tights - cool/cold weather clothing for Athenas
 

What do you wear for cool/cold weather clothing(Clydes & Athenas)? I would like to ride as long into the fall/winter as possible here in Michigan. Thanks everyone

Check out the Winter Cycling forum. They usually have good tips in their stickies. To break it down though it really depends as everyone seems to feel the cold differently and on what parts of their bodies.

For temps of around 25 - 35 I was fine wearing an A-shirt, short sleeve shirt, Long sleeve merino wool blend, Hooded sweatshirt, and windbreaker. On the bottom regular boxers, basketball shorts, and athletic pants were usually fine (though I do have leg warmers if I needed them). For hands I had light skiing gloves. For my head I had a skullcap and thin winter hat. For my feat regular socks and basketball sneakers. For context I am a year round commuter and only had a 3 mile commute each way.

You don't need much and it doesn't have to be cycling specific (unless you want it to be). Usually its not necessarily the cold, but the wind that gets people.

Thanks, I'll check out the winter forum.

Balaclavas are great. They keep the ears and neck and cheeks warm. A helmet will fit over it.
I wear unpadded cycling tights over regular bike shorts. The women's tights are generally in too-small sizes for my big ankles/calves; but the men's fit fine and I still have a women's style chamois.
Breathability is very important; sweat can make you very cold.
I bought "bar mitts" that allow me to wear normal bike gloves on very cold days. So I still have dexterity to shift/brake, work zippers but my hands stay warm.
I also carry an emergency space blanket. You can get very cold if you have a mechanical problem and need to wait outside for SAG.

You can ride all winter if you have the right bike with the right tires. Clothing is an issue though, you need a few pieces and most are not bicycle specific and can be bought in many outdoor stores.
Normal clothing rules apply, avoid cotton, use polypro or silk as the inner most layer, get some polyester fleece for a mid layer and something water and wind proof for the outer most layer. you generally want to dress as if it's 5 - 10℃ ( 9 - 18 ℉) warmer then it is, when doing strenuous exercise like bicycling, when standing around you want to dress 5 - 10℃ cooler then it really is. This is why you often see winter athletes in competitions bundle up as soon as they come off a run.

A good site for a lot of this is Icebike.org they have a lot of advice on clothing and equipment, some dealing with temperatures when a lot of us move our cycling to the trainer....

I have gotten some of the Assos cold weather gear and it works well but is really expensive. I don't normally ride outside if the temps are below 40 but I have a windproof riding jacket with a long sleeve jersey. As nkfrench stated, a balaclava works really well for under the helmet. I also use the windproof full fingered gloves. I use regular bib tights but was thinking of getting the windproof bib tights. And make sure to get some shoe covers. A helmet cover would also help to keep your head warm.

Ditto on shoe covers. Your feet can get almost unbelievably cold.

It's all about layers and allowing moisture to get out. Underlayers, as mentioned, should be 100% synthetic. Lighttweight long underwear worn with biking shorts is a good start. Swap to a mid weight or add a second lightweight layer if it's not enough. You can find bike pants that have windstop in front but are breathable in back. Jackets like that are harder to find but they are the real key. That assumes you ride hard enough to sweat, which almost everyone here will do. Oversized shoes with warm socks is a good start. I put tape on mine to prevent wind from going through. I add overboots (neos) when it gets chilly (under +20). I ride to -10F using layers, pogies, balaclavas...as needed. The colder it gets the harder it is to get the right balance but time and experience are the key as always. Note that you will have to start a ride quite chilly or you will have to take off an inner layer after 10-15 min. It's easier to start a ride chilly than take off a jacket and remove a layer for most people. Some type of pannier/bag is almost required to allow you to take off or add layers as needed. Winter riding also generally means some lighting system...