knowledge on keeping warm

[-=solewheelin]

-=winter cycling
You just need to keep your extremities warm. If people can ski in zero
and subzero weather there is no reason not to ride in the balmy 20-30
degree temp.
keep your ears warm. Headband or a balaclava work..
glasses or goggles to keep the eyeballs warmer.
For Legs get a set of cold weather tights.
powder feet!
Shirts---
Now I usually wear a wool short sleeve jersey over a long sleeve silk tee
shirt with a long sleeve Stanfields wool undershirt over them. I'll throw a
long sleeve nylon jersey over the whole works and get outside fast before I
over heat. If it's below freezing I'll substitute a fine tight knit, loose
fitting, Italian turtleneck for the wool jersey and top everything with
light nylon windbreaker. That's good to about -5 C

Thermodynamics- dead air between shell and skin (ie wool socks) causes good insulation.

"Frequent winter riders have an unusual secret weapon: single-serving bags
of Doritos corn chips. Their nutritional value may be debatable, but the
chips are packed in bags of metallicized plastic film similar to the
heat-reflective Mylar used by astronauts."

Newspaper or brown paper bag under outer layer for chest..
Wear thick socks (wool, fleece) over baggies (vegetable bags are great) over Polypropeline liners, but make sure you can wiggle your toes somewhat..
there are arguments whether to wear the baggiesas a core layer against the skin, or over the liner socks...try both to see what is best for you..
Good way to warm up feet? off the bike and jog a bit. If your hands and feet go numb, you can't go on. and you must be able to move your toes around to promote bloodflow/warmth.

Decent WINDBREAKER is #1...but your main body layering has to let some wind and sensation of cold come through or you'll over heat/ over sweat.. so adjust windbreaker accordingly.
Packing Tape over your helmet vents works well. Or, you can purchase a helmet cover (reflective) for $10-15.. or a windproof fleece balaklava under the helmet.
Go with mittens not gloves.. light nylon mitten covers are sold (wind blockers!).
Lake CX Zero gloves..?
Put on a pair of latex lab gloves as a core layer. Yes, it gets sweaty like a steam room, but my hands are very comfy. Put on a thin poly layer over the latex and my thicker gloves over that.
OR you can try (pearl izumi,avenir,specialized) "lobster claw" mittens.. soft charmin back for the nose.
DOWNHILL SKI MASK! or goggles are essential. motorcycle goggles/ army surplus..
Carbide-tipped studded snow tires for riding on ice. No matter how knobby a rubber tire, it will fail you on ice!
-=steve

[Balance]

latex gloves??? I've done a lot of cold and really cold weather first aid work and I always found that latex gloves made my hands FREEZE, even inside other gloves. I'd always put them on last last minute because I'd lose feeling and control in my fingers very quickly.

[RichardW]

FWIW Best winter gloves I've ever had is neoprene scuba diver gloves. They're not breathable so your hands get soaking wet inside them (and so they're a disaster if you want to keep taking them on and off) but otherwise they are as warm as toast. Too hot until you get down around 5degC, and I've used them down to maybe -10degC without a single numb finger. I don't know how good they be for the folks in continental USA / Canada where I understand the winters can get hellish cold

[Balance]

yeah, I use neoprene paddling gloves too, but they're only good for a narrow temperature margin. When I was living in ottawa I could only use them for a short time as winter started up and then eased up. I rode with ski mitts. But I'm moving to northern vancouver island, so I think the neoprene glove are going to be the perfect match to that climate. In Ottawa it gets too cold even for ski goggles. Wearing a warm wool toque, ski goggles, a fleece and neoprene faceguard and my eyes would still get cold! The other thing with neoprene gloves is that they get pretty disgusting.

[Balance]

I've talked to some couriers that swear by goretex socks for the cold and wet. I could see that, but they cost about $80 canadian. For socks! Yes, if you're riding 9+ hours a day in the winter, but even then, that certainly cuts into beer money...