Commuting - Multiyear commuters - does your clothing @ temp XYZ change over time?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I thought I had this what clothing to wear at a given temperature all nicely figured out.

The problem I'm having is what was nice and comfy last year, is way too warm this year and I have to rebuild my list of what clothing to wear at temps XYZ. My speed is only about 1 mph above last year and so I am surprised how much warmer I am.

The temps I am having most trouble with right now are 45..50F. It's too cool for gloves only, and too warm for windbreaker, even with all the zips open. Urgggggggg.

At those temps, I'm wearing wool and am neither hot nor cold.

Don't forget humidity - 50 degrees and humid feels much warmer than 50 degrees, dry, and windy.

duh, humidity in am is usually between 50 and 66%. By afternoon it drops to 30-40%

I think in layers. At <60F, I wear a long sleeve under armor type shirt and put a jersey over that. I put leg warmers on when the temps are in the low to mid 40s, and I'll usually pull out the gloves with fingers. As it gets colder, I add layers.

It does get a little nutty trying to figure out what to wear in Fall and Spring when you don't quite know what the weather is going to do

You have had 40 and 50 deg days already? I am sorry! I am sitting in my shorts and no shirt, sweating right now.

I like your opening question, because my approach has changed every year. I find different weights of wool (water repellent, breathable) have solved my temp challenge. I think I have settled though, on wicking shirts, wool sweater and a wind blocking jacket from REI. I rode that down to 7 deg F and was never cold. Fingers are another um... post.

Wicking layers have always saved me. From hot days in Okinawa to cooler night in South Carolina. Wick the sweat away and get some cover from the wind/sun. No matter what happens you still have to change at work.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I thought I had this what clothing to wear at a given temperature all nicely figured out.

The problem I'm having is what was nice and comfy last year, is way too warm this year and I have to rebuild my list of what clothing to wear at temps XYZ.

... too cool for gloves only, and too warm for windbreaker, even with all the zips open. Urgggggggg.

It probably means that your circulation is soooo much better than last year. Dude! You *have* arrived!

For 40-45F, you can try a thin long sleeve duo-fold shirt or UnderArmour shirt. Then layer UNDER. That is add a set of arm warmers and a chest warmer if necessary.

You can make very light wt arm warmers from worn out synthetic knee socks (just cut off the feet). For the chest warmer, just cut a square of that windproof fabric and hang it around your neck - under the shirt.

EDITED: Was giving out the swatches... Sorry, I gave away the last of my extra windproof fabric.... :)

As the season starts, 40 F calls for my Gortex overcoat and gloves. However, a few months into the winter, I'll ditch the gloves and overcoat at 40 F unless there is precip. One time, toward the end of last winter, I was in a hurry and didn't bother to check the temperature before running out the door for the ride home. I left all my gear on the bike's rack and rode home in my suit and tie, thinking it was about 40. It felt a little cool -- still, I was amazed to arrive home and find it was well below freezing.

I assume my metabolism goes through some sort of seasonal adjustment.

Paul

I find that sleevless tops offer some good fine tuning. Sleeveless windproofs (gillets) are excellent in mid-range temps.

I'm constantly changing what I wear from year to year (during the winter anyway, my summer stuff is pretty consistent). I've gone from lobster gloves, to regular gloves, to mittens with gortex shells, to neoprene gloves,to climbing glove shells with wool liners, and I'm not sure what I'm going to wear this year. Same sort of process for footwear and head gear. Jackets are more consistent mostly 'cause they seem to last longer and cost more. And I would love to find some glasses or goggles that work for really cold days, so I'm always getting those and trying them out.
I think winter riding clothes will always be a little different from year to year.
Cheers, Dave

I rode that down to 7 deg F and was never cold. Fingers are another um... post.

Fingers nice and toasty at that temp with black diamond gloves :D

I'm a fan of flexibility. So I have leg and arm warmers, a jacket with removable sleeves, neoprene shoes "toasties" (easy to stash in a jersey pocket), as well as a long sleeve jersey with a built-in hood. Lots of adjustability, eh? :) It's all very handy for those long recreational and group rides that start in the early AM, too. Also, I like to compare against what I wore "yesterday".

...The temps I am having most trouble with right now are 45..50F. It's too cool for gloves only, and too warm for windbreaker, even with all the zips open. Urgggggggg.

Try arm warmers and a vest for that temperature range.

The problem I'm having is what was nice and comfy last year, is way too warm this year and I have to rebuild my list of what clothing to wear at temps XYZ. My speed is only about 1 mph above last year and so I am surprised how much warmer I am.
I don't have that problem, because I have to dress for large temperature swings between the morning and the afternoon. In the "winter" it can be about 35 F in the morning when I leave the house, and about 70 F when I head home after work.

One time in January when we had warm Santa Ana winds, it was 70 F (!) when I left my house in the dark morning. As I got closer to work, away from the warming of the winds, it got cooler and cooler. When I finally got to work, which is in a protected valley close to the coast, it was 35 F!

try a jacket made of Schoeller Dryskin, an amazing softshell fabric. Great weather shedding, and wide temperature range of comfort. Layer with thin wool underneath. My commute clothes have changed over the years in that I wear the waterproofs a lot less, and wear more wool. No more capilene for me, thanks.

The trick is to layer it up, forget about what temps to remove or don clothing, you should adjust your insulation in response to the way you feel, and aviod over heating at all costs, it's better to be slightly on the cool side and pedal harder to stay warm than to be too hot.

could the people who wear wool comment on the itch-factor for those of us (me) who are thinking of it? wool drives me mental in my regular life, so the thought of wearing it near even slightly sweaty skin makes me shriek and claw at myself. has anyone found it a problem?

I don't like stopping to take layers off. It can confuse drivers. The arm warmers work well because arms don't seem to get overheated. The homemade fleece ones work well and when I arrive, I slide one inside the other so they don't get lost.

Hope this helps.

I like wool, but often wear a thin long sleeve sort of liner shirt under it. My favorite is a silk one, but there's lots of stuff. I remember seeing something called armor-all or some such at the sporting goods store that looked like a good wool liner possibility.

The new wool doesn't itch at all. Smartwool, Ibex, Icebreaker. Try it.

could the people who wear wool comment on the itch-factor for those of us (me) who are thinking of it? wool drives me mental in my regular life, so the thought of wearing it near even slightly sweaty skin makes me shriek and claw at myself. has anyone found it a problem?

No itching with Smartwool or Merino.

Best stuff ever for riding in lower temps, and in temps that are variable.

I change around every year. Mosyly my clothes get bikier. This winter I will try longsleeve wicking base, polar fleece top and water resistant shell. I haven't decided on bottom half yet.

Every year I ride, I use lighter clothing for the same temps. Overall, my body is more comfortable on the heat and cold when I spend a lot of time outdoors.

The new wool doesn't itch at all. Smartwool, Ibex, Icebreaker. Try it.

ooooo. thanks.

You have had 40 and 50 deg days already? I am sorry! I am sitting in my shorts and no shirt, sweating right now.

I like your opening question, because my approach has changed every year. I find different weights of wool (water repellent, breathable) have solved my temp challenge. I think I have settled though, on wicking shirts, wool sweater and a wind blocking jacket from REI. I rode that down to 7 deg F and was never cold. Fingers are another um... post.

We should have had a hard freeze by now. In fact our temperatures are currently running around 10 to 15F higher than normal. "Normal" for September should be 35F in morning and around 70F in the afternoon.

I want it to freeze because I'm tired of picking raspberries!

Try arm warmers and a vest for that temperature range.

Yup! That is what I use (along with Knee warmers) and find it just perfect for 10 miles in. As it gets even cooler, I will add a polypro shirt under my jersey.