Ditto on the bandanna worn "pirate style" under the helmet. Helps keep my head from getting the colder blast through the vents (if you saw how much hair I have you'd understand the need for that). For my ears I was using an REI fleece headband until last year when I got tired of the extra warmth it provided and the bulk the combination made under the helmet that was also annoying. Instead I tried my Swix earmuffs (They're part of my cross country ski kit). They were the PERFECT answer. I don't get overheated and my ears stay warm. This combination is for temps in the low 40s to mid 30s. When the temps dip into the low 30s, high 20s I'll switch to an REI fleece helmet liner/skull cap. I don't see it offered anymore but this would be an approximate replacement. The balaclava doesn't usually go on until temps get below 25 (my beard is probably the reason I can push it to that point). I'll combine the balaclava with the helmet liner when the temp gets below 20. On my ride I have a 1.5 mile downhill section on which I can get up to 40 mph. If I dress entirely for that I'll be way overdressed for the next nearly flat 5.5 miles so I'm generally a bit cold when I hit the bottom of the hill and spend the next couple of miles warming up. I'm usually sweating by the time I finish the morning ride.