What gear shall I get for the winter?

lukebennett

Hi, i'm nee to road biking, and i've just bought myself a specialized allez 2013. But I don't have any gear to go riding in really, I have running shorts, t-shirt and a coat. But was wondering if there is any gear you could recommend for the winter as I can imagine I may get pretty cold in my t-shirt and shorts.

Thanks
Luke

diamonddog

Bib tights £30 upwards, Aldi winter jacket (Excellent coat if you can get one) £15, Full finger gloves £10 upwards and warm socks various prices. Think this is a double post.

dnwhite88

Lots of thin layers works best rather than one heavy coat, look for things that say wind proof on. For autumn when the mornings are a bit cool but it warms up later I use arm warmers and a gilet and sometimes knee warmers. For winter a long sleeve base layer and soft shell jacket with roubaix tights overshoes and gloves. Oh, and a skull cap to keep ears and head warm. If you take your cycling seriously it's worth investing in some cycling specific gear.

cougie

Nip down to Aldi and see what kit they have there.

Youll also need overshoes I reckon - what shoes do you cycle in ?

nochekmate

Winter riding requires some quality gear if it's to be vaguely enjoyable!

Agree with previous posters. A decent cycling jacket is essential as are some decent gloves. Overshoes are often a necessity as is a buff or skull cap. Never been to Aldi for my gear (and no intention of doing so either) so perhaps not best qualified to comment on their stuff but like many things in life you often get what you pay for and the old adage of 'buy cheap, buy twice' may apply.

My winter clothing items are not cheap but I don't like working out on the turbo unless there's ice around so therefore am happy to pay a premium for clothing that allows me to take on the elements through what can seem like a very long period of time.

keef66

Bare minimum I'd say are:

Bib tights, thermal / roubaix type fabric if you're planning on riding right through the winter
Thermal / Merino socks (I swear by Woolie Boolies) and shoes big enough to accommodate them
Windproof top of some kind. You can layer up beneath this depending on temps.
Windproof / insulated gloves
Couple of Buffs; one for head / ears, the other for neck / lower face. (or one thin hat plus a Buff)

Neoprene overshoes also make the whole winter riding experience a lot more tolerable
Clear glasses also help stop my eyes streaming when it's really cold.

And some decent lights if you're out in bad weather / anything but broad daylight.

Edit: Oh, and some mudguards if you can fit them

cougie

nochekmate wrote:

Winter riding requires some quality gear if it's to be vaguely enjoyable!

Never been to Aldi for my gear (and no intention of doing so either) so perhaps not best qualified to comment on their stuff but like many things in life you often get what you pay for and the old adage of 'buy cheap, buy twice' may apply.

I've got Rapha kit and Assos kit - and you get far better value for money from the Aldi kit. I can't tell what jacket I'm wearing to be honest. It just has to keep the cold out and fit you. My aldi jacket functions as well as the Rapha softshell but doesn't look quite as cool.

lukebennett

cougie wrote:

Nip down to Aldi and see what kit they have there.

Youll also need overshoes I reckon - what shoes do you cycle in ?

I currently cycle in any old trainers I can find. But they just won't do really as I just went for a ride on my mountain bike and There was water inside swishing all about haha. What would you recommend for riding in the rain as well?

arran77

Try and get yourself some proper cycling shoes, even if you don't go clip less they will be better than trainers, also get yourself some overshoes to keep feet warm / dry, a good jacket like others have said will be useful for the rain as well as the cold

jaxf

Even with overshoes, water will run down your legs, so you will always experience that water swishing around feeling. Stuffing your shoes with newspaper when you get back helps dry them faster. Always wear your glove cuffs over the top of your jacket so that rain doesn't seep in. Unless its really cold, I just wear cheap running gloves under my regular cycling gloves, but when it gets cold AND wet, and it does in the mountains, you'd pay anything you have, sell all you own, and slaughter your first born for waterproof gloves.

You don't say where you are, so no idea how inclement your winter weather is.

Layering, and waterproof/windproof clothing are the keys to enjoying winter riding.
A cap under your helmet keeps your head more toasty, and stops the rain running into your eyes.

Me - I love Assos and Rapha - like the clever man said, buy cheap, buy twice. But that only counts for the outside/contact point stuff, I'd pay as little as possible for base layers.

Monty Dog

Winter riding, regardless of weather is about staying warm, but you are likely to get wet. Keeping the extremities warm e.g. good gloves and overshoes makes it a lot more tolerable. There isn't a waterproof jacket IME that keeps you 'dry' when working hard i.e. you generate too much heat / sweat for any breathable fabric to cope. You do need to layer-up - getting it right usually means leaving the house feeling a little bit underdressed, but you'll soon warm-up.

overlord2

Monty Dog wrote:

getting it right usually means leaving the house feeling a little bit underdressed, but you'll soon warm-up.

Been there and done that. Feeling 'over' dressed in winter won't kill you, however 'under' dressed will.

Best advise is gauge what the weather is going to be like and don't stray far away into the middle of beyond so if things start to go bad you can get home. I usually say in bad weather if I can't get home in 30 minutes im too far out.

I've been close to hypothermic on a bike and it's not fun getting home in tears.

MichaelW

Winter footwear needs room for thicker socks, pref wool-rich ones. Most cycling footwear is heavily vented for hot summer and people put neoprene over the top. You really need un-vented waterproof boots. Winter cycling boots are expensive and often overkill for typical cold, damp days.
Aldi stuff is very effective and good value. Go Outdoors is good value for general outdoor gear.
You need a waterproof and a separate windproof to be worn when there is no rain.

For layering, you don't need cycle-specific base-layers with pockets and zips, a basic wicking T shirt will do.
Use a shell outer layer.
Add midlayers to suit, light fleece, woollen sweaters, extra cycling jerseys.
Carry extra clothing for stops. You can throw an insulated gillet over your windproof and remove it easily.
I use Ron Hills over padded cycling shorts. Bibs suit some body types better. Padded longs still need washing after every ride, padded shorts and unpadded longs are easier to manage.
Arm and leg warmers work best in highly variable conditions.

cougie

Monty Dog wrote:

You do need to layer-up - getting it right usually means leaving the house feeling a little bit underdressed, but you'll soon warm-up.

+1 to this. But always take an extra jacket in your pocket. Whats fine when you are riding isn't enough if you have a mechanical and have to stop to fix something. Also if you have any long descents around - its good to have the possibility of an extra layer.

robbo2011

Yes, descents are always the problem in the winter. On the climbs, if you wrap up warm, you get hot and sweaty and then on the descents if you are too sweaty, you freeze. A light, windproof shell for the descents is the best way to counter this I have found, but you must take if off as soon as the effort starts again or you become soaked with sweat.