Road Cycling - What exactly is the point of the long sleeve jersey?

Ok so I got a long sleeve jersey for fall riding...do these things have a point? It is supposedly 45* here this morning (so says the weather.com not independantly verified :D ) and I wore this plus a wind proof vest and I froze my a$$ off on my morning commute. Body was fine but my arms froze and I only do about 17 mph avg.

What temps are these things good for?

I wear l/s jerseys when the temps are in the 50s to low 60s. If it's colder than that I wear a windbreaker jacket (w/sleeves) or arm warmers under the l/s jersey. My arms get cold before my body.
L/S jerseys, just like l/s shirts, keep your arms warm when the weather is cool, not cold.
When riding in cool or cold weather you have to wear layers, just like any other cold weather outdoor activity.

Ok so I got a long sleeve jersey for fall riding...do these things have a point?

It's another layer. It's that simple.

arm warmers & leg warmers. this is the way to go.

I'm glad to be living in Texas......

Ok so I got a long sleeve jersey for fall riding...do these things have a point? It is supposedly 45* here this morning (so says the weather.com not independantly verified :D ) and I wore this plus a wind proof vest and I froze my a$$ off on my morning commute. Body was fine but my arms froze and I only do about 17 mph avg.

What temps are these things good for?

Get some arm warmers and put them on under the jersey...the layers work wonders and you can snake them off if you get too warm...

Ok so I got a long sleeve jersey for fall riding...do these things have a point? It is supposedly 45* here this morning (so says the weather.com not independantly verified :D ) and I wore this plus a wind proof vest and I froze my a$$ off on my morning commute. Body was fine but my arms froze and I only do about 17 mph avg.

What temps are these things good for?

And go faster...if you ride over 27 MPH for your commute, the wind won't actually hit you...it doesn't touch me

I usually wear the long sleeve and a jacket on top when its cold out.

I'm glad to be living in Texas......

I second that! Yeehaw!

RT

To answer the question, they're a bit warmer than a short sleeve jersey. Duh. ;)

For me, a long sleeve jersey is great with a sleeveless base layer and a vest on the downhills as long as it's above about 55F. Below that and I'm putting on a windbreaker or wearing a long sleeve, windproof base layer under it.

I hate my long sleeve jersey. I always wear it thinking it'll be warmer, then I freeze my ass off on the ride. I then say, "man, I'm never wearing that again" and I put it on the bottom of my drawer until the next chilly day when I say, "oh, I'll wear my long-sleeve jersey!" and the process repeats itself.

I hate my long sleeve jersey. I always wear it thinking it'll be warmer, then I freeze my ass off on the ride. I then say, "man, I'm never wearing that again" and I put it on the bottom of my drawer until the next chilly day when I say, "oh, I'll wear my long-sleeve jersey!" and the process repeats itself.

I am pretty sure that is EXACTLY what is going to happen with me. :D

LSJ and a nylon vest is perfect for evening rides when it's 15°C and the sun is getting low. I might be cold for the first few km but I warm up. As a rule if it's too warm for a jacket and too cold for a SSJ then wear a LSJ and (optionally) a vest.

I also tend to wear LSJs when I'm wearing waterproof shells just to keep the clammy jacket material off my arms.

No need for a long sleeve jersey, atleast for me. Ok, I am in Arizona. In winter I wear a shortsleeve jersey with arm warmers, knee warmers, thin gloves and a band over my ears. By the time I get to work I have pealed down to just shorts and jersey!

Why not just wear arm warmers?

Layer without a jacket.

If it is that cold outside then you certainly wouldn't be better off with a short sleeve. If it's chilly then use the long sleeve, if it's freezing then obviously you should be wearing a friggin jacket.

...I wore this plus a wind proof vest and I froze my a$$ off on my morning commute. Body was fine but my arms froze and I only do about 17 mph avg.

What temps are these things good for?

I think you just need to do whatever you need to keep yourself warm, as everyone is different. Depends on where you live and what time of day you ride, but most importantly, your own tolerance for heat and cold - my wife's freezing, but I need the air conditioning on (why so much variation?). The range of temperatures something is good for is a personal comfort issue.

Like many others have said, maybe you should just get some arm warmers and see if that works for you. I only have one light jacket, one long sleeved jersey, one short sleeved jersey and the rest are sleeveless because the weather is pretty temperate most of the year, I don't get cold easily (I tend to ride in the afternoon) and like having the freedom of movement.

Stay warm :)

Layers, layers, layers.

Long-sleeved base layer....
Long-sleeved jersey....
Long-sleeved wind jacket or heavier jacket...

If ThAT doesn't keep you warm then it's cold enough out that you should be inside on a trainer then!

Ok so here is a question: Since I have a bunch of waterproof and wind proof outerwear from Golf will that work or am I going to look like a total dork in a FootJoy jacket and Sidis. :D Half kidding there, I think I will toss my golf jacket on next time but I worry a little since it is black and I am riding at dawn...I do have my flashers on though. :rolleyes:

...I worry a little since it is black and I am riding at dawn...I do have my flashers on though. :rolleyes:
I'd worry too - crazy out there in the morning commute...if you really don't care how it looks, maybe you should consider a reflective vest as some early morn runners wear - no weight/warmth added and makes you visible. Otherwise, buy the screaming yellow bike windbreaker :)

Ok so here is a question: Since I have a bunch of waterproof and wind proof outerwear from Golf will that work or am I going to look like a total dork in a FootJoy jacket and Sidis. :D Half kidding there, I think I will toss my golf jacket on next time but I worry a little since it is black and I am riding at dawn...I do have my flashers on though. :rolleyes:

Try a silk base layer. Alot of the ultralight hiking gear and clothing should work for cold weather rides. Go Lite makes a WindProof ultralight wind jacket that is around 125 on sale at Gearheads.com I think. I tried the poly or synthetic base layers and I like the silk better bec it provides the same protection and warmth at a greater weight reduction. REI.com and Seirra Trading Post is also good choices to price shop for lightweight windstopper gear.

I'm going to hop on the bandwagon: the long sleeve jersey is good for 58-63 degrees F when dry, on 63-70 degrees when raining. It's a small range, but a very important one.

at 45 deg F, I have a jacket on. long-sleeved jersey alone won't do.

I couldnt ride with a jacket,best i do is a no sleeve breaker with my layers.

I couldnt ride with a jacket,best i do is a no sleeve breaker with my layers.
If you lived in Iowa you could ride with a jacket or you wouldn't ride at all when it was cold.

This must be somewhat subjective. I'm good down to about 45F with my long sleeve jersey, below that I switch to wool sweaters of varying thickness down to about 33-34F. I also change from shorts to long pants when its below 40F. When it drops below freezing I wear a jacket. Rain gear goes on if its raining very hard, for light rain/heavy fog I stay with a long sleeve jersey or wool sweater without the rain gear. Since temperatures go up & down throughout the day, you need to add or remove layers to stay comfortable which means you need somewhere to put the stuff you're not wearing.

Maybe,right now when it gets into the high 30's/low 40's i do 2 ls base layers and a ls jersey and sometimes a sleevless windbreaker but i take that off because i get to hot. Long finger gloves and shoe covers and leg warmers. To cold to ride after that,i'll stay home and poke fun at my wife.
I wanta ride but its not life and death.

The "HipCycler" Autumn (don't like the word "fall") clothing menu:

'Tis the season, and I've seen some threads here about the change in the weather and what we wear as we stretch out the last of the outdoor season in much of the country.

I talked to a pro who led our tour in Spain this spring (she almost made the US Olympic team and is awesome on a bike) about this. She uses the 60-degree rule. She feels it is important to keep your legs warm/knees covered if it's below 60.

Seems a bit high to me, but I do believe in keeping as warm as possible.

I wish I lived in a climate where this wouldn't matter, but alas....38 on the thermometer this morning....it's Saturday and I've been off the bike for two days in row so I'm ready for a ride later today. Expected high temp: 55.

80+=My favorite conditions. Shorts and short sleeves or sleeveless
70-80=bibs, short sleeve or sleeveless
60-70=bibs, sleeveless base layer, short sleeve jersey and maybe vest over
50-60=bibs & leg warmers or kinckers, sleeveless base layer, long sleeve jersey
40-50=bibs & leg warmers, base layer, long sleeve jersey, wind jacket, fingered gloves
30-40=bibs & tights, long sleeve base layer, long sleeve jersey, heavier riding jacket, fingered gloves, booties and balaclava.

And as I've written before, don't forget to vaseline those nipples!

80+ To fricken hot

70-80 To fricken hot

60-70 pretty nice

50-60 Perfect riding weather

40-50 Time for a ls jersey and long finger gloves,maybe a ls base layer to

30-40 2 ls base layers and a ls jersey,leg warmers and long finger gloves,maybe shoe covers to.

Heavy jacket,never,i dont care how cold it is,cant wear one,hell i dont own one.

100F+, Auggghhhhh, kill me now to prevent the torture!!!!

90-100F, hotter than fricken hades!!!!

80-90F, holy smokes, I am going to have a heat stroke!!!

70-80F, ummmm.......NA, still too hot!!

60-70F, Uggh, I hate excessive sweating!!!!

50-60F, Almost able to go outside with no clothes on!!!

40-50F, Now I can wear some shorts......Maybe!!!!

30-40F, BBQ weather. But, biking? I don't know yet...

20-30F, Finally got me a T-shirt on. Wife was complaining about the glare.

0-20F, OK, now I can go biking....

Below 0F....... TO HELL WITH IT!!! I'm breakin' out the Arctic Cat Mountain Cat 900, and my HEAD SuperCross Titanium Downhill Skis.


YEEEEEEHAAWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


P.S. can ya tell I grew up in Wisconsin, but now live out West? hehe, gotta love these mountains.

long sleeve jerseys rock.. i have several, the material seems a little thicker and warmer than your usual short-sleeved summery jersey. and if it's kinda cold out there, you should be wearing a jacket..

sd

Ha! I wonder the same thing when I see them in a catalog or magazine. I don't know anyone who has one, either.

I have a nike something-or-other long sleeve jersey (not really for biking, sorta like underarmour, but works well nonetheless) that I just throw on as a base layer. Put my normal jersey over it, maybe tights if its cold, and Im good.

I live in NC where the highs rarely drop below the mid 40s, so its not *that* big of a deal.

Though I don't have any, I have heard that one reason to wear them is to protect the skin from the sun.

Here in AZ, I tend to get a chill at higher temperatures than might be the case where cycling is more seasonal rather than year round. My jacket is usually pressed into service in the 50 - 60 degree range and below. That's likely to happen in a month or so.

This morning my commute was 42 degrees and windy.
I wore a base layer, a sweater and a lined jacket. The jacket
is very thin and breathable. That, and warm tights, is about what you need for the 40's. Oh, I also wore smartwool sockes, neoprene gloves, and
this thing.. http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17541&subcategory_ID=1343

I'd wear one to not get a tanline just above the elbows....I can stand the cold, I can't stand bi-colored arms