Cool/Cold Weather Gear

Being away from cycling and now, bitten hard by the bug again, I'm not looking forward to old man winter this year even though I enjoy winter sports. I'm in the Midwest where winter can be really bad or very mild. I have a lot of my old winter/cool weather gear and just went through it this past weekend. I have tights and a cool weather jacket. Some long-sleeved jerseys that may or may not fit by the time cool weather hits. (I ride in the mornings, so that will mean sooner than those who ride in the afternoon/evening.) I had to throw away my padded knickers, but have knee warmers. I have arm warmers. I even have a pair of lobster claw riding gloves for cold weather.

What cold weather gear do you have? What am I missing? I know I need a pair of booties, but otherwise....?

Wool! I have a long-sleeve and a sleeveless wool base layer for some added warmth. They're merino and not itchy at all. I also have a pair of Smartwool PhD socks. Warm and toasty feet!

Leg warmers might be a good idea to bridge the gap between shorts-only weather and tights weather. Fleece or wool hat or earband for under your helmet? Balaclava?

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Originally Posted by velo

Being away from cycling and now, bitten hard by the bug again, I'm not looking forward to old man winter this year even though I enjoy winter sports. I'm in the Midwest where winter can be really bad or very mild. I have a lot of my old winter/cool weather gear and just went through it this past weekend. I have tights and a cool weather jacket. Some long-sleeved jerseys that may or may not fit by the time cool weather hits. (I ride in the mornings, so that will mean sooner than those who ride in the afternoon/evening.) I had to throw away my padded knickers, but have knee warmers. I have arm warmers. I even have a pair of lobster claw riding gloves for cold weather.

What cold weather gear do you have? What am I missing? I know I need a pair of booties, but otherwise....?

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A beanie that is long enough to cover your ears. I can't live without mine in the cold weather! If my head and ears are warm, my entire day is better. :) I especially like the Craft Thermal Ponytail Beanie, style # 1900419. We sold out of them over last winter (so I can't give you a web link), but are expecting more ~8/15 or so, for the coming season. I like the Craft because it's medium weight (so it's good in a variety of temps and doesn't make my helmet feel too tight), accommodates my long hair with a ponytail port, and is shaped/curved to come down over the ears, without being too long/deep in the front or back.

+1 on the ear-covering beanie!

Let's see...what about cool-weather gloves? Lobsters will be too warm (IMO) until it's below freezing. I love knickers for fall riding, and arm warmers, knee warmers, and a wind vest are indispensible for transitional fall temps. A Buff is a handy thing to have....neck gaiter, balaclava, beanie....anything you need it to be!

Depending on how cold the temps are that you're willing to ride in, a cold weather jacket and thermal tights might be necessary. I find that I like to have both tights and gloves of 3 different weights- cool, cold, and below freezing. A good base layer top can be worn to make a cool-weather jersey warmer, or alone under a winter jacket on a moderate day.

Just my two cents....winter dressing gets really individual, depending on your thermostat and level of effort. I "run" cold normally, but heat up very quickly on the bike, so what works for me might not be enough clothing for others.

definitely wool!
I have about 3 different weight wool sweaters that I've gotten at the Goodwill for winter riding and commuting. I might look silly riding my time trial bike with a wool sweater on, but it's the only thing I've found that is really good at keeping me warm. :)
I wear merino base layers underneath the wool sweaters so I have something soft against my skin.
I have a wool beanie, wool socks, wool leg warmers, wool mittens, etc.
Have I mentioned wool? :p

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

Have I mentioned wool? :p

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LOL!

One thing that I wish I'd done from the beginning is to keep a log as to what I wore during what particular weather conditions. Each year, I have a learning curve as I remember what to wear, when. If I'd just make note of it, I could refresh my memory a bit easier.

I generally don't ride in temps below 50 but last spring I did charity ride on a cloudy day with temps in the high 40s. My legs and feet were freezing, indicating that my old tights are no longer warm enough for me, so based on recommendations here I'm planning to buy some Sugoi Mid Zero tights.

I have a Showers Pass jacket made with eVent fabric. With a l/s wool base layer and a l/s jersey, I was actually too warm.

My hands tend to be cold all the time, but they were toasty warm that day with SmartWool glove liners and Bontrager windshell gloves. I like this combination because you can just wear the windshell gloves for temps in the 50s, but can easily make them warmer with the liners if necessary. The only problem was that the Bontrager gloves are "unisex" and the fingers are longer than they need to be. But better to be a bit too big than too tight.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

LOL!

One thing that I wish I'd done from the beginning is to keep a log as to what I wore during what particular weather conditions. Each year, I have a learning curve as I remember what to wear, when. If I'd just make note of it, I could refresh my memory a bit easier.

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now THAT'S smart! Why don't I do that, too??

The warmest cycling gloves I've EVER had are the current pair of winter mittens I made myself. I made them from an old wool sweater and lined them with fleece. Even when it's in the teens and twenties on my coldest morning commutes, my hands stay toasty. I have trouble with fingers and toes. Now if only I could make a pair of socks out of old sweaters and fleece....

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

now THAT'S smart! Why don't I do that, too??

The warmest cycling gloves I've EVER had are the current pair of winter mittens I made myself. I made them from an old wool sweater and lined them with fleece. Even when it's in the teens and twenties on my coldest morning commutes, my hands stay toasty. I have trouble with fingers and toes. Now if only I could make a pair of socks out of old sweaters and fleece....

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If you figure out how to do it, please post instructions! I would love a pair of wool cycling boot liners.

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

now THAT'S smart! Why don't I do that, too??

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I'm going to try to make better note this year. It drives me crazy that I have to relearn this to some degree each year. Last year, I didn't do much road riding after October because of hamstring injury, so now my memory is even rustier. I need to do the same thing with late fall/winter running, too. I almost always end up overheating because I overdress.

It's great that you're thinking ahead but what a time to be thinking about warm clothes! lol

lph has a chart she made using her logs of what clothes she wore and what the temp was. It's all in celsius and uses words like "buff" that I wasn't entirely familiar with. :)

Balaclava for the face. Base layer that is wicking, a layer for warmth, and a windblock layer.

Don't overdress, sweat is your worst enemy in the cold because it freezes quick.

Don't overstuff, cutting off circulation to your extremities makes them colder even though they have so many layers.

Extremities (hands, feet, ears, nose) are the hardest and need the most protection.

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Originally Posted by Melalvai

It's great that you're thinking ahead but what a time to be thinking about warm clothes! lol

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Ugh; it pains me when I start to see "new arrivals" on TE's website for cold weather riding. Although after the summer we've had, I would gladly welcome some cold temps. Maybe. :rolleyes:

Since everybody has otherwise given such great advice as to what to wear, I'll offer this bit of advice that's actually served me well (although others may totally disagree). Several years ago, somebody told me to "ride the temperature." For instance, if it's 35 F degrees, plan on doing no more than 35 miles. I think there are other factors to consider, like wind speed and how sunny it is, but it's not a bad place to start.

Buff is "multifunctional headwear."
I'm not sure if that makes it more or less rare and exotic than temperatures in celsius.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

I'm going to try to make better note this year. It drives me crazy that I have to relearn this to some degree each year. Last year, I didn't do much road riding after October because of hamstring injury, so now my memory is even rustier. I need to do the same thing with late fall/winter running, too. I almost always end up overheating because I overdress.

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I started to keep a log last spring. I just used a regular .txt file, and for each ride I typed in the date, weather summary (temps, sun/no sun, wind direction and speed according to weather forecast), what I wore and notes on whether I was comfortable or not, including how that changed over the course of the ride.

I also bought a small handlebar bag so I could easily carry extra gear that might not fit in my jersey pockets. So instead of having to decide in advance if I wanted my vest or my jacket, I could wear one and put the other in the bag in case I wanted it later. Plus I could bring both pairs of gloves, and things that I might need later in the ride like an ear band and toe covers.

I cycled over 70% of the winter days here in Canada's prairie Midwest down to some days @ -25 degrees C or -15 degrees F and even a bit colder.

I actually wore the same heavy (unpadded) Gortex jacket I wear for snowshoeing with arm vents (yes, I did unzip slightly at times) and layered on fleecy jackets underneath.

Long sleeve jerseys, tights and sometimes (not all the time), windpants.

I wore mountain bike cycling shoes. I didn't need to wear boots/booties. Wore a thicker pair of socks.

Lobster claw gloves plus another thin pair of gloves underneath. Eye protection....always because of the cold and a headband underneath my helmet. I didn't need a beanie.

I would be cycling slowly at 8-15 km. each trip. That was enough at very cold temperatures ..that can cause frostbite if one is not careful.

Yeah, I can hardly believe I'm thinking of cool weather myself. Maybe it's a defense mechanism against this horrid summer. :p Actually, I was going through all of my cycling stuff that I had put away years ago... I was kind of like a kid in a candy store with it all, getting it out and seeing how much I still had. A lot doesn't fit right now, but it didn't dampen my excitement of all this "new" stuff. Even the winter stuff was fun to go through, and it dawned on me that by the end of August, I'll probably need something more when I head out in the mornings.

Thank you to all for suggestions. I have actually written out a list of everything mentioned here in order to mull over it off-line and figure out how to best fill in my gaps. Many things mentioned here, I had not thought of ( or remembered), especially coverage for head and neck. I also need some full-finger gloves for just cool weather. I loved my knickers that I had to throw away, so I think I'll definitely get another pair.

I do remember that I did more mountain than road during the snowy winter. I have since sold my FS Cannondale mountain bike and am not really looking to get back into that (older bones break easier and heal more slowly :o). So, I'm not really sure HOW cold I'm willing to go on the road. I'm a temperature wimp, I do know that!

ETA: Won't forget to write it all down, too. Great suggestion!

In terms of winter sports cold tolerance, one could initially gauge themselves against another sport they already undertake often -- like cross-country skiing, skating, snowshoeing or hiking for several hrs. in a day.

For sure, under very cold temp., like the temp. I mentioned earlier, I'm out under 1 hr. each time on the bike. That's enough for me when it is very cold in the winter.

I have a spreadsheet, too, but I neglected to include what to do when it was also raining. Those waterproof layers can make you overheat like wow. :rolleyes:

Until you build your own guidelines, I like this for suggestions:
http://www.bicycling.com/whattowear

Now all I need is to figure out why the outsides of my hips get so much colder than the rest of me. I need short windproof insulated chaps or something.

-- gnat! (seriously, tho, my life changed when I got into merino baselayers)

Great post and feedback!!! Thank you.

Heading into my first ever winter riding season as well and starting to make my ebay purchases for winter gear. I am stuck on what to go with for my footsies. I wear a size 6 so those Sidi Diablos run too big for me :(.

i managed to find these, but no luck finding them in the US for sale. Might have to give a call into SIDI America headquarters.

http://www.veltec.com/en-us/product/...te-silver.aspx

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Originally Posted by gnat23

Now all I need is to figure out why the outsides of my hips get so much colder than the rest of me. I need short windproof insulated chaps or something.

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I wear a pair of merino boxer shorts over my bike shorts for that, with winter tights on top.

I used to wear a pair of cheapo white granny style wool panties, to save wear on my nice wool boxer shorts, but my dh could hardly bear to look at me. Must be what a friend of mine calls "clothes that ensure you'll never need birth control ever again".

eta: you could make yourself some windproof chaps the same way I made rain shorts, cut off the legs of a pair of thin pants? They could be badly worn in the seat and knees and still help block the wind past your hips.

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Originally Posted by lph

I used to wear a pair of cheapo white granny style wool panties, to save wear on my nice wool boxer shorts, but my dh could hardly bear to look at me. Must be what a friend of mine calls "clothes that ensure you'll never need birth control ever again".

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lol!

I wear long tights (with chamois), wool thermals (somethimes two -a short and a long sleeved), a long sleeved cycle jersey or soft shell jacket.

I find long fingered cycling gloves too thick so I have a thin pair of silk glove liners and put my summer cycling gloves over the top- perfect.

I have a potail earwarmer headband, a buff around my neck and wear wool socks or Seal Skin socks and have rubberised overbooties on my shoes.

This outfit will be OK down to 5 degrees C. Any colder and I won't ride.

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Originally Posted by kamikazejane

i managed to find these, but no luck finding them in the US for sale. Might have to give a call into SIDI America headquarters.

http://www.veltec.com/en-us/product/...te-silver.aspx

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Those do not seem worth the time of day in the midwest winter. Out here, the people I know that cycle year round use these "SUV" boots. They only work with SPD pedals, so there would be an extra expense for different pedals if you don't have them at hand. I may spring for these boots later this year.

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Originally Posted by pll

Those do not seem worth the time of day in the midwest winter. Out here, the people I know that cycle year round use these "SUV" boots. They only work with SPD pedals, so there would be an extra expense for different pedals if you don't have them at hand. I may spring for these boots later this year.

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The Lake boots look awesome, and I'm going to spring for them once my Shimano winter boots finally give up the ghost. Would be nice to not have to wear newspaper toe cosies and shoe covers when it's really cold...

But since you mentioned switching pedals - the cheapest and maybe warmest solution to cold feet is flat pedals and hiking boots. Assuming you have hiking boots, of course. I actually rode many winters in worn out, too big running shoes, with thick wool socks inside, on flat pedals. It's a pity to spring for expensive winter bike shoes if you end up not liking winter riding in general.

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Originally Posted by lph

The Lake boots look awesome, and I'm going to spring for them once my Shimano winter boots finally give up the ghost. Would be nice to not have to wear newspaper toe cosies and shoe covers when it's really cold...

But since you mentioned switching pedals - the cheapest and maybe warmest solution to cold feet is flat pedals and hiking boots. Assuming you have hiking boots, of course. I actually rode many winters in worn out, too big running shoes, with thick wool socks inside, on flat pedals. It's a pity to spring for expensive winter bike shoes if you end up not liking winter riding in general.

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I agree! I don't have hiking boots, though. But I do have SPD pedals in my closet. Last year we had a mild winter and I was able to bike in late December, and then in March. My toes were always a problem, though. I had wool socks and windproof booties over my shoes, but, still, my toes suffered.

One thing I discovered (based on comments in TE) is that covering my neck and ears with a balaclava really helped. In general, I find winter riding very hard. I feel many muscles are contracted because of the cold, so at the end of the ride, I am super tired.

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Originally Posted by pll

Those do not seem worth the time of day in the midwest winter. Out here, the people I know that cycle year round use these "SUV" boots. They only work with SPD pedals, so there would be an extra expense for different pedals if you don't have them at hand. I may spring for these boots later this year.

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My problem is my small feet. I take a 37 in mens EU :( Non of the manufacturers seem to want to even make mens boots that small.

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Originally Posted by kamikazejane

My problem is my small feet. I take a 37 in mens EU :( Non of the manufacturers seem to want to even make mens boots that small.

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Shimano has a boot in size 38 -- a size bigger would be good for winter socks. Here is a review.

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Originally Posted by pll

Shimano has a boot in size 38 -- a size bigger would be good for winter socks. Here is a review.

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THANK YOU!!!!!! I will check them out.