Just fyi I live in Fairfield. I usually ride in napa, solano and yolo counties. This will be my first winter riding so I started researching winter riding clothes. I'm finding that there are sooo many choices and I don't want to waste money doing the trial and error method. The cheapest route seems to be base layer(wool or some nike drifit type material), arm/leg warmers, shoe/toe covering, skullcap, gloves. do i really need to spend $200+ on a winter riding jacket or full length riding bibs? what kind of things have you found that work best for this area? should i get a windbreaker vest or full length arms? how well do rain jackets work for keeping out wind/cold?

If it's cold wear a sweater. I bet you already have one.

It doesn't get so cold here that you need much after you get moving. I mostly worry about windproof and breathable for my winter riding gear.

What gear you need depends a lot on your "natural insulation" and also on how fast and long you are riding. For recreational riding, you probably do not need the most expensive high-tech gear. A wind breaker over a long sleeve jersey is surprisingly warm if you are pedaling hard.

arm warmers,leg/knee warmers, and a jacket. it's CA, that's all you'll ever need

What gear you need depends a lot on your "natural insulation" and also on how fast and long you are riding. For recreational riding, you probably do not need the most expensive high-tech gear. A wind breaker over a long sleeve jersey is surprisingly warm if you are pedaling hard.


I usually wear a "sports" long sleeve under-jersey, under my top, and a light wind shirt pull-over if it's chilly. If it's real cold, long-fingered gloves and knickers, too.

I don't think you need the uber-high tech stuff, but I have found it useful to have a jacket that's windproof in front and breathable in back. Same thing for tights. Windbreakers and rain jackets don't breathe, and if you're climbing you'll heat up too much. Whatever you get, make sure you can open and close the zipper on the jacket easily - you might be hot as you crest the hill, but going down the other side gets cold really quickly!

I wouldn't bother getting bib tights with a chamois and all - just get normal tights that go over your shorts. I have three pairs of tights - thin lycra, good into the high 40s, heavier windproof tights for below that, and for REALLY cold, polypro tights to wear under the windfront tights. I think I used that combo only once.

Toe booties are useful down to around 45 degrees, as are glove liners under regular fingerless gloves. Below that, I use full booties and full-finger gloves. And if it gets REALLY cold, I wear the liners under the full finger gloves. And wool socks under the booties.

For my head, I have a polypro skullcap and a fleece earwarmer/headband. For REALLY cold, I have a polypro balaclava.

Then there's rain. :rolleyes:

If it is not really cold or raining, then use a wind vest instead of a full wind jacket. A vest keeps the wind off your torso, but gives you plenty of breathability. Unzip it a little for extra ventilation on climbs. If you never ride in below freezing weather or in cold rain, a vest over a thermal jersey may be all you need.

I REALLY like the sleeveless wool V-neck sweaters as a layer between my jersey and jacket. If it's raining, you might want some waterproof tights, and a way to keep your feet dry can make a huge difference. I got a Pearl Izumi skull cap that also covers my ears.

I have a wind and rain-proof jacket and the sleeves unzip, making it a vest. Very convenient.

I wear booties and long-fingered gloves because my toes and fingers get (and stay) cold. I have nice supplex tights to wear over my regular cycling shorts. I tend to dress in layers, so I'll have a sports bra, jersey, tech shirt if necessary, jacket. One of my skull caps is wool/cotton, it's warm and itchless.

I like winter riding, except for the rain. I like having to work up a sweat, as opposed to doing nothing and sweating. :eek:

Wind/rain proof breathable jersey-like full-zip "jacket" from REI. Plus a Craft sleeveless baselayer.

Wind/rain proof booties (Like Amphib Pearl Izumis)

That's it.

I even still use shorts. I ride pretty hard, so I usually don't get to cold.

If it is not really cold or raining, then use a wind vest instead of a full wind jacket. A vest keeps the wind off your torso, but gives you plenty of breathability. Unzip it a little for extra ventilation on climbs. If you never ride in below freezing weather or in cold rain, a vest over a thermal jersey may be all you need.

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that pretty much sums up my approach for dry-weather winter riding. The only other things I'd recommend are: 1) toe covers if you are prone to cold feet. Just the wind-block kind, not the full-on wetsuit material kind. And even then, only on the coldest of days. 2) skullcap of some sort, again, only for the coldest of days or if your route includes long descents.

For light to moderate and not-really-freezing-cold rain, you probably don't need any additional gear. I avoid rain gear when it's not raining as even the so-called breathable stuff still feels like a garbage bag. I usually only take my rain jacket for really heavy/cold rain, and when that happens I'm on the verge of not riding anyway (we have enough nice winter days here that I'm not worried about missing a few on account of rain).

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that pretty much sums up my approach for dry-weather winter riding. The only other things I'd recommend are: 1) toe covers if you are prone to cold feet. Just the wind-block kind, not the full-on wetsuit material kind. And even then, only on the coldest of days. 2) skullcap of some sort, again, only for the coldest of days or if your route includes long descents.

For light to moderate and not-really-freezing-cold rain, you probably don't need any additional gear. I avoid rain gear when it's not raining as even the so-called breathable stuff still feels like a garbage bag. I usually only take my rain jacket for really heavy/cold rain, and when that happens I'm on the verge of not riding anyway (we have enough nice winter days here that I'm not worried about missing a few on account of rain).

Agreed. It gets chilly but not super cold here. I find that I get cold extremities while my core gets hot. So I love my toe covers and skull cap. And full finger gloves. I got all those things at REI which is a bit more reasonable than the LBS.

Agreed. It gets chilly but not super cold here. I find that I get cold extremities while my core gets hot. So I love my toe covers and skull cap. And full finger gloves. I got all those things at REI which is a bit more reasonable than the LBS.


+1, full finger gloves, knee/leg warmers, skullcap with ear flaps, and toe covers. Your extremities that don't get much blood should be covered (ears, fingers, toes). I didn't believe in the toe covers till I nearly froze my tootsies off riding on a 45 degree morning. For my core, I just stuff the front of my jersey with newspaper or magazine pages till I get hot.

For my core, I just stuff the front of my jersey with newspaper or magazine pages till I get hot.

Oh, handy tip: if you are without newspaper or magazines and you happen by a Post Office or FedEx location, the Tyvek envelopes make excellent wind stoppers. Unfortunately these offices don't seem to be located on top of most of the local area climbs, where they're needed the most, but the envelopes do fold up pretty small and are practically weightless...easy to carry around in the jersey pocket.

Also, I usually grow a goatee for the winter, which helps the chin. I'm guessing AF regs may not allow the OP to do so, though.

I got some tights at Performance on sale that are waterproof and keep me warm when it's pretty cold (like mid 40s and below). I don't know about you guys, but I definitely need more than arm and leg warmers when it's 35 degrees!

(cough) I picked up a Kinetic Road Trainer last week (cough):rolleyes:
Since now I come home to 0 daylight. I hit it for an hour each weekday night after the kiddies go down and then do a long weekender OUTSIDE on Sat or Sun. This has been my only winter preparation so far.
I'm in the same boat as Guesser... Going to have to invest in some winter gear soon though. Thanks for the suggestions fellas.

I got some tights at Performance on sale that are waterproof and keep me warm when it's pretty cold (like mid 40s and below). I don't know about you guys, but I definitely need more than arm and leg warmers when it's 35 degrees!

At 35 F, I'll wear a polypro baselayer (Patagonia silkweight from REI), long sleeve jersey, fullfinger gloves, skullcap, shorts, full polypro tights (Hind running tights), and toe warmers. Maybe a windvest too, but I'll usually end up rolling it up and putting in a jersey pocket after a few miles.

Yeah, the toughest thing about going out in colder temps is getting started/warmed up. Once you start generating some heat, you really don't need a ton of crap. Just...don't stop for too long :)

Base layer, under armor or knock offs.
I like a buff http://www.buff.es/en/index.php?p=USA
and like it lot
Gloves and oe warmers a must.
I like knee warmers when it'd getting cold and tights over shorts when really cold.

thanks for all the tips.. i ended up getting ff gloves arm and leg warmers.. i might get some knee warmers too... i got a vest, skullcap and some PI calientoes...

today when i rode i realized that I'm not sure i'm gonna like the full fingered gloves.. when reaching for a gel or my shot blocks i had a hard time feeling for the packages.... :(

today when i rode i realized that I'm not sure i'm gonna like the full fingered gloves.. when reaching for a gel or my shot blocks i had a hard time feeling for the packages.... :(

Oh: for that, one other (cheap and still useful beyond winter) item you can add to your arsenal is a gel flask. Put your gel(s) in there, mix with a small amount of water. Solves several problems: 1) finding the damned things; 2) opening them while riding; and 3) dealing with the waste.

Not sure what to recommend for the Clif Blox but I suspect those are less of a problem than the gels.

Oh: for that, one other (cheap and still useful beyond winter) item you can add to your arsenal is a gel flask. Put your gel(s) in there, mix with a small amount of water. Solves several problems: 1) finding the damned things; 2) opening them while riding; and 3) dealing with the waste.

Not sure what to recommend for the Clif Blox but I suspect those are less of a problem than the gels.

Hammergel and the Hammergel flask. It goes down really smooth, and it tastes good too. My flask is as mandatory as my water bottle is. I even have a flask holster for my bike.

I rode with one of my buddies yesterday and he gave me a tip about the gels. He told me to just tuck one under my shorts on my thigh. It worked pretty well. I'm going to look into a flask and see how that works out too..

I rode with one of my buddies yesterday and he gave me a tip about the gels. He told me to just tuck one under my shorts on my thigh. It worked pretty well. I'm going to look into a flask and see how that works out too..

Yeah, tucking a gel packet under your shorts leg doesn't do a whole lot versus just carrying them in a jersey pocket; you still have to get it and open it. Actually I prefer the jersey, 'cause I can still keep pedaling, reach around, grab it and briefly ride no-handed to open the packet and suck it down.

But the flask is where it's at; you don't have to take your hands off the bars (riding no-handed is a neat and sometimes necessary trick, but the timing of needing a gel does not always coincide nicely with terrain/conditions for riding no handed, especially in a race).

Of course, if you're going pull over and stop and have the gel, it really doesn't matter what you do with it.

Yeah, tucking a gel packet under your shorts leg doesn't do a whole lot versus just carrying them in a jersey pocket; you still have to get it and open it. Actually I prefer the jersey, 'cause I can still keep pedaling, reach around, grab it and briefly ride no-handed to open the packet and suck it down.

But the flask is where it's at; you don't have to take your hands off the bars (riding no-handed is a neat and sometimes necessary trick, but the timing of needing a gel does not always coincide nicely with terrain/conditions for riding no handed, especially in a race).

Of course, if you're going pull over and stop and have the gel, it really doesn't matter what you do with it.

Sports Basement sells a flask holster, which mounts nicely on the headtube of the bike. You don't have to stick it in your jersey, or in your shorts. It's really handy when you need a quick gel fix, and you won't have to stop either.

thx for the suggestion....