Winter Gear.

teagar

So horrible weather is upon us once more.

I've decided, after trying my first proper turbo session, that cycling inside just isn't for me, so I'm going to go all out for winter gear.

Alas I'm a novice when it comes to bad-weather riding. What would you recomend for cold riding?

I already have some 3/4 bibs and a thin long sleeve top as well as the usual short shorts and t-shirt top (quick-step ), but quite frankly, it's not keeping me very warm!

So far on my list of things to ask santa i have:

- mud guards
- some warm coat/jacket/vest/thing (no idea what!)
- full length bib or leg warmers?
- arm warmers?
-Some kinda glove (any recomendations?)
- hat/something to stop my ears hurting from the cold wind
- overshoes?


Whatcha think? Any specific recomendations? I do get cold very quickly, but I don't intend on riding out in the snow, just single digit weather.

Cheers

pdstsp

Personally - and I suffer from cold - overshoes, full length bib-tights - I use lusso ones and have both fleece lined and un-lined ones for v.cold or not so cold days, base layer, long sleeved jersey and altura windproof jacket. If its really cold I also have a funny tea-cosy thing which fits under your helmet to keep my baldy head warm.

I sweat like a pig with that lot on but its better than freezing and I rode all through the winter last year which was a first for me.

I don't use mudguards but do put a rear race blade on on wet days.

Enjoy - its certainly better fun than a turbo.

morrisje

Buy this months Cycling Plus. It contains a long article on different type of winter kit for each type of rider.

Basically it is:-
Windproof jacket
Good base layer
Bi btights
Overshoes
Gloves
Headband or one of those thin skull caps

You could spend between £150 to £500 on the above list depending whether you like Aldi or Assos

amaferanga

On all but the coldest of days my winter kit consists of: DHB fleece lined bib tights (been wearing them for 2 winters and I higly recommend them), a helly hansen base layer, Montane H2O jacket (the most breathable waterproof I've found and I got it for only £40), cheapo windproof gloves, fleece windstopper hat and over shoes. I usually have armwarmers with me, but anytime I put them on I just get too hot. That does me for commuting and rides up to 3 or 4 hours. For all day rides when I'd be stopping for a bit to eat I'd carry an extra cycling jersey to stop me getting a chill when I stop.

Stewie Griffin

For Night rides at the moment Im wearing Gore Windstopper bib tights, a breathable jacket (which is effing brilliant, but not cheap) and a good shirt (also not cheap) underneath. Did wear a Helly Hansen Base Layer under all of this previously but have found that I overheat once I start pushing. Head band to keep the ears warm and gloves. I will get another pair of gloves as after an hour my fingers almost stopped responding. Only thing left to sort out is my toes, thought I lost them the other night. Dont know whether to go for overshoes or very thick socks.

keef66

Stewie,

only go for thick socks if you have plenty of room in your shoes, otherwise it will only make things worse. Overshoes are a much better option.

Which breathable jacket do you have?

robthehungrymonkey

At the moment on my commutes i'm generally using all my snowboarding gear.

A decent base layer (IMO, the most vital piece of clothing).
A waterproof jacket (as breathable as you can afford - mine isn't that breathable but is ok with vents)
And my long johns! over my cycling shorts.
I often also where my snowboard socks too. They are just warmer and technical.
Some cheap cycling gloves

I can't afford to spend loads on all the best cycling gear, and I don't struggle too much in the cold when excercising. I find that most sports orientated clothing is pretty good and designed to do pretty much the same thing whatever sports they're used for.

inseine

Personally I don't wear a waterproof jacket. If you can't afford a really good breathable one you sweat which'll make you colder still. pdstsp says he 'sweats likea pig' which is counter productive. I think that I really feel the cold and have Northwave winter shoes (+overshoes if wet or v cold) and the thickest gloves I can find and I'm OK. I only need a good base layer and a non waterproof jacket with a cape in my pocket. I'm good for a 4 hour Sunday ride.

stabilised

Similar list of winter kit from me, too:

Fleece lined bib tights (mine happen to be Aldi and about to go through their third winter - they've been brilliant, although the insert doesn't offer much padding so I usually wear shorts under them)

Base layer (just my long-sleeved cycling top as I carry tools and a tube in the pockets)

Windproof/waterproof jacket (mine is Endura and, after five years. the waterproofing isn't up to much any more, so Santa may get a call)

Gloves (again Aldi - warm enough, but they do let water in so for long wet rides you need better)

Overshoes (worth spending a bit of money on, in my view, as these make a huge difference to winter cycling when your feet can really suffer, especially if you don't have full mudguards)

I have a skullcap to wear under my helmet, but that only goes on when the temperature is below zero, and I'll add a short sleeved top under the base layer, then too.

In all of that I have cycled with the thermometer reading minus 6 and stayed comfortable.

As for the bike, then I really think full mudguards are worth it in winter if you ride in the rain as you get much colder much faster if you are also wet and even good waterproof's will give way under the soaking that the spray from a bike will give them over a couple of hours or so.

spen666

morrisje wrote:

Buy this months Cycling Plus. It contains a long article on different type of winter kit for each type of rider.

Basically it is:-
Windproof jacket
Good base layer
Bi btights
Overshoes
Gloves
Headband or one of those thin skull caps

You could spend between £150 to £500 on the above list depending whether you like Aldi or Assos

or more still if you are a Rapha luvvie

Stewie Griffin

keef66 wrote:

Stewie,

only go for thick socks if you have plenty of room in your shoes, otherwise it will only make things worse. Overshoes are a much better option.

Which breathable jacket do you have?

Keef66, I have plenty of room in my shoes, in fact I would say they are probably too big. I went out with 2 pairs of my summer socks on the other day and still had numb toes after an hour. Am leaning toward overshoes. The jacket is Santini it was £150 :shock: but is excellent, I cant imagine that Tuesday night at 11pm was much above 4 degrees and I was happy as a pig in poo, in fact the bibs and the shirt are also Santini. My LBS ordered them in for me, thank God they dont do Rapha or Assos, I would be a tart.

shawnrohrbach

Oh I remember the days in Seattle when I wore everything you listed and more. But, San Diego is quite different. It will be 30C here today, like it was yesterday and will be tomorrow and like it was on July 16 and so on. Yeah, ok, throw a virtual snowball at me.

nferrar

What I currently wear on cold rides:
Overshoes (Lusso Max Repel)
Winter gloves (Sealskniz MTB)
Bib tights (Specialized current faves)
Merino base layer (various makes)
Windproof softshell jacket (Alternate Gore Phantom and Altura NightVision, equal performance but the Altura is half the cost)
Skullcap (Sealskinz windproof)

For when it gets really cold I have:
Neoprene overshoes
Specialized Sub-Zero gloves
Campag balaclava
Mid-layer (just a lycra cycling top)

I also stuff a packable semi-breathable waterproof in my pocket in case it chucks it down.