Clothing for the now colder mornings

ridgeway_swiss

I've managed an average of 100km each week since I got my bike almost 4wks ago, not a lot but a good start and I'm enjoying it. Perhaps like many people time availability is a key challenge and I've been overcoming this with early morning rides. This has been good as I use dead time so to speak and also the temperatures have been much more comfortable until this week. Now with colder mornings my bib shorts and cycling shirt isn't enough and I'm wondering what else I should be wearing to keep warm ?

simona75

On some of the cooler mornings I will wear a base layer and some arm warmers. This normally keeps me going until October/November when I switch to Bib tights and, on colder mornings, a jacket. After a while you can normally work out what you need to wear just by taking a brief step outside before heading out

skyd0g

Depending on the temperature where you are, arm-warmers / leg warmers are a good half-way investment, before going on to full-length jerseys or bib-tights.

They have the advantage of being cheaper than jerseys / bib-tights and can be easily taken off & stored in your jersey pockets if the morning warms up.

Bozman

Arm warmers and a lightweight gilet

MichaelW

Armwarmers and legwarmers don't work well for skinny people.
You can use long sleeve jersey or unpadded tights over your shorts. I use either, they work out about the same. These days I prefer tights to keep my knees warm.

Bozman

MichaelW wrote:

Armwarmers and legwarmers don't work well for skinny people.

What do the pros use then?

Schoie81

I wish I had this problem, I can't wait for colder mornings. My legs wont get covered on the bike until it drops below 4 or 5 degrees and I ride with bare arms all year round. Might put some gloves on when it gets proper cold. Only time I'll have a jacket on is if its really cold AND wet!! Much prefer it be too cold than too warm.

slowbike

MichaelW wrote:

You can use long sleeve jersey or unpadded tights over your shorts. I use either, they work out about the same. These days I prefer tights to keep my knees warm.

I prefer to wear the long sleeve jersey on my top half ... I get odd looks if I wear it on my legs!

OP - right now at ~15°C its double short sleeve top, shorts and below the knee leggings. Long sleeves is too warm for me. It'll need to be constantly below 10°C before the tights and long sleeve jerseys go on ... I might try some arm warmers in between...

apreading

If you are too cold already when riding then you arent riding hard enough...!

Schoie81

apreading wrote:

If you are too cold already when riding then you arent riding hard enough...!

That's what I tell people when they question my short sleeves in winter!!

wiganwarriors

Rule 5 applies.

cougie

Schoie81 wrote:

I wish I had this problem, I can't wait for colder mornings. My legs wont get covered on the bike until it drops below 4 or 5 degrees and I ride with bare arms all year round. Might put some gloves on when it gets proper cold. Only time I'll have a jacket on is if its really cold AND wet!! Much prefer it be too cold than too warm.

How far do you ride with short sleeves in winter ?

cougie

MichaelW wrote:

Armwarmers and legwarmers don't work well for skinny people.
You can use long sleeve jersey or unpadded tights over your shorts. I use either, they work out about the same. These days I prefer tights to keep my knees warm.

Prendas do some meraklon armwarmers that stay up much better than some of the slipperier lycra ones.

slowbike

cougie wrote:

Schoie81 wrote:

I wish I had this problem, I can't wait for colder mornings. My legs wont get covered on the bike until it drops below 4 or 5 degrees and I ride with bare arms all year round. Might put some gloves on when it gets proper cold. Only time I'll have a jacket on is if its really cold AND wet!! Much prefer it be too cold than too warm.

How far do you ride with short sleeves in winter ?

All the way to the end?

edhornby

a thin longsleeve baselayer in the morning, in the bag/jersey pocket in the afternoon, easy - but as the others have mentioned, this may be too many layers once you get going, a gilet may be enough and this can be removed once you are starting to overheat

ridgeway_swiss

OK so I'll have a look at some thin under layer vests and also some arm and leg warmers.

It's below 26 degrees here now and gets down to 15 in the mornings, so by British standards that's still summer

Having said that I have always felt that my body takes 20-30 mins to get to temperature when it's cooler and I get a lot of cramp in my calfs at these temps.

I prefer the heat now and was riding 2wks ago in 38 degrees, although it was tough and I had to stop to replenish the water bottle, those times you'd be happy to be the "naked cyclist".....

Schoie81

cougie wrote:

Schoie81 wrote:

I wish I had this problem, I can't wait for colder mornings. My legs wont get covered on the bike until it drops below 4 or 5 degrees and I ride with bare arms all year round. Might put some gloves on when it gets proper cold. Only time I'll have a jacket on is if its really cold AND wet!! Much prefer it be too cold than too warm.

How far do you ride with short sleeves in winter ?

12miles minimum...

socistep

One of my problems is 3 days a week I drive up to nursery, drop my son off and then cycle into Leeds from there for commutes, that involves putting bike on/off the rack, last year I had a rear attached one and I'd find that would make my hands cold doing that and they never recovered fully.

Have a roof rack this year which should be easier, unfortunately no way round it apart from moving house with a closer nursery!

cyberknight

I am carrying arm+legwarmers along with gilet although its been warm enough for just a ss jersey+ shorts even after night shift this last week.

feemackenzie

dhb windslam long sleeve top - awesome investment

apreading

7AM this morning - felt the need for arm warmers to begin with but other than that, normal summer setup. Once I got going plenty warm enough.