Originally Posted by Ranger
As a side note I am finding arm warmers increasingly useless. After spending a winter riding in all sorts of nasty conditions, arm warmers almost seem silly. I have worn mine once this year and then sort of wondered why. REally if arm warmers need to be taken off, basically you didn't need them. This is considering that conditions don't change a great deal. If they do then i suppose the warmers are ok.
Here in Northern California, it's quite common that the temps will be in the low 50s early in the morning, requiring warmers. By mid-morning, it's often in the low 70s, so it's necessary to shed the warmers. We've also got lots of 1500-foot descents that will require a jacket and/or warmers again, and full gloves instead of half-gloves if it's at all still cool. With all those options needed, a jersey is almost essential to carry them.
Maybe in other parts of the country with way less temperature variations intraday and much flatter topography, none of those extra layers are necessary - reducing the need for jerseys.
Also - arm warmers make those short-sleeve jerseys into long sleeves, but with more versatility. I have lots more short-sleeve than long-sleeve jerseys, as a result (also because it's never colder than high 40s or low 50s here in the Bay Area).