Poll - riding in 34 degrees or 104 - take your pick

[Trainwreck]

I'll take the cold any day. I don't deal with the heat well at all. In 85 degree Jersey weather, I sweat so badly that I have to change my shirt a few times a day. It's either change it, or wring it out. I hit heat stroke levels at 95 degrees. I deal with the cold very well though. I'm in a t-shirt until about 50-53 degrees. When I was single I would keep my house at 62-63 during the winter. I always say it's easier to warm up than cool down. You can always add more clothing, but you can only take so much off.

[TnRider]

Originally Posted by Karlb

give me heat any day!! I have full gerbings but thats so I can turn on the jacket liner when its gets in the 60s!! you never hear me complain about it being too hot to ride.
besides in the summer for a 500 mile day just leave at 4am you'll be there by 1p.

Sounds exactly like me. I am from the South and loathe cold weather. I also where my Warm and Safe liner on 60 degree days.

In July and August there are many days where I will leave out at 4 am and am back home by 1 for lunch. That's my favorite time to ride. At sunrise on some deserted well paved country road riding at a quick pace. I'm all about that....

[Steve Martin]

Actually, I would rather ride in 104 degree temps, since today I rode in 36 degree weather, and I AM STILL COLD! First ride of the season, you should put 30-50 miles on so you can dry out the bike, right?

[achtung3]

Have not done 34 but around 37-40, it is cold enough! heated grips, and my rockster have an automatic feet warmer so what about the legs and torso? I have a fieldsheer one piece suit with removable liner plus layers, long undies, turtle neck and fleece jacket, not a bit cold at all and just peel off as the temperature warms up.
I will not go out on temperatures close to freezing levels because of black ice.
I am here to ride and enjoy and not take for granted this great pleasure.

Keep the rubber side down!

Honda CH150
MV Agusta F4-1000
R1150 Rockster
Yamaha Seca XJ750R
K75S Newbie

[Razel]

June 15, 2008, and going over Donner Summit at ~6:00 AM. All the heated gear on high, cold weather undergarmets. 31 degrees. Don't like the cold at all.

Two weeks later, in Livermore, 115ºF. Jacket and helmet put in the walk-in freezer while I had lunch. 15 minutes into my 35 minute ride home, all the cold was gone. Felt like a blast furnace until I got out of the valley and on the cool (95º) bay side. Don't like the heat at all, either. But, the heat was, oddly enough, easier to deal with.

Yeah, all this in California, too.

[CRASH]

Have done 28 and have done 117 ... gimme cold. I think it is much easier to stay warm at the temps in the poll than cool off. I have gear for both extremes. I live near eye.surgeon and get a pretty good mix as well. I head up into the mountains regularly and in the winter is is frigid and in the summer it is brutal. I have seen too many people get dehydrated even doing all the right things and with evap gear on. BTW, walking into an A/C'd restaurant is not instantaneous relief, it can actual cause more problems and recovery time can be longer than warming up.

[tonytsai042]

hot will slow you down, cold will stop you, I vote for the hot...

[MattB]

Originally Posted by Big_Bend

Ok just supposedly...

You got an all day 500+ mile ride ahead of you. The magic weatherman says you can pick either 34 degrees or 104 degrees to ride in (1 or 40 Celsius), clear skies, good roads. You gota make this ride, you can only use the gear you currently own (ie if you now own Gerbings you can wear em in the cold) and those are your only two temperature choices. Do you prefer the cold or the heat?

take care.. Allen

You made it easy when you allowed me to keep my Gerbings stuff... I HATE the cold but find that I'm good into the teens with my Gerbings and other winter getup in place. That said, without heated gear I'll take 104 anytime.

[RTSTEVE]

104 is my vote. here in MT 34 in the Am hours is quite common all year. I enjoy the scenery better at rest stops when its HOT.

[MotomanK12]

I'll definitely take 104...as long as you're moving, it's not too bad. I have a mesh jacket, just put the windscreen in the low position and go. I don't have cold weather gear, nor do I want any! I don't even ride unless it's quite a bit over 50! Don't ride much, if it's 104 either, but have done it...that's about our average temp in the summer down here in Phoenix.

[Muddy1]

Just back from an uncommonly chilly SW Texas ride. Typically the pre-THCR will see temps near or above 100, but this year, near Alpine, the temps dropped to 47 and raining. THAT was miserable riding when not prepared for the cold stuff! Had considered taking my new Revit mesh jacket just for that area.... glad I didn't!!
Again, I'll take HOT anyday over cold!!

[Grendel]

Heat makes me stupid without knowing I'm getting stupid. I prefer cold. At least I know I'm getting stupid. That said, I have great cold weather gear, but not the best stuff to promote good air flow in heat, and I imagine that would make a difference.

Once got caught in stop-and-go traffic on 101 in San Rafael, CA with a pillion when it was a mere 95 degrees. Pulled off and enjoyed one of the best air-conditioned documentary movies I've ever seen. Can't remember the name of the movie or what it was about.

[Htheater]

Originally Posted by Muddy1

Again, I'll take HOT anyday over cold!!

This has always been my motto too....however, I have decided that it depends on when you ask me!

Right now, I would say "bring on the cold"!

Ask me during the Winter and I will say "bring on the heat!".

[MotomanK12]

yeah, but...what's the wind chill at 75 mph, when it's 34 degrees!?!?!? brrr, F'in brrr!!!

[Muddy1]

Might have to revise my initial thoughts... Hmmm... 31 with white stuff starting to fall from the sky, Gerbings jacket under gear... partially wet from storms, add in heated grips...

or

109 with evaporative vest and camelback, and vented jacket and full perf, black leather Vanson pants.

Still can't decide which is the worst of 2 evils.

[Kneedragger]

It seems to me that whenever I'm at one extreme, I'm thinking it is the worst of the two. Either one is obviously uncomfortable, although I think there are more resources available to deal with extreme cold than extreme heat...

[Grendel]

Originally Posted by Kneedragger

It seems to me that whenever I'm at one extreme, I'm thinking it is the worst of the two. Either one is obviously uncomfortable, although I think there are more resources available to deal with extreme cold than extreme heat...

The Aerostich electric windstopper vest works well, and with good gloves and the grips set to Molten Lava, I still prefer cold, but with the proviso that in either case, always be looking for an exit, whether it be a heated or a cooling venue. Once you're too hot or too cold, you are past being able to solve the problem on the bike.

[loner]

When this poll began I opted for the cold weather.

Yesterday I did a quick out and back recon trip to Las Vegas, 500+ miles. Passing through Baker, CA the K12S registered a balmy high of 116*F. Welcoming me to Las Vegas were freeways and surface streets with heavy traffic, 108*F, and no lane splitting allowed. Mesh gear and stops for a 50-50 mix of water and sports drink got me there and back.

I stick by my cold weather choice, passing through Tucumcari last winter at 30*F with Gerbings dialed up was better than the desert yesterday.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by loner

When this poll began I opted for the cold weather.

Yesterday I did a quick out and back recon trip to Las Vegas, 500+ miles. Passing through Baker, CA the K12S registered a balmy high of 116*F. Welcoming me to Las Vegas were freeways and surface streets with heavy traffic, 108*F, and no lane splitting allowed. Mesh gear and stops for a 50-50 mix of water and sports drink got me there and back.

I stick by my cold weather choice, passing through Tucumcari last winter at 30*F with Gerbings dialed up was better than the desert yesterday.

Yup, would follow that logic too bud


Cheers

[MKEM]

I WOULD TAKE 34 EVEN OVER 80 DEGREES 34 DEGREES IS AT THE COMFORT ZONE. THAT IS JUST ABOUT TIME TO TURN ON THE HEATED GEAR.. THE TEMP I STOP RIDING AT IS 30 OR BELOW ONLY BECAUSE IN REALITY THE ROADS DO GET A LITTLE TRICKY. BUT I HAVE RIDDEN MY SNOWMOBILE TO -40 DEGREES WITH THE SAME GEAR BUT WITH OUT THE HEATED LINERS RIDE-ON!! HAVE EVEN GOTTEN OFF THE BIKE AND ONTO THE SLED TO GOT FOR A RIDE LOOVE THE COLD.

[ruscook]

I ride in pretty much any conditions but cold has more chance of ice and in Oz the roos are more active in cold weather. At 104. The animals ain't moving.

Put on a camelback and ride all day in the heat - no dramas

[Louis]

It's been 33° C lately with humidex going into the 40°'s up to 45°C

Not the slimmest pf chances of cooling down...


I'm dying out there... thank God for water!!!

[MattB]

Originally Posted by Big_Bend

Ok just supposedly...

You got an all day 500+ mile ride ahead of you. The magic weatherman says you can pick either 34 degrees or 104 degrees to ride in (1 or 40 Celsius), clear skies, good roads. You gota make this ride, you can only use the gear you currently own (ie if you now own Gerbings you can wear em in the cold) and those are your only two temperature choices. Do you prefer the cold or the heat?

take care.. Allen

After riding VIR in high temps (I don't even know the recorded high, but they were calling for high 90's) on Thursday this is still a no brainer for me... give me the cold. Even with drinking as much as possible between sessions (every 20 minutes) it was all you could do to stay hydrated and focused while tearing up the track.

[KKM]

This is easy. 34* anyday. 500 miles will take me 8 1/2 hr. At 104* my brain will melt after 4 hrs. Than I would be riding in a very unsafe condition. At 34* fingertips and toes are the only problem. Would just need to stop and shake out a fews times.
Kevin

[Boissinot]

34 Celcius is not so bad = 93 in Farenheit


I don't mind the cold at all and 34 F is fine but I don't like the grip of the tires in curves and braking distance.

Hot with a good summer jacket is fine. Like Louis said, we had it hot and humid here in Quebec. I drove the bike all the time but when stopping, it was scorching.

It will get cold soon enough here.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by Boissinot

Hot with a good summer jacket is fine. Like Louis said, we had it hot and humid here in Quebec. I drove the bike all the time but when stopping, it was scorching.

It will get cold soon enough here.

Don't say THAT!