[chops1990]

Just got my first bike last week. I've always wanted one for as long as I can remember. I wanna be a year round rider too, since the cash aint exactly flowin for a car aswell as a bike, and wanna get perspectives from those who do ride their bike all year. Last year with the snow n ice was just terrible.

I'm just wondering what most people do when ya can't ride the bike and ya dont have a car, carpool, bus? Do tell....

[Ozzy]

i was only off the bike 3 days last winter and i walked to work

[chops1990]

haha nice one, that was the type of answer I was lookin for

[MotoRock]

took the bike to work all winter except for the bad 3 weeks, when cars were not even leaving the estate! Bus to work then, with a bit of walking.

[proinnsias]

Ozzy, on 09 September 2010 - 01:00 PM, said:

i was only off the bike 3 days last winter and i walked to work

4 days here, but I had some vacation time to take anyway!

[klu]

I commuted all last winter on the bike bar three days, and those were only because the estate I was living in was iced up so much nothing could get in or out

Get yourself a decent set of boots, and maybe some iceskating lessons

Oh and heated grips are invaluable, the warmer you are the less fatigued you'll get.

[chops1990]

Nice. All good so far. Delighted now.

[fabio]

Heated grips and/or hand guards! Keeps the wind blast away...must try source a pair for mine actually.

Gear up properly, make sure it is warm and waterproof and you'll be fine really. You need to plan more, know the weather, know your route and watch for mud, oil and diesel and leaves. Plan where you will put your gear after you come home after a wet ride from work, invest in a topbox I'd say as well if you havent already. You'll not know how you lived without one for carrying bits and pieces. A rainsuit would be a good job, they sell for about €60 but some will keep you and your gear too bone dry. If you don't want the hassle of getting in and out of one then make sure the gear is waterproof and if not then it's a good idea to go and get some Nikwax, wash it in that stuff (the green bottle first, then the purple one) and that'll go a long way to keeping water out from your gear.

I reckon people who ride in the winter are better all-round riders than those who do not simply cos you learn to better control the bike with less grip so when you have a lot of grip in dry weather you are more capable os using all of that potential.

[Nori41]

Gortex gear keeps out the rain and cold.

Dont skimp on the gloves either as cold hands are hard to live with for more than couple of miles.

[fabio]

Remember as well that if you "can stand the cold" cos "I'm a big man" then it is in old age that you will pay...bad circulation, bad knocks from unprotected falls, rain always hitting skin makes for a lot of pain in old age through arthritis etc.

[chops1990]

I got free gloves, cordura i think they are. Yeah I reckon full time riders are well better as Fabio said, it stands to reason, they're out in all sorts of weather. Must look up some gortex gear, sounds good.

[Spiceburger]

Nori41, on 09 September 2010 - 02:05 PM, said:

Gortex gear keeps out the rain and cold.

Dont skimp on the gloves either as cold hands are hard to live with for more than couple of miles.

It makes all the difference as long as you have the right gear its all rosie

[chops1990]

fabio, on 09 September 2010 - 02:10 PM, said:

Remember as well that if you "can stand the cold" cos "I'm a big man" then it is in old age that you will pay...bad circulation, bad knocks from unprotected falls, rain always hitting skin makes for a lot of pain in old age through arthritis etc.

I hear ya, although TBH the cold doesn't bother me, I know the importance of stayin warm and dry. It's all well n good sayin I don't mind it but its a different story when out on the bike. It's a whole other breed of cold

[fabio]

Oh yes it is my man...I remember last year coming home from college on the South Ring Road at about 10pm at night after a long day in the warm library. To be out on the bike was great but half way home to feel pins and needles in your fingers and realising that no traffic light was staying red long enough for me to reach down to the engine to let my hands warm up...not nice.

Heated grips this year maybe if I get the money. Hand guards would do fine though to keep wind blast away. That 125 you say you drive though would be good for semi-icy stuff, nice and light like.

[chops1990]

Thats something I wouldn't even have thought about now. I suppose that it's a supermoto style bike might be an advantage too?

This post has been edited by chops1990: 09 September 2010 - 02:22 PM

[klu]

chops1990, on 09 September 2010 - 02:21 PM, said:

Thats something I wouldn't even have thought about now. I suppose that it's a supermoto style bike might be an advantage too?

Yep, not much plastic to break if you though drop it

[FizzyLizzie]

I'm lucky coz one of the girls I work with drives past the end of my road, so I scabbed a lift off her for about a week during the snow last year. I deliberately bought a house at a bus terminus though, so its one of the first roads to be gritted, the only down side is the diesel they spill outside my gate.... and they block my gate constantly ... and pish in my hedge, ... sorry, totally off the subject.

I have heated gloves, they're absolute heaven in the cold. I use the waterproof leggings from Aldi to keep me dry, they are the walking ones, only €12.99 and haven't let me down yet (even through floods), they also give you that bit of extra warmth and fold into a nice neat little pocket.

I drove into work last week for the novelty factor, I had a parking space in work (and had my eyes lasered so thought maybe should stay off the bike for a little while), and I have to say, I lost the will to live sitting in the traffic, I really don't know how people do that day in day out. I'd think I'd rather walk if I had no bike.

[chops1990]

I haven't the bike insured yet. Kinda wanna wait till i can get some gear. Buyin the bike has me strapped. I've an idea of how cold it can get, used to boat with civil defence, and man was it cold or what

[try1ng]

Just take you time and as always expect the unexpected!
The lads here are spot on, good gear is a must, if your cold and wet you might miss something. Like some of them I was on the bike most of last winter and won;t think twice about not doing it again, especially since I got the heated grips install for this time round.

Just make sure the bike is maintained well, your gear is waterproof, take your time and you'll be fine.

[Tazzzie]

Depending on the commute. You can get tired pretty quick if your cold.

Despite heated grips waterproof gear etc. Generally you will have hotspots and cold spots on yer body.

I didnt miss too many days off the bike last year, but that was a bit stupid of me in hindsight.

I will try and use the brain a bit more and try to minimise the danger.

(Hopefully)