What are you wearing...
j_mcd
Posts: 473
So, yesterday, not that cold (about 3 degrees) but with the threat of rain (that never materialised). What are people wearing for that kind of conditions? I ended up in three layers (thin base, long sleeved jersey and coat) but it was WAY too much and the coat had to go.
What are you wearing when it's damp and a bit cold?
What are you wearing when it's damp and a bit cold?
Giant Defy Advanced 0 - Best
Planet X London Road - Wet
Montague Fit - Foldy thing that rarely gets used these days
Planet X London Road - Wet
Montague Fit - Foldy thing that rarely gets used these days
0
Posts
Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
Sun - Cervelo R3
Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
That's the Perfetto now isn't it? Quite interested in that but it's almost impossible to find anywhere that have them in stock to try on. The bike shop in Canary Wharf only stocks XXS, XS and S. It's also quite mentally hurtful to buy a bit of clothing that is badged as XXXL!
Planet X London Road - Wet
Montague Fit - Foldy thing that rarely gets used these days
Defeet Dura gloves and toe covers too.
Does me down to about freezing, maybe a bit below.
Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
DHB Aeron Hybrid softshell
either short or long sleeved merino b/s
Rivello 3/4 bibs if above 10c - DHB tights if below
Rapha insulated hat
DHB windslam gloves
Merino buff
I run hot and live around london, so haven’t had to use full gloves for a few years now, I commute in civies only cycling stuff being mitts/helmet.
In cycling gear, at the moment it’s a baselayer and cycling trousers, though I tend to wear the trousers most of the year. I just add more layers, I have a light wind proof jacket if close to zero and/or strong cold wind.
I thought it was just me. It's got to be well below zero for me to be able to wear full finger gloves for a full commute.
Weirdly my hands get cold when just wandering around London. I must just be inefficient and produce too much heat when exercising.
Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
Sun - Cervelo R3
Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
The only time I can recall being cold was on Monday in the Mendips, where my feet froze despite merino socks, I usually have overheating legs (base layer tights plus padded shorts) and/or overheating torso (base layer, Altura Peleton Convert, Dafeet gloves).
2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo
How do you find the hybrid softshell ? Looks good.
It's very very good. In fact it's my favourite jacket (and I have a few!) I've also got the Aeron full protection softshell and the Aeron Roubaix jersey - it's basically the Roubaix jersey but with windproof panels on the body and arms, less insulated than the FPS. This makes it more versatile as you can wear it across a wider range of temperatures simply by changing your baselayer - from ss summer around 10c to LS merino base for 3-4c. Below that I'll be reaching for the FPS probably but only because I have one, sure I could layer up a bit more with the hybrid and be just as toasty.
I am hovever on long sleeve cloves and a cap under the helmet .. but thats because I have not enough hair !
Must have very hairy knees...!
~7 degs - as above, change to LS , LS autumn jersey , SS merino baselayer.
~2 deg - 1/2 summer shorts & endura multisport tights over the top, LS top, long baselayer.
<0 - as above with aldi softshell jacket instead of ls jersey, but boil.
Am considering a windstopper jersey as an xmas present request, see how that fits in.
Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
15°C+ = Bib Shorts, short sleeve jersey, fingerless gloves
10°C to 15°C = Bib Shorts, short sleeve jersey, underarmour vest, fingerless gloves
5°C to 10°C = Bib Shorts, short sleeve jersey, Long sleeve top, underarmour vest, gloves, buff under helmet
-5°C to +5°C = Roubaix Bib Tights (long), DHB Windslam Roubaix Long Sleeve, Long sleeve top, underarmour vest, Lobster gloves, buff under helmet
less than -5°C = Extra thick Roubaix Bib Tights (long), DHB Windslam Roubaix Long Sleeve, Long sleeve top, underarmour vest, wool gloves, Lobster gloves, thermal shoe covers, balaclava.
Lowest temperature I've commuted in was -15°C a couple of years ago. That was pretty cold, added leg warmers to go under the tights with that.
Revolution Courier Race Disc '14
My Strava
It’s even worse now since my new commute is 11 vs 3 miles, so I warm up, this week I’ve overdressed, quite a few times, I also don’t go though Bushy Park early as I once did, which can get quite cold, though parts of Crane Park aren’t far off!
>5: thermal bibshorts, l/s jersey (these days almost exclusively the perfetto l/s)
>3: same, l/s baselayer, plus full fingered gloves and a headband
0: biblongs (if after 1 December)
Cannondale CAADX
Charge Plug 1
Your knees must love you.
But on my Mendips ride on Monday, my legs and torso were fine in the ~5C temps, it was my feet that suffered despite the Aldi merino socks... Warming my feet back up in my post 7-hour ride shower was really painful!
2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo
That could have made the feet worse. I tend to go to longs and winter boots quite early but I do find that if there is a gap between gloves and windproof my hands get cold very quick. Loose that gap and they stay warm no problem. Since I already have knee issues I'm not going to expose my legs to o the cold air and experiment to see if my feet cool down quicker
To be fair the best advice anyone can give here is keep experimenting until you find something that works for you and don't let the calendar dictate what you wear (just the conditions).
Mike
Around 10C - Normal casual cargo shorts, t-shirt, Aldi hi-vis jacket, and Decathlon 700 winter gloves (in the morning). Don't feel cold to start, by the time I finish (50-55min commute), my t-shirt is soaked. I have shower. In the evening, I don't wear the gloves.
Around 5-3C - I wear cheap Decathlon waterproof cycling trousers (the one with overshoes bits), t-shirt, same hi-vis, same winter gloves, and maybe a bike cap under the helmet. Cold to start but quickly warms up in 5-10min. By the time I finish, my t-shirt is soaked, cap a bit wet. Same setting in the evenings.
Are jerseys really better than ordinary 100% cotton t-shirts? I'm being ascrooge by thinking why by clothes that I can only wear whilst cycling when I can just wear something normal (and get soaked, which I don't mind because it dries before I cycle back home)?
2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo
If you don't find the way that a sweaty cotton t-shirt clings to you unpleasant and cold then thats fine. The big advantage of cycling (or even just generic sports clothing) is that even when wet with sweat it keeps your body at a more consistent temperature than a cotton t-shirt will. I used to do exactly the same thing but there is no way I'd even consider doing a short ride now in a cotton t-shirt as the chill down effect and the way it sticks you you when wet is just unpleasant when compared to even the most basic wicking top.
Mike
Yes, but your actual benefits depends. Cotton holds water, which if cools, is then very cold against the skin, and very hard to warm up again. Once soaked, it's abilty to absorb more sweat is significantly reduced, meaning that any more sweat can't evaporate, meaning you can't cool down, so you overheat.
Wicking materials remove the sweat from your skin, moving it away to the outside surface, rather than absorbing it. This means that it leaves space behind for the next bead of sweat, so you can continue to cool down.
Wicking materials significantly reduce the risk of chaffing as well, because it's not wet skin against wet skin/t-shirt.
If you have a wicking baselayer of any form (walking, running etc) , try it out under your t-shirt - your t-shirt is likely to be as wet, if not more so, but you should remain cooler, and more comfortable. You may need to give up the jacket due to the extra layer of insulation.
http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/172 ... -all-lycra
When i started cycling hard as kid on an MTB, I quickly melted, and it ruined my fun. It wasn't until I had my own money and bought a cheap baselayer for winter that I discovered the difference, and haven't looked back since.
I still only cycle to work and back in £7 lidl or aldi cycling tops, and have a merino SS baselayer that I initially bought from TK-Maxx for skiing that's just perfect for weather like today, cost about £9, and a long sleeved polaris loose fit baselayer that I picked up in a charity shop. I've got compression base layers that I've bought or been given, but I just don't get on with them any more.
I look upon all these named brand jerseys in the sales at the moment, and as much as I like the look, I just can't justify them over what I've got.
If you just want to see the difference of a basic jersey, grab a £5 SS cycling top , or £10 LS one (100 series) from Decathlon and put it under your jacket, and see how you feel, but being designed for summer, you might need to actually layer up a bit ( baselayers)
Side note - if its' drizzling out, I can typically get away without a jacket at all, because the jerseys keep the moisture away from me and it evaporates quickly, something I wouldn't consider in a cotton t-shirt due to the cooling effect.
Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
Long cycling leggings if below 5C sometimes, Otherwise normally mtb shorts or lycra shorts
In winter use a lightweight gilet and arm warmers.
I can't wear jackets unless I cycle really slowly as I get to hot. I Carry a ligheweight waterproof jacket in saddle bag to use incase of mechanical/torrential rain.
Have a LS jersey but never wear it as get to hot. Have 4 pairs of armwarmers there easy to take of and put in back jersey pockets