Last winter, we had about ten days when the temperature dropped to -12° at night. For Pembrokeshire, stuck out in the Gulf Stream, that's unheard-of levels of winter coldness. In my current job, I am commuting either to or from work at around 5.30 and 6.00, both morning and evening, so I was out at the worst times. And with snow for the first time in many years, and widespread black ice, I admit to leaving the bike on the driveway and taking the car for those bitter days. Yeah, I'm a wimp.
This winter has been much milder, and so far I haven't really been cold on the bike at all. But last night the winter bit with a vengeance and I got caught out. It was a very cold night here (I am on nights this week) and by the time for home came round, it was -3°. Regular readers may remember that I bought new riding kit for this winter - a jacket with some hi-viz panels and some trousers that didn't let water in. The problem with the new kit is that it is much closer-fitting and has less insulation. Better on the fashion runway, but not as good at 5.30 am when the bike is a uniform crystalline white when I go to start it up for the ride home. And, lulled as I was by the last few weeks' mildness, I didn't have inner gloves and had left the thermal liners out of the pants.
I kept to sensible speeds for the journey home, never going above about 50 mph. Consciously, this was because of the risk of ice patches, but unconsciously I think I was also aware that going faster would mean much quicker heat loss. By the time I got home, I was as cold as I have ever been. I turned the central heating on, got a bowl of cereal, and leaned on a radiator. It was an hour before I was warm enough to go to bed.
There's a phrase I sometimes use with non-biking friends: You've never been cold until you have been cold on a motorbike. Pain in the extremities, illusions of heat in the coldest parts, and whole-body shivering are not unknown if you don't dress for the ride. I had all of those last night. Out of curiosity, I did a little research into wind chill. It would appear (for example from this site), that a temperature of -3°C and a wind (i.e. a forward speed on a bike) of 50 mph combine to give an equivalent still-air temperature of -17°C. No wonder I was cold.
It hardly seems worth it for my 20-minute commute, but if I were planning a long journey in these conditions I would definitely be considering electrically-heated clothing.
There is a weather station on a roof about 50m from here and I have a link to the readings. At the moment (it's 3 am) it is -3°C again.
And where the bike is usually parked is a car. Mine. With a heater, and Cream's Wheels Of Fire album in the CD player. If I take it easy, I will be able to listen to the whole of Ginger Baker's magnificent drum solo in 'Toad' before I get home.
Sometimes, being a backslider is quite pleasant.
Showing posts with label biking weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biking weather. Show all posts
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Sunday, 2 January 2011
New Year Ride
I fully intended to have a ride out on New Year's Day, to mark the etc. etc., but in the end I succumbed to a general bout of couldn't-be-arsedness. It was cold and damp, and I was lazy and holidayish, and I stayed indoors. Today dawned a much nicer day - damp and cold, rather than the other way round, and I took it as a sign that the gods of biking intended me to put some miles in.
The Triumph has stood for about three weeks now, since before Christmas (I have been using the much more winter-friendly XT), and the weather has not been kind to it. The 'new' chrome rack that I got off eBay is peppered with rust spots, and the chain and rear sprocket are orange with corrosion. The sprocket, which was almost new when I got the bike, and looked pristine, has so much surface rust that it has dripped an orange stain onto the rear tyre, and the whole bike is starting to look like a neglected thing. It won't take much to put it right, but it's a pity that Triumph don't make their bikes more resistant to British weather.
When I got going, I realised that I hadn't given it a proper workout since I returned from Newcastle. There is a strange whirring and whining noise from the front wheel, which can only be the new speedo cable I fitted on my return. So tomorrow, regardless of the weather, I am going to give the old bus a good clean and fix the speedo cable problem - whatever it is. The weather is now normal for January (cold and damp, did mention that?) so I will start going to work on the bike again. I suspect it will be the Yam for a while, until I get the Triumph back to a proper state of repair.
Today's ride was cold. (And damp.) Bloody cold. But worth doing. The roads were almost empty, although there were a few holiday dawdlers for me to practise my overtaking skills on, and relatively dry. I did my usual loop of the North of the county, taking in the ferryport at Fishguard and the centre of St Davids, and it took me about an hour. I took some photos, but the light was poor and the iPhone doesn't like low light conditions. It extends the shutter time until all you have is poor colour and a lot of shake. Here's the best: St Bride's Bay from the top of Newgale Hill.
Now, I need to warm my hands somewhere. A glass of Scotch would be a good place to start, methinks.
Post corrected, thanks to an eagle-eyed Joe Public. Smartarse :)
The Triumph has stood for about three weeks now, since before Christmas (I have been using the much more winter-friendly XT), and the weather has not been kind to it. The 'new' chrome rack that I got off eBay is peppered with rust spots, and the chain and rear sprocket are orange with corrosion. The sprocket, which was almost new when I got the bike, and looked pristine, has so much surface rust that it has dripped an orange stain onto the rear tyre, and the whole bike is starting to look like a neglected thing. It won't take much to put it right, but it's a pity that Triumph don't make their bikes more resistant to British weather.
When I got going, I realised that I hadn't given it a proper workout since I returned from Newcastle. There is a strange whirring and whining noise from the front wheel, which can only be the new speedo cable I fitted on my return. So tomorrow, regardless of the weather, I am going to give the old bus a good clean and fix the speedo cable problem - whatever it is. The weather is now normal for January (cold and damp, did mention that?) so I will start going to work on the bike again. I suspect it will be the Yam for a while, until I get the Triumph back to a proper state of repair.
Today's ride was cold. (And damp.) Bloody cold. But worth doing. The roads were almost empty, although there were a few holiday dawdlers for me to practise my overtaking skills on, and relatively dry. I did my usual loop of the North of the county, taking in the ferryport at Fishguard and the centre of St Davids, and it took me about an hour. I took some photos, but the light was poor and the iPhone doesn't like low light conditions. It extends the shutter time until all you have is poor colour and a lot of shake. Here's the best: St Bride's Bay from the top of Newgale Hill.
Now, I need to warm my hands somewhere. A glass of Scotch would be a good place to start, methinks.
Post corrected, thanks to an eagle-eyed Joe Public. Smartarse :)
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Of Sagas and Hard Seats
I was reminded recently of a character who I now believe, with some regret, to be fictional - a minor character in an Icelandic saga, and the leader of many long and arduous sea-journeys to the New World, one Harald Hardarss. I have searched the web for his name, but the only reference I came up with was to a mention in this very blog back in August of 2009. My own words coming back to me. Hmff. I'm sure I didn't imagine it, and the search for the man continues. However he came to mind again the other day ...
The seat of the XT had sustained several splits last year, due to being left out in the sun and the general depredations of daily use. Every time it rained, the water got through the splits and into the seat foam, and every time I rode it after rain, I got wet balls. A new seat cover is about 40 quid, and not affordable at the moment, so a few strips of gaffer tape later, and all was well.
Until last week.
I needed something from town just before Christmas and, with the gridlocked traffic and a reasonably dry day, I decided to bike it. I hadn't ridden the XT for a while, and when I got it fired up and swung a leg over, I was surprised by how tall the bike felt, and how hard the seat was. However, the seat softened during the ride, and became comfy (in the limited sense of 'trail bike comfy'). But my lower regions had never been so cold. Usually, it's my extremities (hands, knees, neck) that get cold first, and my body stays relatively warm, but this time it was the opposite, with a deep, penetrating cold in my lower torso, and everything else toasty.
Then I remembered the rain-soaked seat foam, and the fact of very cold nights, and a temperature that hadn't risen above zero for several weeks. I had been riding, literally, on a block of ice wrapped in thin plastic.
Not recommended. I'm sure a simple vasectomy would have been easier.
The seat of the XT had sustained several splits last year, due to being left out in the sun and the general depredations of daily use. Every time it rained, the water got through the splits and into the seat foam, and every time I rode it after rain, I got wet balls. A new seat cover is about 40 quid, and not affordable at the moment, so a few strips of gaffer tape later, and all was well.
Until last week.
I needed something from town just before Christmas and, with the gridlocked traffic and a reasonably dry day, I decided to bike it. I hadn't ridden the XT for a while, and when I got it fired up and swung a leg over, I was surprised by how tall the bike felt, and how hard the seat was. However, the seat softened during the ride, and became comfy (in the limited sense of 'trail bike comfy'). But my lower regions had never been so cold. Usually, it's my extremities (hands, knees, neck) that get cold first, and my body stays relatively warm, but this time it was the opposite, with a deep, penetrating cold in my lower torso, and everything else toasty.
Then I remembered the rain-soaked seat foam, and the fact of very cold nights, and a temperature that hadn't risen above zero for several weeks. I had been riding, literally, on a block of ice wrapped in thin plastic.
Not recommended. I'm sure a simple vasectomy would have been easier.
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Dearth of Bike-related Posts
To my biking readers, I apologise for the recent lack of bike-related posts. I have to confess that I haven't done many miles on either bike over the last month. The new job has been one reason. Riding to work on a bike in this weather requires a bit of forward planning - leaving work clothes in work, finding somewhere to hang a set of dripping waterproofs, and so on - and for the first few days, you want to be ready for anything and looking reasonably smart, so I am afraid that I defaulted to using a car for the first week or two. Then I have been doing the Door Supervisor training, which has meant yet another location and a new set of clothing challenges. And then I get back to working, and the worst December weather for decades descends on us.
I like to ride all year, and rain and cold go with the territory. But ice, snow and fog, where skill and judgement take second place to dumb luck, are big disincentives. It was one thing when I was young and had no choice, but these days it would seem perverse to opt for two wheels when a perfectly adequate car (with heater, CD player and - crucially - inherent vertical stability) is available. Unfortunately, my car insurance and MoT have expired, and I haven't yet been able to sort that out, so Anna has been very generous in allowing me to use hers.
I started both bikes yesterday and let them get thoroughly warmed up. The Triumph started first time and idled regularly, as if it were a summer's day. The Yam was a bit more reluctant. It started with a bit of patience, but needed nursing along until it got a bit of warmth into the cylinder. I have said before that I think the Bonnie is good enough to be a year-round bike, and I was anticipating retiring the Yam for a bit of TLC, but in these conditions the idea of a rugged, go-anywhere bike that will stand a drop is starting to appeal again. I think I might oil up the Triumph and put it in the garage for a while.
Tonight, the temperature dropped drastically mid-evening and the rain that had been falling all afternoon (I am at work as I write this) instantly turned to black ice. There are reports of cars in ditches and lurid slides on roundabouts from everyone who comes past, so I think resuming the two-wheeled commuting can wait for a day or two. Sometimes, self-preservation wins.
As a winter treat, allow me to present you with this superb image of Aaron Yates at Virginia International Raceway ...
I like to ride all year, and rain and cold go with the territory. But ice, snow and fog, where skill and judgement take second place to dumb luck, are big disincentives. It was one thing when I was young and had no choice, but these days it would seem perverse to opt for two wheels when a perfectly adequate car (with heater, CD player and - crucially - inherent vertical stability) is available. Unfortunately, my car insurance and MoT have expired, and I haven't yet been able to sort that out, so Anna has been very generous in allowing me to use hers.
I started both bikes yesterday and let them get thoroughly warmed up. The Triumph started first time and idled regularly, as if it were a summer's day. The Yam was a bit more reluctant. It started with a bit of patience, but needed nursing along until it got a bit of warmth into the cylinder. I have said before that I think the Bonnie is good enough to be a year-round bike, and I was anticipating retiring the Yam for a bit of TLC, but in these conditions the idea of a rugged, go-anywhere bike that will stand a drop is starting to appeal again. I think I might oil up the Triumph and put it in the garage for a while.
Tonight, the temperature dropped drastically mid-evening and the rain that had been falling all afternoon (I am at work as I write this) instantly turned to black ice. There are reports of cars in ditches and lurid slides on roundabouts from everyone who comes past, so I think resuming the two-wheeled commuting can wait for a day or two. Sometimes, self-preservation wins.
As a winter treat, allow me to present you with this superb image of Aaron Yates at Virginia International Raceway ...
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Wimps
This evening, I go to the Triumph Owners' Motorcycle Club branch meeting in the pub in a village nearby. And when I get there, I think I am the only one attending, because there are no bikes in the car park.
And there are about ten bikers in the pub.
Reason? Well, the roads were a bit damp, and it was dark, and it's getting cold, and it had rained earlier, and ...
We're a Motorcycle Club, guys. We ride bikes. The clue is in the name.
And there are about ten bikers in the pub.
Reason? Well, the roads were a bit damp, and it was dark, and it's getting cold, and it had rained earlier, and ...
We're a Motorcycle Club, guys. We ride bikes. The clue is in the name.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
New bits
No, not those, although after riding to Swansea and back today I almost needed some.
I went on the XT in the end, as the temperature didn't seem too bad. I was wrong - it was bloody cold. RiDE magazine say that with heated grips and hand protectors you can ride through winter in summer gloves. No you bloody well can't. I was wearing my old Frank Thomas Aqua gloves (heavy and allegedly waterproof) and even with the grips on max for the whole trip, my hands were freezing. Even with thermals on, the ride was a pretty chilly experience.
It was worth going, though. I avoided the motorway by going to Llanelli by B-roads and into Swansea from a different direction. I passed through some nice countryside, and Llanelli was like a ghost town [1] because of the Wales-Scotland match. Cold aside, it was a very pleasant run. And the bike clearly enjoyed the run - it didn't miss a beat and now is running better than ever.
The bits I went to pick up (a new front brake caliper from a guy who is breaking a very similar bike to mine) were exactly what I wanted, and in excellent condition. And I got a couple of things I wanted from M&P Accessories as well. All in all, a good day's work.
[1] Why is it that, whenever I decide to do something else during a major Rugby match, something exciting happens, whereas when I settle in for a proper sesh with the beers and crisps the match is full of handling errors and no tries? Apparently, Wales came from way behind to draw level in the final ten minutes of the match, and win in the last few seconds. I shall have to watch the highlights later. Damn.
I went on the XT in the end, as the temperature didn't seem too bad. I was wrong - it was bloody cold. RiDE magazine say that with heated grips and hand protectors you can ride through winter in summer gloves. No you bloody well can't. I was wearing my old Frank Thomas Aqua gloves (heavy and allegedly waterproof) and even with the grips on max for the whole trip, my hands were freezing. Even with thermals on, the ride was a pretty chilly experience.
It was worth going, though. I avoided the motorway by going to Llanelli by B-roads and into Swansea from a different direction. I passed through some nice countryside, and Llanelli was like a ghost town [1] because of the Wales-Scotland match. Cold aside, it was a very pleasant run. And the bike clearly enjoyed the run - it didn't miss a beat and now is running better than ever.
The bits I went to pick up (a new front brake caliper from a guy who is breaking a very similar bike to mine) were exactly what I wanted, and in excellent condition. And I got a couple of things I wanted from M&P Accessories as well. All in all, a good day's work.
[1] Why is it that, whenever I decide to do something else during a major Rugby match, something exciting happens, whereas when I settle in for a proper sesh with the beers and crisps the match is full of handling errors and no tries? Apparently, Wales came from way behind to draw level in the final ten minutes of the match, and win in the last few seconds. I shall have to watch the highlights later. Damn.
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