Calling Winter Commuters:

[CorsairMac]

Ok ya'll who commute all year - got a question for you.............


Just curious which method most of you seem to prefer to keep your hinneys warm during these mid-40 to low-50s mornings:

Lined Tights

or

Second pair of shorts?


I've heard both suggestions. I have plenty of shorts but the thought of 2 pairs of shorts just sounds bunchy and uncomfortable to me....I don't want to be halfway through my morning commute and miserable. Before I commit to purchasing lined tights, I'm just curious which method works better for everyone.

[mimitabby]

lined tights. A second pair of short would be kind of useless, your legs would still freeze.

[lph]

I go from: shorts to
thin pair of tights plus shorts to
shorts plus windbreaker pants to
thin pair of tights plus shorts plus windbreaker pants.

And I have all the alternatives, upper body, hands and feet too, listed according to temperature in a little matrix stuck on the fridge... :o

[CorsairMac]

lined tights. A second pair of short would be kind of useless, your legs would still freeze.


It wasn't my legs that was the problem (lined leg warmers).........

[Dianyla]

Here's the range of bottoms that I'll progress through as temperature decreases:

shorts
knickers
shorts + unlined PI thermafleece tights
shorts + unlined PI amfib tights
shorts + tights + rainpants (even if not raining)

I actually don't own any tights with chamois pads. I've tried, but never managed to find some that I like. There aren't very many makes/model of tights on the market every season, so it gets even harder to find a good tight+chamois combination. It's hard enough to find a compatible pair of shorts with a chamois that I love, and there are tons of shorts on the market at any given time.

Also, I use my thermafleece tights quite often in winter for non-bike activities such as skiing/hiking/camping etc, that's another reason to have unlined tights.

[nuthatch]

Ugg, the dreaded winter season booty chill. Corsair, girl, what you need is some sort of spoiler attached to your jersey pockets on the back! Just channel that cold air right on by!

Barring that, if it's cool enough for a jacket, maybe you could find one with an extra long tail. That's what I've wished for on the fall commute, especially a softshell with a long tail and maybe pit zips. I'm not sure why softshells don't come with pit zips - maybe it would make them look too weird.

But that backside does get so chilly even while the front is a sweaty mess! ;)

[newfsmith]

My sequence is pretty much like Dianyla's, knickers usually take me through the 40's if it is dry. Being rather blubber covered, I don't usually have problems with a cold tush until it is in the teens. I do like the Performance triflex tights for very cold weather, they have a wind & water resistent seat panel.

[KnottedYet]

Wool Ibex knickers.

Knickers plus rainpants.

[Kitsune06]

I've never had to commute more than 3-4 miles. That said, I tend to wear lycra shorts, boys' silk thermals (more crotch room for the chamois...) and rain pants. Then scurry to the bathroom to take all that off and put on your regular pants. *shrug* I'll never win fashion awards, but it seems to work.

I rarely have problems getting cold, though. On cold days, I steam after hardly any activity. DGF says it's creepy. :(

[Geonz]

Heavens, my backside has always had enough insulation. Sweats will work 'til the 40's. THen tights under the sweats. Then tights and thermal undies and sweats. Then the really, really warm tights, the silk undies, and the thick sweats. That works for 4 degrees (F) and 8 miles, and I haven't had to do more than that.

I'm unchamoised in the winter.

[lph]

That works for 4 degrees (F) and 8 miles, and I haven't had to do more than that.


Kudos. I have roughly the same distance to go but usually give up at about 12-14 F. I find it gets really hard keeping my hands warm but still limber about then.

But otherwise I prefer temps between 18 and 25 F when things are dry (gee, I sure hope I got that conversion thing right so this makes sense) to temps around 32. I just *hate* wet feet, dark roads, slush all over the place, freezing on the cassette, packing in the brakes... yucko :eek:

[Geonz]

For the hands - and generally - when it gets really, really, really cold I get on the trainer for five or ten minutes, until I feel my furnace kick in and up the circulatoin to my hands. Then I'm already warmed up for going outside.
We haven't had too much of the slushy stuff - yukkers!!!
And this winter I will have the rain suit, which is a toasty layer and a little large for me (it was a hand-me-down - me fork over the bucks for Gore-Tex??? NOT!) ... so I'm almost looking forward to adversity...

[7rider]

Well, I can say....Don't do what I just did.
Was so excited to have a chance to wear my new long-sleeve jersey this a.m. and knickers, that I wore them without regards to what the weather would be like for the *ride home* this evening!
Ugh.
Long sleeves were fine this a.m., but I'm going to be roasting on the ride home. It's a good thing I can push the sleeves up a fair bit (I can't on all my LS) and it's a full zip. May have to flash the folks in cars tonight! :eek:
So...
Pay attention to the AFTERNOON forecast when planning your a.m. ride!

[Susan Otcenas]

OK, so here's a question (in a roundabout kind of way).

Pearl Izumi has a new women's short this winter. It's the Microsensor Thermal Short. A thermal short. :confused: I, of course, said. "Well, that's dumb. If it's cold enough to need thermal, then why wouldn't I just wear tights? Thermal with bare legs seems dumb." But, as was pointed out to me by my dear sweet man, my butt always seems to be very cold to the touch after a winter ride (even if I don't *feel* chilled).

So, now this thread has me wondering how many people would find this type of a short a useful product. (Useful enough to actually purchase, of course. :D ) Would you wear it with leg or knee warmers? Or layer wam tights over it to get extra thermal just on the buttocks?

What do you think? Useful? Hokey? You all kow I value your feedback greatly, so have at it! And thanks!

Susan

[Dianyla]

Pearl Izumi has a new women's short this winter. It's the Microsensor Thermal Short. A thermal short. :confused: I, of course, said. "Well, that's dumb. If it's cold enough to need thermal, then why wouldn't I just wear tights? Thermal with bare legs seems dumb." But, as was pointed out to me by my dear sweet man, my butt always seems to be very cold to the touch after a winter ride (even if I don't *feel* chilled).

As someone who prefers to always layer chamoisless tights over shorts in winter, I think it sounds pretty darn good, actually.

I'm also amazed at how warm and toasty I can feel, but there is an outer layer of about 1" of flesh that is quite cold. Yay for insulation. :rolleyes:

[lph]

Well, I can say....Don't do what I just did.
Was so excited to have a chance to wear my new long-sleeve jersey this a.m. and knickers, that I wore them without regards to what the weather would be like for the *ride home* this evening!


Yup, I've done that. :D And learnt to wear a somewhat decent sport bra/top underneath so that I can tear off the long-sleeved on the way home without getting arrested. I had a skimpy Patagonia Capilene thing on underneath one afternoon and did feel a bit ... brazen. (To the extent that a even-smaller-than-A-cup can look "brazen".)

[lph]

But, as was pointed out to me by my dear sweet man, my butt always seems to be very cold to the touch after a winter ride (even if I don't *feel* chilled).
Susan

My question would be - if you don't feel chilled, why warm it up? I get a cold butt too, but unlike hands and feet, which don't work very well when they feel cold to the touch, my butt seems to do just fine... I guess the extra fat there means women were just born to ride a bike :p

In winter of course. ;)

[uk elephant]

My winter commutes have generally been less than 4miles so I just wear what I'll wear to work. Possibly with a pair of tights under my jeans or a pair of rain pants over to stay warm when it gets down below 0F. When training in that kind of weather I wear my fantastic windbreaker tights. Not sure what the brand is, but I think it came from REI. It's warm and keeps the wind out. And it will fit over cycling shorts when the time comes to need it. Unfotunately, here in SE England I'm not so sure I'll need it. At least last season we didn't get any decent winter weather. It never even went below 0!

[CorsairMac]

OK, so here's a question (in a roundabout kind of way).

Pearl Izumi has a new women's short this winter. It's the Microsensor Thermal Short. A thermal short. :confused: I, of course, said. "Well, that's dumb. If it's cold enough to need thermal, then why wouldn't I just wear tights? Thermal with bare legs seems dumb." But, as was pointed out to me by my dear sweet man, my butt always seems to be very cold to the touch after a winter ride (even if I don't *feel* chilled).

So, now this thread has me wondering how many people would find this type of a short a useful product. (Useful enough to actually purchase, of course. :D ) Would you wear it with leg or knee warmers? Or layer wam tights over it to get extra thermal just on the buttocks?

What do you think? Useful? Hokey? You all kow I value your feedback greatly, so have at it! And thanks!

Susan



Need a tester??........I mean - someone who has a problem with cold tushie and would be willing to test these for my winter commute?? *wink wink nod nod*

[Cassandra_Cain]

Very novel thread here, I've enjoyed the varied responses.

I've never suffered from "ice-booty-ius" :D

My problems lie elsewhere...can you say numb hands and feet? yikes, now that's more where I have trouble :eek:

I probably wouldn't use a thermal short, since I would feel limited by it in the summer. I'm tending to buy jerseys/shorts that I can use year round and not just in the winter. Also layering is, for me, a pleasant alternative.

Some people might like the short though as has been mentioned in this thread.

[nuthatch]

Very novel thread here, I've enjoyed the varied responses.

I've never suffered from "ice-booty-ius" :D

My problems lie elsewhere...can you say numb hands and feet? yikes, now that's more where I have trouble :eek:


It feels like sitting in front of a campfire on a really cold night. Your whole front side (with the exception of the EVER cold hands) is warm, even sweaty and your backside, no matter how hard those glutes are working, is feeling icy. If only I could transplant some belly fat to the parts that need insulation when it's cold (or some enhancement? :D )!

The thermal shorts sound weird, I guess. The backside would be warmer but the crotch would get sweatier and it doesn't need to get sweatier in the freezing cold. That's why I don't think those thermal tights with the windproof panel in the crotch area would work for me either. I need to vent those areas.

What they need to make is a bolero for our bottom half!

I saw a jacket recently (maybe here on TE) with the greater protection in the arms and less in the core area. Now that makes sense to me - the core quickly gets hot and the arms never do.

[cherinyc]

I am bringing this thread up again - b/c even though I've gotten gung-ho, and layered up - gone on a ride in the (almost) cold...I was pretty frigin miserable.

Maybe you all can help (this will be my first cold season of cycling).
I listened to everyone's advice - and resourcefully - pulled out my snowboarding undergarments (translation:long underwear) out of storage (translation:under the bed):D .
Wore the pants (though I was worried about the crotch seam) under my light chamois she beest shorts (both black, so not so ugly together) and then my L/S shirt under a sleeveless jersey.
Also wore a headband to cover my ears.
I thought I had it all covered, literally, but what I found was that my face was painfully frozen, and it hurt to breathe. The cold air in my lungs felt like razor blades:mad: and my nose was running so terribly, that even though I kept blowing it (I always ride with a cloth tucked in my jersey) I couldn't keep up. It made it that much harder to breathe through my nose, and it hurt to breathe through my mouth.
Am I doomed to ride indoors in temps lower than 60 degrees? I don't even think I can describe how painful it was. My eyes were even getting swollen and squinty.

Ladies, the temp was MAYBE 55 degrees. Not THAT cold. Is it something you get used to? If so - how long does it take? When I got home I was coughing badly, and getting that metallic taste in my mouth - so I don't really know how much more I could take.
(ok - all of you reading this can now loudly say it, in unison....WIMP!!!!)
that's me :D :o :D

[nuthatch]

Ladies, the temp was MAYBE 55 degrees. Not THAT cold. Is it something you get used to? If so - how long does it take? When I got home I was coughing badly, and getting that metallic taste in my mouth - so I don't really know how much more I could take.
(ok - all of you reading this can now loudly say it, in unison....WIMP!!!!)
that's me :D :o :D

Aw, that's terrible! Winter riding/commuting IS a totally different experience from summer. Its joys are hard-won. Pioneer grit is called for.

Yes, cold air hurts the lungs, noses run like faucets, toes go numb, hands can no longer shift and you STILL sweat! But it boils down to this.....it's better than riding inside (most days).

Try covering your face with a polypro balaclava to warm the air going into your lungs and slowing down to reduce windchill. Think about getting a cheap pair of ski goggles for your eyes. Don't be afraid of looking like the creature from the black lagoon :D

It does take some time to acclimatize yourself and adjust to the inconveniences. But on that perfect blue-sky day during January, you will be outside instead of on that danged trainer! Hang in there, super-commuter!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Cheri,
If by "long underwear for snowboarding" you mean some of those old style cotton blend waffle "thermal" underwear- then I'd say that is not a good choice.

Try investing in some baselayers made of 100% thin merino wool. Both SmartWool and Ibex brands are good examples. This stuff will be soft, keep you WARM, and yet be breathable. It also does not incubate body odor after one wearing like polyester and cotton does, so you can wear it 5 or 6 times before washing. You can wear the tops any time, not just for biking. They won't look weird like those goofy polyesther jerseys can. :rolleyes:
Wear a longsleeve merino crew neck top underneath a turtleneck one- total toastee!

Also try a long warm tight over your biking shorts instead of the long underwear.
Some ski socks will go up to your knees either under or over your tights, and keep your lower leg and foot warm. Or try some leg warmers made for biking (tuck the tops UNDER your shorts legs).
Get a good neck gator in merino wool and you can pull it up over your mouth and it will not get soggy or cold as you breathe through it. Get a thin merino helmet liner (se TE's SmartWool version- I have it and it's perfect, and covers my ears as well!) to keep your head warm.

[nuthatch]

I totally second the recommendation of wool covering as much of yourself as possible. It's nature's wonder material.

[recycle613]

I like the Buff as a neck gator that I can pull up to cover chin and mouth as needed. I find breathing through it is real comfortable and it wicks the moisture or something. It's enough down to about 40 for me. Then I want warmer. They are also great to bring along when you aren't sure what you'll need. They do heads & ears or necks & chins and it's easy to wear 2 or 3 at a time if nec.

[cherinyc]

Cheri,
If by "long underwear for snowboarding" you mean some of those old style cotton blend waffle "thermal" underwear- then I'd say that is not a good choice.



oh no no no no no - I spend way too much time on my butt/back/knees while (learning) snowboarding still. No way would I wear cotton. BF is an 11 yr snowboarding veteran, and made sure I was well-equipped before I started.
This is what I have (and love). But in black. Very soft and comfy.
http://herroom.stores.yahoo.net/eli001-2301.html
http://herroom.stores.yahoo.net/eli001-2300.html

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

oh no no no no no - I spend way too much time on my butt/back/knees while (learning) snowboarding still. No way would I wear cotton. BF is an 11 yr snowboarding veteran, and made sure I was well-equipped before I started.
This is what I have (and love). But in black. Very soft and comfy.
http://herroom.stores.yahoo.net/eli001-2301.html
http://herroom.stores.yahoo.net/eli001-2300.html

Maybe soft and comfy, but if it's not keeping you nice and warm in 55 degrees weather I'm not too impressed. Try merino wool. I have some of the foillowing items, and in NY here my weather is similar to yours, and I've been peeling these babies OFF while riding, they're that good:
http://www.ibexwear.com/F06/View_Product.php?GarmentID=564&thePhoto=../Photos/F06/0121_2268.jpg&Category=1049&CategoryLine=
http://www.ibexwear.com/F06/View_Product.php?GarmentID=571&thePhoto=../Photos/F06/643_2600.jpg&Category=1049&CategoryLine=
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=19348
http://www.ibexwear.com/F06/View_Product.php?GarmentID=578&thePhoto=../Photos/F06/0113_7722.jpg&Category=1049&CategoryLine=
http://www.ibexwear.com/F06/View_Product.php?GarmentID=566&thePhoto=../Photos/F06/0123_5843.jpg&Category=1049&CategoryLine=
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=21593

[cherinyc]

I'm sorry, I was probably not clear. My body was plenty warm. The clothes were fine. It was the places that I DIDN'T have clothes on that hurt. My face.
Breathing hurt me, because the air coming into my lungs was cold. I guess my issue is that, I thought I had taken care of all potential cold issues, and I hadn't. Something about riding my bike wearing a ski mask and goggles....just isn't appealing.
Though neither were bike shorts when I started.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the links on the IBEX though. I am always looking for good base layers.

[Trek420]

uk elephant "Unfortunately, here in SE England I'm not so sure I'll need it. At least last season we didn't get any decent winter weather. It never even went below 01"

:eek: Not even below 01!:eek: that's practicaly tropical :D shorts and short sleeved jersey weather :cool:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I get it now, Cheri.
Perhaps the thin neck gator pulled up over your mouth might help to warm your breath as it comes in. You might sew two gators together to make one tall one that can go up high.

If you do ever get the merino tops, I can tell you that the Ibex run just a bit smaller/skinnier than the SmartWool ones.

I wear glasses, and I do find that sometimes my eyes get cold in the downhill winds and they get teary. Usually in the beginning of my ride only so far. I expect more problems as it gets colder, especially since my frames are metal not plastic.
My nose always runs when I'm biking. I think it has to do with the wind as I ride. I've always found that it runs even MORE if I blow it. It seems to irritate my nose linings so they try to protect themselves with yet more mucus coatings. So I just sniffle it in and swallow :eek: (I figure it's already in there anyway!)

[Dianyla]

In mildly chilly temps I can get away with just a cotton buff or earwarmers, but when it starts getting windchappingly cold I switch to this Sugoi Balaclava (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=6075590&parent_category_rn=4500803&vcat=REI_SEARCH). The fabric is somewhat smooth and silky feeling on the outside, and slightly fleecy on the inside. But it's not made of fleece per se, I find heavier fleece balaclavas to be great for cold weather camping (especially at night) but when I'm working and sweating they're too hot.

[lph]

It's a few degrees below freezing here now, and I ride with a microfiber Buff pulled over my nose to heat the incoming air. It gets all soggy after a while, though.

Anyone try something like this?

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=21626

I found something very similar in a bike shop yesterday, but it kind of freaks me out. Looks like it might stay dryish, but then, you can't pull it up and down to adjust as you go. :confused:

[nuthatch]

There are softer balaclavas that have that nose flap/breathing hole combination (and actually that Gore one looks soft too). Yanking it down and up is hard with gloves or mitts on, though.

Everything gets damp from your breath. But it definitely helps cut down on condensation to have that breathing hole area. If it's super cold, you're going to have some icing and when you pull it down and then back up (at a stop light to prevent glasses or goggles from fogging) it feels like climbing into a cold, soggy sleeping bag! :p And you might as well forget about trying to wipe a running nose - just let 'er run and wash the balaclava when it gets too gross.

I'm liking the snowboard goggles for cold riding (stolen from my son). They vent really well and don't fog up at stops. Also the foam around the face keeps things warm and comfy.

[lph]

it feels like climbing into a cold, soggy sleeping bag!

Ew, appropriate but bad mental image...:eek:

So far I've worn a thin wool balaclava under my helmet (covers cheeks and chin) in addition to the Buff around my neck to pull up and down over my mouth and nose. But it gets a bit bulky around the neck, and there's that soggy/ice patch as mentioned, and the top of my head is still a bit chilly, and I have this naive faith that somewhere somebody's invented a cool technical solution to all this... ;)

When it's really cold I wear a long wool neck gator, that I keep folding and turning to keep the ice patch off my skin. Fine until you've used up all the dry parts... I'll look out for a neck gator with a breathing patch, think I can do without Gore's Darth-Vader-on-a-bike-look.

Funny thing is, my eyes are rarely a problem. Maybe the contacts protect them a little.

[nuthatch]

I just wanted to weigh in on those Pearl Izumi Microsensor Thermal Shorts that Susan was talking about way back last fall. I thought they'd be weird, but they're not!!

I'm using a pair in this unusually chilly spring, under a pair of tights and they are very effective in reducing the chill on the backside -- I've ridden in them from the mid-20s to the 40s. The chamois is on the thin side (3D Pro) but I prefer that for commuting because you're just not on the bike that many miles.

The only thing I'd change about them (and lots of other PI chamois) is the edge of the chamois. I really like a graduated edge on a chamois instead of a sharp drop off and stitched edge. Other than that, I'd highly recommend them for cool/cold riding, with leg warmers or tights.

[run it, ride it]

Wait... mid-40s? That's BALMY!

I bust out the half-tights from 25-35, then 35 and up is definitely SHORTS TIME!

Anything above 53 is shorts and t-shirt all the way.

Wind and rain are different stories... it's a balmy 41 out right now, but the gusts are hitting 50km/h so I'm definitely sticking to half-tights and tossing on a jacket!

Come live in Canada for a while, then tell me 40 is anything but tropical!

...and everyone up here insists I get cold too easily...

[Aint Doody]

I've always heard to keep those knees covered under 60. Guess you're not as old as I am! Gotta protect the old lady knees...........

[run it, ride it]

Hmm.. this may explain why I ALREADY have old lady knees...

[Dianyla]

Hmm.. this may explain why I ALREADY have old lady knees...
Also, remember there is a gluten connection to joint problems...

[veloputt]

Enjoying the thread--getting back to commuting from a winter rest...

What I've not seen mentioned is the answer to cold toes. Booties or toe caps.
They do wonders! No need for thick socks w/ windproof booties--or just toe caps are amazing. Thermals are great for 40 and lower... And if it's wet out, too, nice to keep the footsies as dry as possible. Advantage of covering the shoe is they're dry when you have to put them back one to head home.

And knees. Glad to see others mention cranky (old lady) knees. Thus I LOVE knickers for keeping my knees warm. I'd love a thermal sensor knicker--if I need it for my thighs, I want it for my knees. The calves do OK uncovered. And also I like how knickers look on--no need for any extra bulging or seams across the thighs, thank you! ;)

[CyclaSutra]

I know you're all going to bust out laughing .... but I love my knickers and the answer to the 35-40-degree morning commute and the 55-degree ride home for me ... is LEG WARMERS in the morning, and I'm talkin' Flashdance, not Pearl Izumi.

As Paris would say... "That's hot."