fall/winter cycle clothing

[FlyingScot]

Do you have the same toe issue with other outdoor winter activities? What about your fingers? (Wondering if maybe you have Reynouds syndrome.....)

Tealtreak for the win. I do have Raynauds but as an avid outdoors person I usually can figure out what works. I have heaters in my ski boots but try to use them sparingly, usually when I'm working an accident scene and my toes are in the snow for long periods of time. I keep my fingers warm by fisting my hands while on the chair lift. I may be able to get a second set of footbeds for the battery packs I have. Sahalie has a thermal foot bed that's trimmable and supposedly works and I like the idea of the painters tape to cover the gaps in the soles of my shoes. I'm just going to keep trying until I figure it out. Lucky for me it's supposed to be in the 60's this weekend!!!! Ohio weather is so fickle!

[tealtreak]

Tealtreak for the win. I do have Raynauds but as an avid outdoors person I usually can figure out what works. I have heaters in my ski boots but try to use them sparingly, usually when I'm working an accident scene and my toes are in the snow for long periods of time. I keep my fingers warm by fisting my hands while on the chair lift. I may be able to get a second set of footbeds for the battery packs I have. Sahalie has a thermal foot bed that's trimmable and supposedly works and I like the idea of the painters tape to cover the gaps in the soles of my shoes. I'm just going to keep trying until I figure it out. Lucky for me it's supposed to be in the 60's this weekend!!!! Ohio weather is so fickle!

Good luck figuring it out- but be safe trying- don't want to lose a digit!

[FlyingScot]

No I do not! I almost lost 4 toes from frostbite back in the late 70's and I don't care to repeat that.

[FlyingScot]

I just received the Cold Killer pants I spoke about in an earlier post. Although I haven't ridden in them I think they will be awesome. I will be trialing them on Saturday but already think they are going to work out well. They fit great over my bike shorts even with running tights over them. Incidentally, I also got the nano puff jacket that was ridiculously expensive but I tried it out this morning (21degrees) and I was roasting which I NEVER do.

[FlyingScot]

You guys are not going to believe what I did to solve my cold feet issue. Newspaper! I traced the insoles of my shoes onto several sheets of newspaper and secured them with painters tape. Then I made toe caps (that go inside my shoes) with a couple of layers and also painters tape. It was a little uncomfortable at first (some pointy areas) but within 5-10 minutes the newspaper had totally conformed to my foot and I didn't even know it was there. I wore thin socks with it (black ones...white socks would have been destroyed) rode in 39 degree temp (light wind) and my feet, while not exactly toasty, were actually warm! As in normal temperature warm. Plus they were bone dry. I think this combined with toe covers and/or booties will do the trick.

On a side note. I rode with the Cold Killer pants and they were freaking awesome! I wore shorts and running tights under them and might have even gotten away with just shorts. No redness on my legs from the cold like I get with plain leg warmers (my legs get cold above the warmers).

[Melalvai]

Thanks for telling us about this. I don't have terrible issues with cold feet but I'm somewhat known as the bike expert (for utility biking) around here so it really helps me to hear other people's solutions, that I can share with the next person who asks me.

[gocard]

I went for a nice ride today. It was overcast and a tiny bit foggy and damp (low 50s), so this was my first time trying to dress more warmly for a ride. I got a great deal on pair of Gore Sportive tights so I wore that over my regular bike shorts. I wasn't sure if it would be warm enough and since I was stopping over at other places after my ride, I wore a light pair of athletic pants over this.

On the top I had put on my tennis/running clothes, so they are technical fabrics but not bike-specific. Maybe it is overkill to some, but I had two light layers on and a running jacket on. None of these were windproof but I figured I'd try it out before buying more clothes.

Also had a pair of thin full-fingered gloves and a Pearl Izumi headband for my ears. I'm happy to say that this worked out great for me! There was quite a bit of wind and it was drizzly, but I never felt cold once I got going on my bike. The cycling tights were great - never felt any wind chilling my legs. My feet were cold though, so I'll be taking this thread's recommendations under consideration.

I think my lifesaver was probably the gloves and especially the headband. My ears were freezing and the wind was howling past me last time, but this time I was thrilled at how comfortable I was during the entire ride.

Bottom line is, if you don't already have them...I recommend a headband to cover your ears! What a difference it makes.