Calling Winter Commuters:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I get it now, Cheri.
Perhaps the thin neck gator pulled up over your mouth might help to warm your breath as it comes in. You might sew two gators together to make one tall one that can go up high.

If you do ever get the merino tops, I can tell you that the Ibex run just a bit smaller/skinnier than the SmartWool ones.

I wear glasses, and I do find that sometimes my eyes get cold in the downhill winds and they get teary. Usually in the beginning of my ride only so far. I expect more problems as it gets colder, especially since my frames are metal not plastic.
My nose always runs when I'm biking. I think it has to do with the wind as I ride. I've always found that it runs even MORE if I blow it. It seems to irritate my nose linings so they try to protect themselves with yet more mucus coatings. So I just sniffle it in and swallow (I figure it's already in there anyway!)

[Dianyla]

In mildly chilly temps I can get away with just a cotton buff or earwarmers, but when it starts getting windchappingly cold I switch to this Sugoi Balaclava. The fabric is somewhat smooth and silky feeling on the outside, and slightly fleecy on the inside. But it's not made of fleece per se, I find heavier fleece balaclavas to be great for cold weather camping (especially at night) but when I'm working and sweating they're too hot.

[lph]

It's a few degrees below freezing here now, and I ride with a microfiber Buff pulled over my nose to heat the incoming air. It gets all soggy after a while, though.

Anyone try something like this?

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=21626

I found something very similar in a bike shop yesterday, but it kind of freaks me out. Looks like it might stay dryish, but then, you can't pull it up and down to adjust as you go.

[nuthatch]

There are softer balaclavas that have that nose flap/breathing hole combination (and actually that Gore one looks soft too). Yanking it down and up is hard with gloves or mitts on, though.

Everything gets damp from your breath. But it definitely helps cut down on condensation to have that breathing hole area. If it's super cold, you're going to have some icing and when you pull it down and then back up (at a stop light to prevent glasses or goggles from fogging) it feels like climbing into a cold, soggy sleeping bag! And you might as well forget about trying to wipe a running nose - just let 'er run and wash the balaclava when it gets too gross.

I'm liking the snowboard goggles for cold riding (stolen from my son). They vent really well and don't fog up at stops. Also the foam around the face keeps things warm and comfy.

[lph]

it feels like climbing into a cold, soggy sleeping bag!

Ew, appropriate but bad mental image...

So far I've worn a thin wool balaclava under my helmet (covers cheeks and chin) in addition to the Buff around my neck to pull up and down over my mouth and nose. But it gets a bit bulky around the neck, and there's that soggy/ice patch as mentioned, and the top of my head is still a bit chilly, and I have this naive faith that somewhere somebody's invented a cool technical solution to all this...

When it's really cold I wear a long wool neck gator, that I keep folding and turning to keep the ice patch off my skin. Fine until you've used up all the dry parts... I'll look out for a neck gator with a breathing patch, think I can do without Gore's Darth-Vader-on-a-bike-look.

Funny thing is, my eyes are rarely a problem. Maybe the contacts protect them a little.

[nuthatch]

I just wanted to weigh in on those Pearl Izumi Microsensor Thermal Shorts that Susan was talking about way back last fall. I thought they'd be weird, but they're not!!

I'm using a pair in this unusually chilly spring, under a pair of tights and they are very effective in reducing the chill on the backside -- I've ridden in them from the mid-20s to the 40s. The chamois is on the thin side (3D Pro) but I prefer that for commuting because you're just not on the bike that many miles.

The only thing I'd change about them (and lots of other PI chamois) is the edge of the chamois. I really like a graduated edge on a chamois instead of a sharp drop off and stitched edge. Other than that, I'd highly recommend them for cool/cold riding, with leg warmers or tights.

[run it, ride it]

Wait... mid-40s? That's BALMY!

I bust out the half-tights from 25-35, then 35 and up is definitely SHORTS TIME!

Anything above 53 is shorts and t-shirt all the way.

Wind and rain are different stories... it's a balmy 41 out right now, but the gusts are hitting 50km/h so I'm definitely sticking to half-tights and tossing on a jacket!

Come live in Canada for a while, then tell me 40 is anything but tropical!

...and everyone up here insists I get cold too easily...

[Aint Doody]

I've always heard to keep those knees covered under 60. Guess you're not as old as I am! Gotta protect the old lady knees...........

[run it, ride it]

Hmm.. this may explain why I ALREADY have old lady knees...

[Dianyla]

Hmm.. this may explain why I ALREADY have old lady knees...

Also, remember there is a gluten connection to joint problems...

[veloputt]

Enjoying the thread--getting back to commuting from a winter rest...

What I've not seen mentioned is the answer to cold toes. Booties or toe caps.
They do wonders! No need for thick socks w/ windproof booties--or just toe caps are amazing. Thermals are great for 40 and lower... And if it's wet out, too, nice to keep the footsies as dry as possible. Advantage of covering the shoe is they're dry when you have to put them back one to head home.

And knees. Glad to see others mention cranky (old lady) knees. Thus I LOVE knickers for keeping my knees warm. I'd love a thermal sensor knicker--if I need it for my thighs, I want it for my knees. The calves do OK uncovered. And also I like how knickers look on--no need for any extra bulging or seams across the thighs, thank you!

[CyclaSutra]

I know you're all going to bust out laughing .... but I love my knickers and the answer to the 35-40-degree morning commute and the 55-degree ride home for me ... is LEG WARMERS in the morning, and I'm talkin' Flashdance, not Pearl Izumi.

As Paris would say... "That's hot."