interlude

[totient]

It has been gorgeous weather all this week, which is making it easier to get out of bed and onto the bike -- and once I'm riding it's something to savor, coming as it does with the feeling that it won't be this nice again until spring. Over the winter one is supposed to back off from possible over-training, spin a high cadence, and not try to work on intensity. I've mostly been good about this recently but this week has been too nice for that and I've had a series of nice brisk rides to and especially home from work, making it home in under 50 minutes each time so far. Turns out the slow from riding at night and the slow from wearing a backpack aren't cumulative; if anything the one made the other less frustrating.

This is the temperature at which the difference between my metabolism and everyone else's is most apparent. It's almost but not quite cold enough for me to start thinking about cold-weather gear. But most other serious cyclists broke out the tights, long sleeved jerseys, and full finger gloves when it got below 60. I saw one guy who was going fast enough that it'd keep me plenty warm, but who was nonetheless wearing his winter hat. Meanwhile I'm out there in shorts, coolmax jersey, sweatband (and needing it too), high-airflow helmet, fingerless gloves, and no socks.

Comments

[radioactiverich.livejournal.com]

You, sir, are clearly a mutant.

[ceo]

I don't have a particularly fast metabolism, but I do get heated up and sweat a lot. So today it was lightweight jogging tights over bike shorts, short-sleeve shirt and my bright reflective yellow windbreaker. Was a tad chilly at first and then I warmed right up.

I hate wearing anything on my back when I ride, so I use a small one-sided pannier.

[palmwiz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see, today for me, leaving the house at 8:55 when my thermometer read 52, was no tights and no windbreaker and no socks and no backpack (what I dislike about those is how much more sweaty they make me). Leaving work at 6:25 (with temps in the low 40s) I did put a long-sleeved shirt on under the bike jersey, but still no tights or windbreaker.

This blog post is kind of moshing together Monday's 60 degree weather with today's greyer and noticeably colder. I didn't ride home nearly as briskly as I did yesterday or the day before. Though some of that was having the bike light on "low" because I'd forgotten to charge it.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

last night I saw someone riding with lycra bike shorts *over* chinos. I officially do not get that.