Baselayer for winter

sheffwed

Hi all.
Can anybody suggest a good baselaye or gilet for winter ridaing. Went out today and even though had me gorse windstopper t shirt on was a bit parky!!

Anonymous

sheffwed wrote:

Hi all.
Can anybody suggest a good baselaye or gilet for winter ridaing. Went out today and even though had me gorse windstopper t shirt on was a bit parky!!

Jeez, bet that was uncomfortable :shock:

keyser_soze

I find that almost every basic base layer does the trick. I had some nike and umbro ones from football and they are worse material, but are comfy and do the job for me! Go to sports direct or something similar and pick up the cheapest u can find and give it a try!

mad4itinnit

i swear by bodyarmour its the nuts get the sweat away from ya skin and with a good windstop top works perfectly

Chip \'oyler

NapoleonD wrote:

sheffwed wrote:

Hi all.
Can anybody suggest a good baselaye or gilet for winter ridaing. Went out today and even though had me gorse windstopper t shirt on was a bit parky!!

Jeez, bet that was uncomfortable :shock:

That probably wasn't a spelling mistake by the dee dah

ravey1981

I have one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=18116

Its brilliant, lightweight and really comfortable. Really warm, was out night riding and i had to take my jacket off. just had this and a light jersey on top.

Cant recommend enough

nferrar

Merino base layers do it for me when it's below 10c, usually paired with just a windproof softshell jacket unless it's really cold. Only issue I have is a cold lower back area sometimes on sub-zero rides (keep meaning to buy a gore kidney warmer thing but it's not gotten cold enough yet to convince me it's worth it ).

Theaudiobully

Hi,

I've just purchased an Altura base layer...£19.99 from Tredz.co.uk and i'm very happy with it.

MattC59

Personally, I like Merino (mainly 'cause it doesn't stink to high heaven within 5 mins of wearing it!!) and have had good results with the Ground Effect stuff. http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/index.htm but there are plenty of other makes.
You can't beat the good old Helly Hansen base layers for comfort and performance, but they do deserve the monica "Smelly Helly"

Cheers........ M

hugo15

Merino wool for me too. I have been using an Icebreaker short sleeve one though the summer and I have bought a long sleeve one for the winter that is a bit thicker. Not used it yet but wish I had it on at the weekend........ it was colder than it looked!!

gabriel959

There are some merino wool baselayers at Wiggle for £20.99 - that is the cheapest I have seen. The brand is called Trekmates.

NormalD

I have a couple of dirt cheap ones from tchibo and a HH dry lifa. All work very well but the Helly Hansen is defiantly better quality.

manolito

I got an Endura Baa Baa (Merino) long sleeve base layer last week.
Wiggle do them for £31.49. It is lovely and cosy and dries quickly....which is just what you want.
Perhaps a bit more expensive than some others, but it is very nice.

daviesee

Since we are talking in the £30+ mark and merino I will put my head above the parapit and recommend Rapha.
Yes, £50 each is way too much, but if you are going to buy 3 then the bundle for £90 starts to make sense. Unless you can get by with only one, I can't.
I work on the principle that one is in the wash from yesterday, one to wear today and one in the drawer for tomorrow. I suppose you could get away with 2.

Whichever brand you choose I can thouroughly recommend merino for anything under 20 degrees C.

flicksta

+1 for Merino. I've had tens of different base layers as I do loads of skiing and although lots of synthetic fibres do a great wicking job, they do end up stinking. Just doesn't happen with Merino.

rdt

I use Merino base layers on the bike, hill walking and for everyday use under t-shirts etc (got one on now). I have Rapha, Icebreaker and Trekmates.

For cycling use, I rate the Trekmates best in terms of:
i) construction and wool quality (I've managed to accidentally poke a finger hole through Rapha and Icebreaker tops when pulling the back down);
ii) function (I've got the one with the neck zip to facilitate cooling oinn the bike),
iii) comfort and fit (good sleeve length with thumb holes should you need it).

As I got the Trekmates in a Go Outdoors sale, value-for-money was second to none.

juankerr

gabriel959 wrote:

There are some merino wool baselayers at Wiggle for £20.99 - that is the cheapest I have seen. The brand is called Trekmates.

I have one of these, it's brilliant - great quality wool and stiched together well. Practically lived in it last winter.

patchy

merino merino merino merino merino.

I use howies merino baselayers, but they really aren't cheap. they are looooooovely though, and i've got my money's worth out of them on the commute alone.

sheffwed

Thanks a lot for the info fella's................even from the dingle!!

Anonymous

I have a helly hansen, with a collar and small zip front, excellent bit of kit, get one today.

soveda

patchy wrote:

merino merino merino merino merino.

I use howies merino baselayers, but they really aren't cheap. they are looooooovely though, and i've got my money's worth out of them on the commute alone.

I find merino too hot if the temp is above -10 and you are going reasonably hard on the bike. Any base layer that wicks the sweat away from your skin will be good.
Windproof jacket (not waterproof) + smelly helly does me.

fishyweb

Helly Hanson Lifa works for me, and last for ever.

daviesee

soveda wrote:

patchy wrote:

merino merino merino merino merino.

I use howies merino baselayers, but they really aren't cheap. they are looooooovely though, and i've got my money's worth out of them on the commute alone.

I find merino too hot if the temp is above -10 and you are going reasonably hard on the bike. Any base layer that wicks the sweat away from your skin will be good.
Windproof jacket (not waterproof) + smelly helly does me.

Where are you from that you are cycling at -10? I am guessing Arctic Circle somewhere.

Personally I have never been over hot in merino at anything under +20 8)

nferrar

Yeah merino breathes and wicks very well, I know some people that use short sleeve merino base layers during the summer. I have Trekmates, Howies and Endura Baa Baa long sleeve versions and they're all very similar in feel/performance so I certainly wouldn't pay more than £30 for a premium brand. Mind you I do find merino ever so slightly itchy (I think I'm pretty sensitive to it though) so might be something to be wary off if you find normal wool stuff to itchy to wear.

soveda

daviesee wrote:

soveda wrote:

patchy wrote:

merino merino merino merino merino.

I use howies merino baselayers, but they really aren't cheap. they are looooooovely though, and i've got my money's worth out of them on the commute alone.

I find merino too hot if the temp is above -10 and you are going reasonably hard on the bike. Any base layer that wicks the sweat away from your skin will be good.
Windproof jacket (not waterproof) + smelly helly does me.

Where are you from that you are cycling at -10? I am guessing Arctic Circle somewhere.

Personally I have never been over hot in merino at anything under +20 8)

Below -10 was skiing/walking in winter mountains rather than cycling.
I've been down to c. -6 cycling around here (rural UK) in a smelly Helly and a windproof jacket (Endura Windchill). Keeping ears warm and still being able to hear is more of a chalenge...

N.B.: does anyone know what the windchill is on a bike?

sicknote

For Wind chill look here

Slimbods

TK Maxx often have very cheap nike or cantebury baselayers in. Bit of a jumble sometimes, but it's worth a rummage.

sicknote

I was lucky to have got some last year when Lidl's had some in and for the money have been very happy with them but like some have said they do smell after one ride.

Now wish I had got some more at the time :roll:

Stone Glider

I have a baselayer made of bamboo fibre from Skeetex. It is very stretchy and long in the body so covers the lower back well. They are popular with anglers as well as the usual mountain type pursuits. Being bamboo they are supposed not to smell, antibacterial?? so may please commuters and their workmates.

Chip \'oyler

sheffwed wrote:

Thanks a lot for the info fella's................even from the dingle!!

Seriously - +1 for Merino. I lived in my Rapha ones last winter - and they'll still be going strong for this winter too. It's worth getting the bundle if they still do it. Works out cheaper in the long run.

BTW - you doing the Tour of the Peak this Saturday?

Jynxman

make sure it has Coolmax at least 35%, if you can, get down to Aldi they had some running compression base layers that are OK whcih came in last Thursday for 9.99. I also nabbed 2 pairs of Winter Running Trousers for 7.99 each to put over my bib shorts.

They do the trick and i'm all snug now!