I need help from the cold weather gals!

[Triskeliongirl]

OK. What do you wear for a hilly 4 hour ride starting in the low 40s and probably staying in the 40s for the duration? Its been unusually cold here and I can't remember how I would dress for this. I am thinking terry dryline tights, a long sleeve shebeest fleece jersey with full length bra. Glove liners, warm socks, shoe covers, ear band (?or balaclava). On top do you think I should wear a wind vest, light fleece vest (Shebeest wind stopper), or goretex jacket. I guess I can bring it all and see how I feel at the ride start. Its been a while since I did this long a ride in the cold.

[DebW]

40 is too warm for a balaclava. I'd start with the goretex jacket, but you might want to be prepared to swap it for the wind vest if you warm up too much.

[Veronica]

I've been riding at night in the mid forties, with the wind blowing in the teens. I wear my Exte Onde tights, a Patagonia sport top, a Patagonia fleece top and then a Pearl Izumi jacket. I use a wool headband to cover my ears.

V.

[Geonz]

40 may be too warm for the acclimated to wear a balaclava - but if you're not used to it... I'd at least have something to keep my ears warm, and my warm-my-face stuff can get tucked down lower when I get warm.
Bring the layers and a place to put 'em when you get warm. Don't wait to be all nasty-sweaty before you peel some of 'em off.
It's gonna be really, really warm here tomorrow - might hit 40

[HillSlugger]

At 40 degrees you'll start cold but warm up pretty quickly. Dress in layers that can be removed as needed. You shouldn't need anything more than tights on your legs; something wind resistant if possible. Toes get cold so warm socks or toe covers. Long sleeve jersey and windproof/resistant shell. Ear-covering headband or hat. Full finger gloves.

[jobob]

I have a wool headband that's a bit too snug for my head but it works great as a neck gaiter. I find my neck and shoulders chill really easily so the extra warmth and wind protection around my neck really helps.

[mimitabby]

for the torso, I think you've got the right idea with the jersey and bra thing
but take a vest that you can remove that is beneath the wind breaker or jacket.

As long as you have something on your head (cap?) , balaclava
i think you'll be okay. I don't know what your hands are like I wear double gloves when it's really cold. Regular bike gloves underneath fluffy fleece gloves a size too large.

[Aggie_Ama]

I am a total cold wimp. Last week I had to scrap our ride 4 miles in because it was too cold (upper 40's).

This weekend I want to ride, I just bought a balaclava at REI yesterday. My experience last weekend was ear warmer/headband wasn't enough and my cheeks were causing me the most misery.

My balaclava is really thin (not fleece lined), I wonder if it will cause me to be too hot?

Just a note at how little cold weather we get in Texas, I only found a balaclava at REI. None of the LBS even had it or wool socks!

[madisongrrl]

OK. What do you wear for a hilly 4 hour ride starting in the low 40s and probably staying in the 40s for the duration? Its been unusually cold here and I can't remember how I would dress for this. I am thinking terry dryline tights, a long sleeve shebeest fleece jersey with full length bra. Glove liners, warm socks, shoe covers, ear band (?or balaclava). On top do you think I should wear a wind vest, light fleece vest (Shebeest wind stopper), or goretex jacket. I guess I can bring it all and see how I feel at the ride start. Its been a while since I did this long a ride in the cold.

It would depend on the wind chill and humidity. This is what I wear when it's 40: skull cap or fleece hat, craft base layer (layer 1), jersey, my sugoi invertor jacket (its a layer 2 & 3 jacket), my cycling shorts, pearl izumi amfib cycling tights(windproof and water resistant), pearl izumi cyclone gloves, castelli windproof boots and smart wool socks. If its a "warm 40", I drop the amfib tights and just throw on leg warmers.

If the temp drops below 40 then I add leg warmers under the amfib tights, change the cyclone gloves out for pearl izumi amfib lobster gloves and maybe add some toe warmers too (as in the heat packet things that stick to your toes). I also have a neoprine face mask that I can throw on when it gets really cold.

[Triskeliongirl]

Thanks for all the great advice. Only a handful of us even showed up (less than a dozen from a club membership of 600+) (Bourne to Comfort to Waring for you texans). One fellow rode home after about 2 miles, so I am proud to have finished. Only 2 women showed up (including me). I only ended up doing 35 miles but it was just right as it didn't really warm up (actually 39 at ride start and wind kicked up as we were coming back). I ended up wearing both the shebeest windbloc vest and goretex jacket. I had them both on for the car ride, thinking I would take one off at the ride start but it was so cold I kept them both on. I wore the head band, and gave my balaclava (very thin) to a friend to wear. It was funny, everyone was trading clothes as we helped to dress the underdressed guys with the extra gear some of us had in our cars. I was cold the first couple miles, especially my fingers, but then found I was getting a tad warm on the climbs so I unzipped my pit zips. The girl I rode with had a more form fitting jacket than me (like my vest but with sleeves) and she was colder than me on the descents. I was also very glad I wore shoe covers, as my toes were also feeling cold (more like numb!). I know I know for some of you guys 40 is warm, but not in San Antonio! But its our club christmas party tonite, and how can we eat all that food (and last night was our work one) if we aren't riding! It did feel really good to be out there! The guy at the Waring General Store was so excited when we came in, he thought we were crazy but it turned out we were also his only customers so he was very happy too!

[Geonz]

You rock!!!! Don't you love "stealing" rides from days the weather tries to take away from you?