Winter Cycling - Winter Clothing

What is a good source for bike specific winter clothing

Nashbar
Velotique
MEC
REI
Sierra Trading Post
Walmart
Dollar Store
Thrift Shop

Also...
Discount clothing stores like JC Pennys, Sears, or Kohls.
Performance bikes has decent priced winter tights.

Then if you want to spend plenty of $$ you can visit colorado cyclist, competitive cyclist, etc.

I've found a lot of bike specific clothing isn't all that great in winter no matter the claims made. It's often just more expensive.

I've found a lot of bike specific clothing isn't all that great in winter no matter the claims made. It's often just more expensive.

I've found just the opposite. High tech fabrics make sweat management far easier for me. And they are much easier to care for than wool.

I agree with the fabric part, but seems to me, putting a cycling label on a winter shell just adds to the cost more than function.

Foxwear.com

I just have 4 sets of wool coat/sweater with a rain hoodie. I am hoping this keeps me save through the mild and wet winter down here in Medford. I am most worried about smelling like a sweaty sheep when I get to school...hmmm.

Foxwear.com

Almost... it is www.foxwear.net
Lou is great. Where else can you get custom made clothing for less than the price of retail! I bought the EVap coat and after discussing my needs (it had to be bright so I picked yellow, and it had the breath very well so I used thin material for the strechy sides). I now have a coat that is super comfortable from 50F down to 20F. Once I drop much below 20F I just add a thin shell and I am fine down to 2F (coldest ride to day). All for $75 + a few dollars for shipping. This Fall I will be ordering some riding pants as well. The stuff Lou makes is not flashy, but it works great. No more sweaty clothing. the shells that claim to breath just don't breath enough with the amount of sweat I can produce while riding. With the wind blocking fleece, there is good blocking of the wind, but the sweat can leave my body.

For foot wear I just use regular winter boots with toe clips. My newer boots don't work too well with the toe clips so I am going to look at getting some Power Grips instead.

For my under layer I just wear the same breathable T shirts that I wear year round. Once the temps drop into the 60's I wear a vest. I bought a Performance Illuminite Vest for about $35 this past Spring. It works nicely to block the wind and is Hi-Vis yellow. My only complaint is that my back gets sweaty even though it is supposed to be made of breathable material and there is a flap. I just open the front of zipper a bit to help get some air in there. For the money is was good value. If I'd paid the $75 list I might not like is as much. When the temps start to hover in the 50's (and low 60's) I also add a long sleeve jersey. I bought a Performance Hi-Vis jersey for something like $30 this past Spring as well. The jersey works fine and for the money is great value. I like having some obnoxious bright color on my now that you get the sun low in the sky at times and visability gets a bit lower. Anything to help be noticable on my bike is a good thing.

For my legs, I've been using a pair of Illuminite Tights. I like these in that they are not too tight so you can wear them without "exposing" too much. When the temps get to near freezing I've been putting on my J&G pain pants. This is a workable solution, but the rain pants are not a perfect solution. They are not the most comfortable to ride in, and they hold a lot of moisture in. This is why I am going to contact Lou and figure out which of his products would work best for me as a main pair of riding pants to get me through a Buffalo Winter.

Happy riding,
André

There are only 4 additional items that I have for winter riding that are bike specific - Neoprene shoe covers, triflex tights, Performance century windbreaker and breathable windresistant skullcap. All other items are generic hiking or dept store goods - inexpensive but thick gloves, thin gloves, polypro base layers, fleece vest and jacket, etc.