Winter Cycling - Any science re: what to wear?

Sorry if this has been covered... being from TX I don't spend much time in this forum!

But after a thread in Road got me to wonder.. in terms of real science-type research... what are the pros and con's of various ways of dressing in the cold?

I mean we always hear about covering your knees below a certain temp.

Beyond that it's just personal preference and comfort.

But knowing how anal that cyclists can be about counting grams and measuring watts and planning training periods, I wonder if there's any real science behind "what should I wear at temp X?"

Anyone?

/ edited for simplicty;
ANYONE know of any SCIENCE related to this topic?

The empirical method of observations based on your own experience is the best scientific method for you. Since it throws out statistical generalization. Why not find out where you are on the normal distribution? That knowledge is far more useful to you as an individual. What this means is that you have to take a little time to find out what works for you in the environment that you ride in and trust your own observations about yourself.

Sorry I ramble a bit in the OP and didn't make my question clear.

Anyone know of any science related to athletic performance in cold weather?

Yeah I know there's stuff on wind chill expsoure etc.

I'm asking, has a sports scientist sat down and figured out if knee warmers really have to be on at 65F, or that it just doesn't matter?

Or if it's ok to wear one base and one jersey when it's 35F, in fact it might improve athletic performance.

Anything like that in the literature?

Here you go:

http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/education/windchill/index_e.cfm

Even more specifically:

http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/education/windchill/research2003_e.html

"Researchers found a very clear cutoff point in the tolerance of human skin to cold. For wind chill index values from zero down to -27, most of the volunteers did not develop frostnip during the 45 minute trial. However, once the wind chill was colder than -27, the risk increased rapidly. At -40, all the volunteers developed frostnip within ten minutes, and at -55, all developed frostnip within two minutes. Since the volunteers had been chosen to represent a range of healthy adults, the researchers were able to use this study to develop frostbite guidelines which would apply to most healthy Canadian adults."


So if you're going to be outside for longer than 45 minutes, and the windchill factor is between 0 and -27 (BTW - these are all Celcius temps), you'd want to wear clothing.

Sorry I ramble a bit in the OP and didn't make my question clear.

Anyone know of any science related to athletic performance in cold weather?

Yeah I know there's stuff on wind chill expsoure etc.

I'm asking, has a sports scientist sat down and figured out if knee warmers really have to be on at 65F, or that it just doesn't matter?

Or if it's ok to wear one base and one jersey when it's 35F, in fact it might improve athletic performance.

Anything like that in the literature?

I guess you would have to look in athletic performance journals. My understanding based on much reading and hearing stuff from coaches is that the muscles perform better when warm and when exposed to cold conditions that shock them they have a tendency to stiffen up and perform less well. But I have not specifically looked at cold weather performance studies.

Since there are at least four variables, temperature, humidity, sunlight and wind, I think you just have to have layers and be prepared to adjust as you go.

into 50 degrees cover the knees

there is your science

When the temperature falls
Cover your balls.

I don't know the physiology in in any sort of detail. But the reason to cove you legs it to protect your knees. See the following article: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/bikes/earlyseasonerrors.shtml

The gentlement in the article doesn't have the scientific data to back up his experience, but I am sure there are some sports medicine specialists who've spent a good beal of time on this.

Happy riding,
André

The reasoning for covering your knees is to prevent injury in the long term, not frostnip caused by much colder temps in the short term or athletic performance for that session. Its quite difficult to design an experiment to measure this so we makedo with hearsay, wikepeadia and opinion.

As for how many layers: L , person X should wear when conditions are Y and X is performing at athletic level Z with velocity V for time T, well that's pretty trivial, Im sure you can do the math.

There is good empirical research on frostbite (see Machkas articles above) but that's limited to exposed flesh.

At what point you're under/over dressed is subjective based on % of body fat, level of fitness, and personal preference. If you read the forum, many people have different areas of the body that are a concern; feet, hands, face, or even the nards. Not sure it's possible to make a model on that.

Here's a thought ... go back to Grade Five! Or at least Grade Five here in Canada.

From the Grade Five Program of Studies for Science:

"13. Appreciate how important it is to be able to forecast weather and to have suitable clothing or shelter to endure various types of weather.
14. Test fabrics and clothing designs to choose those with characteristics that most effectively meet the challenges of particular weather conditions; e.g., water resistance, wind resistance, protection from cold."

When the temperature falls
Cover your balls.

When it's nice and warm...
I STILL conform :thumb:

JMHO. YMMV.