it was 20 degrees F this morning, in Boston. I have a 13mi commute.

I had to post since I am SO psyched about my new pants and shoes.

Head/Face: Under Armour hood (nice adjustable, can become just neck gaiter, etc. with an additional fleece hat

Torso: t-shirt (yes, I know I need to get some non-cotton tshirts) Sugoi zip neck (I LOVE these) and my gore windstopper boathouse jacket from my school sport (ice hockey) - its actually a nice jacket for biking, lightweight, etc.

Legs: a new pair of Pearl Izumi tights that have windstopper front panels. THey aren't as stretchy as I'd like, but I have to say, they are super warm compared to my usual tights. A nice option instead of tights and then a loose goretex pant.

Feet: Merrell Chameleon shoes - goretex xcr, really warm, good windblocking. With fleece socks.

Hands: just regular fleece lined EMS gloves.

took me 45min or so. The bike path was icy so moved to roads. I need to get a wider-tire bike for the winter, working on this (I have a giant ocr2 right now) I have a mountain bike, but its small and I don't like the riding position for a commute.

my coworkers think I am crazy, but man, I HATE 'needing' to drive. I am thinking about getting a hockey gear backpack so I can stop doing my few drives I do a week to the rink! Hockey gear is big though, might be hard.

Conditions: 42F/5C, calm with patchy fog. 4 mile straight commute to the office.

Today I wore:

Head: Helmet, amber glasses.

Torso: Cotton polo shirt, merino wool v-neck sweater.

Legs: Cotton/linen chinos.

Feet: Cotton/wool sox, PI Vagabond mtb shoes (oxfords under my desk)

Hands: REI full-finger cycling gloves.

Notes: These are nice days for riding to work. During the fall, my office dress code goes to business casual and it's a pleasant coincidence that my typical outfit is perfectly comfortable on the bike. I have a Gore-tex shell that I brought in my backpack in case it rains this afternoon, but I never really need it unless there's precip or high wind.

Today I wore

Conditions: -0F to -13F clear star filled night. Wind calm. 13 miles one way

Head: Ski helmet, Ski goggles and Lava wool facemask.

Torso: Light weight wicking shirt and Gore-Tex DWR shell.

Legs: Mid weight Solstice fleece long underwear with nylon wind pants.

Feet: Thick wool socks with oversized lightweight hiking boots

Hands: Buckskin mittens with a lightweight fingered liner.

Notes I stayed nice and warm all the way to work. On the way home I got rid of the goggles, facemask and unzipped the Gore-Tex shell. (EDIT the temps was 18F with light winds on the way home around noon time)

Today I wore a pair of pants, socks, shoes, shirt, jacket, deodorant, etc. Brushed my teeth, showered. Why am I telling you this? I don't know.

Today I wore

Conditions: 9F overcast just spitting snow ride miles one way 13

Head: Ski helmet, Ski goggles and Lava wool facemask.

Torso: Light weight wicking shirt and Gore-Tex DWR shell.

Underwear: an urban dingle berry catcher. :)

Legs: Mid weight Solstice fleece long underwear with nylon wind pants.

Feet: Thick wool socks with oversized lightweight hiking boots

Hands: Leather gloves with lightweight fleece liner.




Notes: I found a ride home after the snowstorm at 12 noon. Way to many cagers to be out on the road.

Today, on the h2OCHICK Welcome to Washington ride (2hr, 15mile ride):

Conditions: 28F Frosty, flat trail, casual pace of 12-15mph
Head: Helmet with fleece liner and 3mm clear linder, thin poly balclava
Torso: sport top, Mid-weight wool sweater, Marmot softshell, ShowersPass outer,
Legs: Schoeller WB 400 ski pants
Feet: Thick wool socks. over thin poly, Graerne winter boot.
Hands: REI Ski gloves

Notes: Cold fingers and toes on the 1st 30 mins of ride. The balclava, and fleece liner should have been wool or heavier.

Once home, I added 2 windproof layers of fleece under the boot pads to block coldness from cleat.

Without your riding conditions, distance and temperature, I don't know either

Yesterday, December 11th, Albertville – France.

-4°C, cloudy with a slight wind. Dry and roller coaster type route with a small climb (300m vertical gain) at the beginning. The ride lasted 1H51min for a total of 49Km,.

Head : Helmet, bandanas, ear-covering head band with A-tex layer,
Torso and leg : Long bib with A-tex layer (covers the stomach area as well), inner layer of xc skiing jersey, Biemme winter cycling jacket.
Hand : Gloves that’s suppose to be good down to -5°C
Feet : Neoprene shoe covers, Sidi Genius 4 shoes.

Since I had a small climb at the beginning, I brought some newspaper, at the top of the climb, I put the newspaper inside the jacket. It both absorbed the sweat and blocked the wind on the downhill part. I was fine the whole ride except that my hand and feet felt cold sporadically. Anyone else has the same impression on their hands and feet?

Conditions: 47F, 100%RH, calm. 30 mile pre-work training ride along the American River Bike Trail.

Today I wore:

Head: Helmet and amber glasses.

Torso: Patagonia lightweigh polypro l/s undershirt, Voler l/s jersey, windvest

Legs: PI bibs, midweight runninng tights

Feet: cotton sox, PI Vagabond shoes, neoprene toe covers

Hands: cotton/poly glove liners and PI gloves

Notes: I was slightly overdressed. I zipped the windvest and jersey halfway to my navel and I probably could have done with just the glove liners.

Dec 12 '05

-7C am & pm - calm - very icy - no snow -

Skull cap with Toque eh!
Cotton T-Wool T-neck pullover-sht slve fleece and nylon shell
lined nylon wind pant
Wool socks and leather hiking boot
mini mitts and heavy cotton gloves

No exertion due to ice, so wasn't hot. - 10+ KM ride - 30 minutes +/-

Conditions: 36F/2C, foggy. 4.5 mile easy commute.

Today I wore:

Head: Helmet, amber glasses

Torso: Silk l/s undershirt, cotton/wool sweater, windvest

Legs: Cotton chinos

Feet: Wool dress sox, PI vagabond shoes

Hands: Thin poly gloves

Notes: I was freezing. I don't know what I was thinking when I left the house....

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/wea...s/CAON0289.htm
It was probably -12 this morning on my way to school.

Torso:T-shirt, sweater, winter coat(columbia)
Legs:Long Johns, jeans
Feet:2 pairs of socks, steel toed boots
Hands:Thinsulate gloves(leather)

I guess i dont get all dressed up like you guys do.

Dec 13 '05

-3C am & -1C pm - windy and snowy - 3" new snow in pm - very icy -

Toque eh!
Cotton T-Wool T-neck pullover-sht slve fleece and nylon shell
lined nylon wind pant
Wool socks and leather hiking boot
mini mitts and heavy cotton gloves

Exertion due to snow and ice , did sweat it up a bit more today - 10+ KM ride - 30 minutes +/-

10mile ride, rolling hills

Conditions: 37F Clear, Rolling hills Avg speed 17.5mph, 11.75 miles
Head: Helmet with fleece liner and 3mm clear linder, thin poly balclava
Torso: silky-top (BIG MISTAKE), Thin wool sweater. Mid-weight wool sweater, Marmot softshell
Legs: Schoeller WB 400 ski pants
Feet: Thick wool socks.Graerne winter boot, with 2 layers polar tech wind proof under shoe pad.
Hands: Zerso Ski gloves

Notes: Cold ears, very warm torso first 3miles. Just right the rest of the way. Speed is pretty close to my summer times because I'm not FREEZING IT OFF! ;) Thanks Bek

Regular thirty-minute commute ride home at 10 p.m. in Sanford, Maine. -2 deg F.
Head-$15 Campmor Bomber hat. Has bill, covers ears, windproof fleece with under-the-chin flaps. PSolar EX facemask. Made with Polartec and has a paper-type filter that traps the warm moist air you exhale and uses it to warm the air you inhale. It WORKS. I never took a single cold breath. The mask itself also wrapped around the back of the Bomber hat and covered my face, chin, and lower neck.

Feet-"Head" (rebadged Smartwool) hiking socks. Look for them on Ebay at $17/3 pair. They're awsome
Northwave Grizzly winter mtb shoes. Hind neoprene shoe covers. Feet never got too warm or too cold. Perfectly comfortable.

Hands-Mountain Hardware Gortex XCR gloves. For some reason, sometimes my fingerstips will be very cold with these, then a few hills later, they're fine. Sometimes I start out with cold fingertips, other times I start out warm. I can't figure it out. Other than that, the gloves are very nice, water and windproof, have a nice long cuff with cinch cord with plenty of room for a jacket's cuffs to fit inside. But the fingertip problem is disappointing. I'm tempted to dish out the dough for a pair of Icebike mitts.

Torso-Icebreaker Merino wool Techtop. Very nice and soft, long arms with thumbloops are perfect for cycling. Nice high collar with a locking zipper. They could stand to change the backing of the zipper as it's scratchy and can ever feel like it's stabbing your skin. Over that was an old Hind Drylete top I hardly use. Over all that was a $20 REI Stormfront jacket. A pretty lightly lined windbreaker that has nice features like velcro cuffs, cinchchord waist, nice high collar, waterproof, with enough room for baselayers. Yesterday, I just had the Icebreaker top and the jacket and it took me a while to warm up. Today, I was almost too warm with the addition of the Drylete top and started to sweat just a bit. But the wool kept it from being a cold chill.

Bottom-This is becomming my standard lower wear. A pair of Santini Roubaix bib tights. They have foot stirrups and would be plenty warm if not for the wind which can go through them. Over these I wear a pair of Concurve Windstopper cycling tights. The tights have an nice windstopper front and nice zipper ankles, but the back of them is just regular lycra, so they just won't cut it on their own. The combo of the two is perfect and not at all restricting. Combined with the Hind booties, there's no place for cold drafts to come in.

I have an Ibex Shak jersey coming in that I'll test out. I'm thinking of wearing it with just a Windstopper insulated Sanuer Duval team issue cycling jacket I have lying around.

Man my winter rides barely drop below 10c. Based on the east coast of Spain.
HEAD: non breathable hat covered by giro atmos helmet, m frames to boot.
TORSO: windstopper jacket, sportful second skin, extra full zip long sleeve cycling top
HANDS: gorewindstopper gloves
LEGS: locally made winter 3/4 lenthgs, nikes leg warmers underneath, black socks pulled up to cover space, etxe onda over shoes, time racing shoes.
COOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The second skind sportful top and the windstopper jacket bought 2004 have been revolutionary!!!!!!!!!

15 F, light wind, 4 miles, first time out riding in this cold this winter, wore normal winter outdoor clothes, helmet, but wore only short underpants under thick jeans. Thought that the long overcoat would stop the wind and cover tighs but was slightly mistaken.

Conclusion: Could have gotten cold had the ride been twice that long.

This thread is a good idea.

Yestarday my hands got cold while using my PI AmFibs with liners. I'm trying to avoid mittens, so I got these REI Vertigo gloves. It wasn't cold enough last night to truly test them, so I'll give them another shot today.

TODAY, I WORE:

HEAD
Helmet, polar fleece balaclava, polar fleece tuque, clear-lens glasses (first leg), ski goggles (second leg)

TORSO
base layer: polyester cycling jersey; mid layer: fleece long-sleeved pullover; outer layer: Columbia windproof nylon jacket with polyester lining.

LEGS
Base layer: Micropolyester longjohns; Mid layer: polar fleece MEC Trek pants; Outer layer: lightweight combat trousers.

FEET
Pair of mid-weight wool worker socks, heavy pair of wool worker socks. Addidas running shoes.

HANDS
Base layer: polypro gloves; mid layer: polar fleece mitt liner; outer: nylon shell mitt, with PVC/polyester palm

CONDITIONS
-7C when I started the commute, the sun was setting (4:45 p.m. here in Calgary), no wind, clear. Return trip @ 1 a.m., -12C with light winds, gusting to 20 km/h from the west (headwind for me) near end of trip, clear. It's a dry cold here -- no "moist" wind a la Eastern Canada/Northeast U.S. to cut through to the skin. 17 km trip one-way. 50 minutes there, 55 minutes return.

NOTES
Put on balaclava early on the initial ride (less than five minutes in) -- neck was freezing up quickly. I was experimenting with footwear, as it was relatively "warm" and there was no wind, plus I've been having problems with damp feet since my regular riding shoes breathe poorly if at all -- thought I'd try the breathable running shoes. Bad idea. My toes were ice cubes with about 10-15 minutes left in my ride to work. Fortunately, I had been reading a bit here on the forum and noticed someone used duct tape in a pinch as a wind break on their toes. Tried that, and it worked almost all the way home. One foot was quite cold by the end of the return trip, while the other foot was just a bit chilled. I'll probably be using my Asolo hiking boots next trip at this temperature, provided I don't buy something else a little-more suitable for riding before that time (probably not). My legs were just fine; I was also experimenting using the combat pants instead of the wind/waterproof shell I normally wear. Better breathability, no moisture beuildup. Torso on the other hand, I overheated a bit -- all three layers damp by the time I arrived home. I guess the open under-arm vents are not enough. I might consider a breathable layer as my outer layer next ride at this temperature. Switched to ski goggles for the ride home as well -- better results, very little watering for the eyes compared to the glasses at this temp. For the head layers, It was pretty near perfect, although it was a bit sweaty. I might be tempted to wear just the balaclava next time to see if I'll be OK for warmth -- wouldn't be surprised if I was.

END NOTE
I'll definitely be reading up a lot on what other people wear in different climates and conditions. I'm a newbie who just joined the forum yesterday, so there's a lot of useful info yet to glean, I'm sure!

-16C am & - 12C pm - calm - Packed snow some ice - Bike paths and walks cleared

Skull cap with Toque eh! in am toque only in pm
Cotton T-Wool T-neck pullover-sht slve fleece and nylon shell
lined nylon wind pant
Wool socks and flet lined winter boots
mini mitts and leather lined gauntlet mitts


- 10+ KM ride - 30 minutes +/-

Running into a problem with nylon wind jacket. Not breathing very well so when I am riding in -16 and colder the condensation buildup gets so bad that It is soping wet when when I finish my 30 minute + commute. Will a more breathable outer shell stop the wind better or worse?? Can anyone help out here?

OC

Weather = sunny and cold - 29 degrees - windy


Head = 360 ear muffs / light balaclava / clear lens ski googles

Neck = nothing ... I am an idiot

Torso = wicking Merona long sleeve / cycling jersey / fleece no name cycling jacket (yes, such animal exists ... in Argentina)

legs = Merona (yes , I love Target) underwear, some 30$ long tights, short spandex socks, long soccer socks. shimano shoes with no booties, and 10$ cycling shorts.

Weather = Dark and warm - 22F - no wind

Head = Skull cap and helmet

Neck = nothing. I usually zip up my fleece to my chin if it is cold enough

Torso = nike pro fit jersey, cotton t-shirt (to cover up my form fitting jersey. Yes, I know the evils of cotton. It will be replaced with a light wool shirt sometime in the near future), and an old nike windbreaker (due for replacement also).

legs = cycling shorts, cycling tights, and a pair of nike jogging pants

feet = tennis shoes, cotton socks, and wool socks.

Results: fine up top. Legs were too warm. Tomorrow is the same temps. I will not include the jogging pants.

Conditions: 35-40F, partly cloudy, winds 5-10mph, roads mostly dry but still somewhat salty, started out as a 25 mile ride because the weather was so nice compared to the last month, but ended up doing 75. Merry Christmas to me! :)

Head: Coolmax doo-wrap, Bell Citi helmet with Illuminite helmet cover.

Torso: Nike poly base layer, old USMC 'wooly pully' sweater, J&G Yellowjacket wind jacket.

Legs: Canari Tundra tights

Feet: Smartwool socks, Shimano spd shoes, Bellwether toe covers

Hands: Gore Windstopper gloves

Notes: Clothing matched the weather perfectly. With my pit zips about half open, front zipper just below the neck, I was not cold at all and barely broke a sweat for the entire ride.

Head: Helmet
Hands: Specialized full gloves (lightweight)
Torso: Longsleeve poly, Windbreaker
Legs: Fleece tights
Feet: Wool socks, MTB shoes

It was a balmy 40F today, so it was almost like springtime riding...