Friday, February 1, 2013

Riding on a Frozen Lake at–13F With Warm Toes

It was another cold winter day in Minnesota, but last night a new piece of gear arrived to keep my toes warm and toasty – Gerbing Heated Socks!

To celebrate the awesome warmth, I went on a pleasure ride this morning making many detours along the way. The most fun was playing on a nearby frozen lake. With the weeks of cold temps, the ice is several feet thick and very smooth. The inch or two of powdery snow on top made it extra fun.

The heated socks are thin like a dress sock, and surprisingly warm. At less than full power, my feat were very warm and toasty even after 20 minutes at freeway speeds. Why didn’t I buy these sooner?? Yea, I won’t use them every day; they aren’t needed. On the subzero days though, they are pure luxury.

For those keeping track, I use a Gerbing heated coat and hotgrips heated grips. I also have gerbing gloves and a tourmaster heated vest, but rarely use them. They the backup set.

YouTube: Riding on a Frozen Lake at –13F – PBC2013 #8

10 comments:

  1. That ought to freak out some of your followers from warmer climates!!

    Come on up here and ride across Lake Superior from Bayfield out to Madeline Island on a County maintained ice road. Bayfield County monitors the ice conditions daily!

    I might have to look into the heated socks. That seems to be the only thing that gets cold on the late fall rides.

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    1. hehe everytime I post a lake riding video they freak out. tempting... tempting...

      heated socks are great. I think the insoles would also be nice.

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  2. What a wonderful video. You look like you're having a blast. Just the Aerostitch suit and heated liners, eh. That's sufficient for those temperatures?

    I think I will be able to get on the road after this weekend though I was looking for positive temperatures. I still need to try and fix the heated grips though I did order heated gloves in anticipation of upcoming rides. Do you get much heat from the cylinders?

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    1. Thanks. I WAS having fun. Aerostitch + gerbing + fleece liner (over the gerbing) on top. Old liner from my tourmaster pants on bottom + 'stitch. heated socks and heated grips. a clava on my head. that's pretty much it.

      heated gloves are nice. they heat up much faster than heated grips, but i almost never use mine. heat from the cylinders? none. Dom always says he gets heat from his, but I dont feel it at all. he must have thin boots and socks or something. I barely feel the heat in the summer even with the mesh pants. If I wear my mesh boots, i can feel heat though.

      lighter weight oil made all the difference starting/running in subzero too. switched from 20w50 to 5w30.

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    2. Thanks, I am planning on changing the oil tomorrow after I get the sidecar reattached. I've only used the heated grips once and I could barely tell if they were working or not.

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    3. the hotgrips get hot enough to burn my hands if left on high for a while.

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  3. I rarely use the max settings on my heated grips, it feels like its going to burn through my heavy gloves! Putting my toes right under the jugs does help me and I have heavy boots...but its very momentary.

    I don't wear thick socks, maybe that's it.

    Good to know re the thinner oil, though I am glad I've a somewhat heated garage...I keep it above freezing.

    Cool video.

    Wish we had lakes like that here....well, we do, but they don't let you on them.

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    1. I only have two settings. Low and High. I use high to get it up to temp faster, and then switch back down.

      I'm almost always wearing wool socks in the winter,spring,fall and only switch to coolmax in the summer months.

      our garage is insulated and above freezing, however everywhere else i go is outside. I survived three winters without changing my oil, but when it couldn't turn over in subzero after sitting there for a work day, the light oil is nice. it starts better even when the temps are around 10-20F too.

      there are only a couple lakes in town that vehicles aren't allowed on, but we have dozens. there are four within five mins of my house that i can ride on.

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  4. Mmmm warm toes. That sounds like a luxury.

    I still use the stick on heated insoles but they work for the most part.

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    1. pure luxury. wishing i would have done it sooner for those very cold days.

      the chemical insoles are more than sufficient for your warm temps I'd imagine. I don't recall seeing you post any temps even remotely close to 0F.

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