
Any suggestions on how I can keep my water bottle from freezing? If I remember right the laps are about 8 miles so it will be around 40-50 minutes with one bottle. Someone told me that if I use an insulated bottle it won't freeze, it doesn't really sound right to me though.

What about hands and feet, how can I keep them warm? There's a slight chance I may have to go through creek crossings too. Should I just wear my shoes loose with some normal bike socks (don't have any wool one's)? Do those hand/foot warmer things work good?

Any other tips?

Thanks,
Colin.

I've raced multi-hour in those exact same conditions while living in Texas. It's doable but you really need to square away your gear right now and get out on the bike with your system in place so you know what to expect out of it before race day.

In those temps your bottle won't freeze on a sub-1hr lap, but in order to modulate your core temps you should try and get lukewarm fluid or just below hot fluid in your bottles (store them in an insulated Coleman or have your pit manage the heated fluids). Racing a 48hr up near Dallas in well below freezing temps I noticed the long term impact of a compromised core from cold fluid intake, on day 2 I switched to heated fluids and it helped.

Loose shoes with a smart sock layering system, overbooties, layering to protect the core, enough zippable stuff to blow off condensation and heat, or zip back up on the fast downs etc. Racing in cold temps is all about maintaining a careful equilibrium within your layering system - not too hot and not too cold, kind of like the Goldilocks and the three bears porridge. ;-)

Get a good warmup in before the race starts.

 

[COLINx86]

Cool, thanks guys I think I got this figured out. I'll try and get out tomorrow and get the booties, and then if I have enough daylight, I'll go for a ride.
Keeping my water warm is gonna be tough, but I think i'll be able to figure it out.

48 hours! dang, was that on a team? Was it out at Erwin last year?

 

[staylor]

Cool, thanks guys I think I got this figured out. I'll try and get out tomorrow and get the booties, and then if I have enough daylight, I'll go for a ride.
Keeping my water warm is gonna be tough, but I think i'll be able to figure it out.

48 hours! dang, was that on a team? Was it out at Erwin last year?

I did it solo, not last year but the year before. You can read about it, in all it's gory detail right here: http://shaundoreenevankeegan.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html

 

[scooter2468]

Didn't think about getting some booties, I'm gonna try and get some tommorow.
Thanks,
Colin.

Booties may cause problems when you're off the bike. If it were going to be above 35 AND you were sure you wouldn't get wet feet, I'd recommend heavy wool socks, like Smartwool WoolieBoolies. Between 20-35, here's what I use, and what I recommend for you:

http://www.rei.com/product/729121

I've worn 'em in subfreezing 'cross races, cold weather base mile rides, and even w/ running shoes while just tromping in the snow with my dog or while snowshoeing. They are great!

 

[2silent]

I've been riding a lot in the cold-

I'd suggest good wool socks (smart wool are what I use) and two pairs if possible. The booties can help, but they are not as effective as good socks. I also will layer a self-heating insole between the pairs of socks (but for me that's only when it's below 0 out). being used to texas weather you may want more warmth than I would- at 20+ right now I'd be happy in summer socks/shoes.

wear a jersey under a light weight shell of some kind (probably with a long underwear top under the jersey) and you bottle won't freeze in the pocket.

At that temperature I would wear my "seirus" brand glove liners/gloves (the heavier weight of the glove liners they sell). I'd bring a few different weights of glove.

 

[staylor]

This morning it was -13 degrees Fahrenheit before wind chill. I've done some insane stuff in -94 Fahrenheit before wind chill. You can do lots of stuff if you dress right.

The key is you have to have enough gear to try a few things and you need to get squared away before you toe the line. Race day is not the time to be experimenting.

 

[bnelson]

moose mitts

 

[scooter2468]

One thing about the 'seirus' brand of socks/gloves, look for them in regular ol' sporting good stores instead of bike shops. They're more likely to be in the outdoors/hunting/snowmobiling eqpt area and they'll be cheaper there than in bike shops.

 

[KERKOVEJ]

Any suggestions on how I can keep my water bottle from freezing?

What about hands and feet, how can I keep them warm?

Should I just wear my shoes loose with some normal bike socks (don't have any wool one's)?

Do those hand/foot warmer things work good?

I listed some stuff here from a training ride last weekend. Identical temps to what you are facing.....
http://www.jeffkerkove.net/2010/01/weekend-group-rides.html

Here is some help for your feet.....
http://www.jeffkerkove.net/2009/12/toasty-digits.html

As for your bottles freezing, a few suggestions...
- Add hot/warm water.
- Add more electrolyte/salt nutrition to your drink. It helps a bit.
- Stick one bottle in your water bottle cage on the frame...the other in your rear jersey pocket.

Hope this helps!

 

[jbsteven]

put hand warmers (little package things) between the shoe covers and shoe on top of your toes.

 

[jeffscott]

Cool, thanks guys I think I got this figured out. I'll try and get out tomorrow and get the booties, and then if I have enough daylight, I'll go for a ride.
Keeping my water warm is gonna be tough, but I think i'll be able to figure it out.

48 hours! dang, was that on a team? Was it out at Erwin last year?

Water bottle probably won't freeze up, start with nice hot water, maybe add a bit of juice...

If it does freeze it will be the nipple just take the lid off...

In the cold you really don't need as much water as in the hot.

22 F to 37 F in a race, I would be on the verge of riding shorts and a light wind breaker, but then I am from Canada.

 

[scooter2468]

Here's another tip for keeping warm, get yourself a few of those air-activated charcoal handwarmers. Take two and put 'em in your outer jersey pockets. If your jersey doesn't have pockets or if you're not wearing a jersey under your jacket, then just safety pin 'em to the inside of your jersey or to the outside of your bibs (assuming you wear bibs). Don't put 'em directly against the skin.

Anyway, if you can keep your low back warm, your whole core will stay warmer and you can ride much more comfortably.

 

[scooter2468]

put hand warmers (little package things) between the shoe covers and shoe on top of your toes.

One thing to be careful about with the charcoal handwarmers, they generate a bit of moisture as they generate heat. If you use 'em inside of any windproof/waterproof covering you will eventually get wet. Once the heat generation ends (they don't work forever) you'll just end up colder than you would've been without 'em. I learned that mistake the hard way by putting a pair between my glove liners and windproof outer gloves. Toasty warm for about 2.5 hours, then bitterly cold afterwards with wet liners.

 

[6thElement]

This morning it was -13 degrees Fahrenheit before wind chill. I've done some insane stuff in -94 Fahrenheit before wind chill.

Must have been somewhere pretty remote as there's only a few places get that cold or colder.

 

[2silent]

moose mitts are awesome! but no way they are needed even for someone from the tropics at these temperatures.

 

[staylor]

Must have been somewhere pretty remote as there's only a few places get that cold or colder.

Yup, it was close to one of the Dew Line sites and we were getting accurate temp feeds from them. It was so cold you could spit and it would crackle in mid air and be frozen as it hit the snow.

On the coldest day I commanded a live ammunition 8 man attack on a hard structures building site, in those temps I was wearing four face masks (one of them was an old school Eddie Bauer down filled). As we fired and maneuvered towards the objective the guys on my flanks couldn't hear my commands through all their layers combined with the howling wind, machine gun fire and me yelling through four face masks, so I lifted my face mask layers to yell five seconds worth of instructions clearly and get them back inline, when I went to pull the layers back down they were already frozen solid in a misshapen mass. The rest of the assault was bare-skin, uhmmmm not so good.