climbhoser

I do lots of winter riding. I've found I do well layering with tights, Patagonia Capilenes and some homemade fleece knickers. Then put two to three light fleece or long underwear layers under a semi-breathable and reflective shell. A windstopper hat for the sub-0degF or a regular knit had for postive days...PI lobster claw gloves, wool socks and maybe liners, and neoprene booties. The booties are key, and I really like the Performance ones, even better than the PI AmFibs or anything else.

MEC sells some Exustar winter shoes for cheap that look choice, and I might pick 'em up. I'm married to my SPDs for winter riding even. I refuse to go platform. Those Lake's look nice, but they're spendy. I don't go out more than an hour and a half at a time, but I do it twice a day (17 mile one way commute).

Yeah, it gets windy, especially in the plains where I live, but you learn to live with it. Just keep on going! It helped that I didn't even have a car to use last winter. This winter I do, and I reckon I'll chicken out much more

single speed is way easier to maintain and clean, but of course limits your terrain. Fenders are nice in slush, and unless you're riding packed pow or ice, I think 28s are just fine. 25s work for most the time, but when there's slush or dust on the ground the 28s just give a millisecond more time before you bust your a*&.

Wind block briefs are available from MEC and are AMAZING. I find my nutz are the first place to get cold, my toes the second, and my fingers never with the Lobster Claws. My face does get it some...oh yeah, a quality balaclava is priceless, and it's mandatory to at least have glasses. That cold air will freeze your eyeballs, I swear.

You gotta want it.