recommended cold weather gear ?

[violet]

greetings...this is the first winter i'm going to try braving the philadelphia winter and stay training outside.

does anyone have any favourite warm weather gear they'd recommend? i would prefer to avoid wool, being vegan.

as an aside: i'm having a hard time believing i can stay warm in spandex outside in the winter, being that i get cold if it's under 70 degrees...but i have determination, regardless !

i appreciate any / all suggestions!

[Dianyla]

as an aside: i'm having a hard time believing i can stay warm in spandex outside in the winter, being that i get cold if it's under 70 degrees...but i have determination, regardless !

You're right, spandex alone will not keep you warm. That's why fleece was invented. Fleece takes over where spandex leaves off. Look at fleece tights/tops that you can wear over shorts and base layers, and outer shells made of materials like Gore-Tex or eVent.

[Bklynmom]

I just started biking last March, so I am only a bit ahead of you on this. I found it tricky even in the spring, because you sweat quite a bit, but then you cool down on the downhills.

Shoe covers (Neoprene or some other synthetic stuff) made a big difference - I'm sure there are non wool warm sox. I just got an excellent pair of lined biking gloves.

For the in between weather last year I work bike tights without a chamois over bike shorts, which worked pretty well. I just got arm warmers and leg warmers (Decente) to help with the transition season this year.

For the top last spring I layered a synthetic running turtle neck with a fleece top and then a biking wind/rain jacket. I just bought a warmer winter bike jacket on end of season sale.

I think a pair of cold weather tights with a chamois will be needed - would like to hear the suggestions on those.

Also, I got a poly skull cap for under the helmet which covered my ears, but I suspect there are better head gear options out there.

Looking forwar to the usual TE helpful advice on this one -- thanks for asking the question

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Violet, if you do a search in these forums for "cold weather gear", etc, you will find many many useful threads discussing gazillions of cold weather clothings items.

[Flybye]

I just did a ride in Yellowstone National Park and wore this jacket. It is a men's jacket, but I am sure that the Team Estrogen Ladies could help you find a comparable womens jacket;

I was so impressed. I stayed completely warm and dry despite riding in 8 miles of continuous downpour. The temps were in the mid/high 40's and I had a sleeveless tank on under the jacket.

http://www.gorebikewear.com/1164920285784.html

Good Luck!

[lph]

This might not work for training proper i.e. higher speeds, less stops and more wind, but this works for me for commuting down to about -10 deg C. (14F), up to 1 hour rides.

regular bike shoes, though I've bought winter shoes for this winter
wool socks
neoprene shoe covers
regular bike shorts
PI AmFib winter tights (w/room for a thin wicking base layer under but I don't think I've ever used it)
sports bra
thin wicking base layer top, turtleneck+long-sleeved
sometimes an extra sleeveless thin wicking layer, wool or synthetic
Gore Phantom jacket (LOVE this jacket, it's warm and it doesn't get clammy)
Buff or face mask over my neck and nose
Gore windproof skull cap (very handy)
big fat PI lobster mitts (not too thrilled about these, they're lumpy)

Remove layers as needed

I don't usually wear goggles or glasses, but I'll use some water-free skin cream or Vaseline in my face before going out.

And eating well in advance and being warm before you leave the house really makes a difference. It's very hard to warm up fingers and toes if you're cold inside to begin with.

(Ok, I re-read your post and maybe you weren't really asking about below freezing is-it-still-possible-to-bike gear. I like biking in winter, I get carried away )

[invsblwmn]

I too wear the amfib tights. I like underarmour cold gear, adidas climawarm then a pi gavia jacket. I LOVE my panoptix glasses(sierra trading post), keep out the wind and cold, BUT not good when raining, HELLO FOG! Wear a thick face and neck mask, pi gloves, neoprene covers over the sidis and a pair of thick thorlos. Also cover the helmet with a reflective waterproof cover. It's dark when I leave and dark when I come home, so the bike's geared with mini newts and a cheap rear light. I ride in PA and we get lots of wet weather year round and this combo lets me ride whenever the wind is below 30mph and less than a couple inches of snow. GOOD LUCK!