Winter Cycling - Help with Winter Wear

Hey all....I have always been a non rider when the temps head south and preferred to hit the gym instead....but I want to ride this winter. My problem is that I am a sissy in the cold and I have no idea how to dress so that I don't freeze my arse off.

I probably will buy at Performance Bike or some other internet retailer so if you could recommend some common clothes then I would appreciate it.

I live in Augusta Ga so my version of winter is nothing like some of you...temps are usually in the 50s during the day but the early morning and later evening hours (my riding time) can be down into the 30s during the coldest months of the year.

So my temperature range would be say from 30-50ish for winter wear....from head to toe what would you guys recommend for a winter riding noob. Base layer, tights, gloves, jacket, shoes you name it.

Thanks in advance.

Recommendations will very a great deal depending on your physical makeup and personal riding style but here is what I would start with:

legs: wear 1 pair of chamois free cycling tights over your cycling shorts. Get a medium weight winter tight. If it is not warm enough buy a second pair to layer over the top of the first.

Torso: Standard wind and water resistant cycling jacket. If you get cold easily the hardshell types are warmer as they are more wind resistant. Layer wicking long john tops and polar fleece or wool sweater under the cycling jacket.

Hands: Full finger cycling gloves for 40-50F. Under 30-40F wear nylon shell or oversized ski glove over cycling gloves.

Head: thin cycling balaclava and/or scull cap under helmet and helmet cover over helmet.

Feet: 40-50F oversized cycling shoe with thick wool socks. 30-40 add cycling overboot over shoes. You probably can get by without dedicated winter cycling boots in your area but if you have the extra money they can be nice and easy to use.

Experiment with this and make personal adjustments as necessary.

Hey all....I have always been a non rider when the temps head south and preferred to hit the gym instead....but I want to ride this winter. My problem is that I am a sissy in the cold and I have no idea how to dress so that I don't freeze my arse off.




What do you normally wear when you go outside in your winter? When you go for walks, or participate in winter sports?

That's a good place to start. For cycling, walking, etc. etc. I wear the same type of headband, neck gaiter, gloves, etc.

Sadly, I fred it. If the weather gets down around freezing, I just wear jeans. On top, I'm pretty good down to freezing with a short-sleeve tee, a long-sleeve tee and a hoodie. Not very stylish, but effective.

Having said that, I think this is a good thread; I'd like to get some better cycling-tailored clothes.

Cabela's isn't a cycle shop but they have some great stufff that works well on cold days cycling.
I bought a set of compression long johns (lycra)they have them in 4 different weights and I was out in 36 degress today and was too hot with a coat and vest had to shed them! no pads but I dont use pads anyway. Bought some leather and stretch material gloves and they work great anytime. I find their quality and prices are great. also have a north face skull cap that is amazingly warm. The tops of the long johns were quarter zip with a high mock neck btw. long johns were $50-100 dependin on weight, skull cap was about $15 and the gloves about $30 best I remember.

Hey all....I have always been a non rider when the temps head south and preferred to hit the gym instead....but I want to ride this winter. My problem is that I am a sissy in the cold and I have no idea how to dress so that I don't freeze my arse off.

I probably will buy at Performance Bike or some other internet retailer so if you could recommend some common clothes then I would appreciate it.

I live in Augusta Ga so my version of winter is nothing like some of you...temps are usually in the 50s during the day but the early morning and later evening hours (my riding time) can be down into the 30s during the coldest months of the year.

So my temperature range would be say from 30-50ish for winter wear....from head to toe what would you guys recommend for a winter riding noob. Base layer, tights, gloves, jacket, shoes you name it.

Thanks in advance.

You won't need that much. Here is what works perfectly fine for me between 30 and 50F

Body Base layer - Wicking T shirt

Body outer layer - Soft shell coat. There things ROCK! They can keep you warm over a large temperature range and can let loads of sweat exit. Very comfy. Just use your zipper to control your temperature. My favorite is the EVap coat from Lou at www.Foxwear.net Where else can you get a custom made coat for around $82 delivered to your door.

Legs - I have a pair of Illuminite tights and love them. These tights are not super tight lycra, but instead are medium thickness with a slighty looser fit. This makes them easy to put on and take off, and they also are not so tight that I feel funny walking into a store or the school with them on. These are pretty wind resistant and work fine to around freezing temperatures.

Hands - This is the one area where I still need to get something better. For right around 30F I have an old pair of ski gloves that work fine. For temps in the 40's and higher they are just too warm and don't shed enough moisture. Next year I am going to have to find some sort of Polar Fleece gloves that will block the wind to keep my hands warm, but can vent all thw sweat I generate while cycling.

Feet - My Summer riding shoes are all mesh and are wonderful on a hot day. This means that it is absolutely impossible to keep heat in them. I switch over to pedal with clips and use my Merril hiking shoes instead. These still vent well and around 20F we had the other day they are not warm enough. That should not be a problem for you. I just can't justify spending nearly $300 on winter cycling boots. So when the temps get realy bad I just wear regular winter boots. Next year I may look for some SPD shoes that look like they don't vent much and buy them a little large so that I could wear them with ticker socks. Then I've be able to use my shoe cover for the extra cold days.

Head - A nice beenie cap that has a thin top, but thicker around the rim (i.e. the parts that cover your forehead and ears) will work great. I got a TurtleFur cap at the local ski shop and it works wonderfully well. It will shed tons of extra heat, yet keeps the important parts of my body comfy. I don't need a face mask till the temps drop into the low teens.

Happy riding,
André

Thin base layer of moisture transferal material for cooler days.
Medium base layer of slightly heavier fabric for colder days.
Soft shell, windproof jacket...nothing excessive needed for your area.
Bib tights, perhaps something like Pearlizumi Thermafleece is all you would need.
Shoes, no mesh if possible...Sidi's, 2 sizes larger than your warmer wear with a pair of thermal insoles, local sporting goods shop for $15ish are great, some varied thickness wool socks, perhaps a pair of windproof socks, I love mine and wear them over a base layer of medium density wool socks and medium density booties.
Ear warmers head band and skull cap or something similar. I usually start with both and remove the skull cap if I get too hot.

I find most of my cycling layers are also great for most outdoor activities: hiking, running, using my snow thrower...ugh, etc. so it is not just one use clothing.

The one thing I need to do is find a better jacket. I have a waterproof Columbia jacket I picked up on clearance-not perfect, but it works. The few days that have seen snow/rain combo at 33-34 F I have thrown on a short sleeve wicking top and 1-2 wool shirts from the thrift store. If somewhat wet and windy, I throw the jacket on despite some of the overheating/sweating issues. The wool does it's job at keeping me warm. I have a cheap fleece zip up (I've had it for a while) and I've been finding it does a decent job for wind.

A day like today, 35-40, I was fine with a pair of wool mittens, wool cap under the helmet, the short sleeve top, wool shirt and thick wool sweater. Also had 2 pairs of nylon track/warm up pants, 2 pairs of icebreaker hiking socks and a pair of sandals. It was just about perfect.

Two words: SportHill clothing. This is the best cold weather riding gear. IMHO. No layering necessary. Google around for the cheapest prices. Right now they have their Infuzion II pants on sale at Amazon for $44. They retail for $85. Those are good down to about 30f. If you want heavy duty then go for the XC 3SP.

I've got a pair of MTB shorts (baggy, nice chamois). I doubt you could put tights OVER baggy shorts...would I be better off with a pair of legwarmers to slip on with my MTB shorts instead? Or would it be better to wear padless tights under my MTB shorts?

I'm not a fan of form-fitting shorts for my casual bike rides (~30mi in 40F weather, no precipitation).

For those temps, I would recommend a vest over a jacket. Chillly at first, but you won't get hot, sweaty then cold underneath 15 min later.

For me at 40 deg; Base layer, long sleeve generic sports top and vest. Bike shorts, base layer and short pants/knickers. Tall wool socks, light full finger gloves and skull cap. Some things might come off or change depending on conditions.

Stay away from cotton of any sort, especially against your skin.