The Chainlink

Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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If only someone had told you about Bar Mitts sooner... :-)

Reply by Kevin C on September 13, 2010 at 7:21am

Some people call them pogies, some call them moose mitts, or overmitts, but they are the solution for cold hands. I got a relatively cheap pair from Cabela's last year and loved them. Wear a thin glove on even the coldest days, stick your hands into the overmitts and you'll be toasty warm with no loss of dexterity and no bulkiness.
Reply by Kevin C on October 17, 2011 at 11:36pm

I always post this response to this question, and everyone cheerfully ignores it. When it's really cold, I use pogies, moose mitts, overmitts, and they're magnificent! I first discovered them snowmobiling, and for bicycling, they are not to be believed. When it's really cold, I wear a liner glove, or no gloves at all. 

Reply by Kevin C on November 21, 2013 at 11:48am

For about the last five years, I have been trying to get the Chicagoans to use pogies/bar mitts/moose mitts on colder winter days, and with only a few exceptions, I just can't convince them.

Joe Studer 8.0 mi said:

[snip]  Bar Mitts (oh my god I love the Bar Mitts) and by Turtle Fur Balaclava (full face coverage that does not lead to fogged up glasses).  Now, if they only made Pedal Mitts.  The toes definitely get chilly on these cold, cold days.

At one point this morning when I blinked my eyes froze shut. I couldn't see where I was going for a moment until I fumbled my glasses off with mittened hand.
Was oddly comfortable this morning. May the sunshine and lack of wind? Pretty sure once we get above freezing I will only be comfortable in salacious jorts and a tank top.

EssFresh said:

... salacious jorts and a tank top.
Old fart that I am, I had never seen the word "jorts" before, so naturally, I Googled it. The Urban Dictionary suggests that, lack of a smiley in your post notwithstanding, you probably wouldn't actually wear them, opting instead for spandex cycling shorts:
Jean shorts. Worn mostly by children and douchebags. Jorts are perhaps the easiest way to recognize people you will not like.
Still, I hear ya. The warm weather (if it ever gets here) will probably take some getting used to.
<wink obligatory="True"/>

And what I noticed last night that I didn't know when I posted below, was that the entire sidewalk along Sheridan and the graveyard was closed/unplowed with a sign "sidewalk closed" or something.  so I took the street.  I don't take sidewalks except that one when the roads are skinny from plowing.  In the mornings I don't take that route so I didn't notice it yesterday.  wondering if itll be closed still this evening.  Ya, maybe they were just like, "ok, done plowing."  
 
Joe Studer 8.0 mi said:

I have been riding pretty consistently this winter as well, and while the plowing has been sketchy sometimes, generally it has been very good.  And, generally, it has been consistent.  Which is why yesterday was so weird.  I've never seen a stretch that was just completely ignored, when the adjacent stretch was cleaned so well.  Usually if a stretch is bad, it's because the snow just fell, and no plowing has occurred yet, or for a while, or whatever.  Last night was odd.

Honestly, I speculate that someone just said, "yeah, OK, quitting time."  And perhaps legitimately.  I don't know.


Robert Underwood said:

I take the LFT on the northernmost stretch from Ardmore to Montrose every evening, and its been plowed/ride-able every time this winter (don't take it on weekends, but i've only missed two weekdays so far so I know they plow it consistently).  Too bad they don't do that all the way south.  All the rich yuppie hippsters can move south as far as I care if that would help things.  I'm not a yuppie or rich, but some might call me an aging hipster... because sometimes I wear skinny jeans. but I don't have a beard.    

The Grizz, use the force.  you should wear a blind fold next time.  Glad you didn't wreck though. Maybe were ski goggles like I do?  they work BEAUTIFULLY.
 
The Grizz said:

At one point this morning when I blinked my eyes froze shut. I couldn't see where I was going for a moment until I fumbled my glasses off with mittened hand.

Kevin and Joe, I'm taking serious note of Bar Mitts and Turtle fur Balaclava... noted.  want those for sure.  And yes, why cant there be some fix for cold toes, like a heated toe cover or, boot that is warm enough to hold in the heat in the negatives.  I saw some dude with bar mitts last night...  I always notice them because they catch my attention.  They always catch my attention because I notice them.  whatever.  Added to my list.
 
Joe Studer 8.0 mi said:

Particularly considering the warm winters we've had the last several years, this year has been brutal.  Two things I love more and more on these cold days:  Bar Mitts (oh my god I love the Bar Mitts) and by Turtle Fur Balaclava (full face coverage that does not lead to fogged up glasses).  Now, if they only made Pedal Mitts.  The toes definitely get chilly on these cold, cold days.

   The same sort of things are said about people wearing bike shorts (which I do). Not that I'm advocating jorts, mind you.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

EssFresh said:

... salacious jorts and a tank top.
Old fart that I am, I had never seen the word "jorts" before, so naturally, I Googled it. The Urban Dictionary suggests that, lack of a smiley in your post notwithstanding, you probably wouldn't actually wear them, opting instead for spandex cycling shorts:
Jean shorts. Worn mostly by children and douchebags. Jorts are perhaps the easiest way to recognize people you will not like.
Still, I hear ya. The warm weather (if it ever gets here) will probably take some getting used to.
<wink obligatory="True"/>

This was not a besotted blurting following a short-time dalliance, but a proud declaration of love as part of a long and beautiful marriage.  I've been rocking bar mitts for several seasons now.  

(The search function must not work well for messages prior to 2010, because you were spreading the Bar Mitts / Pogies message well before then.) I'm just giving a well-deserved bump to the ode of love to Bar Mitts, an ode that many have sung over the years, and that many will continue to sing.

Man I love my Bar Mitts.  In fact, I just this morning was giving them a rave review to a fellow commuter that crossed my path.  They are among the best Christmas presents I've ever received.  Every year I thank my secretary anew for this present.


Kevin C said:

If only someone had told you about Bar Mitts sooner... :-)

Reply by Kevin C on September 13, 2010 at 7:21am

Some people call them pogies, some call them moose mitts, or overmitts, but they are the solution for cold hands. I got a relatively cheap pair from Cabela's last year and loved them. Wear a thin glove on even the coldest days, stick your hands into the overmitts and you'll be toasty warm with no loss of dexterity and no bulkiness.
Reply by Kevin C on October 17, 2011 at 11:36pm

I always post this response to this question, and everyone cheerfully ignores it. When it's really cold, I use pogies, moose mitts, overmitts, and they're magnificent! I first discovered them snowmobiling, and for bicycling, they are not to be believed. When it's really cold, I wear a liner glove, or no gloves at all. 

Reply by Kevin C on November 21, 2013 at 11:48am

For about the last five years, I have been trying to get the Chicagoans to use pogies/bar mitts/moose mitts on colder winter days, and with only a few exceptions, I just can't convince them.

Joe Studer 8.0 mi said:

[snip]  Bar Mitts (oh my god I love the Bar Mitts) and by Turtle Fur Balaclava (full face coverage that does not lead to fogged up glasses).  Now, if they only made Pedal Mitts.  The toes definitely get chilly on these cold, cold days.

That happened to me today, too.  At first I thought I was just snagging on my balaclava.  Nope!  Eyelashes froze together.  Funny.

The Grizz said:

At one point this morning when I blinked my eyes froze shut. I couldn't see where I was going for a moment until I fumbled my glasses off with mittened hand.

Diamonds on the soles of my shoes ... my shoes (I actually wear slippers when it is this cold) sparkled this morning with what I assume was salt residue rather than diamonds. I bought these boot covers from Grainger for $6 and used them for the first time this morning and my feet were noticably warmer.

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