Out In The Cold

The temperatures have been so low for the last three weeks now, it became almost impossible to get out for a decent ride. At -7 C, all I can bear with my best bike gear is about 2 hours. Today it is -10 outside, and it seems, as the forecasts say, it will be this cold for at least another week, not ot mention the snowfall.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love riding my bike in the snow, I love to stroll around with my dog or just to walk around for kicks, but it's the hastle with the preparation which pisses me off. On the last night ride the day before, I had 3 jackets on to keep myself warm, plus my snowboard gloves and overshoes.

I was carefully prepared for the cold, yet I had pitfalls: The suspension on the front wheel froze and, the best always comes last, my Lupine lights went out of battery in the middle of nowhere around 30 minutes to go. Fully charged, they last normally like 9 hours.

No matter how good you prepare yourself, something can and will always go wrong. Shit happens. Especially if you're riding a human powered full suspension mountain bike alone in the dark woods, on the snow, in the night. That's why it's a good idea, to have a backup plan before you go. Almost all the "What if's" should be taken into consideration, even if you consider yourself experienced enough to make the right decisions at the right time.

At the moment when my lights went out, I knew I should have eventually called home and ask my wife to pick me up. But at those temperatures, after riding almost for 2 hours, I did sweat so much inside all those jackets, which would, if not worse, at least make me sick till someone arrived at the spot.

I had to keep on moving, so I referred to my back up plan and took an alternative route which happened to be fairly illuminated. I chose to ride on the shoulders of the main roads, where I could easily be seen (my backlight on the helmet was still on) and did not risk any unnecessary moves to bring myself and others into further danger. Snow covered roads reflect the light, which helped a lot.

It took me a little bit longer than usual, but after 30 minutes, I was safely back home.

There might be some important lessons to learn from my encounter, but it's not my intension here to put together a complete survival 101. Here are my [mountain biking related-] 50 cents, if you intend to spend some time outside at unusual temperatures below zero, especially nights:

• Take your cell phone with you. It can be in silent mode but should be on all the time. Many new phones have GPS built-in so that you might send or tell your coordinates to be found.
• Charge your batteries and use such which fit cold temperatures the best. Lithium should be the best choice.
• Simulate the route in your head before you start the ride, place virtual checkpoints on the route and calculate the approximate times when you'll reach those at your normal pace.
• Tell your <____> how long you'll be out for and whereabouts you're gonna be.
• Always bring something to eat and, no matter how good you are on your mountain bike, always ride with a full equipped backpack (tools, pump, extra clothes, cap etc)
• Always take a reliable flashlight with you.
• One more Trail? A quick overtime might be okay, but never extend your ride to extreme lengths.
• If something happens, first inform the next person on your list and then act.

And finally: If you have a bad feeling, even without any rational reason, do not do it! Remember, this is not a Nike commercial, it's fricking cold out there.

Comments

[Claus Scherschel]

So this is a copy of my Facebook comment on this topic. Mikkael asked me to publish it here, too. I'm out all through the year and chilling temperatures never stopped me leaving house, flat, tent or sleeping bag. You could say, I've been around the ice block. More than once.

Don't dress too warm. You should freeze like hell stepping out of the front door (or wherever you choose leaving your house). In cold, sweating is the worst thing you can force your body to do. You will never ever get the moisture out of your clothes - even if it's functional bodywear. Let your body build up warmth by activity. Go slowly at a steady pace and don't pause too long. Carry an extra layer to pull over when stopping longer. I prefer wearing only three light- to midweight layers of which the most outer one is just a windshield - which I think of to be the most important one. Ride on!