L/S jersey's - how useful are they?

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

I don't find them itchy at all- they seem very soft- they are Merino wool- the softest wool there is. But hey you might be extra-itch sensitive, so your mileage may vary!

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I have smart wool socks and LOVE them. I even wear them in summer.

I'm now coveting one of those zip-Ts.

Pooks

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Something I bought but always end up wearing a jacket instead is a wind vest. If you need wind protection- your arms need it too. It just doesn't really add much warmth at all.

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This is true but in the transition weeks I've started out with the temperature being cool and then with the combination of it getting warmer as the day goes on and me heating up due to the effort a wind vest with arm warmers is ideal. You can pull off the arm warmers and stuff them in your jersey pocket, unzip the vest and you aren't overheating and not having to tie a jacket around your waist. Once it gets cold and stays cold a jacket with layers is the way to go.

Arm warmers and leg warmers IMO are great! If you only have one LS jersey you have to wash it too often and you can only wear the LS part of the year. With arm warmers and leg warmers you don't have to invest in several long sleeve jerseys or tights.

You may not _have to_ invest in several LS jerseys, but when you can get them on spring clearance and drool over them all summer, it sure is fun!!

I tried some arm warmers on the other day and wondered if a strip of your arm can get exposed (and cold) between the jersey and the arm warmer?

barb

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Originally Posted by kelownagirl

I tried some arm warmers on the other day and wondered if a strip of your arm can get exposed (and cold) between the jersey and the arm warmer?
barb

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If you have cap sleeves on your jersey I guess that would be possible. I haven't run into that problem though. Just be sure to check the length is long enough for you.

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Originally Posted by sulis

I've never owned any SmartWool or Merinowool but definitely need a good base layer for the fall riding coming up. These sound perfect. However, I have not traditionally done well with wool. Are they itchy?

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Merino is great. I could clothe an army in the amount of merino I wear in the winter. I don't own any other kind of woollies. A good knit (a la SmartWool) shouldn't itch, should last forever and will be really washable. And it won't smell unless you've literally worn it for days. Might be worth using a washing powder/liquid for sensitive skin with 'em, if you've had problems with wool beeing itchy, though... :confused:

Personally, my winter ensemble typically involves a long-sleeved synthetic thermal (largely because the ones I've got are long enough to get tucked in and stay tucked in), a merino t-shirt and a wind vest or jacket (I've got one of the ones with the arms that zip on and off - brilliant concept, why aren't more made that way?).

Layering is the key for cold weather riding. I've ridden in very cold and not so cold. When it is not too cold, I will wear summer weight knee warmers, and arm warmers and maybe a very light (wind breaker, can be folded up in a pocket) type of Jacket.

The next step is to change the leg warmers to full length tights, and add some summer weight wool socks, like smartwool lightweight socks, and maybe a lightweight long sleeve by itself of under a short sleeve jersey.

As it gets colder, I wear thermafleece tights (umm warm and toasty), a polyproplyene undershirt, under short sleeve or warmer long sleeve jersey (toasty, thick one), and a little heavier jacket. The jackets can cause you to sweat so often times I start out with them but take it off as I warm up and before I get too sweaty. You can wear a light weight long fingered glove, specialized makes a pretty good one.

Then, you add the toe covers, then booties, and thick wool socks (like wooly boolies) under your shoes with all the booties and toe covers on top. At about this time, you add a ear warmer over your ears. Sometimes a balaclava to cut out the cold air from the airways so you can breath especially if you have asthma. Good gloves that is the hardest thing to find - try some wind proof ones.

Now, the next step is the really hardcore, pearlizumi (i forgot what they call them, they are thermafleece with a wind protection layer on the front, a really good say GORE jacket for really cold riding! (When it gets this cold, I usually don't ride - it just isn't worth it for me) BUT it can be done! All this with the other stuff underneath.

Now, the trick is how to figure out how to budget all of this when you don't have any of it! :D

Thank you for all the tips, very much appreciate all the different suggestions and ideas!

Spokewench - woah, no kidding about budget. Still I like how you went into different levels of attire according to the weather. Muchas gracias! You being in flagstaff, I think would know all about cool weather :)


I finally tried on some L/S jersey's at the LBS - about time they got them in. I can definitely see they are different than the short sleevers - the inside especially. The bottom line I can see is layering, as everyone mentioned, so now I just have to decide which pieces I want to get, but now I have some excellent ideas :D

Hey Cass,

This one is a little late, but I thought I should mention...

The pink Louis Garneau l/s jersey you mentioned is made of their Micro Brush fabric, which is fuzzy but not super heavy. It looks like it would be great for layering, and it's sized just a tad more generously than their regular s/s jerseys so a base layer would fit comfortably -- no need to size up.

However, if you want something that's really warm would recommend that you check out anything made with Garneau's Micro Airdry Elite fabric. Now *that* looks super toasty!

Happy shopping,

Cari