RDL

What type and brand gloves/face mask do the riders up North use ? I'm looking to upgrade my cold weather gear.
Thanks

hammy56

you should ask this in the 'road cycling' forum...you may get much more feedback. This is the racing subforum.

you might also try the '41 refugee thread'.

RDL

Will try the "thread". I'm asking racers because I am a racer myself. I'm asking people that "Train" outside in the cold. It's not the same as doing a easy 20 mile loop in the cold.

MDcatV

facemask

gloves

any brand will do, but for very cold days (for me that's sub 30 deg F +/- at ride start) i use ski gloves, i just happen to have the ones in the link.

the face mask, i'm a fan because it can be easily pushed down under your chin if you get too warm, but still be used kind of like a scarf to keep your throat covered, or taken off completely, or of course, left on.

i prefer it to a one piece balaclava that covers head and face for that flexibility. i pair it with a skull cap that covers my ears. dont remember what it is offhand.

badhat

PIs lobster mits are so great fo sub freezing.

and even below 0 you can wear them with wool liners and be ok

i grow a beard instead of wearing a facemask, and just do a heavy cap, a helmet cover to trap a little extra heat, and turtle fur around my neck.

lukasz

For gloves I look for proven materials like Thinsulate or Gore-tex. I've found a lot of cycling-specific gloves to be junk, what with their made up marketing names for crap material. The best winter gloves I've used (of which I had three pairs, lost two and put a bunch of holes into my final pair--whatever, they were $8 each IIRC) were some thin, relaxed fitting Thinsulate gloves that seemed way too light to be of any use.

As far as face masks go, I prefer a merino wool neck gaiter and a high-collared jacket. The only concern I have as far as warmth near my face is the temperature of the air entering my lungs. Balaclavas and a lot of face masks would also fog up my glasses, which unfortunately are prescription. I used to have sinus issues so thought that warm air would be healthier for me, but I've since just gotten used to sucking in large amounts of refreshing cold winter air after I am warmed up. Before that point in a ride, if I find the air too cold I breathe through my wool collar and zip up my jacket all the way. Another advantage of wool is that it won't smell like dog drool afterward.

Ygduf

my best winter gloves are some loose-fitting fleece gloves I wear over cycling gloves. Winter here is like 40f though, so ymmv.

jfmckenna

I just wear ski stuff.

mike868y

Gloves are the one thing I couldn't get right last winter.

TRaffic Jammer

I have three differing pairs of gloves, depending on the temperatures, the coldest temps warrant ski gloves. How cold does Texas get in the winter?
I use a mid weight construction glove I bought for ten bucks til about a tiny bit below freezing, then a Descente cold front glve til about oh -10C--15C depending on how the winds are, and then the ski gloves for the cold. Three differing balaclavas as well. Ski goggles, for the Arctic winds of winter, helps keep my eyes in my head during the -20C and colder rides.

One set of gloves/headgear will not do for all winter can throw at you, you'll either be too hot/sweating or too cold most of the time.

HMF

Spoken like a Coloradoan

badhat

i finally got to look at barmitts in person this year at interbike and i think i'm probably gonna get some.

theyre geeky as hell but i have a feeling they'll do a lot on v. cold days.

badhat

and yeah i agree with the canadian

i have 4 pairs of gloves with 2 different liners depending on how cold and wet it is

the lobster mitts are my omega solution when its absolutely brutal.

ridethecliche

I like seal skinz.

Ski gloves are probably better than bike gloves as long as your fingers can move enough.

botto 

Homebrew01

Or the "winter" forum: https://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...Winter-Cycling

ridethecliche

Your cold is not my cold.

Does it even get below freezing down south?

Apus^2

At least twice a year, but no more than 5 times. In the upper 20s we begin to think about eating each other to stay warm.

Flak

<--- Cleveland

I have 3 pairs of winter gloves, Spenco winter mtn bike gloves, PI Softshells, PI Lobsters.

55-40 = Spencos. 40-30 = softshells. 30 below = lobsters.

If I'm in the woods, I'll wear the softshells down to the low 20s.

queerpunk

Best handware I've found is Ragg wool mittens. So my winters involve a lot of FG riding.

ridethecliche

Hipster punk.

PS: You're not in brooklyn anymore you poser!