Mountain Biking - Clothing for cold weather riding???

I'm a former Floridian transplanted here in West Virginia. I never needed to dress for cold weather riding down there. What should I be shopping for( on a budget) so I can get out and ride the trails here in WV and be comfortable. Thanks-------Dave

Still a Floridian, so I can't help.

Where did you live down here?

L8R

You may want to slide over to the Winter Cycling Forum on the site. It is packed with all things winter. I picked up some great pointers on staying warm, even though I hate feeling so restricted, but who doesn't prefer riding in a short sleeve shirt and shorts?

I havent had to do much more than a good winter jacket and pants that are windproof and breathable (Louis Garneau for both). Underneath I wear a fleece and long tights, and for a base, a long sleeve cycling shirt and padded shorts. Booties and a balaclava are a must for me, especially once there's a windchill. Haven't ridden below -8 Celcius yet.

If it's even close to zero, the long tights and fleece are left behind, because I'm warm in about 10 minutes.

Here's a link over to winter cycling:

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=53

Still a Floridian, so I can't help.

Where did you live down here?

L8R

I lived in Tampa for 20 years and Gainesville for 5 years. I just moved up here to WV last fall. I love riding these trails here. I'm still trying to get into hill climbing shape. My FL legs are not used to this terrain yet.

No matter what you wear for winter,you're gonna sweat. Plan on carrying some extra clothes in your ruck or panniers. This way,you can add warm layers on your trip back when you're freezing.

I wear Under Armour long sleeve as my base in the fall and winter followed by a 100% light wool sweater with a winter jacket,depending how cold it is. I learned in the military that wool is one of the few materials that will retain HEAT when it's WET. I also wear 100% wool socks.

Winter fabrics have improved tremendously over the years,but wool has proven itself to me in the field and when cycling :)

Regards.

- A wicking layer like Coolmax, or Nike Dri-Fit next to your skin.
- A warmth layer like fleece on top of the wicking layer.
- A water/wind repellent layer like a waterproof nylon windbreaker with a hood on the exterior.

Add/Remove layers during your ride to suit your comfort level.

As JCM800 mentioned, body armor works great not only to protect you in a fall under the slippery conditions of winter, but also helps insulate against the cold.

West Virginia? Damn, it must be tough riding with no shoes!!! :D

I have found that for a base layre. the Nike Drifit works great, but also, Kombi Coolmax long underware is as good. its about 1/2 the price. then a light fleece, and a wind shell over top. I wear rubber palmed work gloves, you have the grip and a bit of warmth, for the bottom, regular shorts and over that a pair of tights or whatever, just to keep the chill off. Im still experimening on what is going to work for the feet. the cleat and hard soles of my shoes allow my feet to get a bit cold, ok down right freezing!! Ive tried toe covers for on the road, but they are only good if it is neer 0c. below that and they offer little warmth.
I have a fleece helmet liner from MEC (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=675115&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=480957&bmUID=1072531928105) its super warm im sure nashbar has osmething equally as good and cheap.

I ride alot, all year long. Even snow is alot of fun, up to 3-4". I wear neoprene socks, with 1 pair of regular cotton socks under them. They will keep your feet warm below zero, and dry if you step in the water. I wear 2 pair of silk gloves under my regular full finger racing gloves. This will keep your hands warm down to around 30°, but any lower temps will require either neoprene or fleece lined gloves as an outer layer. I wear polypropylene top & bottom underwear, under a turtle neck and long-sleeve racing jersey. Tights are the outer layer for my legs, but outside them I wear 2 pair of my biking shorts for extra padding in case of spills. Plus my tights don't have a built-in chamois pad. I keep my head & ears warm via a fleece baklava. I also wear a good pair of ski goggles to keep my eyes protected. Needless to say, but I can ride in any temperatures we have here in Western, NC. I've been several times when the air temp was around 15°, and of course the windchill would be well below 0°. My biggest problem with riding in these low temps is keeping my gears working, and my hydration pack from freezing in the hose to my mouth.... There's nothing to compare to being in the middle of nowhere with snow on the ground and more still falling. Have Fun !!!!

Sonny*Daze

nice pic!

I ride alot, all year long. Even snow is alot of fun, up to 3-4". I wear neoprene socks,...I keep my head & ears warm via a fleece baklava.

Sonny*Daze

Baklava...I do find those Middle Eastern desserts rather tasty! ;)

Just kidding, we know you meant balaclava.

All kidding aside, great tips but what are neoprene socks? Neoprene is a dense latex foam like the type of material Weider knee tensioners and ankle supports are made from. Correct? Are they thick? Where do you buy them?

I went running for 20 minutes yesterday and could of used them. Wasn't freezing outside, but my feet started to get numb just 10 minutes into the run.

A windproof vest and a thin, wicking stocking cap are my two must haves for winter riding.

Baklava...I do find those Middle Eastern desserts rather tasty! ;)

Just kidding, we know you meant balaclava.

All kidding aside, great tips but what are neoprene socks? Neoprene is a dense latex foam like the type of material Weider knee tensioners and ankle supports are made from. Correct? Are they thick? Where do you buy them?

I went running for 20 minutes yesterday and could of used them. Wasn't freezing outside, but my feet started to get numb just 10 minutes into the run.

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Sorry for the spelling error, but I can honestly blame that one on TextPad's Spellcheck... I didn't think that l@@ked correct. I will add your spelling to my database. Thankx !!!

As for the socks, here is a listing on eBAY for what I'm talking about.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3648382429
I don't run in mine though (except for those occasional bear attacks).

Here are some that may be better suited for running, since they are only ankle high. The s/h charge seems INFLATED on these though...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3649560447

I have seen these locally, but at 3x the $$$. Good luck!

" I Just Lövê ëßãÿ "

SÕÑÑ¥*ÐÂZÊ


Please Don't Forget The Homeless This Holiday Season ....

If you're really on a budget, the polypro underwear at Wal Mart functions as well as any wicking and insulating material. For a shell, I'd spend a few bucks. Staying dry is worth the few extra bucks.

No matter what you wear for winter,you're gonna sweat. Plan on carrying some extra clothes in your ruck or panniers. This way,you can add warm layers on your trip back when you're freezing.



I have been riding all winter nearly every day and have really never "sweat" yet. In order for you to sweat enough for you to soak your clothing you need to sweat quite a bit. Generally when i get home from my ride, I may have a dampness to my wicking underlayer. It is never wet.

The coldest weather I have ridden in so far this year is around 20 F. However i have ridden many, many days in the 20's and also several days in the snow. The key, like everyone says...is to not overdress. For weather below freezing. I wear......

Head- Balaclava and earband & helmet
Torso- Underarmour longsleeve or cycling jersey. Outer layer is Gore Tex cycling jacket. Sometimes a cycling vest. (nylon no liner) The vest is nice for days when you have excessive wind. It helps to block the wind and can be zipped up or down for comfort.
Legs- Winter tights or leg warmers, coolmax underwear, a pair of "camping shorts." Just a pair of nylon camping shorts over the top to give more wind protection.
Feet- Wicking socks with a pair of wool socks over top. Mountain bike shoes.

Even a degree or two above 32 F I shed the gore tex jacket for a simple nylon shell jacket. (no liner)

I have grown pretty efficient at dress and am never cold. It takes about 6 or 7 minutes to get warm after i start. This is the point where you start reaching for a zipper to unzip a bit. Zippers need to be adjusted up and down depending on how you feel throughout the ride. That is why pit zips are so important. The more zips you have the more comfortable i am.


I think most people overheat because they overdress. It is hard to sweat in 20 degree weather with single digit windchills. If you were naked you would not sweat. So just find something between the naked and the point of sweating and you won't sweat very much at all.

I must add to the previous post that how much you put into your workout will be a larger factor in the amount you sweat. I almost always get back to the vehicle with my back real wet, along with the hair on my head. This can't be caused from over-dressing, because unless it's below freezing, I don't wear the balaclava. I know for a fact that if you work out hard enough to sweat, you will no matter what the temp... This is why you need a "wicking" material next to your skin.

I must add to the previous post that how much you put into your workout will be a larger factor in the amount you sweat. I almost always get back to the vehicle with my back real wet, along with the hair on my head. This can't be caused from over-dressing, because unless it's below freezing, I don't wear the balaclava. I know for a fact that if you work out hard enough to sweat, you will no matter what the temp... This is why you need a "wicking" material next to your skin.

I agree. Sweating will occur whenever your core temperature goes up through rigorous exercise which is easy to do in any weather; hot or cold. It's just your body's natural way of regulating your body temp.

You just don't notice it as much in cold weather.

That said, I suppose it's just as important to have a water bottle (or hydration pack) in the winter time.

I must add to the previous post that how much you put into your workout will be a larger factor in the amount you sweat. I almost always get back to the vehicle with my back real wet, along with the hair on my head. This can't be caused from over-dressing, because unless it's below freezing, I don't wear the balaclava. I know for a fact that if you work out hard enough to sweat, you will no matter what the temp... This is why you need a "wicking" material next to your skin.

It probably depends a lot on your conditioning also. I typically ride 12-15 miles each morning. I usually average around 14mph. Most of the ride is on rough gravel roads and a couple miles of pasture grass. These conditions certainly produce sweat in warm weather. I can be saturated in the first couple miles in the Summer. However, a ride in single digit wind chills can be quite a different event. If you dress properly you shouldn't sweat very much in the cold.

It probably depends a lot on your conditioning also. I typically ride 12-15 miles each morning. I usually average around 14mph. Most of the ride is on rough gravel roads and a couple miles of pasture grass. These conditions certainly produce sweat in warm weather. I can be saturated in the first couple miles in the Summer. However, a ride in single digit wind chills can be quite a different event. If you dress properly you shouldn't sweat very much in the cold.

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I don't want to open a can of worms here, but contrary to popular belief, the body's sweating is also an indicator of it's cooling efficiency. Just because someone starts sweating quicker than someone else doing the same thing doesn't mean that the 1st sweater is in worse shape. It's actually just the opposite. Their body is already in prime condition to start the cooling effects of sweating.
Unless your gravel road rides are uphill both ways, that 14 mph average seems a little slow to me. If you're riding that often, it seems to me you're not fully using the strength you "should" have built up by now... That's about what I average riding XC on my DH bike on singletrack only rides for 10-15 mi. many places so steep that my speed drops to 6 mph. I ride every other day year around, and must say that I sweat plenty, but that's why I'm doing it.... For the workout. Maybe you ride a Hybrid?

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I don't want to open a can of worms here, but contrary to popular belief, the body's sweating is also an indicator of it's cooling efficiency. Just because someone starts sweating quicker than someone else doing the same thing doesn't mean that the 1st sweater is in worse shape. It's actually just the opposite. Their body is already in prime condition to start the cooling effects of sweating.
Unless your gravel road rides are uphill both ways, that 14 mph average seems a little slow to me. If you're riding that often, it seems to me you're not fully using the strength you "should" have built up by now... That's about what I average riding XC on my DH bike on singletrack only rides for 10-15 mi. many places so steep that my speed drops to 6 mph. I ride every other day year around, and must say that I sweat plenty, but that's why I'm doing it.... For the workout. Maybe you ride a Hybrid? check this thread (http://64.191.20.129/showthread.php?t=4240&highlight=average+speed)...you must be fast!!!
It appears that you are working harder than me. I certainly don't want to engage in a pee'ing match. As mentioned before, of course you sweat. I sweat. But i guess what I think of when i think of when i hear the term sweat, is enough sweat to saturate your clothing. It can't happen if you open up your zippers and let the air in. The way I dress, there is no chance for getting wet, I would be frozen long before that. I must question your experience riding in 20 degree weather.

For example i doubt that you have ridden in 20 degree weather this month. Your profile says that you are from W. NC. How many times has your water bottle frozen over in the last month? My answer is 3.
Randleman NC (http://www.weather.com/weather/climatology/monthly/USNC0561?from=search) has an average low of 33F for the month of December. (THat is in Western NC where your profile says you live)

In Salina (http://www.weather.com/weather/climatology/monthly/USKS0523?from=search), where I live. we have an average of 23 for a low. Anyone that has ridden in 23 F weather as opposed to 33F weather can attest to the HUGE amount of difference. 33F is HOT compared to 23. My previous post about how I dress attests to this. I undoubtedly ( :roflmao: ) don't work as hard as you do on a ride but I am not sure how to work any harder. I pedal as fast as I can.
I congratulate you on your endeavors. Happy New Year!

[COLOR=Magenta]I must question your experience riding in 20 degree weather.

For example i doubt that you have ridden in 20 degree weather this month. Your profile says that you are from W. NC. How many times has your water bottle frozen over in the last month? My answer is 3.

Randleman NC [/URL] has an average low of 33F for the month of December. (THat is in Western NC where your profile says you live)

In Salina (http://www.weather.com/weather/climatology/monthly/USKS0523?from=search), where I live. we have an average of 23 for a low. Anyone that has ridden in 23 F weather as opposed to 33F weather can attest to the HUGE amount of difference. 33F is HOT compared to 23. My previous post about how I dress attests to this. I undoubtedly ( :roflmao: ) don't work as hard as you do on a ride but I am not sure how to work any harder. I pedal as fast as I can.
I congratulate you on your endeavors. Happy New Year!

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I've NEVER heard of Randleman, NC.... Try typing in 28786. That's close (3 mi.)to where I live. Our ave. low for Dec. was 24 degrees. A whopping 1 degree warmer than yours. You say you pedal as fast as you can.... That's entirely the wrong way to ride. Cadence is a term you've undoubtedly never heard of. Try a higher gear, for higher speeds but with fewer revs. That's where the strength thing comes into play...

As for my water bottle freezing: I wear a hydration backpack. The water in the line going to my mouth freezes sometimes when its closer to zero. The rest of the fluid actually stays about right.

I'd love to keep going back & forth with this, but it's apparent that you don't have as much experience in mtn.biking as I thought you might.

Have a nice evening....

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I'd love to keep going back & forth with this, but it's apparent that you don't have as much experience in mtn.biking as I thought you might.



No I don't have that much experience in MTBing. But i do have 30 + years of experience in Math and life and I don't think you can ride as fast as you say. As long as you are happy with it that is all that matters.

I think numbers ruin riding. I ride more for mental reasons than for physical ones. As long as I am riding, I really don't care how fast I am going. With that said, I know that an average speed of 14 mph over a distance of 12-15 miles off-road on a MTB is pretty decent. You stated something about being able to average that on a single track on a DH or something. Don't know what that is but if it is something with a lot of serious hills like you state, I think you need to have your cyclocomputer looked at. Either that or you need to give Cheryl Crow a call and tell her that there is a faster rider in town!

:beer: BTW, what is your average speed usually for 15 miles on conditions that I ride on?

I typically ride 12-15 miles each morning. I usually average around 14mph. Most of the ride is on rough gravel roads and a couple miles of pasture grass.
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Well now, looks like somebody changed their story.... First you said most of your rides were on gravel roads (which are a helluva lot different than singletrack), and now you say that you ride off road (off paved roads?)

I don't know why I'm even wasting my time with this reply, but don't bother posting one after this one's up. I'm not going to read yours anymore.... Sorry.

If you don't believe my speed and conditioning, then that's YOUR problem, and no one else's. I have no reason to lie about anything on here... The person who seems to be changing their story on here is YOU, and people like you are a dime a dozen..... They are usually full of themselves, and they are my favorite competitors to stomp into the ground come race day!

As far as your question about what my speed would be for your (supposed) distance. Well that's a loaded question, but considering most riders either do an "Out & Back" or a loop ride, your average speed should be a total average. In other words, if half of your total ride is up a steep mountain, then naturally you are going to have about 1/2 a ride of DH. This is where your speed should greatly increase, thus increasing the "average" speed too.

I knew that these poste would drift off onto a tangent. That's why I didn't want to open the can, sort of speak......

I do agree with you on at least one point though. That being that my rides are also for my spiritual well being just about as much as for my physical exercise. I'm almost 42, and I have to have an outlet somewhere. This is it for me.

Take care. Remember, don't bother with a reply.....

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Take care. Remember, don't bother with a reply.....

Well come on now Sonny, we can't let it end this way. :D I am tired of this thread as well. But before I go I have to ask....

What is the name of that guy leading you around by the leash??? :lol:

What is the name of that guy leading you around by the leash??? :lol:

Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!!! :D :D

Aw c'mon guys! Chill out. You both have valid points and it's just a matter of personal opinion.

You guys are arguing over perspiration! :o

But, hey, at least you guys have a sense of humour about it. :D

I'm having my own war with someone at this forum and my impatience has me deciding on the best caliber.

Is this considered taking things too far? Or not far enough?

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I didn't know his size. I hope he fits a "44". HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[Joe's note: Attachment was an image of a bullet with "KLEIN MP99" written on the side of the casing, original attachment is in the mods corner.]

I'm not a moderator, but I do know that personal attacks such as these could get you both banned.

So, be careful. Attack the point, not the person. Besides, life is to short to get uptight over this.

I'm not a moderator, but I do know that personal attacks such as these could get you both banned.

So, be careful. Attack the point, not the person. Besides, life is to short to get uptight over this.

Very true. Thanks for your level headed response and I'm prepared to accept the consequences.

Although my last post might be deemed offensive, I want forum bullies to realize if you push people around, you're going to get it back eventually. Respect has to go both ways.

Is this considered taking things too far? Or not far enough?

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I didn't know his size. I hope he fits a "44". HAPPY NEW YEAR!


im glad you handled the situation like a mature responsible adult. it makes me wonder why this world isnt more of better place with people like you. thank you for participating on bikeforums.

im glad you handled the situation like a mature responsible adult. it makes me wonder why this world isnt more of better place with people like you. thank you for participating on bikeforums.

I try to be a responsible adult but sometimes the immature, unstable me leaks out.

BTW, I tried to use a 9mm but couldn't fit all the letters on. :o

This thread has gone too far off topic to recover. Dave, if your question has not been answered, feel free to start a new thread. This one is closed.