New to winter riding - what clothes I must have?

[Valyn]

Hi all,

I started riding in the spring this year for the first time. I'm in the suburbs of Boston, and I want to keep riding until the snow falls, probably another six to eight weeks, but I don't have enough warm riding clothes. I was so cold coming in from my last ride (mid-day in the 40s) that I know I need more stuff. Generally I'll be riding during the day with the temp between the 30s and 50s.

So what do I need to have? I found some great leggings, and I have a few long sleeved thin jackets and fingerless gloves, but not much else. I'd prefer not to break the bank, but I want to stay happily warm while riding.

I'd appreciate any input from others who ride in these kind of conditions regularly.

Thanks ever so!

[ny biker]

Well for starters, several people have told me that neoprene booties over your shoes are important for keeping your feet warm. I just bought these and I like them so far. And this is a really good price for a product like this.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodLG_1083073.html

I also recently bought this wool cap for under my helmet, and I love it.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_852.html

I asked some friends last year for advice on what to wear for cycling in temps between 40 and 50. I got a variety of answers, because everyone tolerates the cold differently, but the basic theme was layers. Many people like to wear multiple base layers and jerseys under a windbreaker. This gives you the opportunity to shed layers if you start to warm up on the ride. Wool is great, very comfortable and fast-drying, if you can afford it.

For my hands I've been happy so far with unlined wind-blocking gloves over a pair of Smartwool glove liners. But I haven't tried riding when it's below 40 yet, so I don't know how well they would work for colder temps.

[Skippyak]

Don't feel the need to look at cycling specifics, look at ski and running etc stuff for layering, you can layer anything over your shorts for a start, you can use running gloves or other sports gloves, make sure you have stuff that wicks well because trapped in sweat makes you cold, and find wind proof too. Costco here has tons of winter stuff for the ski season. Get wool socks and ditch your thin bike socks, a friend cuts a hole for the cleat in thick wool socks and uses a pair over her shoes old school style. I have a beautiful PI winter weight jacket and I never wear it to ride because it is too thick and stiff, I layer and top with the PI light rain jacket. Consider a balaclava, because your head his really vulnerable to cold. Layering is key because you often need to adjust on the fly and you want stuff you can put in your pockets, a thick jacket won't do that. Also as it gets darker think about visibility and reflective fabrics. 30s plus is really doable if it isn't wet. Look what you have in your closet first. Anything that wicks, breathes and has some kind of wind block is great. If you are cold, pedal harder LOL.

[Owlie]

Long-fingered gloves, preferably that fit loosely enough that you can get a liner glove in there if you so choose.

Layers. Everyone is a little different when it comes to how warm they want to be, but layering gives you some flex as to how much you put on and take off. My wool baselayers have been the most consistently-used things in my winter riding wardrobe. (Before you give me quizzical looks, I moved to AZ from Ohio, and would ride in winter provided it was above freezing and not too windy.) I liked layering a wool base layer, and a long-sleeve jersey under a jacket (fleece-lined with an outer shell). I also have a windbreaker-type jacket. Arm warmers are also nice--instant sleeves, and not terribly expensive. (Sometimes I'll layer arm warmers under a long-sleeve jersey.) Shoe or toe covers are also cheap. Wool socks.

You don't necessarily need cycling-specific stuff. Check thrift stores for lightweight (all wool!) sweaters, just make sure they're soft enough that you'd want to wear them next to your skin. My preferred tights are running tights. (I actually prefer running tights because of the lack of chamois, so I can wear whatever shorts I want with them.)

Oh, and a wicking sports bra if you don't have one already. I cannot tell you how much better that made my life once I switched from cotton.

[Crankin]

This should help:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=49954&highlight=Winter+riding

[velo]

I think the key, as others have said, is to have a variety that you can mix and match for different conditions.

Top half of the body:
- Pretty inexpensive, I like the non-wool base layer that runners wear. I have one that is thinner and one that is thicker. I'm allergic to wool. :(
- A wind-stopping jacket (for cold temps, under 45 or so)
- Long-sleeved jerseys (for warmer temps, above 50)
- Long-sleeved, fleece-lined jersey/jacket (in between)
- Arm warmers to use alone on warmer days with a regular jersey or to layer for cooler temps

Bottom half:
- Knickers (for the warmer end of the winter spectrum)
- Leg warmers (for below 50)
- Tights (for below 40 or so)
(I personally like the tights with a chamois and wind-blocking front, but these can get pricy - as others have said, there are lots of options with tights, some less expensive.)

Hands:
- Thinner full-finger gloves (for warmer temps)
- Wind-blocking full-finger gloves (for those cold to cool 40's)
- Lobster claws (for really cold)

Feet:
- Thick socks (wool, as mentioned above if you can wear wool)
- Toe warmers for the warmer temps
- Shoe covers (neoprene) for the colder temps

Head and neck:
- Ear warmers for warmer temps
- Scull cap for really cold (it has to be really cold for me to cover my whole head - like below freezing)
- Balaklava for really cold
- Neck warmer for relatively cold

I once heard and adhere to this tenet: Your first thought when you start riding ought to be, "I should put on one more layer". You don't want to be thinking that you need multiple extra layers, but if you're just cold enough to think you need one more layer, then you are properly dressed for when you heat up and start sweating.

As noted above, each person is different and wind plays a huge role in how you dress. It can be 50 and windy and you will dress like it's 35 or 50 and calm and dress like it's 60. I note in my riding log what the conditions were, what I wear and how I felt and that helps for future rides.

[shootingstar]

I ride up to 15 km. in very cold winter temp. But more typically, it's 8 km. In -10 to -25 degrees C.

I've never worn toe warmers. Nor neoprene booties. But I do wear thickish socks in mountain bike shoes. Other people wear boots and slug along slowly.
Winter riding means you tend to cycle slower because of the cold, ice, snow..

I wear the same winter jacket that I wear for walking or light/not too cold snowshoeing. It is not a cycling jacket at all when it gets very cold. The jacket has pit arm zippers. I prefer in very cold winter temp....this is enough to give you frostbite in the face, to have a jacket that covers part of my bum. Not as short as my cycling jackets.

I have to wear lobster claw winter cycling mitts when it gets very cold.

Wind most definitely affects your body temp. I wear a very light headband over my ears under my helmet. I have a 2nd helmet that has less vents. I've never had the need for a skullcap under helmet.

I've never invested in leg warmers...but if it works, great. I wear light (summer weight) rain pants on top of leggings for double layering + some snow repellency. It works and I don't overheat.

Keep it simple, cheap but in layers. And try to avoid wearing 100% cotton against your body. Something with polyester or polyester-blend, if it isn't wool for breathability /wicking. You don't need to invest in ton of expensive clothing. After all, winter is messy, slushy, etc.

[ny biker]

More on layering -- I did a ride recently where temps were in the low 40s at the start, with the sun obscured by clouds. I wore a long sleeved wool base layer and then two long sleeved cycling jerseys over it. Then I wore a windbreaker (snug fitting, so it doesn't puff up with air as I ride), with a sleeveless wind vest over that. None of the layers was at all heavy or fleecy or insulated. After 90 minutes or so the sun came out and things warmed up a bit, so I started to remove layers. I ended the ride wearing the wool top and one jersey, plus the vest.

Depending on the conditions, a short-sleeved jersey over a long-sleeved top or a tank top under a long-sleeved top can be comfortable. With layers, you can get double-duty out of clothes that you would normally wear in warmer temps.

You might find that you need an additional bike bag to help carry the layers as you remove them. I bought a small handlebar bag for this purpose.

For hands and feet, make sure your gloves/shoes/socks etc are not too tight. Restricting blood flow will make your extremities colder.

[Crankin]

Try some merino wool. A lot of people say they are allergic to wool , when really, it just makes them itchy. Merino, especially the lighter weight stuff is soft and cuddly.

[velo]

Try some merino wool. A lot of people say they are allergic to wool , when really, it just makes them itchy. Merino, especially the lighter weight stuff is soft and cuddly.

Unfortunately, I have a true allergy to wool, per a skin prick test. This isn't "it's itchy", like a sensitivity, but a real allergy (hives, swelling). It's the lanolin the wool. For those that have a sensitivity or real allergy, there are plenty of synthetic options out there. I personally like to keep everything as natural as possible, but in this case, can't.

[OakLeaf]

For those who do need the synthetics, I'd recommend polypropylene WAY before polyester. Polyester doesn't wick sweat at all, plus it gets pretty staticky.

Velo has a good list, but it's a long one. I think the top two investments for someone starting off and building their wardrobe would be a wind blocking jacket or vest, and a good pair of well-fitting gloves with wind blocking on the back and grippers on the fingers and palms. That last is important ... you really don't want to not be able to hold onto your brake levers when your hands are stiff anyway.

Most other things you can either transfer gear from other sports/walks of life (like warm tights worn over your cycling shorts, base layers on top, a lightweight knit cap or balaclava for under your helmet), or use a low-rent solution until you can afford the real thing (like plastic produce bags between your socks and shoes, which really work amazingly well in place of shoe covers or winter boots).

[shootingstar]

Sure but alot of cycling jerseys are made of some polyester variant, Oak. I see it as polyester variant...after choosing and sewing fabric over the years. I was checking through MEC....alot of the jerseys are polysters. http://www.mec.ca/product/5033-505/castelli-mondrian-jersey-fz-womens/

No I don't have any merino wool nor polypropylene underwear/layers for any sports --cycling or snowshoeing. I'm fine. (This is to encourage those who should never feel compelled to invest a ton of money to start cycling in winter..)

For cycle-commuting to work and shopping, I don't get elaborate with true cycling clothes underneath in winter. I wear cycling jersey that isn't tight fitting on me and layer on. I don't wear wicking underwear or leggings for all this.

I haven't gone the route of buying/wearing, thin fleecy backed fitted, winter long sleeved cycling jersey. I just don't want an entire jersey with a fleecy backing tight against my entire bare skin. I don't like the sensation of such warmth for fear of overheating. Instead I wear long sleeved summer cycling jersey, and layer on top, a fleecy jacket underneath the outerwear winter jacket.

[Seajay]

Hi all,

I was so cold coming in from my last ride (mid-day in the 40s) that I know I need more stuff. Generally I'll be riding during the day with the temp between the 30s and 50s.


Base layers. Be able to pick from a range of weights depending on temperature
Head and Ears covering. I like to have a separate head and ear cover so I can regulate.
Clear or Yellow lens eyewear. I can't say why but it seems much colder when my eyes aren't covered.
The key to being warm is to keep your core warm. So vests, jackets with zip off sleeves are great. Obviously as it gets colder leaving the sleeves on is better.
Layers for gloves.
I run thinner socks and shoe covers over the top to avoid squashing my toes. On really cold days I use those chemical ski boot insoles.
THE ABSOLUTE KEY is to start with warm shoes and NEVER walk around in your bike shoes.
We would drive to our team rides with shoes on the defroster. Get totally ready to go wearing normal shoes, change into toasty warm shoes, clip in and go. Putting on cold shoes or walking on the cold ground with cycling shoes will make your feet really cold. The shoes used to get quite hot on the defroster...and I never saw any degradation.
My 2c
Oh...and tape over the front vents of your helmet.

[Crankin]

Oh, I get real allergies. I have a few...

[velo]

Oh, I get real allergies. I have a few...

Yeah, those that experience them share the grief. I had a new test last year... was tested for seventy-something allergens...all came back positive but three. I wonder how I even function sometimes between the sneezing and medication. Blissfully, I never have problems when riding. Somehow the allergies never get in the way.

[OakLeaf]

Blissfully, I never have problems when riding.

Same for me - and I'm allergic to freakin' everything, too. Exertion suppresses the immune system and gives me a great deal of relief.

Now, once I get home from having pollen forced into my eyes and respiratory system at however fast I'm riding, it's another story ...

Thank my lucky stars that wool is one of the few things that doesn't bother me. Because I am a total wool addict.

[lph]

(To the OP): Poly/cotton/wool etc - When choosing a good base layer to wear in winter, you have to consider how much you sweat. And how much you will need to stop. Wet=cold=dangerous if it's cold out, so you need to keep as dry as possible. You can generate a lot of heat moving, but it disappears fast once you stop. The difference between your own heat output and the ambient temperature becomes very noticeable in winter.

If you ride slowly, keep moving and don't sweat, you can wear anything, even cotton. If you go all out and ride hard, you will sweat, and then you'd better be wearing a base layer that wicks well, and not stop more than a minute here or there. Most of us will be somewhere in between, and our suggestions will be based on what keeps us reasonably dry and comfortable.

[Seajay]

(To the OP): And how much you will need to stop. Wet=cold=dangerous if it's cold out, so you need to keep as dry as possible. You can generate a lot of heat moving, but it disappears fast once you stop.

If you ride at high exertion it is often too hot to use a rain jacket. We used just get wet in moderate rain. We had to dress as if we were NOT going to stop riding. Then we carried a cheap, non breathable rain jacket and a warm hat in our back pockets.
Flat, Unplanned stop etc....Pull that jacket and hat on to seal in the heat.

Probably not a good plan for rides alone out in the middle of nowhere, but worked well for groups near civilization.

[OakLeaf]

I keep a reflective emergency blanket in my seat pack. It stays there all the time, right next to my spare tube, because even when temperatures are in the 50s or 60s, hypothermia is possible if I should have a crash or a mechanical.

I agree with Seajay, whether it's desirable or even possible to stay dry depends on the kind of ride. If you're heading somewhere you won't be able to change clothes, then dress to stay dry and scale down your exertion to avoid sweating. If you'll be riding hard and/or long, wool and stowed outerwear are the best way to be sure you stay warm if you should have to stop.

[lph]

If you ride at high exertion it is often too hot to use a rain jacket. We used just get wet in moderate rain.

Ok, I should have specified that I was talking about sub-freezing temperatures, and getting wet from the inside, from sweating. To me rain isn't winter :-D

Which was a pointless assumption on my part, because keeping warm in cold rain is actually a lot harder than in severe "winter" cold. I agree, it's often too hot to use a rain jacket, and the only ones I've found work well have massive vents everywhere. Best you can do may be to get wettish.

[Seajay]

Ok, I should have specified that I was talking about sub-freezing temperatures
16798

[lph]

*snork* :-D

[hike n bike]

I have just finished an excellent book : the ultimate hikers gear guide by Andrew Skurka. ( free, at the library) It has many crossover ideas for light gear in extreme and varied climates that easily apply to biking. He says for cheap price the polar fleece keeps you very warm at a low cost. I agree! I used a fleece jacket the other week in weather that ended up in hail. Most of the ride I had the jacket open then as the rain came I closed the zipper. I have an emergency rain cover that fits into a plastic ball that looks like a Christmas ornament. This ball I had clipped on to the back of my saddle. It is just a light almost "cling wrap" material that has a hood my helmet fits into. It kept me dry though it made a lot of noise! I got it for free at some feed store for riding horses out on trail but I'm sure you could find one at a super low cost. A garbage bag always works in a pinch too. None of these will breathe obviously. But they do keep you dry. This so far, is my best set up. I love my new windbreaker jacket, liked with wool- but it is either too hot or the lack of breathability annoys me.
It was hard to see however, in all that rain. I thought boy this rain really hits your face HARD! Then I realized it was hail! oops! How do you see well in rain, hail, snow while moving along on the bike? What do motorcyclists do?

[OakLeaf]

What do motorcyclists do?

It's a WHOLE lot easier when you have a face shield you can wipe off! Most motorcycling gloves even come with a squeegee built into the left index finger.

You could try RainX on your glasses, which is another thing that motorcyclists use on their faceshields to reduce fogging and allow rain to bead off. But, it leaves a sheen that a lot of people don't like, and on glasses it might be too close to your eyes and nose, since who knows what's in that stuff.

It's been so long ago that I forgot that besides peripheral vision, rain vision was another reason I decided to get contact lenses when I was racing bikes. Cheap sunglasses are easy to shake and/or wipe off, or just go without when the rain's so heavy that you can't see and you're going so slow anyway that you're in less danger from things flying into your eyes, than you are from riding into a hole or running over something you can't see.

[rebeccaC]

How do you see well in rain, hail, snow while moving along on the bike? What do motorcyclists do?

A cap with a bill will help keep rain off glasses. A friend in Portland Or. commutes year round and has a waterproof cap that she uses under her helmet on a rainy day to help keep rain off her face.

[ny biker]

I recently did a ride in light-moderate rain, and I used a Gore-Tex helmet cover. I wore it on a helmet with a visor, and it covered the whole thing. I found that the rain just dripped off the front, far enough from my face to keep the water out of my eyes.

I don't know how well it would work in heavy rain. I hope it's a long time before I find out, since I'm not a big fan of riding in those conditions.

[rebeccaC]

I recently did a ride in light-moderate rain, and I used a Gore-Tex helmet cover. I wore it on a helmet with a visor, and it covered the whole thing. I found that the rain just dripped off the front, far enough from my face to keep the water out of my eyes.

I don't know how well it would work in heavy rain. I hope it's a long time before I find out, since I'm not a big fan of riding in those conditions.

I remember reading a study that found a cover over the helmet had a little more grip on the pavement in an accident causing more load/strain on the neck, especially for children. That was a few years ago when I taught some children to ride. Maybe more studies on newer fabrics have changed that.

[OakLeaf]

Is it any cover at all? Or was that talking about the old helmets that had ONLY a fabric cover over the EPS, and no hard plastic shell? So it wasn't only that the fabric caught the pavement, but the EPS dug in. That's why those were taken off the market.

[rebeccaC]

It was on a polycarbonate shell. Compared to both a rounder and aero shape with no cover so the study was after aero shapes became popular. It only rains here a few days a year so I have no need :).....personally I'd just wear a cap or maybe a helmet with a long enough visor if I had glasses.

[Seajay]

I remember reading a study that found a cover over the helmet had a little more grip on the pavement in an accident causing more load/strain on the neck,.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe there's an older study comparing the foam helmets with lycra covers. (stick instead of slide) vs the plastic microshell systems more common today. (more slip less stick)
I could see a study saying that putting a "sticky fabric" cover over the microshell may cause similar issues. Maybe this is the study RC saw.

There has been some talk about the MIPS system where torque is reduced by the outer shell rotating against the inner shell. I imagine this will catch on over time. POC helmets and Laser kids helmets have this system already.

Seajay