Dressing for long fall ride

I am a bit perplexed about how to dress for a long ride Saturday. My body isn't accustomed to riding in cool temperatures yet, and the ride will start in the high 40's, with temps topping out in the mid-60's. That might not sound all that cool to some, but I chill quite easily on the bike. I've noticed that I break out my AMFIB tights earlier than most.

Since the temps will likely be in the 40's when we start, I will probably have toe covers on my shoes. Thinking about wearing my Mid-Zero tights over my shorts so I can shed them if I need to do so. I am tempted to just leave them on and wear my liners underneath them rather than a full pair of shorts. I do like to keep my knees covered/warm until the low 60's, and I think my ride will be over before we reach the high temps for the day. There is a lot of rain forecast for Friday, so conditions will likely be damp Saturday which will make things feel cooler.

As far as upper body is concerned, I think the ear warmers will be sufficient, my smartwool base layer and a SS jersey. I've two jackets, and will wear my thermal jacket to start out with, but will have my light windbreaker in my Tailrider with my snacks if I need to change. I do have a wonderful long-sleeve full zip Smartwool jersey, but that would be much too warm.

Unsure what to do about gloves, I think it will be too cool for my full-finger mtb gloves. My Gore windbreaker gloves will likely be warm enough on their own. I don't think I want liners for the first few hours...

Do I have everything covered? Just trying to think this out in advance so I will be able to focus on having fun and NOT on being cold...

Being cold on the bike makes for a miserable ride. It sounds like you will be warm enough and it's going to be a beautiful day for a ride. The temps are going to warm up as the morning progresses and you will most likely be shedding clothes. What will you do with the clothes as you take them off? That's always a problem. Have you made provisions for that?

Enjoy your ride;)

As mentioned above, I will have my Arkel Tailrider with me. Since I've a strict diet and I KNOW what they will provide at the rest stops I will need to have all of my snacks for the day with me - and my lunch will be in my car. Being both grain-free and processed food free does make at challenging to get what I need from the stops. I will need more than bananas.

I will have my light convertible wind-breaker jacket in my Tailrider - and since most of my food can go in my hydration pack that should provide me all the clothing storage I need. That thing expands quite a lot AND there are external straps that I can use to secure my jacket to the top if I need to do so. The thermal jacket isn't small, but I can deal with it. I am not about to start riding in 40-50 degree temps without it, I know that much :o I kind of hope I won't need to take off my tights, but we will see.

Muirenn, that would work if I didn't use a hydration pack ;) If I can fit all of my nutrition needs in the pack then that will go far to solving the layer-storage question. I should be able to do that, and I can get bananas from the rest stops rather than carrying them with me.

Not sure what a long ride is...being out for 4-6 hrs. on the bike?

Where we are now the temp. begin in morning from around 40 degrees F or below and go up to 80-82 degrees F. by early afternoon. So how I dress would be long shorts (but long, thin tights go well with me also) or wind pants if it rains. A light fleecy jacket, a light gortext vest (which I remove the fleecy if I get too warm) and light cycling light over top. Carry a rain jacket in my bag.

I would not need toe covers. Yup, long light full gloves, then switch to half fingered later. Headband for first 2-3 hrs.

Given your temp. at peak, I would wear long sleeved jersey. But right now I am wearing short sleeved jersey underneath.

Everyone is different. I know by early fall --what I wear at same temp. is lighter compared to early spring at same temp...it's because my body has hardened as cycling season moves through spring, summer to fall.

you and I could ride together :) The DH is always teasing me about my layers of clothes, but I hate to be cold and would rather peel and pack. Just ordered some Craft knickers that don't have a liner so will wear my shorts underneath, will let you all know what I think.

Still to early for my helmet cover but I sure enjoy it over trying to get a skull cap that fits over my hair.

Have a fun ride

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Originally Posted by Sky King

you and I could ride together :) The DH is always teasing me about my layers of clothes, but I hate to be cold and would rather peel and pack. Just ordered some Craft knickers that don't have a liner so will wear my shorts underneath, will let you all know what I think.

Still to early for my helmet cover but I sure enjoy it over trying to get a skull cap that fits over my hair.

Have a fun ride

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It will be either a 50 or 75 mile ride based on how I feel. My feet get cold in the high 50s, and I just don't tolerate the first few colder rides in September well without freezing. My body does much better in the late winter or early spring because I've adjusted to the cold by then. Once I am heat tolerant my body doesn't like things to change :)

Earlier this month I did a 75 mile ride which started in the 40s and ended in the mid-60s. I wore my Terry tights. Wool socks. Full finger gloves. On top I wore a long sleeve jersey, arm warmers, and a jacket. I thought about putting my thin wool skull cap on under my helmet but I decided not too. In retrospect, I should have worn the cap. I have been wearing it regularly for temps in the 40s. Having your head warm helps make the rest of you feel warm. I also would have worn my baggy gloves over my regular gloves as my hands get cold easily. Otherwise, I was good after about 15 miles. I ended up stripping off the arm warmers first, then the jacket. The tights were perfect for the entire ride, as was the long sleeve jersey. This particular supported ride was fairly small, with about 200 riders. I left my jacket and arm warmers at a rest stop and picked them up later. That was convenient. :)

Well, I'm a cold weather wimp myself, but I just did a 72 mile ride the weekend before last (Tahoe !!!) where the temp variation was as you describe - we started in the low 40's and warmed up to the low 80's. Coming from Texas, where a 'cool' ride of late has been anything under 100 degrees, I was worried about my body being in total shock from the temperature change. 40's is dead-of-WINTER riding for me. Anyway, here's what worked for me:

1. Keeping extremities warm to start. Toe covers (which I bought the day before) worked great - I'll probably choose them over my full shoe covers for riding here on most coldish days. Full gloves to start - if your hands are cold, you'll be cold. Both were easy enough to stick in a back pocket as they came off. I also, for the first, time, wore a liner under my helmet, which was fine (and small enough to stuff in same back pocket), but I also would have probably been fine without it. Ear warmers sound like a perfect alternative (and probably something I'd wear a lot in winter here).

2. I am a huge fan of knickers instead of shorts - I even wear them in the summer here because I learned I get a terrible heat rash on my legs when I'm out on a bike for 3-4 or more hours in full sun. But, for cooler (but not full-on cold) weather, they are hard to beat. Even with knickers, to start, I wore a pair of knee warmers under them. Again, a lot easier to peel off than my long tights. They kept my knees toasty until I was really warmed up and they also kept the lower part of my leg warm to start as well.

I spent a lot of time this summer testing out various brands of knickers. My favorites: Capo (have both light weight and fleecy winter ones - they are very flattering on and love the V-shaped wide waistband), Terry - Bella (also super flattering and comfy). Both have GREAT chamois.

3. Do you have a pair of warm arm warmers? After much experimentation, I'm a fan of arm warmers and a light (easily packable) jacket over a heavier jacket, again for portability reasons and that combo was fine for my start.

Have fun!

The temps will range from 42 to 69 according to Weather.com. I wish the upper end WAS in the 80's :) I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who gets cold this early in the year. I've yet to find a pair of knickers that fit me properly, and I've learned that my lighter weight tights generally do fine when others are wearing knickers...plus I already have them :) I think the toe covers should be enough by themselves as long as I've some thin wool socks. My heavier cycling wool socks make my feet go numb in my Mavic shoes - the shoes are just a tad too narrow. I think I need to break down and get a new pair of socks, but I think that is all I will need.

Considering the starting temps are lower than I though, I will likely go with my full Gore head cover/skull thing rather than the ear warmers - that really does help to keep the head warm. I think as long as I can fit my nutrition in my hydration pack that the Tailrider will be enough to store everything. I think a base layer + my SS Swobo wool jersey will be enough - and if I overheat I can dump the base layer.

This is a huge ride, over 2,000 people have registered, so sadly I won't be able to leave anything at a SAG, but it is going to be fun!

I do think I've a set of arm warmers tucked away, I will consider that. With starting temps at 42 I am thinking the lighter jacket will just be TOO light, there isn't much to it.

Ha, I'm excited that the forecast for my Saturday ride has the high in the low 90's! I was thinking, wow...that will be great! We don't hit the temps you are talking about until Thanksgiving or later, usually. Riding in summer here is what is so brutal.


What is it about the knickers you've tried that you didn't like or didn't fit? I've tested a LOT of different brands this year.


PS, I can sympathize with the numb toes/feet issue. That is the one thing I've fought all year and I finally have switched from the Specialized shoes I bought with my bike to the Sidi shoes my serious cyclists friends told me I should have gotten all along. For me, it was the opposite problem - the Specialized (even with the custom inserts) were too big/too wide and my feet were sliding around in them, which also causes numbness. Yes, find the right socks for your shoes. I had to SAG in on my first 100k this year because my feet were so miserable, I just couldn't make the last 8 miles in the time allotted.

Generally speaking, when it is cool enough for me to need knickers then I really need lightweight tights. The portion of my legs that aren't covered get cold and I wind up grumbling to myself about it. I am just a cold-weather wimp who needs more clothes than some others do. That being said, if it is sunny and 65 then I am back in sleeveless and shorts - but by 60 my feet are getting cold and I want my knees covered :o I will have a broader comfort range come early spring.

I love my Mavic mtb shoes, but should have probably gotten the next size up. With the right socks it isn't a problem, but I was reminded of this last Saturday when I wore my long wool socks on my ride and things started going numb...thankfully not on both feet.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

That being said, if it is sunny and 65 then I am back in sleeveless and shorts

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Ah, jealous of being able to wear shorts and sleeveless. My sleeveless jerseys are for spin only. Having had melanoma 5 years ago, I had to promise my dermatologist I'd be super careful spending so much time in the sun riding. I've had to sweat out the summer in knickers to avoid sun rash on my legs and I wear the Craft arm coolers all summer for sun protection. Which, I have to say, I think are the best thing EVAH! I didn't like the Pearl Izumi ones - too hot and heavy to wear in Texas in summer - but the ones by Craft and YMX by Yellowman (both of which I ordered from TE) are great - thin, light, SPF 50 and the trick is to keep wetting them down as you ride and the wet sleeves really do help you feel cooler in hot weather. I used to feel just beat up from just being in the sun on a 50-63 mile ride and I don't anymore.

In those sort of temps, I'd say wool base layer, short-sleeve jersey, arm warmers and a wind shell would work for me, perhaps leg warmers too, but my feet don't get cold until it hits the low 40s.

Depends on the shoe in feeling "colder" for me. If shoe has less non-breathable material, then my feet are warmer. I have new pair which I like (and feel more powerful on my pedal stroke because the soles are stiffer) but has more breathable material.

I have rain cover booties but haven't worn them yet. And I do cycle in rain, winter (when very little ice, snow). It's a challenge to cycle for hours when the temp. rises up to 20-25 degrees C higher over the course of several hours. It's a "problem" in so far, I don't like carrying so much clothing when cycling within the city, but I have to.

I tend to do layers at those temps. The bottom half is more difficult. I might wear regular shorts under my tights and bring knee warmers for later. That tail rider will hold it all! I'd also go with my lighter weight full finger gloves with wool liners at first. Definitely toe covers. For the top, I'd do a SS jersey with a short sleeve base layer, arm warmers, and a jacket. That way, I could peel stuff off. I don't do well well in LS when it's 65.

I confess that I dress lighter than many people, so take this with a grain of salt.

For those temps, I'd probably wear thermal knickers or light tights (depends on wind), short-sleeve wool jersey, arm warmers, and my convertible jacket. I'd add a Buff, my lighter-weight winter gloves, wool socks, and toe covers. I might bring a lighter skull cap and lighter gloves, just in case.

Being overdressed just sucks the energy out of me in a way that being chilly doesn't.

They keep dropping the high temps tomorrow, it keeps getting closer to 60 with a cold, raw wind. I may just stick with that LS base layer with wool SS jersey.

Thanks for all of the comments, it sounds like I've all my bases covered. It is interesting that each year we have to re-think how to dress for cooler temps. At least I have to rethink it. Unlike previous years, however, I already have all I need and that is a good feeling. My budget likes that ;)

I second the person who mentioned knickers. I have a pr of PI symphony knickers and they are possibly my favorite cycling garment. In the spring and fall, I can wear them with regular socks or if it's pretty chilly, I wear black knee socks (the "active variety" from REI) and it keeps me warm and doesn't look too silly since it's all black. I have some tights to wear over my shorts but they are for really cold weather. The whole knee socks under knickers covers me to about 40/45 deg. And if it does get pretty warm, they're somehow not much hotter than shorts. Love 'em!

The ride is now behind me, AND the starting temps were in the 50's, not the 40's as predicted. I went with my light weight Sugoui Mid-Zero tights over shorts, a wool base layer, SS jersey (not wool), light weight convertible windbreaker, full gloves and toe covers. Nothing on ears or head aside from my helmet

At the first SAG, about 17 miles into the ride, I removed the toe covers and got rid of the sleeves from the windbreaker but kept the shell. Considering there was a chilly wind when the sun wasn't out I was quite comfortable and left the tights and everything else on. A couple of times when the sun was out I got a little warm, but that happened so rarely that I was glad I had everything else on. I get cold! There were a few times I regretted loosing the toe covers but that was fine.