What temperature - what clothes?

Glasgow Calum

Hi, I commute 8 miles each way to and from work, 5 times a week.

I bought a lined softshell jacket but don't have anything heavier.

At the moment I am only wearing shorts and t shirt and this has been fine (comfortable) right down to 9 degrees.

Just wondering, at what temperature do you consider throwing on a jacket? and what temperature would a lined softshell do you down to?

also not needed any gloves or shoes coverings yet.

rolf_f

You put more clothes on when you feel you are too cold

kiwimatt

Indeed...! Softshell should do you all through the winter depending on what you layer under it - I have short sleeve merino, long sleeve synthetic type thing, and then long sleeve heavy under armour type thing for when it's a few degrees either side of zero. Gloves/mitts are not just about warmth you want something on your hands if you come off Similar idea with gloves go from fingerless mitts, then to light full glove (cheap halfords ones) below about 10 degrees, then proper winter thick ones

project4cycling

I remember an old goat at my cycling club who used to say "If you are warm enough when you set off you are wearing too many clothes". I find it is the variation in British weather that's the problem rather than any extremes.

To mitigate against this I swear by my gilet and base layer. I find its the best combination for three seasons of the year in northern Britain (Autumn, Winter, Spring). I don't know why it works, but it does work for a wide range of temperatures. I vary the rest of the wardrobe depending on the severity of the weather, so the long fingered gloves see me through winter, with some leggings for example.

I wrote an (ironically-titled) blogpost about this a while ago: http://www.project4cycling.com/2012/03/well-dressed-british-cyclist.html. In it there is a recommendation for a particular brand and a place to buy the gilet (on sale at the moment I believe), but I reckon its the combination of the base layer and then warmer body area that does the trick, so click on the link if you want a sort of advert and a brilliante bit of writing, but even if you don't I reckon the principle is the same whatever brand you buy.

godders1

Different people tend to feel the cold/overheat at different temps so there are no hard and fast rules. First off I’d get some knee and arm warmers and a gilet to add to your normal gear. Along with some longer fingered gloves these will see you right for most chilly autumn/spring mornings and on milder winter days (fine for me down to about 4-5degC but like I say we’re all different).

Lower than that and it’s softshell jacket, merino baselayer, Roubaix tights, winter gloves/shoes, merino skullcap/buff etc (all depending on how cold it gets).

Glasgow Calum

Thank you all, excellent advice.

saladdays

This is what I wear:

12c+, shorts, t-shirt and fingerless gloves.
6-11c, as above with waterproof jacket.
1-5c, as above but with tights and fingered gloves.
0c-, as above but with waterproof tights and a long sleeve top.

Headhuunter

I always notice the 10C point. Above 10C and I wear a sleeveless vest top and shorts, below 10C I start to ramp up the layers, I start with a long sleeve top and shorts, then add tights and may be long fingered gloves, then a jacket of some kind. At about 0C or so I use tights & baggy shorts, long sleeved top, jacket, shoe covers, long fingered gloves etc, I never really wear more than that on the commute...