Very Cold Cycling

I was once again cold while riding today.  This is definately a learning process.  I honestly don't know how cold it was (didn't check the weather. oops.). I don't think it would have changed anything becuase the things that I thought of that would have helped I don't have.  Once again - going 30mph in the cold = SUPER Cold! My jacket is nice, thank goodness, because my chest was warm and that's what matters.  Besides that I was pretty cold.  Especially my extremeties were cold.  The more I thought about how to keep my feet warm the more I liked the idea of having booties for cycling.  The biggest advantages that I can see in having booties over just a pair of warm socks are these: 1- They are removable, so if it gets warm you can take them off easier than taking of your shoes and socks then changing socks and putting your shoes back on (NO one's going to do that).  They won't let in any air meaning no cold air = no cold feet.  Warm socks will still let the air in though they will be breathable, but once again you can take off your booties if you really have too.  I doubt the breathability factor plays a role if you're not riding that far.  Wearing thicker socks might have the strangling effect on your feet and actually restrict blood flow to your feet so that was another negative towards warm warm socks.  So if you're going to ride in the cold wear some nice socks and booties or just have cold feet like I will for the rest of winter becuase a pair of booties are not in the cards for this season.   The next thing I thought of was to wear super warm gloves.  I have a feeling it was below zero and with the wind chill it was definately below zero.  I bought some long fingered gloves for riding in the winter but they are not super warm and I didn't want them to be.  The point is if they are not made for cold weather they won't do much to fight the freezing cold air whipping at your hands.   I do have some cold weather gloves (not made for cycling) and I think I'm going to try them out tomorrow.  Something else on the cold weather cycling list is a ski mask or maybe a scarf.  I can see a scarf just getting in the way but it will be alot easier to remove than a ski mask.  I would say that something to cover your ears will do the trick but I would be lying because your entire face gets cold.  I could feel the hairs on the top of my head freezing as I rode downhill.  Once again you have to know your ride because really I felt great on the way back up the hill, but it should would have been nice to be warm going in both directions by having the proper apparel which can be removed for slightly less freezing temperatures.   If anyone out there has experience riding in the really cold feel free to let us know what you do to fight the freeze. 

The ideas are these and I guess you can decide what's best for you.

Ski mask

or scarf

warm gloves

or not so warm gloves

Booties

or warm socks.

Hopefully you'll have some warm riding!