what to wear in 40 degree temps????

[anakiwa]

I'd start by purchacing shorts (get ones that fit well with reasonably good chamois pads).

If you have any kind of athletic tights anywhere in your closet, odds are you'll be okay layering tights over a decent pair of cycling shorts. In the 40's you'll need tights, but you don't have to buy fancy cycling tights to start (as nice as they are).

[pooks]

You definitely need to get cycling shorts and/or knickers and/or tights first, because you're going to need the padding. Beyond that, it varies. The coldest I've ridden in is upper 40s, and I wore wool tights over cycling knickers and a merino wool long-sleeved jersey under a fleece vest, a buff to keep my neck warm, and cycling gloves with full fingers.

I was plenty warm and as the day heated up into the 50s I shed the wool tights and fleece vest and buff.

[Starfish]

I LOVE my Pearl Izumi Amfib tights with waterproof/windproof panels on the fronts. They were expensive, but I wear them ALL the time. They are supposedly just for heavy winter time, but I am a weenie and wear them a LOT.

On my feet in those temps, I wear wool socks, and I also have a pair of wind/water proof Calientoes toe covers on my shoes, PLUS a pair of neoprene full booties on over that!

I want some nice winter gloves, but right now what works for me (and bridges a variety of weather changes for economic reasons) is: one pair of neoprene gloves (warm even in snow, but not windproof) and a lightweight pair of nylon, wind/water proof glove covers. The combo is toasty in awful weather, but I also find that those covers work great with my regular short finger cycling gloves in cool weather. They are light and easy to take along, so they work well all through spring and fall (and for descents in the summer in higher altitudes).

I have a neck gator with windstopper in it that I REALLY like when it is cold out.

[yogabear]

I live in Michigan too, but hope to move soon to a warmer climate

I don't like riding on the road when it gets under 40F. I'm not a cold weather person though, so don't let me talk you out of it

I've had to do it for racing, but I've found that warming balm stuff really helps