Am I layering up incorrectly..........?

crikey · February 2015

Puncture or have a mechanical you will get cold and hypothermia will set it very very quickly

Slightly over estimating the danger of cycling in the UK there....

Strange though it may seem, our hospitals are not full of cyclists who got hypothermia while changing an inner tube.

Jesus wept, cycling used to be for people who could a) dress themselves appropriately and, b) appear reasonably self sufficient when more than 200 yards from a Starbucks with WiFi....

daniel_b · February 2015

itboffin wrote:

i hate the cold so layer up much as you did, usually when its minus temps for that many layers, however i have just one Craft base for the very same reason you've identified, they seem to hold moisture against the skin which after a long ride with a stop is bloody cold. The only other base i've found that does that is the mesh spesh summer long sleeve.

thermal short sleeved base layers for me all the way

Hi ITB,

For some reason I thought you were the kind to go out in minus conditions in summber bib shorts and a short sleeve jersey

Good to know it's not just me then!

That's a bugger re the Craft base layer, kind of wish I had not bought two now.........
And they had such glowing reviews :?
I have some of their bibs, and they are top quality.
I didn't notice that issue with the HH Base layer, so might try that one next weekend instead.
At present all of my weekday training is carried out on the turbo, due to childcare requirements, and fitting sessions in on my lunch hour, or snuck in before dinner etc, so can't risk punctures delaying me.

Interesting call re the jacket - I don't tend to take one (I too have a montane and a similar mavic equivalent) but I can see the sense in it equally.

Shtukka · February 2015

There's certainly a danger in over-layering as you'll sweat and then get cold. I find that it's worth protecting the extremities (ears, fingers, toes) with not too much on the rest of the body. Shorts are often fine in low temperatures, I like a waterproof gilet as a windcheater and light thermal longsleeve.

Sure, you feel the chill when first stepping out, but you want to be at the right temperature when riding.

ai_1 · February 2015

Shtukka wrote:

There's certainly a danger in over-layering as you'll sweat and then get cold. I find that it's worth protecting the extremities (ears, fingers, toes) with not too much on the rest of the body. Shorts are often fine in low temperatures, I like a waterproof gilet as a windcheater and light thermal longsleeve.

Sure, you feel the chill when first stepping out, but you want to be at the right temperature when riding.

I do the opposite. I keep my core warm to ensure adequate circulation to my fingers and toes. When your core temp starts to drop your body responds by restricting circulation to the extremeties (fingers and toes have low volume but lots of surface area so are require disproportionately large amount of energy to keep warm).
I find the best way to keep my fingers and toes warm is to ensure my core is warm while I'm riding. I wear relatively modest gloves and my fingers get a little chilly for the first 10 minutes but then circulation is restored as my body realises I'm not cooling and my hands are fine for the rest of the ride. As noted by others though, there is a problem if you have to stop in the cold and you're sweaty. However I think the comment on hypothermia earlier is a bit over the top for most situations.

tim000 · February 2015

i read a blog by andy kirkpatrick (mountaineer) and he said never wear a waterproof jacket unless there is heavy rain . no matter who breathable the maker say it is there will be moisure build up . so ditch the jacket.

ai_1 · February 2015

tim000 wrote:

i read a blog by andy kirkpatrick (mountaineer) and he said never wear a waterproof jacket unless there is heavy rain . no matter who breathable the maker say it is there will be moisure build up . so ditch the jacket.

Well sure. I would think that's obvious.
But this isn't mountaineering!
If I was out for the day, with the intention of taking breaks and concerned about being stranded, I'd certainly hold back on the raincoat for when it rained. However those criteria do not apply, to me, on winter rides.
I ride non-stop on roads, with a phone. I'm not going to die of hypothermia and I'm not going to be uncomfortable unless I have a highly unusual problem (i.e. not a puncture) that takes 10mins plus to remedy at the side of the road.

daniel_b · February 2015

Morning all,

just wanted to bore you with the fact I went out on Saturday, 2c, stronger winds, but more sunny than they forecast, for just over 50 miles.
Wore the same top layers as the week before, swopped Mavic for Etxeondo bibs (Which I don't think made any difference) but did swap the craft for one of the HH base layers, and I was spot on for the whole ride.
Made sure I unzipped the vents and the main jacket zip if it ever started to feel too warm, and or when ascending, and felt fine if a little chilly when I stopped for some fig rolls, but more importantly was fine on the way back and dry when I got home.

So I guess either the craft does have an issue, or more likely I was just wearing it with too much other kit for the temperature, so perhaps reserved for colder conditions, or to be worn (As already suggested) just under a jacket.

Matthewfalle · February 2015

meanredspider wrote:

I can confidently say I've never worn 5 layers of anything in my entire life. I'm not sure I've even worn 4. And I've ridden down to -11C

This exactly 100% - and I spend more time in the rain and cold than most.

Quite surreal thread.

CYCLESPORT1 · February 2015

"Mavic Echappee Jacket
Offering a balance between warmth, protection and breathability the Mavic Echappee Jacket features a close fitting, elastic soft shell construction for the perfect fast winter riding jacket."

I wish we had that gear when I started in the 70s --- Yes, you should be a warm as toast -- ride faster when wet !

daniel_b · February 2015

CYCLESPORT1 wrote:

"Mavic Echappee Jacket
Offering a balance between warmth, protection and breathability the Mavic Echappee Jacket features a close fitting, elastic soft shell construction for the perfect fast winter riding jacket."

I wish we had that gear when I started in the 70s --- Yes, you should be a warm as toast -- ride faster when wet !

Good advice!

Top jacket by the way CS, I highly recommend one 8)
Snaffled mine for £65 - forearm vents are supoib.

964cup · February 2015

At that temperature I wear either (DHB) Roubaix tights, a long-sleeved merino base layer (On-One or Endura in my case) and a (Rapha) softshell if riding tempo or commuting, or a (Rapha) merino short-sleeved base-layer and a Castelli San Remo thermosuit (basically tights sewn to a long-sleeved Gabba top) if riding threshold, with a (Castelli Sottile Due) rain jacket over the top only until I've warmed up (and to put back on if I stopped for any length of time). I also wear lighter-weight gloves; I have some old Pearl Izumis that I swear by for commuting, and some Castelli Super Nanos for higher-intensity stuff - these are only just warm enough, but you can fit a thin liner underneath if necessary. I find full-winter gloves leave my hands swimming in sweat unless it's zero degrees or below. Same story for shoe covers - Castelli Nanos or a similar thin membrane for anything above 3 degrees; (Endura) neoprene for below (or if it's biblically wet).

nweststeyn · February 2015

nweststeyn wrote:

From temps between 2 degrees and 8 degrees I wear 2 base layers and a jersey. Never a jacket.

Okay so I got caught in a snow storm and had hypothermia. Don't listen to what I said before. Wear a jacket.

Am I layering up incorrectly..........?

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