When the salt and brine goes down. The bike goes away. I'm 5 miles off Lake Erie in North east Ohio. We get it pretty bad. Last year we had a door of snow in early November. Now it's 60's this week.

 

usually goes nite-nite weekend after Veterans Day. usually ride in a Veterans day parade. then goes into a friends golf course storage (heated for his golf carts and secure) for hibernation until March. get much later than that, and too risky for snow and salt. I can dress pretty much for what I ride in, but hate the snow and salt....

 

It was around 36 when I left at 6:15am this morning, and I stopped3 times on my 55 mile commute to thaw my fingers. I found myself trying to keep my fingers horizontal to the ground instead of wrapped around the grips, and I took 50mph back roads for the last 12 miles instead of the highway, because the wind at 65mph made my fingers freeze immediately.

So far, 40 is about as low as I can go, comfortably, on a ride like this, unless I start getting into heated gear.

 

We ride into the low 20F. Left home from a ride with friends at 22F, high was 28F.

I have Gerbings gloves, jacket liner and Bog neoprene boots. Fleece face mask and neck cover. Switch to modular helmet at <45F.

Road ice or snow limit our winter rides. Dry roads in our winter come with mostly dry cold air. Easier and feels warmer to ride at 24F and dry air than Western Washington's typical 42-44F and rain. Washington is a liquid deicer state. Our bikes get covered with salt solution. Washington State uses Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Calcium Magnesium Acetate, and Sodium Chloride plus several combinations of the above. Most have a 30% or less corrosion effectiveness. I rinse the underside of my bike with Salt Away in a one gallon pump sprayer before pulling it back into the garage.

Heated grips work okay to about 40F, work better at 45F+.

 

It was 39F here today, first day I thought it was to cold this year, so I guess 40 is my cut-off, but where I live in Cali. that's pretty rare!!

 

As long as the roads are Ice and Salt free, I'll ride. But I am still in that prolonged honeymoon phase.