Originally Posted by
nwmtnbkr
A face mask or balaclava should be on your list since it can be windy as well as cold there in Chicago. If you already have eyewear (sunglasses for daytime and clear safety glasses) you'll want to use them, too. If you don't already have a balaclava or face mask, you may be able to pick up a 6-in-1 polar fleece which can be configured as a balaclava on sale, cheap. I found them on sale at the local Ace hardware in the nearby town for $9.99. Make sure your bike has lights, too. You have so much less daylight during winter. You can use a good LED flashlight. Sounds like you've got a pretty comprehensive list and have things thought out. You don't have to spend a fortune to buy bike specific clothing. Like many other sports, when you start buying gear that's specially marketed to a group that is perceived as having a lot of disposable income, prices can go through the roof. Is your bike all set up or are you in the process of getting it ready? Good luck; stay warm and safe.
I have some old safety glasses that I use sometimes, but I'll probably get some new ones because the ones I have are bifocal. Do they get foggy? I have some anti-fog rain-x stuff that I thought about using on them. I was wondering about a facemask, I'll look into the one you have. I have a pretty bright led light that I got from home depot for $30 and made a bracket to bold it to my stem. I'll pick up ones of those blinky red lights too, I forgot about visibilty, I was too focused on staying warm. I saw that some people were wearing nylon and wool together. Should I pick up some nylon stuff? My mine concern was weather or not a pair of long johns or two with jeans over them will be warm enough. Right now I'm maining just getting cold on my ears, hands and feet with what I have.