Cold weather attire

[Catrin]

I've been able to get out and practice with my new bike in temps around freezing. My upper body was fine (smartwool base/short sleeve jersey/jacket), but had a problem with my legs. Of course my face was cold, but that is easily dealt with.

For my lower body I had knickers(?), leg warmers, and smartwool socks. At those temps I am assuming that if I had been out for a real ride rather than practicing in a parking lot, that I would have been warm enough as my legs would have had a chance to warm up.

I am trying to avoid wearing jeans, part of me is afraid the legs will catch on either my frame pump or chain. If I decide to ride in colder temps, not below 23 or so, do I need to add more layers? I am pondering wool tights, but haven't totally given up on the idea of knickers underneath jeans (since I don't have to buy anything else). Advice would be most welcome.

One thing is sure, I had forgotten how much I like being out in cold weather when I am not dressed for the office :D

[sarahspins]

You probably need another layer over the knickers... I know I do when it's chilly and it's not all 'that' cold here (50's?). That layer doesn't need to be wool necessarily, but if you don't want jeans you could wear a fitted pair of workout pants or something... or even sweat pants.

If you did choose to try jeans, you can get a reflective band to put on your leg on the chainring side, that would keep jeans from catching, however I've never caught jeans on my fx since it has a chain guard. My mixte with nothing isn't even all that prone to grabbing loose clothing as long as I'm not in the 'big' ring. you can always just roll up your pant leg so it's high enough not to catch as well... since you have legwarmers you'd probably be fine that way.

[chicagogal]

I've been able to get out and practice with my new bike in temps around freezing. My upper body was fine (smartwool base/short sleeve jersey/jacket), but had a problem with my legs. Of course my face was cold, but that is easily dealt with.

For my lower body I had knickers(?), leg warmers, and smartwool socks. At those temps I am assuming that if I had been out for a real ride rather than practicing in a parking lot, that I would have been warm enough as my legs would have had a chance to warm up.

I am trying to avoid wearing jeans, part of me is afraid the legs will catch on either my frame pump or chain. If I decide to ride in colder temps, not below 23 or so, do I need to add more layers? I am pondering wool tights, but haven't totally given up on the idea of knickers underneath jeans (since I don't have to buy anything else). Advice would be most welcome.

One thing is sure, I had forgotten how much I like being out in cold weather when I am not dressed for the office :D

I am usually fine with leg warmers, bike short, and tights over top, so effectively 2 layers on my legs (I don't ride in temps much below freezing). But when it gets really cold and you are out on a "real" ride, your feet will freeze. The wind will hit them (the faster you go, the more wind, the colder your feet), and there will be no way to warm them up. For your feet, you will need shoe covers/booties (or toe covers if it isn't TOO cold). The same is true for hands. They take a lot of wind and once they get cold, they won't get warm on a ride. So you will need very warm wind-proof gloves if riding in temps below freezing.

Jeans - other people will probably disagree with me, but I don't recommend riding in jeans. (For me anyway) it is so uncomfortable. You will have less range of motion and it will be uncomfortable on the saddle (even with padded bike shorts underneath). And, yes, if not well-secured, they can catch on your drive-train, and even if they don't, you will probably end up having to clean grease off of them pretty regularly.

just my 2-cents. . . good luck with the cold weather riding. Unless we have an unseasonably warm day in chicago, I am done with riding outdoors for a while.

[Selkie]

I, too, am done with outdoor riding until we have some consistently warmish (above 40) temps.

Have you tried smartwool snowboarding socks? They are knee highs, very very warm from the tip of the toe to your knees. Last year, they became my holy grail of keeping my lower legs/feet warm.

I wear shorts, knee warmers, the snowboarding socks, and non-chamois tights over top when it's really cold. Brutally cold, you could wear leg warmers instead of or in addition to the knee warmers. TE has some good heavier tights for really cold days.

I wouldn't resort to jeans but that's just me. There are better insulating tights---like the PI AmFibs--than dealing with the bulk of jeans.

[Catrin]

Thanks for the tips on the snowboarding socks, and everything else, that sounds like a great idea. I wasn't all that comfortable with the idea of jeans, but I wasn't sure what else would work - jeans and tights are my first choice when going out for walking in the winter. Of course, this isn't walking :)

In the end I don't know how far I will push the temps below 30 this winter, but I wanted to check just in case.

[SadieKate]

Windfront tights.

Shoe or toe covers.

Even windproof gloves if necessary (like the PI Gavia).

[tctrek]

If the sun is out I'll do a cold weather ride - agree with other posts that hands/feet/ears get cold first an no matter how hard you ride they ain't getting warm :cool:.

I have PI toe booties and it's amazing how warm they keep your toes. Then I wear bike shorts, leg warmers and insulated tights over that. I have a pair of cheap insulated gloves from Performance Cycling that are so darn warm I can only wear them if the temp is below 50. But you definitely need full fingered gloves that will keep out wind.

[Crankin]

Catrin, do you mean tights for endurance sports or tights you wear with regular clothes? I was thinking we might be talking about 2 different things.
I generally don't ride below 40 on my road bike, but I do ride in the 30's on my hybrid during the winter. I wear my cycling shorts, unpadded, fleece lined tights, and wool x country ski socks. Sometimes I wear my wool Ibex tights that I use for skiing.
I know a lot people here wear knickers, but I couldn't leave one bit of skin exposed if it's below 50. I wear knickers when it's between 50 and 65. Knickers generally don't have the fleece lining that tights have.

[Catrin]

Catrin, do you mean tights for endurance sports or tights you wear with regular clothes? I was thinking we might be talking about 2 different things.

I was thinking of tights for endurance sports - I do not own any but was considering purchasing some if I decide to ride at <freezing temps. I hadn't thought of fleece lined tights. When I was out last week with the knickers I wore the leg warmers over the knickers. That kept me warm enough, though of course the top of the leg warmers wouldn't grip well against the knickers - but I knew that I wasn't riding a long distance.

I greatly appreciate all of the ideas - I've gone 50 years without frostbite and I want to continue that trend :)

[blackhillsbiker]

I love my merino wool tights. They work well under my jeans for commuting, or over my bike shorts when I do longer rides on weekends. They keep me warm without getting damp or making me feel overheated. If it's really cold on the weekend, I wear some wind pants over the tights/shorts combo. I also wear boots and wool socks for my commute. I have some MTB shoes that allow for wool socks for longer rides. I have really warm mittens over my cycling mitts. A balaclava is nice if it's really cold. I'm looking for a wool one because the fleecy ones get really soggy. I also like my goggles for when it's very cold or when the snow is coming down.

Deb

[Catrin]

A balaclava is nice if it's really cold. I'm looking for a wool one because the fleecy ones get really soggy. I also like my goggles for when it's very cold or when the snow is coming down.

See http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_842.html for a wool Balaclava. I thought that I remembered seeing one on their site. Thanks for the tip on merino wool tights!

[Owlie]

When I went out the other day, I had some track pants layered with leg warmers over my shorts. I tucked the right leg into my sock for obvious reasons. I'm definitely thinking about tights for next winter, though.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hmmm....if your legs are cold you need to add a pair of good warm winter tights somewhere layered in there. Or put some polar fleece sweat pants over what you are wearing now.
Personally, jeans have always felt cold to me in winter.