Commuting - Its 5:00 AM, 19*F degrees and dark. How do you layer?

I did a thread back in November that was similar:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/856611-Its-5-00-AM-27*F-degrees-and-dark-How-do-you-layer?highlight=

I thought we could take another look at the issue, since the weather has grown a bit more harsh. I've ridden in about everything so far: mist, drizzle, driving rain, etc. I have driven the family battle wagon (or bummed a ride) only twice in the past 90 days. My layering has changed some, but not a lot... yet. But we haven't seen *real* winter weather so far.

One thing I do appreciate is: I much rather ride to work at 5am with temps in the teens and no wind, than ride in warmer, damper weather with a breeze.

Nothin' like a cold, clear, still and starry (and moon-lit) early morning to make me appreciate my morning commute. Dress right and it can be a very pleasant experince.

Full long johns, thick shirt on top, rainjacket, and wrap myself up with a Toyota Camry as a shell. Ha ha!

Lowest I have ever gone is 29F so far. 19 sounds tough.

I agree that's got to be cold, my lowest is 37F.

Long sleeved underarmor shirt. Bibs (normal bike bibs). Windstopper (REI Headwind) jersey. Windstopper pants (or long johns). Showers Pass goretex jacket. Craft goretex pants. Shoe covers (wool sox). Microfiber balaclava. Glacier Gloves. With lotsa coffee on the inside.

at 16F it was:

-Smartwool merino baselayer
-Nashbar Derby jacket
-UA Coldgear balaclava under LG fleece hat
-Bellwether Windfront tights
-PI softshell lobster mitts
-LG Zero SPD boots w/ two pairs of Sockguy midweight socks

Bottom: Jeans with either tights or long underwear.
Top: T-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt (or turtleneck), sweat shirt & light windbreaker.
Other: Heavier gloves (mine are fur-lined) or full-fingered cycling gloves for cold weather, plus balaclava. A hat or hood may be needed with the balaclava.

Almost no matter what you wear, your torso and legs will be fine. I'd wear a thick pair of tights, and a thick moisture-wick top covered with a wind layer. The really important things are what you wear on your neck, feet and hands. Mittens are way better than gloves. Windproof mittens with a little insulation work great. Be sure your shoes aren't mesh, and if they are use shoe covers. And wear some kind of face mask to cover your neck and chin.

Around here winter riding at 19F is peice of cake (I try really hard to find alternate transportation when it's less than 10 BELOW zero F).

At 19F I'd ride a beanie cap under my helmet, shell jacket with a long sleave shirt, medium weight gloves, normal slacks, and leather shoes or boots.

How long is your commute? I've made it fine down to 22 deg with jeans, long sleeve wicking top with a t-shirt over that, and a neoprene jacket. Thin polyester balaclava and some neoprene gloves. I only have 3 miles so, that may not count as a bona fide commute by some of the folks here! The gloves have been replaced as they did not work well enough to suit me. My legs were just starting to feel a bit of a chill. I usually try to take it easy the first mile. Push it a bit the second. By then I'm usually warm. By the time I get to work, I need to cool down. If I had 10 miles, it might be a different story.

5am 19F and dark? How do I layer?

A down comforter, a king size bed and a warm wife.

;)

We've yet to hit anything sub-25 this year, but this is the list.....a little colder and I might add lightweight long underwear on the bottom and heavier neck gaiter, but as long as it's dry and not too windy, I like the cold, dark mornings (11 mile ride to work) :

-smartwool midweight longsleeve, hi-viz REI jacket (heavy-ish, windproof, waterproof)
-wool buff, worn either as a double-layer beanie or as a neck gaiter/head cover combo
-normal shorts, swobo wool knee warmers, PI amfib tights
-heavy smartwool socks, MTB shoes, Endura mt500 shoe covers
-heavy sugoi gloves (firewall XT, I think)

At 5 degF, two dry wicking layer 8 shirts, Nashbar Derby Jacket, Bellwether Windfront tights over Nashbar padded shorts, Merino Wool socks and hiking boots, Saucany balaclava under a Bern helmet with the winter liner, thinsulate gloves. Clear, cold, dry is so great to ride in.

Nothin' like a cold, clear, still and starry (and moon-lit) early morning to make me appreciate my morning commute. Dress right and it can be a very pleasant experince.

It was 21 F here today and I did 1) a grocery run and 2) a 6 mile ride. I overdressed for the groceries just to get an idea of what to wear. Finally did the longer ride with a pair of jeans, 2 pairs socks, a baselayer/wool sweater/windblock layers on my torso. Balaclava and some gloves.

That worked pretty well, but if there has been wind I would have preferred a layer under the jeans.

One thing you can do is dress lighter than you think and bring a bag with another layer or two. You don't want to sweat heavily in this type of weather.

I would wear my thermal long johns, cotton t shirt, and heavy sweatshirt. I would double up on wool socks. Outer layer would be my showers pass rain pants, and showers pass jacket. Hi Tec waterproof ulitmate hikers for footwear, and Outdoor Research meteor mitts for my hands. Outdoor Research face mask for my head and helmet, obviously. This combination has worked very well for 2 winters now. If its snowing or really bad wind I might throw on my Smith goggles.

Down into the teens I wear my work shoes, work pants or sweats, and on the top just a shirt covered by a wool sweater covered by a waterproof windproof shell. My legs and feets are always comfortable after the first couple of blocks and the wool sweater covered with the shell is amazing. On my head I leave my helmet at home and use a wool knit hat.

Do you many of you guys have a winter shell or jacket you use or do you stick with a shower pass rain jacket?

if you guys use another jacket does anyone know of a good on and off the bike winter jacket, or soft shell?

Head to toe:

Helmet cover, helmet, balaclava
Old Performance Illuminite jacket that doesn't breathe very well, long sleeve shirt, base layer
Windbreaker pants, shorts, knee warmers
Waterproof hiking boots, Smartwool socks

It's not too bad once I start working up some body heat. Not the best solution for a long ride, but it works for my 11 miles.

I wear cycling specific winter clothing from Pearl Izumi. Now I know most of you wear regular wear to work clothing but I have a place to store clean clothes with a private change room, (my office). With the Pro-style jacket and bibs plus lobster mitts and Sidi waterproof cycling shoes, wool socks, helmet liner, I stayed comfortable on a 60 kilometer ride at -9° C yesturday. This morning was a little warmer for my 10 km commute at -4° C. I must add chemical hand warmers to my mitts when the temperature gets in the minus zone but if I put the warmers in a zip-lock plastic bag when arriving at work, they are good to reuse for my trip home.

By the way, for anyone that would like to know how to key board the degree " ° " , just hold the Alt key and type 248.

High 20's today.

Thin wind vest
Mid temperature wind long sleeve shirt
winter sleeves
wicking sports under shirt

winter gloves

winter tights

1 pair woolish socks

balaclava

glasses

Not quite cold enough for the beard head or the ski goggles, but it's getting there.

Google is a very good tool for searching bikeforums. This thread has come up approximately 37 zillion times. I've personally responded to maybe 200 of them. I'm getting tired of typing for people too lazy to use Google.

Good so far down to 11 ° - from bottom up:
Foxwear socks with slip-on low-cut boots
Foxwear Powershield Rain Pants
Champion C9 long sleeve t-shirt base layer
Foxwear PowerDry long sleeve shirt middle layer
Showers Pass Elite 2 jacket
OR Meteor gloves
wool cap with ear coverings

19*? Lets see...normal work attire, winter coat and 3000 lbs of steel, plastic and rubber! 19 is too cold for me, I drive at that temp!

Good so far down to 11 ° - from bottom up:
Foxwear socks with slip-on low-cut boots
Foxwear Powershield Rain Pants
Champion C9 long sleeve t-shirt base layer
Foxwear PowerDry long sleeve shirt middle layer
Showers Pass Elite 2 jacket
OR Meteor gloves
wool cap with ear coverings

How are the OR Meteor gloves working? I opted for the Meteor mitts thinking theyd be warmer. Love them so far!

Went for a 3hrs ride at 12F/-11C, heavy winds last week my mitts were way too warm for the current weather as i usually ride with them below -4F/-20C
RBH altitude vaprthrm mitts liners + choko design leather mitts without liner + homemade reflective membrane + added leather layer on thumbs

How are the OR Meteor gloves working? I opted for the Meteor mitts thinking theyd be warmer. Love them so far!

I was concerned at first because I thought shifting would be a problem but they are working great. I love the fingerless option. At above freezing (32-38), way too warm.

Bottom: Jeans with either tights or long underwear.
Top: T-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt (or turtleneck), sweat shirt & light windbreaker.
Other: Heavier gloves (mine are fur-lined) or full-fingered cycling gloves for cold weather, plus balaclava. A hat or hood may be needed with the balaclava.

I'll ditto this. My only wrinkle is that I might just wear jeans at 19 degrees, without the long underwear or tights.

ps, When there's ice on the windshields and I realize that I'm 3 or 4 miles into my commute and warmed up in less time than I'd have been sitting cold in the car waiting for it to defrost, I'm usually happy then that I chose to ride in.

I do this temp in my morning commute a lot, here's what works for me:

top: long sleeve merino wool base layer; long sleeve cotton turtleneck, showers pass commuter jacket.

bottom: merino wool base layer; jeans; double socks, thin and thick wool; boots.

hands/head: winter biking gloves (currently I'm using Louis Garneau gloves); balaclava, ear muffs, fleece skull cap under helmet; goggles for ride home which includes a mile downhill (500 ft drop), that can get pretty cold.

nothing beats merino wool over merino wool in layers and maybe a thin shell windproof jacket outside

merino wool socks
merino wool gloves home made from old guess what? merino wool sweaters

i'm not rich nor bragging btw

i get my merino wool from the thrift shop

Head to toe:

Helmet cover, helmet, balaclava
Old Performance Illuminite jacket that doesn't breathe very well, long sleeve shirt, base layer
Windbreaker pants, shorts, knee warmers
Waterproof hiking boots, Smartwool socks

It's not too bad once I start working up some body heat. Not the best solution for a long ride, but it works for my 11 miles.

Made it down to 8 degrees this morning and I was OK with this setup. It really is mostly about keeping your feet, hands (which I forgot to mention above- I use relatively heavy ski gloves), and head warm. Just know that the first 5 minutes may not be so fun.

It was 19 this am. Thick smart wool socks and semi roomy Keens shoes. Ibex wool cycling shorts, S..pporthill cross co.untry ski pants. Long sleeve cotton poly tee shirt. Fleecy sweater thing with high collar. Neon colored wind breaker. Fleecy hat with integral face covering. Smart wool glove liners and wind stopper non insulated gloves

I've done this a small number of times. wool tights, wool trousers (some sort of army surplus, dense weave) on the bottom. Two thin wool SS t-shirts and a heavier wool LS shirt, gore-tex shell over that. Balaclava, helmet, good insulated gloves, eye protection (safety glasses, home depot). This is usually good for that temp if it's dry, if wet, I don't bike. Two pairs of socks, at this temp, possibly a thin plastic bag between the sock layers. Some sort of trail running shoes. This is for a 35 - 40 minute commute.

....I realize that I'm 3 or 4 miles into my commute and warmed up in less time than I'd have been sitting cold in the car waiting for it to defrost, I'm usually happy then that I chose to ride in.

I like this perspective compared to sitting in a cold car. :thumb:
Those first few miles can be puckering....

5am 19F and dark? How do I layer?

A down comforter, a king size bed and a warm wife.

We have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!
:thumb:


For 10-19F (top to bottom):
- thin Balaclava with polar fleece headband, Bern helmet (not much ventilation)
- cycling glasses with clear or amber lens
- thin baselayer, light mid layer, rain jacket/shell (Novarra Stratos)
- Sugoi winter cycling gloves
- medium cycling tights, rain pants/shell (Pearl Izumi)
- hiking socks, mountain bike shoes. I dont need shoe covers until below 5F or so.

Craft Ultimate extreme, Castelli Merino, Louis G. Jersey, De Marchi Racing Jacket, De Marchi Stealth tights, motorcycle balaclava, Pro Izumi wool socks, Castelli neoprene shoe covers... I use this for a daily 20mile commute, and it has gotten below 20 more than a few times this season. This keeps me WARM. Sometimes, depending on how fast I go, it can actually get too warm believe it or not. LAYERING is defintely the way to go.:)

P.S. Oh, also Alpinestar waterproof motorcylce gloves.

Around here winter riding at 19F is peice of cake (I try really hard to find alternate transportation when it's less than 10 BELOW zero F).

At 19F I'd ride a beanie cap under my helmet, shell jacket with a long sleave shirt, medium weight gloves, normal slacks, and leather shoes or boots.

lol yeah 19 feels like cake compared to the 8F I just went through. At the start of winter I remember 50 feeling like it was f-f-f-freezing. This has to be the coldest night I've ever rode in. I actually stopped at the store and got a thicker beanie: D.

When it's in the mid-20s (°F) I wear the following:

Adidas Nordic Walking shoe (w/Gore-Tex)
Regular dress socks
€15 Tchibo Lycra Running pants
Stadium Layer 1 long-sleeve
Stadium Layer 2 with zip-up front neck
XC ski gloves
Helmet

if it's raining I add an LL Bean waterproof jacket

i think more than that is overkill

Believe it or not, I am still wearing my shorts, but I have 2-3 layers up top, an ear band and a beanie, and nice gloves. The legs don't really seem to matter so long as I can keep the core and head warm. Also, I only going straight to work, and I'll be there in under 30 minutes. It rarely gets that cold here, so I don't have tons of special gear to deal with it.

Balaclava under my helmet
Jeans
Cotton undershirt and cotton button-down shirt
Lined windbreaker
Wool socks and leather street shoes
Relatively thick thinsulate gloves

My commute is usually under 2 miles; I'll arrive toasty with cool fingers. When the commute is longer - 5 miles is my longest - my back may be sweaty and my fingers will be cold.

I've always been a bit "old school" about clothing, and would happily ride in 19 F with mostly layers of cotton, currently: t-shirt, hooded sweat shirt, synthetic fleece jacket, college sweat shirt... I know cotton is anathema to many people, but hey it works for me :)

5am 19F and dark? How do I layer?

A down comforter, a king size bed and a warm wife.

My thoughts exactly (but with my wife).:)

5am 19F and dark? How do I layer?

A down comforter, a warm bed and a king size wife.

:innocent:

I'm with you -- I prefer cold, dry weather over warmer wet weather (or hot humidity). The most important factor in keeping warm in cold temperatures, for me, is to avoid overdressing. If I wear too much gear, I start sweating and that makes me colder when stopped at red lights or going downhill.

For temps in the teens, here is what I wear and it keeps me warm:
- Bib shorts with Pearl Izumi Amfib bib tights with no pad. Amfibs always keep my legs warm, no matter the temperature or wetness.
- PI Amfib gloves. Too warm for temps over freezing, but work like a charm in the coldest temps I have ridden in so far (mid-teens).
- Under Armour long-sleeve base layer. Fits tight but very stretchy with thin fleecy layer on inside. My warmest base. Wear Craft base layer as well if Under Armour in the wash.
- Various jackets, Gore Phantom, Pearl Izumi or Craft rain jacket all seem to work equally well with proper base layer.
- Craft balaklava to cover my face topped by Trek fleece cap under my helmet.
- DeFeet Woolie Boolie socks, with PI Calientoe toe covers on my shoes.

:innocent:

Had to read that a couple of times to get it! You bad!

13degF and quite windy here this morning. I went with synthetic beanie under my helmet and a windbloc neck warmer, light synthetic t-shirt, light/mid weight synthetic longsleeve shirt, reasonably thick LLBean softshell jacket, pretty thick ski-style gloves, cycling shorts, Novara headwind pants and also chose to wear a pair of loose running tights/pants over those (probably could have did without these though), wool socks, Specialized defroster cycling boots.