The £150 "get Iclestu ready for winter" challenge

iclestu
iclestu Posts: 503
edited September 2009 in Commuting chat
Another plea to benefit from the experience and wisdom of the experienced cyclist.......

I have no winter cycling clothes & no lights. I have £150 to spend on 'winter gear'. Can I get enough kit for this to see me through the winter? I commute on a appx 50/50 mixture of unlit country roads and streetlit roads.

Will my budget be enough to keep me warm, safe and seen? how should i spend it.
FCN 7: Dawes Galaxy Ultra 2012 - sofa-like comfort to eat up the miles

Reserve: 2010 Boardman CX Pro

Comments

  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    What gear do you currently own? You must have some clothing, unless you exist in a naturist environment of course...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • iclestu
    iclestu Posts: 503
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    What gear do you currently own? You must have some clothing, unless you exist in a naturist environment of course...

    Very little that's useable & nothing cycle specific that's suitable for winter.

    I have some padded shorts and a bright football shirt which I commute in just now but already feel the cold occasionally in.

    I do, of course, have some jackets but none are really suitable for the bike by being either too good to waste or too heavy to be practical. Of course, I have countless non-cycley jerseys/sweatshirts that could be called into action for an extra layer. I have nothign at all suitable for the bottom half. It's either shorts, jeans or suit trousers. :?
    FCN 7: Dawes Galaxy Ultra 2012 - sofa-like comfort to eat up the miles

    Reserve: 2010 Boardman CX Pro
  • doog442
    doog442 Posts: 370
    edited September 2009
    Get some Ronhill trousers for £10

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Ronhi ... 360043230/

    an altura nevis jacket £45

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Altur ... 360025729/

    smart 5 led front light £12

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart ... 360022781/

    half watt light for rear

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart ... 360026001/


    edit

    ive just done a quick search on wiggle for these but all are excellent products, the ronhills are good for running as well, the lights were recommended on here and have lasted me a few years. I also have petzl head light strapped to handle bars as no light at all on part of my commute

    the jacket is toasty warm in the winter but get a cheapo for warmer days

    halflwatt light blinds motorists so get two :wink:
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Lights are your first priority, otherwise you won't be seen.

    Then, the rest depends on how far you have to commute and hold cold you normally get. I ride 15-16 miles each way on the winter route and am a big wuss, so I wrap up.

    Then, I'd suggest:

    1. A jacket - Altura will cost you £65-ish. I use this over a baselayer and it works a treat.
    2. A good baselayer (you could get away with one if you're prepared to wash it regularly). Again, check out Helly Hansen or Lewis Kit or DHB on Wiggle.
    3.. Full length gloves - check out LewisKit prices; also check out the Planet X website - they used to have an offer of overshoes, hat and full length gloves for £25. If you have th eoption of using overshoes, put old sports socks over your shoes but under your overshoes to help keep the windchill out;
    4. Thermal running tights - these can be worn under cycling shorts and will keep your legs toasty warm. Check out a running shop or the running section of Wiggle. I use a pair of Sugoi tights for £35. They're the dogs.

    If you have a limited budget, ask family and friends for vouchers for a cycling shop or winter bits for Christmas.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    OK...

    1. Tights would be no.1 on my list. I prefer bibs, they are more comfortable and warmer for winter. I have some northwave ones that have a lovely fleecy lining and are water-repellent... men have a far greater choice for these than us burds, so you should be able to find something cheap enough to not eat too much of your budget. If you buy them without a pad and get some padded underpant things you won't have to wash them too often.

    2. Jacket. I commuted for my first two winters in my second-best snowboarding jacket, it didn't spoil it at all, and it was actually very good for commuting. If we have a cold winter this year it will be put back into service as it's one of only 2 properly warm jackets I own. Snowboarding ones are good as they also have a long back. In lieu of that, just get something waterproof that is long in the back, a pac-a-mac will work if need be.

    3. Overshoes. Others rave about them, I've never had a pair that worked.

    TBH, for keeping yourself warm, I managed using stuff I already owned for other purposes for 2 winters. If I hadn't been into snowboarding already, though, it would have been harder!

    4. Lights... you will get lots of recommendations! I have 2 knogs, front & rear flashy ones to be seen by and a head torch called an LED Lenser Head Fire (heehee) to light the way... It is so bright that it lights up the road like car headlights. I have no idea how much it cost though! Huh... not much...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    On the subject of headtorches:

    my rechargers work on even numbers of batteries, does anyone know any dual or quadruple AA or AAA headtorches. All I can find are triple, and the odd single-AAA torch...
    http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=6404
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    It was in a couple of weeks, last year that Aldi got their winter cycling stuff in. It may be worth holding off for, your budget would go a long way with their stuff.

    http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/of ... sday08.htm
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    Do you live near a decathlon?

    If so you can stock up on their cheapo (but very good) baselayers and a fleece for a mid layer. Couple of bases and a fleece will run you about £20-£25.

    ronhill tights - £10 to keep the legs warm. Use your current shorts underneath.

    Do you use SPDs? if so get some neoprene overshoes to keep your feet toastie - £20.

    £50 should get you a waterproof and reflective jacket.

    Cheapo long finger gloves (you may alreayd have some...) £2 on the local market

    Spend the remaining £40 - £50 on lights. You'll want a couple of flashing red LEDs for the back. I put one on the seatpost and one on my rucksack.

    A white flashing LED for the front, and some sort of constant lamp so you can see where you are going on the unlighted bits.

    Plastic bags from supermarket for waterproofing your stuff inside your rucksack.


    Job done.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    Or blow the lot on a Castelli soft shell and go in style :wink:
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • Specialized Needs
    Specialized Needs Posts: 802
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    It was in a couple of weeks, last year that Aldi got their winter cycling stuff in. It may be worth holding off for, your budget would go a long way with their stuff.

    http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/of ... sday08.htm
    You have that bookmarked?!? :shock:
  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    Sooo jealous of men and your nicely-priced stuff!

    Wonder if I could find a pair of those men's bikesters which won't dangle of the ends of my little legs...
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,381
    sarajoy wrote:
    Sooo jealous of men and your nicely-priced stuff!

    Wonder if I could find a pair of those men's bikesters which won't dangle of the ends of my little legs...

    The pricedrop area on the Wiggle site may interest you. It always seems to be ladieswear and small size menswear

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/d/PriceDrop/12/1/1/
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    duncedunce wrote:
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    It was in a couple of weeks, last year that Aldi got their winter cycling stuff in. It may be worth holding off for, your budget would go a long way with their stuff.

    http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/of ... sday08.htm
    You have that bookmarked?!? :shock:

    I can Google with consummate ease. :)
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • Ian.B
    Ian.B Posts: 732
    I've just bought the lights that doog442 recommends - they're still available from Wiggle on special offer at £14 for the pair, 60% off and a bargain!
    Ian
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    I have the Smart 1/2 Watt rear and front set. I love the rear light, it seems really good. The front seems underpowered somehow. I think it would be OK for being visible, but insufficient to see by on unlit roads.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    I'd definitely recommend the Altura Night Vision range. They're pretty cheap, well made, have lots of reflective bits and are suitably waterproof. I've got the jacket which combined with a base layer is all I need for my top half for all winter. The gloves are toasty warm and the overshoes, while looking like something that Frankenstein might wear compared with the neoprene variety, are much more hard wearing and in my experience more waterproof.

    I've got some Endura Humvee 3/4 shorts that do for most days but if its less than 8 degrees then a pair of tights underneath the shorts keeps me warm.

    Whatever you go for buy the best you can afford. If you don't buy decent stuff it will deter you from commuting or you'll have to splash out on the stuff you should have bought the first time to keep going. What's the great quote? "Its never the wrong type of weather, its just the wrong type of clothes", or something similar ;)
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    If you're lucky your local Lidl will have most of what you need clothing-wise.

    Long sleeve coolmax jerset aka 'base layer' £6
    'running' jacket £8
    cycling trousers £8
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    I'm gonna buy some army surplus goretax trousers, mainly for mountain biking but I'm sure they will come in handy commuting - only a tenner :shock:
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur

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