It's now down from normal low of about 30F to 20F. Ride is only about 5 miles. Nice and comfy the first four miles.
It was only 22F at end of ride, but way way too warm. Unzipped windbreaker and fleece and still a bit too warm.

How do you keep from freezing at beginning and roasting at end without stopping to drop layers? Or do I have to
plan to stop and drop a layer?

i find the combo of an under armour coldgear mock top and my cannondale LE jacket to be perfect for those temps down to about 15F. i'm cool but not cold.

I do a thin wool with a thicker wool sweater over the top. Today was pushing 30 coming in so just a poly longsleve under med wool. Wasn't too hot, wasn't too cold. My hands got a little too warm but they were easily vented through the convertible tops.

Here in NYC it's been down in the low 20's to teens on several occasions over the last 2-3 weeks or so. I wear a long-sleeve polypropylene jersey over a short-sleeve coolmax jersey with a GoreTex soft-shell windstopper jacket on top. I can undo the zippers if I need to cool down and the jacket has armpit zippers for more ventilation if needed. On the bottom I wear a double-layer Craft bib tight which is good even down into the single digits. Lobster gloves, balaclava, and very thick neoprene and fleece booties finish out the way-below-freezing package.

The key to dressing for extreme cold is layers of technical fabrics and/or wool with absolutely NO COTTON. If you are warm when you start off you are wearing too much and will be way too hot once you get into your ride. I like to dress so that I am cold-but-not-freezing when I start off. Then I am usually pretty perfect as I get going and warm up.

Good luck.

OK call me chilly-willie. I have not been able to consistently do a 20-30mi run in 20F temps without overheating or freezing. What works one time, seems to fail the next.

Scraped the Armour Coldgear for winter... it put the moisture outside the shirt but the next layer didn't seem to pick it up. So...the freeze happened at stop lights.

Currently trying 2 wool layers over that Marmot Softshell. Core is good, but cold feet (even with the winter boot, 1 wool pair and 1 poly sock - and wiggle room).

I must be loosing too much heat through the poly balcava and fleece liner.

wool base layer moderates all that.

The general rule is that you should be chilly for the first 15 minutes or so on your bicycle when you are cycling in sub-freezing temps.

If you are warm during those first 15 minutes, you're wearing too much and you'll be too hot later. If you are cold during those first 15 minutes and you are still cold as the ride progresses, you haven't worn enough.

Dressing in removable layers can fix the first problem, and bringing a few extra items of clothing with you can fix the second problem.


However, I've found that if the ride is really short (like maybe only 30 minutes), I'll dress to be warm the whole time, and then I'll unzip as necessary toward the end of the ride.

If you are only over-warm for a mile ... just keep doing what you're doing. You'll only be a little bit uncomfortable for a few minutes anyway.

If you were doing longer rides, I'd suggest starting out with one less layer (but bring it with you, just in case).

if i'm not sure, i'll just bring a lightweight backpack. with heavier clothes on, i hardly even notice it's there. that way, i can easily take off layers and carry them if i need to.

I try to start off warm -- get dressed, and then do 20 pushups before going outside.

I think you are wearing at least one layer too much. I always start out cold and expect to be comfortable at the halfway point. At warmer temperatures (30s), I'll often arrive at work with my coat completely unbuttoned and gloves in my pockets.

Paul

I wear just enough to keep me warm after the first few miles then after I am warmed up I open the ten vents on my Giro Ravine snow sports helmet. It has ten vents that can be opened and closed while I am riding by pushing a switch at the top of the helmet and it works great. I wear a Biemme Windstopper soft shell jacket, Patagonia Capilene long sleeve top and a sweatshirt over it. If it gets very cold and windy I use a Thinsulate liner instead of the sweatshirt over the Capilene top. I use Scott Tinley by Performance tights that I purchased in the early 80's that are perfect for winter biking and GORE-TEX boots with 1200 gram Ultra Thinsulate that keep my feet nice and warm. I have lightweight Manzella Windstopper gloves when its above 30 deg and Grandoe GORE-TEX Ski gloves when its under 30. If I need something warmer I have lightweight Goose Down mittens that I use with a pair of wool liner gloves. I like winter biking better than summer biking when its hot out.

It's now down from normal low of about 30F to 20F. Ride is only about 5 miles. Nice and comfy the first four miles.
It was only 22F at end of ride, but way way too warm. Unzipped windbreaker and fleece and still a bit too warm.

How do you keep from freezing at beginning and roasting at end without stopping to drop layers? Or do I have to
plan to stop and drop a layer?
For a real short ride like that (and like my commute, and runs to the store, etc.), I just plan not to be so comortable.

I can stand almost anything for 15 minutes. :)

You could end up spending more time geting ready for the ride than you do riding!

Anyone have any idea how much extra heat a bava traps. I usually stop for a light 1/2 way thru the ride. I could easily ditch the bava then. Right now I plan to experiment and try droping it tomorrow, if the red light cooperates and we don't have snow in forecast for evening.

A balaklava traps a LOT of extra heat. You lose a lot of heat through your neck and head. Get one from underamour. I have 2 and they're pretty nice, the mouth portion folds down so it's convertible.
I warm up in about 5-10 min so its not a prob.
If I were you, I'd wear my shorts with knee/leg warmers, then wear a tight over that, wear a long sleeve wicking shirt, then wear a softshell, preferably windproof with pitzips so you can vent. You'll be set.

Zippers work the best. Wear a shell with a full length zipper over an insulating layer with a full length zipper.

A balaklava traps a LOT of extra heat. You lose a lot of heat through your neck and head. Get one from underamour. I have 2 and they're pretty nice, the mouth portion folds down so it's convertible.

Hey slvoid, can you hear through those? I have a 'clava from Nashbar that does a good job keeping my face from freezing, but it drives me crazy because I can't hear so well. I cut ear holes, which helps, but they move when I go to look over the shoulder. They also kind of defeat the purpose of the 'clava.

I used to start cold and then just warm up. Over time i figured out that it is much more comfortable to stop and shed this or shed that. I do it just about every day. Takes about 1 minute or less out of the ride.

I put racks and trunk bags on my mountain bikes for this very reason. Now I am comfortable through all of the ride now, without being cold at the start.

Hey slvoid, can you hear through those? I have a 'clava from Nashbar that does a good job keeping my face from freezing, but it drives me crazy because I can't hear so well. I cut ear holes, which helps, but they move when I go to look over the shoulder. They also kind of defeat the purpose of the 'clava.

Oh hell yea, I hear about 4x better with it cause it blocks out the wind, I don't hear ANY wind at all, even a 15mph head wind is completely silent and I can hear everything around me.

I used to start cold and then just warm up. Over time i figured out that it is much more comfortable to stop and shed this or shed that. I do it just about every day. Takes about 1 minute or less out of the ride.

I put racks and trunk bags on my mountain bikes for this very reason. Now I am comfortable through all of the ride now, without being cold at the start.


I do the same thing for a slightly different reason. My problem is that I rarely can hit the what should I wear in what temps mark. Plus, my commute spans 30+ miles and the temps tend to vary. So, I opt to be warm with many thin layers and an extra layer in my panniers. Then I shed or add layers as needed.

I usually have to shed a layer and get out the sunscreen

Hey slvoid, can you hear through those? I have a 'clava from Nashbar that does a good job keeping my face from freezing, but it drives me crazy because I can't hear so well. I cut ear holes, which helps, but they move when I go to look over the shoulder. They also kind of defeat the purpose of the 'clava.


I once wore my balaclava through the whole second day of a 600K brevet ... despite the fact that the temperature on that second day finally warmed up to a reasonable 10C/50F ... because the balaclava blocked the wind noise. It was just howling out there and I couldn't stand it anymore, so even though I was overheating a bit, the noiseblocking feature was wonderful!

I will often wear a headband over my ears, even on quite warm days, to block the wind noise.

....At 20F, Machka finally gives in and puts on a long sleeve jersey...

....At 20F, Machka finally gives in and puts on a long sleeve jersey...

While pedaling in 5" of snow, in the dark, at the same time. :)

While pedaling in 5" of snow, in the dark, at the same time. :)
. . . For 400 miles in 24 hours, catching 40 winks on the bike, coasting down a long hill. . . .

20 degrees? That's shorts and t-shirt (ok, maybe a long sleeve shirt) weather here! :D

....At 20F, Machka finally gives in and puts on a long sleeve jersey....

While pedaling in 5" of snow, in the dark, at the same time.

. . . For 400 miles in 24 hours, catching 40 winks on the bike, coasting down a long hill. . . .


:lol:

You guys should come riding with me some time ........ it's fun!! :D Trust me!! :D

There's something wonderous and inspiring when riding on fresh snow in the dark. So tranquil...with the sound of SNOWMOBILES in the distance! :D

Today was the coldest of the season here in the northeast and another day to test and tweak my setup before winter gets here. The only problem I had today was my Uvex Supersonic S goggles started to fog up with my Polar Wrap mask so I switched to a balaclava and North Face sunglasses.

20 degrees? That's shorts and t-shirt (ok, maybe a long sleeve shirt) weather here! :D
The Soo! My spiritual home! Actually, I've posted here about the Soo. It's great to hear from somebody up there. Michigan or Ontario?

Edit: Just noticed your sig that you're in Mich. My mother's family is from Pickford, just south of you. I visit there pretty often, summer and winter. God it's wonderful!

:lol:

You guys should come riding with me some time ........ it's fun!! :D Trust me!! :D
I'd love to but you'd drop me so hard I'd bounce all the way across the tundra. Are those pictures from this year already?

:lol:

You guys should come riding with me some time ........ it's fun!! :D Trust me!! :D

Nice ride photos, what are you wearing on your hands?
Just because of those photos I think I have to take the day off tomorrow and ride in the snow. :)

I'd love to but you'd drop me so hard I'd bounce all the way across the tundra. Are those pictures from this year already?

Drop ~ US ~ not just you! :)

I'd love to but you'd drop me so hard I'd bounce all the way across the tundra. Are those pictures from this year already?

:lol:

No, those are from January 2004 in Manitoba. I've moved to Alberta now and we have hardly any snow right now, which is fine too, as far as I'm concerned.

Nice ride photos, what are you wearing on your hands?
Just because of those photos I think I have to take the day off tomorrow and ride in the snow. :)


Ski gloves ... from Canadian Tire ... like I've suggested to just about everyone!! :D They're great!!

i can regulate my temp pretty easily by opening the pitzips on my jacket as needed. it's a schoeller soft shell that makes regulating temp in any weather far easier than i've experienced with any other jacket and layer combination.

2 - spandex - fleece - wind braker shell <--- that is the one that goes away first.


I like SOME air flowing through the layers so to push the moisture away.

Great photos, Machka!

I usually have to shed my neck gaiter after 15 minutes or so. And then after about 45 minutes, I let the zippers of my jacket(s) out a bit. You should be cool when you start out. It helps to warm up in the house beforehand (pushups or jumping up and down), then it's not too cold when I go out.

Dressing like you would be cross country skiing is a better rule of thumb than dressing like you'd be downhill skiing.

If I were you, I'd wear my shorts with knee/leg warmers, then wear a tight over that, wear a long sleeve wicking shirt, then wear a softshell, preferably windproof with pitzips so you can vent. You'll be set.

wearing wicking material in winter is as important as in warm weather.

if you're wearing a sweatshirt or fleece over cotton t-shirt layers, it's easy to fall into that trap of zipping up, getting too hot, unzipping and having the sweat freeze up, then you zip up and the cycle repeats.

i commute about 8 miles each way (and ride almost everywhere else, too) and ride throughout the year. i find that wearing a wicking base layer, a light insulating layer and a wind-breaking shell with ventilation does it for me, even down to very cold temperatures. i'll usually add arm warmers when it's under 30.

i have three pair of gloves. pearl izumi leather palm gloves, which are usually saved for high 30s and up. the PI amFib gloves are for the 25-35 range. when it's below 25, i add a pair of northface glove liners underneath my amFib gloves. with the liners and the big gloves, my hands are never cold, and frequently get a little too warm.

on my feet, i wear two pair of socks, usually a wicking cycling sock covered by a thicker wool sock.

on my head, i wear a regular winter hat under my helmet. when it's really cold out, i add either a pearl izumi balaclava or just a PI skull cap under my regular winter hat.

also, when it's really cold (and depending on what pants i'm wearing), i'll add leg warmers that cover the knee to ankle. if i'm commuting to work, i'm probably wearing jeans and probably rolling them up to avoid hitting the chain.

nothing worse than rolling your pants legs up, then riding on slightly wet roads. your legs get wet and freeze quickly.

Dressing like you would be cross country skiing is a better rule of thumb than dressing like you'd be downhill skiing.


Right. My winter cycling outfit and my cross-country skiing outfit are pretty much the same. In fact, on the day the photos I posted above were taken, a friend and I did a little informal winter "triathlon". We snowbiked for a while, and then put on the skies and cross-country skied for a while. We managed to get lost doing that, night fell, we found our way to a building with lights on which was situated on a road ... and then we walked back. So ours was a bike-ski-hike event! :D

Today it dropped to 5 below zero and broke the old record of 3 above set in 1958. It was no big deal since I did not get to ride today until noon time and by then it was in the low 20's. We are getting snow changing to rain then back to snow in the next two days. :(

Right. My winter cycling outfit and my cross-country skiing outfit are pretty much the same. In fact, on the day the photos I posted above were taken, a friend and I did a little informal winter "triathlon". We snowbiked for a while, and then put on the skies and cross-country skied for a while. We managed to get lost doing that, night fell, we found our way to a building with lights on which was situated on a road ... and then we walked back. So ours was a bike-ski-hike event! :D

You've got to love those winter triathalons! ;)