Your under helmet head/face gear?

jonny_trousers
jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
edited November 2013 in Commuting chat
What's your choice for the chillier weather? Right now I'm using a pair of buffs. One to go over neck and lower face, the other to cover my head and ears. That works well enough for now, but as it gets chillier I think I'll need something better for my head. Your recommendations welcomed.
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Comments

  • I use a skull cap and buff, so pretty much the equivalent. To be honest it's served me well down to -8C
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Cotton cap & ear warmer band.

    Below zero the rapha winter hat comes out.
  • I've got a couple of skull caps. a light weight one from Mountain Warehouse & a slightly heavier Polaris one.
    Stops the ice forming on my ears & low profile hair cut.
    I can rinse them & get them dry by the end of the day.

    I've got a couple of buffs, really should try one on a very cold day. Haven't needed one this season yet.
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    I use a skull cap and buff, so pretty much the equivalent. To be honest it's served me well down to -8C

    me too
  • I've used skull caps and buffs which work well but this year I decided to try a balaclava and got to say it's good. I bought this cheapo one from Planet X http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CLR ... _balaclava
    It's quite thin (which I like) but still keeps out the cold and less prone to overheating like the skull cap, only down to about 3'C so far though!
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    At the moment - just one buff - currently up over the head to under the chin.
    Once it gets cold(!) I'll get my other one out with a fleece section - that'll go round my neck.

    It's not got cold enough (down here) to worry about a skullcap - yet ...
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    I have one of these: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear- ... balaclava/

    It hasn't been cold enough for me to bother wearing it since I got it a couple of years ago. I have a Sky/Rapha Belgian cap, and a Buff or two.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,252
    Under helmet cap like this to keep head and ears warm, although I find it blocks my ears a bit too much. Buff to keep my neck warm.
  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    A buff and a skullcap, if it gets really cold I'll get a buffpolar too.
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    what happened to that batch of underhelmet headgear that someone bought last year at great pain and distributed amongst various members? I remember at the time expecting to see dozens of riders all wearing the same thing but i cant ever recall seeing anyone wearing it (ISTR it was quite distinctive) ninja.png
    FCN = 4
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    MTB-Idle wrote:
    what happened to that batch of underhelmet headgear that someone bought last year at great pain and distributed amongst various members? I remember at the time expecting to see dozens of riders all wearing the same thing but i cant ever recall seeing anyone wearing it (ISTR it was quite distinctive) ninja.png
    Yup. SCR Walz caps (fcn-1) That's what I use to stop frost-nip on the earlobes (I kid you not! ). Plus beard (fcn+1, balances it you see...).
    Apart from that you just need a wee dose of MTFU, unless maybe you are somewhere really cold?

    Cheers,
    W.
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Is OP in the same "SE London" that I commute from / to every day? In which case, double buffing it seems a bit like overkill! I'm wearing a casquette at the moment, plenty warm enough.
  • BigMat wrote:
    Is OP in the same "SE London" that I commute from / to every day? In which case, double buffing it seems a bit like overkill! I'm wearing a casquette at the moment, plenty warm enough.
    +1

    If you're cold you're not trying hard enough ;)
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    I have that Walz cap as well, but I found the ear/neck cover part wasn't very good. I'm mostly interested in ear coverage, cause I often get earache in the cold. Currently using a Castelli headband.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • I too am double buffing but there have been a couple of mornings where I have substituted one normal thin buff for a merino one, which is quite a bit warmer (although probably not as warm as the fleece ones). I have got a skull cap by Fusion, which is a reasonably warm fleecy material with a windproof area on the front but this is for very cold days as i tend to sweat a lot anyway.
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Walz cap for me, with a buff over the neck bit to keep it under control and also for some facial coverage when required.
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    unshaven face but not beard, Rapha merino buff and Rapha wool winter hat and a shed load of MTFU
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Under helmet eh... Emotive language there. Hope this isn't another helmet thread by the back door :-)

  • Below zero the rapha winter hat comes out.

    Yes, burning money can keep you quite warm.

    Cotton cap, if you need a buff in this weather you really need MTFC.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • BigMat wrote:
    Is OP in the same "SE London" that I commute from / to every day? In which case, double buffing it seems a bit like overkill! I'm wearing a casquette at the moment, plenty warm enough.

    I commute at night, but it's probably no colder than daytime riding at the moment. Tonight I wore both buffs, a short sleeve base layer, a long sleeve thermal top, a merino jersey, a wind proof jacket, two pairs of gloves, bib shorts, roubaix leg warmers and overshoes. I was toasty warm :)

    I do appreciate that real men shave their legs and wear shorts and short sleeves, but I'd rather give in to my feminine side and stay warm.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    What's your choice for the chillier weather? Right now I'm using a pair of buffs. One to go over neck and lower face, the other to cover my head and ears. That works well enough for now, but as it gets chillier I think I'll need something better for my head. Your recommendations welcomed.
    What the hell is it with Londoners? It was -4 when I set of yesterday and I feel over dressed when I get into town and see people still cycling with shorts on.
  • What's your choice for the chillier weather? Right now I'm using a pair of buffs. One to go over neck and lower face, the other to cover my head and ears. That works well enough for now, but as it gets chillier I think I'll need something better for my head. Your recommendations welcomed.
    What the hell is it with Londoners? It was -4 when I set of yesterday and I feel over dressed when I get into town and see people still cycling with shorts on.

    What is it with northerners who feel being cold is a sign of manliness? ;)

    I should probably add that I spent the first 19 years of my life on Teeside and I have Scottish blood coursing through my veins. I have gone soft since moving to London, though, and now use toilet paper, eat with a knife and fork and have even been known to make use of electric lighting.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    edited November 2013
    It's noticeable warmer when you reach the city.

    This year I'm rocking a buff for neck and face then a craft cap for my head and ears. Like having the peak.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/craft-winter-bike-cap/
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    I have some skull caps but find them less effective than buffs. I usually use either two standard buffs or one polartec for the neck and a standard for my head. If it gets colder, I have a combined fleece, standard one that works pretty well for full covering.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • kieranb
    kieranb Posts: 1,674
    cotton cap at the moment, buff will come out later. Saw some one in shorts and t-shirt today (no gloves) !
  • I have a variety of Buffs and skull caps. The problem I have with skull caps is that whilst they are all very warm they are also very noisy and isolate me too much from the environment around me. For this reason I prefer the much softer buff, which also doesn't seem to overheat quite so much.

    Oh, and a buff around the neck and, on sub zero days, two of them turned into a balaclava.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
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  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Buff (merino) and one of the wooly winter Walz caps, working so far!
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • Odd this morning - said it was 3C but I was definitely colder cycling in. I wish I'd used the buff as well as the cap.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Couldnt find my buff this morning, although i didnt really need it.

    Will also ditch the baselayer for the home leg.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills