bres dad

Looking for ideas on budget colder weather (mid 40-mid 30's) riding gear. Especially pants that will keep out the wind (I have tops that will work.) I can't fork out $100 for a pair of pants I see hanging up in a bike store. I also see some of the Champion C9 compression pants at Target for $25 or similar Nike Pro Combat or Under Armor stuff going for less than $50 (though the UA usually brings more of a premium). Granted some of the winter pants I've seen in bike stores is better insulated and has better padding, but I don't plan on getting out in much below 40 and can wear padded shorts over say a set of compression pants that wouldn't be made specifically for riding (no padding.) I'm wondering how well some of the thicker (or 'warm' as advertised) stuff that is under $40 would hold up and work? Would like some opinions before I go buy some, get out on a ride and freeze my ass off or something.

Darth Steele

honestly, good leg and arm warmers should be sufficient in conjunction with a good fall bib/shirt set, smart wool socks and good warm gloves. You don't want to over heat, being cool is actually a good thing. My biggest issue for me is keeping my toes from going numb.


If you are not into "road attire" you can also go to an outlet mall and get some under armour cold weather gear

rangerdavid

check over in the winter riding forum

vasuvius

UA Cold Gear tights and long sleeve shirt with bib shorts on top and summer jersey have been keeping me warm on rides in the low 30s and high 20s.
UA Cold Gear is not windproof but does a pretty good job. They're about $50 each and a little lower if you can find them in a sale or outlet.

Feet and Hands are the tricky part. I got a pair of neoprene boot covers (Garneau) for around $15 for when it drops below 30. Else I wear Pearl Izumi toe caps which were about $18 I think.
Ski gloves work great when it gets below 30.

Not sure yet what I'm going to do when it drops to low 20s.

Netazah

Agreed with the above. The two areas to make sure you focus on is your head and your feet. A decent hat and some booties/good socks will go a long way. A nice merino base layer on bottom and top should do you well enough, depending on how cold we're talking. Keep in mind your legs need less insulation since they're generating most of the heat (at least that's always been my experience).

Hiro11

$60 Performance Triflex tights are extremely warm and completely wind proof. One caveat: like any dedicated winter windproof tight, the fronts don't really breathe (the backs do). You wind up a little drenched in sweat unless it's really cold.

On the upside, I've ridden in these on awful days below 10 degrees F and stayed warm and completely comfortable.

Psimet2001 

+1 - ^---This. People that are adamant about winter riding tend to know great pieces of gear and the best places to find them.

+1 - agree 100%. I used to use the triflex tights for years in the Chicago winters. Anytime it got to 40 or below I would wear them. Commuting and racing. Still have them for super cold and windy conditions. Used them in a few State Championship cross races on the lakefront in December.....now I'm cold thinking about it...

Carbonfiberboy 

Winter forum is mostly a bunch of ice bikers or ice biker wannabees.

You really need more than one set of bottoms. Temperature range of a set of bottoms isn't very broad. Firstly, I'll assume you mean dry weather. Wet weather is the same, it just feels about 10° colder than it is. And air temperature always varies on a ride. If you're not shivering pretty good in the parking lot, you're dressed too warm. This also depends on how hard you ride. Since this is the 41, we assume you ride hard and generate a good bit of heat.

Shop for all this stuff at Performance. And don't wear anything under your shorts. Shorts first, then warm stuff on top.

Down to ~40°, all you need is a pair of decent leg warmers.

You can get a good bit further down with a pair of Thermal II tights over your shorts. Disadvantage: you can't take them off because you won't have anywhere to store them. Leg warmers go in the jersey pocket. If you get them with pad and wear them instead of shorts, that's a little warmer temperature range and what I usually will buy since I can't take them off anyway. However, the pad isn't as good, so if you're sensitive to that, maybe not so good for you.

Down to any reasonable temperature for riding, below freezing in the dry and about 35° in the wet, raining or snowing but not sticking, the Triflex tights. But you'll steam right out of them at around 50°, maybe even colder. I get these without the pad for sure, because when it's really cold you got something that wants more than one layer of protection.

thechemist

Artscyclery,competitive cyclist and ribble all of sales right now on winter tights. Get something with wind locker and lining(fleece/wool whatever). I prefer ones without chamois as I can wear them daily with bib shorts and not wash tights but you will be fine either way.

Your covered in all other areas?

bbattle

Remember the rule of riding in the cold; if you aren't cold the first ten minutes, you are over dressed.

rangerdavid

also, look into wool. Cover it with a windproof layer and wool can be your friend.

caloso

Other way 'round. You want to wear the tights over the bibs/shorts because you want the chamois against your taint, not the seam of the tights. Trust me on this, I have learned this lesson the hard way.

vasuvius

for the past month I've been wearing tights under the bibs/shorts -- just have to wear the tights so that it sticks to the skin and is pulled up all the way. no problems yet... i realize everyone else does it the other way around, but this is pretty comfortable for me.

carpediemracing 

I agree with this. Booties, gloves, and a warm head. If you spend less heat energy "paying for heat" there then you have more heat energy for your torso/core, your legs, your arms. Also you want to keep the low blood flow areas warm - mainly your Achilles and knees. If they're warm you can get away with less gear elsewhere.

Some of the stuff I've done in the past:
Booties - old booties, any cuts/etc wrapped in black duct tape. My first pair were given to me by a sympathetic club member.
Gloves - Garden gloves, old ski gloves (with tape on the latter).
Warm head - tape closed your helmet vents (I use electrical tape - comes off cleanly), leaving a couple rear ones open; thin head cover for under the helmet.
Neck warmer - use a turtleneck or a head tube type thing to cover your neck - critical for colder weather stuff.

At 31 deg F last Saturday(dry) I had on: Booties, winter gloves, neck thing (tube), skull cap, no tape on vents. Top: LS base, LS turtleneck base, LS jersey, wind vest. Bottom: Bib knickers (thermal/thick lycra).

I was cool when rolling but fine once I got going.

If you don't have booties that's where I'd start. Tights are more versatile than knickers but I use knickers way more often than tights. For wind you can always put layers of the supermarket plastic bags to stop wind - I'll do that under my jersey if it's wet or cold and I don't feel like wearing a vest. I've done it on my thighs and arms as well.

surgeonstone

Check this stuff out. Merino wool is the best, summer or winter it's the best.
https://shop.ibex.com/

caloso

Re gloves: XC ski gloves work really well for cycling.

Cyclelogikal

Amazon has great deals on bib tights and Zimco has bib tights regulary for $49.99 out of NY with free shipping currently. I have experience with Zimco and they are decent products. I just bought some Tenn cycling gear products and will give a update once I have a ride under my belt. Tenn I get from Amazon. With my Prime Membership I can order and get in two days!

Either way I am like you...............anyone who would buy one single pair of bib tights in excess of $150 befuddles my mind unless they just have so much money when there are other things that are just as good. May not have Voler; Assos; or one of the many other names on it but it is just as good. I have heard the arguments those name brands last longer...............not really convinced yet on that.

But either way I would never chastise one for buying what they do..........so my post was to help you out OP. If you are a tight arse like me check out the two leads I sent you. Good luck.

big chainring 

A nice pair of corduroy pants from TJ's or Marshalls, cut or rolled up to knicker length works well. Just wear your favorite shorts underneath. Add a pair of wool knee socks and you're set.

Canker

Yeah Marshalls is a good place to look if you have one local. You have to look through a lot in their sporting good section to find stuff but they have good deals if you put the effort in. I picked up a thermal shirt and tights there for for less than $20 for the pair. I bought a jacket online somewhere but I rarely use it. If it is 35+ the shirt and tights are more than enough for me. My biggest issue is my feet so I have a nice pair of 75% merino wool socks and the best winter purchase I've made chemical toe warmers. If you have enough room in your shoes for them they made winter riding possible for me last year.

Machka 

Winter Cycling Forum
https://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...Winter-Cycling

kleng

I normally use compression tights without padding under the bib knicks, but our winters are milder downunder

clausen

+1

For mid 30s leg warmers, regular bibs, LS wool base layer, LS Wool jersey, Gillet, Wool hat, Defeet wool gloves over regular mits, Defeet Woolie boolie socks, Booties if there a chance of getting wet.