It's going to get colder
giropaul
Posts: 414
The forecast is for colder weather; much colder weather.
It was fairly cool last weekend, and the one before, especially early on in the day.
BUT - I saw several people on bikes in shorts - and two in short sleeves!! Other riders I met in the cafe made the same observations.
I'm guessing that with many newer riders not joining clubs then there's no-one to give advice - so as this is the Beginners thread, here's my advice for what it's worth. It's based on a lot of experience of working with riders and pro teams in the UK and abroad.
Shorts are probably OK if it's over 20 degrees (or 30 if you're Spanish!). Below that then it's knee warmers, then leg warmers, then tights as the temperature drops.
Short sleeves are definitely for warm weather unless you're racing. Arm warmers are useful as they can be removed as it warms up. However, when it's the 5 degrees or less that are forecast I'd expect an experienced rider to be in a good base layer, then maybe one or two (or more) layers, and then a good, thermal, long sleeved top as a minimum. Also overshoes and gloves of course.
Never, ever, have a bare back between shorts and top. Wear bibs or use braces.
I'm not trying to be controversial (although no doubt some will tell me how wrong I am I'm sure) - I'm just passing on the advice you'd get from any experienced rider that will hopefully help to keep you comfortable, healthy and injury-free.
It was fairly cool last weekend, and the one before, especially early on in the day.
BUT - I saw several people on bikes in shorts - and two in short sleeves!! Other riders I met in the cafe made the same observations.
I'm guessing that with many newer riders not joining clubs then there's no-one to give advice - so as this is the Beginners thread, here's my advice for what it's worth. It's based on a lot of experience of working with riders and pro teams in the UK and abroad.
Shorts are probably OK if it's over 20 degrees (or 30 if you're Spanish!). Below that then it's knee warmers, then leg warmers, then tights as the temperature drops.
Short sleeves are definitely for warm weather unless you're racing. Arm warmers are useful as they can be removed as it warms up. However, when it's the 5 degrees or less that are forecast I'd expect an experienced rider to be in a good base layer, then maybe one or two (or more) layers, and then a good, thermal, long sleeved top as a minimum. Also overshoes and gloves of course.
Never, ever, have a bare back between shorts and top. Wear bibs or use braces.
I'm not trying to be controversial (although no doubt some will tell me how wrong I am I'm sure) - I'm just passing on the advice you'd get from any experienced rider that will hopefully help to keep you comfortable, healthy and injury-free.
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Some of this is personal though. I'm now wearing a base layer under a long sleeve autumn jersey, but I'm still happy in shorts and won't get the longs out until it drops below 10C. If I had to wait for 20C to wear my shorts I'd rarely wear them in the UK. We are all different and have different levels of tolerance to hot and cold. If you are cold then you should dress to stay warm, and vice versa.
But, I did notice that the temp drops this weekend, so will no doubt be digging out the overshoes and longs.Ridley Orion0 -
sounds good advice to me.i will certainly take it all in.
thanksDulce et decorum est Pro patria mori0 -
Thank you for the advice - some of us will never be joining clubs so we come here to pick up tips!
I wore long arms and legs for the first time today - mainly because the postman just delivered them
I've had a couple of rides in the last fortnight where I've had really quite painful quads for about half an hour or so after getting home. The pain subsided as soon as I'd warmed up - though I hadn't felt cold when out....so I'm sure I should have had long legs on. 0 -
Personally my legs get too hot in my tights above 6/7 degrees.
I tried wearing leg/arm warmers for those 7-14 degree days (alot of them recently) but they just annoy me, I hate putting them on and I hate having to pull up my leg warmers after 5/6 miles so I just wear shorts.
My legs never get too cold because I'm cycling all the time so it's not a big issue for me. When it gets a bit colder (below 7 degrees) I'll wear my tights and they'll keep me nice and warm in my lower half.0 -
I got cold way too often last winter (my first) so intend to over compensate this year. Would much prefer to be too warm than too cold. Was out today in base layer, thermal top and bib tights. Didn't need it but was toasty warm ...0
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newbie, but seems to me, as long as you have quality arm and maybe leg warmers (although my legs dont seem to get noticeably cold, even from when i used to play football when it was snowing) you dont need tights or long sleeved jerseys...unless its stupidly cold in which case layering is probably necessary (persoanlly would be going out if its below 10 degrees! need to mtfu i know but suffer from poor circulation so my extremities get cold easily anyway so dont want to eaxsperate it....lol)0
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colder is ok by me its wetter i dont want
i look at this to get a guide on what to wear... but obviously dont have to have assos
http://www.assos.com/en/44/als.aspxi need more bikes0 -
Yeah, just as some people use a thick duvet through summer and others are under a summer one in midwinter - people vary. I "run hot", hate sunny summer days when it goes over 25C and wear shorts on the bike down to around 12-13C; below that I start covering up.
People really are remarkably variable in this.0 -
Temperature management is a big deal for me, always has been. I get hot when I'm moving, and freeze when I'm not. Fell-walking, running or cycling all seems to be the same.
I've been in tights for a couple of weeks, and even though it's been quite warm at times, my legs have been fine, warm or cold. However, I can't do without two layers on top.
I've had an Underarmour compression top on, that I wore running last winter when it was sub-zero, with a looseish long-sleeve jersey on top, and mostly that's been fine. But slightly too warm, and I have to wring it all out when I get home. Sweating buckets going along, freezing when I slow down.
Today I had the jersey on top of a wicking short sleeve tee, which was fine, since it was very mild.
The worst problem is the hands that freeze though, for the first half hour or so.
Hopefully I can figure out some combinations that keep me the right temp, and are comfortable. It seems a more difficult decision than choosing the bike though. Is the gorilla tired yet?0 -
ChrisAOnABike wrote:Temperature management is a big deal for me, always has been. I get hot when I'm moving, and freeze when I'm not. Fell-walking, running or cycling all seems to be the same.
I've been in tights for a couple of weeks, and even though it's been quite warm at times, my legs have been fine, warm or cold. However, I can't do without two layers on top.
I've had an Underarmour compression top on, that I wore running last winter when it was sub-zero, with a looseish long-sleeve jersey on top, and mostly that's been fine. But slightly too warm, and I have to wring it all out when I get home. Sweating buckets going along, freezing when I slow down.
Today I had the jersey on top of a wicking short sleeve tee, which was fine, since it was very mild.
The worst problem is the hands that freeze though, for the first half hour or so. Hopefully I can figure out some combinations that keep me the right temp, and are comfortable. It seems a more difficult decision than choosing the bike though.
Buy some full-length gloves, they'll stop your hands getting cold.0 -
I put my tights on below 12-13c leg warmers below say 17c?
Depending on weather...if it's wall to wall sunshine and 17c it will be shorts...if it's 17 and overcast then leg warmers. You've gotta keep your legs warm or you'll never work at maximum efficiently. Put it this way I've been wearing leggings for the past 3 weeks.
Top end is summer jersey and base layer down to about 12c below that I add a gillet...if it's below 5c I wear a base layer, winter jersey and gillet.
Gloves...well I suffer so badly with cold fingers every winter...this year I'm trying some specialized sub-zero long fingered gloves...I don't hold out much hope.0 -
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Sorry, I meant that despite the full-length gloves, my hands tend to freeze for the first half hour or so.BlakeysFC wrote:I wrote:The worst problem is the hands that freeze though, for the first half hour or so. Hopefully I can figure out some combinations that keep me the right temp, and are comfortable. It seems a more difficult decision than choosing the bike though.
Buy some full-length gloves, they'll stop your hands getting cold. And then I practically had to wring them out at the end.
They're Chiba Express, but they're not all that thick.Is the gorilla tired yet?0 -
To the OP
Why not have bare back between shorts and top?0 -
I think it's a very difficult thing to get right. Never used to wrap up too much when running but cycling is a whole lot different ... The windchill is so tough. My hands always freeze and I get white finger every time. Any tips on dealing with this welcome0
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the playing mantis wrote:newbie, but seems to me, as long as you have quality arm and maybe leg warmers (although my legs dont seem to get noticeably cold, even from when i used to play football when it was snowing) you dont need tights or long sleeved jerseys...unless its stupidly cold in which case layering is probably necessary (persoanlly would be going out if its below 10 degrees! need to mtfu i know but suffer from poor circulation so my extremities get cold easily anyway so dont want to eaxsperate it....lol)
I've done plenty of cold weather riding in shorts and short sleeve jersey, but I wouldn't do it now; not because I couldn't face it but because it's not actually beneficial. Cold muscles are not as effective, so the scientists tell us, and being cold certainly doesn't do you any favours, bar looking manly.0 -
Teece wrote:
+1
Wear what suits you and pay no attention to condescending piffle from the OP.
Autumn to Winter - my shorts stay in use longer than from Winter to Spring.
Top half and lower half are unrelated in my case - warm top with shorts in autumn, going into winter but bib longs and short sleeved top going winter into spring.
Each to their own. There are no rules, guidelines or opinions any more valid than your own.0 -
tiredofwhiners wrote:
+1
Wear what suits you and pay no attention to condescending piffle from the OP.
Autumn to Winter - my shorts stay in use longer than from Winter to Spring.
Top half and lower half are unrelated in my case - warm top with shorts in autumn, going into winter but bib longs and short sleeved top going winter into spring.
Each to their own. There are no rules, guidelines or opinions any more valid than your own.
In that case, what is the point of a Beginners' forum and why did you offer your opinion?
The OP was offering what he hoped to be useful advice to beginners. I entirely fail to see how doing so is condescending.0 -
Warm fingers and toes are the holy grail.
Coming from a long history of motorcycling (where the effects are amplified) no matter what you do the extremeties will always suffer eventually if you are out long enough.
Keeping the rest of your body warm helps as the body diverts blood flow to keep the core warm if you get cold. This then means your fingers and toes suffer.
Layers seem to be the best approach and several thin layers generally perform better than a single thick one. This approach also gives you the ability to remove/add layers as conditions change, especially if you use thin, light layers than can be easil stashed in pockets when not needed.
For me this means a compression base layer, jersey/arm warmers/gilet or winter jersey and finally a rain cape. I find this allows maximum felxibilty when out and I can store items easily.
For gloves I use a liner and and outer which again means felxibilty for temperatures.Yellow is the new Black.0 -
We're all different, but for me it needs to be close to or below zero degrees before I'd wear bib tights. I do however wear leg warmers and have been doing for the past month or so. I have some lycra leg warmers for not-so-cold days (say >5 degrees) and then some roubaix leg warmers for when it's round 5 degrees. That works for me. To the poster complaining about leg warmers slipping down - either you just have really crap ones or you have ones that are too big.
Top half, I've been wearing a long sleeve baselayer (just a regular weight one, not a warm winter one), short sleeve jersey, arm warmers and a gilet. If it gets a bit warmer then I can remove the gilet and/or arm warmers and stick them in my jersey pocket.
This weekend it's going to be a bit colder (but not really that cold) so I'll be wearing the roubaix leg warmers and if I'm out in the morning I'll probably wear a long sleeve jersey that has some windproof panels on the front. No way will I be wearing a baselayer, another layer and then a jersey as another poster suggested! It'd need to be well below zero before I needed that many layers.
Overshoes are important as well and I've been wearing full finger gloves for a few weeks now. These are just regular lightweight gloves, not full on windproof or waterproof ones.
And I too have been amazed at the number of cyclists I've seen out at weekends in shorts and short sleeve jerseys of late. Around here one of the problems is that it's always much warmer in the city compared to out in the Peaks so some people probably set off thinking it's quite pleasant only to find out it's much colder and windier once they get up into the hills. And I guess then they either turn back or just soldier on and freeze their ass off.More problems but still living....0 -
For me it's arms toes and fingers, so toe caps and gloves with a bass layer under a gillit and shorts, my legs are moving so they generally stay warm, but I agree it's each to their own in matters like this.One plays football, tennis or golf, one does not play at cycling0
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amaferanga wrote:We're all different, but for me it needs to be close to or below zero degrees before I'd wear bib tights. I do however wear leg warmers and have been doing for the past month or so. I have some lycra leg warmers for not-so-cold days (say >5 degrees) and then some roubaix leg warmers for when it's round 5 degrees. That works for me. To the poster complaining about leg warmers slipping down - either you just have really crap ones or you have ones that are too big.
They're Specialized ones, no idea how good they are as I read no reviews/saw no reviews for them. When I got them I just went into a shop said 'they'll do' and parted with some £70 along with some Specialized Arm Warmers too.
They're Large size and as my thighs are pretty big I thought they'd fit me perfectly, or perhaps be a little on the small side. But they just annoy me, my legs get too hot, I hate the effort of putting them on and I hate the horrible sticky bit that has to go against your skin, I just hate them in general.
They may be too big, they may be crap, but even if they were £150 Assos leg warmers and were the correct size I still don't think I'd wear them, they're just not worth the hassle for me personally.
If it gets too cold I just clip on my Bib-Tights and voila.0
