Interesting. I'm definitely going to try a few wool pieces. The thrift shops here are good so I can get some things cheap (I may look ridiculous, but that's okay). Thanks.
Pam
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Interesting. I'm definitely going to try a few wool pieces. The thrift shops here are good so I can get some things cheap (I may look ridiculous, but that's okay). Thanks.
Pam
One other thing- in recent years, companies like SmartWool, Ibex, Icebreaker, Patagonia, etc, have been making wool apparel in 100% merino wool (from merino sheep) that is made in such a way as to be machine washable and dryable (in mild temperature settings of course). These new (and fairly pricey) merino duds won't shrink like the older wool socks and sweaters we typically find in thrift shops. I machine wash and dry most of my good merino stuff all the time, on low/gentle settings, and they don't seem to suffer from it or shrink noticeably. The other advantage of the new merino wear is that it is substantially less itchy than the old familiar wool stuff of our childhoods. It's soft. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by PamNY
Something to consider when you are buying stuff.
I'm going to try a wool baselayer shirt from Icebreaker or similar. Can't decide if short or long sleeves would be more useful.
I have zero experience with specialized bike clothing but I've read about arm warmers. So...do your arms get especially cold biking? Is the usual warm-the-trunk philosophy different for biking?
I'd appreciate any thoughts.
Pam
um... if your arms aren't getting cold, you don't need to look for "winter biking clothing" :D
No, in general keeping your trunk warm will get you to a certain temp, but once you feel the need to put on a jacket, arm-warmers and legwarmers can be a handy way to keep your arms and legs warm but still adapt quickly if the day gets warmer. Plus they take little room in a jersey pocket, and are cheaper than buying a full jacket and tights. Downside - you have to have grippy bands of elastic+silicone around your upper arm/thigh. I prefer a longsleeved jersey unless I'm really pressed for carrying space.
I've never had any trouble keeping my core warm on the bike, even riding in the 20s. But my extremities do get cold. Your arms aren't really doing a lot on the bike and really catch the wind. Fingers and toes can be just miserable.
On cold days I've been known to wear arm warmers under a long sleeved jersey.
Ok, so I just got these tights and tried them on.Quote:
Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl
Firstly, they run kind of small- most of my tights and knickers are either medium or large....these storm tights I had to wear the XL to feel comfortable (!!). Order one size up from your usual perhaps.
My goal was to wear them loosely over other tights on extra cold days, however even the XL were a bit snug in the thighs and calves when I pulled them on over my other heavy winter tights. And they don't sell any larger size than XL. :rolleyes:
HOWEVER....when I put them on alone with no other tights underneath, HOLY COW they were so cozy and felt and looked so good that I simply must keep them. :cool:
They feel like two separate layers of tights, seemingly stitched together at the various seams. The inner tights are a very soft thin fleece, and the outer 'shell' tights are more like windstopper/windpro type materials. They feel very sensual when they move, and look great. I like the bottoms of the legs- long enough, with a great ankle zipper, and they are very slightly ski-pants-like tailored so I wouldn't feel too odd wearing them around town, not like they are 'just tights'.
I can just see myself wearing these through half the winter just as daily snuggle pants working at home, then zipping out for bike errands or a quick walk in the freezing cold during the day without skipping a beat. They'll be great for my long winter walks too, and perhaps snowshoeing. They seem very warm but I've only tried them on in the house so far.
I usually need two warm tights in the winter outside, pairing various combinations of what i have, depending on the activity, so it'll be interesting to see just how warm these are all on their own in the real cold. I'm hoping they will be like two tights in one. :)
Makes sense. I ordered a long sleeved baselayer top by Icebreaker. I'm skeptical (by nature) about wool's wicking abilities, but the enthusiasm for wool in this group convinced me to give it a try.Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelle
Pam
Lisa, I got the shebeest windpro tight from TE (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_2725.html) for the very same reason you stated, to layer over shorts or a regular shebeest tech tight (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_2905.html) on those super cold days. It works beautifully for that purpose, and the cut is definitely loose enough to layer (I have both the inner and outer tights in small). It has a nice fleecy lining, is windproof, looks great and feels great especially paired with my shebeest windpro jacket!
Arm and leg warmers are transitional. Lets say you start a ride in the 50-60s. For that I would use arm and knee warmers. But lets say its in the 70s by the ride end, you can peel the arm and leg warmers off. Or say your morning commute is colder than your afternoon commute, same idea. If its even colder, the arm warmers let you turn a short sleeve jersey into a long sleeve one, leg warmers let you turn shorts into tights, and then you can add additional layers, vest, jacket, etc. as needed. This is especially nice when touring in the mountains where you can have huge temperature changes with altitude and time of day, but you don't want to carry a lot of gear.
Don't be skeptical about wool. I live in Ibex, not just for biking, but for everything. Same idea, layer up and down as needed. What I love is that it insulates without bulk and stink! You can bike in normal ibex if you just top it off with a cycling vest that has rear pockets (ideally in hi vis yellow!). DH was commenting the other day how all my everyday clothes now look like bike clothes. That's cuz I can wear my ibex on or off the bike. A shak with dress pants is dressy, with jeans is casual, and with cycling tights is sporty. Same thing with their base layers. I even wear their short sleeved polos and yes tank tops in warmer weather. Tanks are also great to layer under blouses. When I lost weight I got cold a lot more easily, and that is when I discovered Ibex (and I used to think I was allergic to wool, but now I have *almost* as much ibex as Lisa...........).
And to tie these threads together, my favorite piece these days for cycling are my Ibex knee warmers (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_7001.html ). Perfect for fall in texas.......... And with the right socks, they can be turned into leg warmers! Their small is also sized smaller than many unisex smalls, that is the grippers fit my legs without falling down, but are pretty long. I also have the ibex arm warmers (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_7000.html), but they are so warm I can only wear them on really cold days so I prefer the shebeest for fall (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_8010_1.html).
I seem to have trouble keeping my extremities warm while my core is quite comfy. When it's cold enough that it's unlikely I'll want to shed layers, I often wear my arm warmers as an extra layer under my jacket. Helps that problem a lot.
Same here, my everyday clothes are not much different from what I wear on my bike....adding a padded chamois, helmet, and an additional hi-vis item being mostly the only differences.Quote:
Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl
I used to wear black leggings under really short dresses or skirts and a warm pullover over that all the time before I started biking...didn't need to change my basic daily uniform much except to upgrade a lot of it to merino.
Six months of the year I even sleep in Ibex wool tights and a soft merino pullover. mmmmmm.......
Since I am self-employed and work at home, intersperse errands on my bike during my workday, and I use regular shoes for biking instead of clipless...I don't need to change my clothes much to hop on my bike...it all works out beautifully. :)
P.S. Triskellion....no way you'll ever have more Ibex than i do. :D
Do Smartwool socks eliminate (or lessen) the need for sock liners?
Pam
I have never worn sock liners cycling; when it's below a certain temperature, I add chemical heaters, in addition to Woolie Bullies and my booties.
I do use the silk sock liners when I x country ski. I guess you could wear them as another layer when cycling, but you would have to make sure there's enough room for circulation or you will be miserable.
I've never worn sock liners cycling... but I do wear them hiking & skiing. If your foot is moving within the boot, having a liner sort of reduces the impact of the rubbing and reduces the likelihood of blisters. I forgot to bring liners my last backpacking trip, I was wearing thick hiking smartwool socks and ended up with some massive blisters.