What a Clydesdale wears
 

Here's a recent post from my blog. Any suggestions for changes, deletions, and additions to my cycling gear from my fellow Clydesdales?

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Doug the MN Bike Commuter has a post about his winter cycling gear here. After reading it, I've been motivated to list my biking wardrobe for the world's comment. Most of it was purchased from my local bike shop, but some I got elsewhere, either because I had a gift certificate or some other reason. In the case of my first jersey and shorts, I got them even before I got the bike!

Helmet:

Trek mountain bike helmet in black. I got it the same day I got the bike. I suppose roadies will sneer at me for riding on roads with a mountain bike helmet. So be it.

Balaclava:

Trek, in dark gray/black.

Gloves:

Descente long fingered winter gloves. black and gray. Wonderful gloves.

Performance login fingered neoprene gloves, black. I've only worn these in the photo on my blog.

Performance short fingered gloves, red.

Jerseys:

Before I list these, let me mention the base layer I wear under them. I know you shouldn't wear anything under a jersey, but the prospect of all that loose skin bouncing around on a ride.... yuck. So I wear a short-sleeved compression shirt underneath. I have several from different manufacturers, but the cheap ones available at Wal-mart work fine. Sizes are XL to XXL.

Short sleeved:

Yellow Bike Nashbar jersey, size XXL. You can see it on this blog. I got it before I got the bike. I have yet to find anyone who likes the color.

Red Performance jersey. Size XXL.

Blue and white Trek mountain bike jersey, Size XXL. I wear this sometimes as a normal athletic shirt, since it doesn't look like a jersey.

FatCyclist.com jersey. On order, and coming in May. Size XXL, 44-47 inch chest, and I better damn well fit into it!

Team Copaxone jersey. I'll be getting one in September. Aiming for XL.

Long sleeved:

Descente in blue and black, size XXL. The only long sleeved jersey that fits me.

Trek insulated jersey in powder blue. Size XXL. Still too small for me.

Performance "Century" jersey in red and black. Size XXL. Still too small for me.

Shorts:

Nashbar mountain bike shorts, the basic cheap ones. Size XXL. I bought them before I got the bike, and even though they now fit me, I hate them. They split me in half while riding. Bibs are the way to go.

Trek bibs, size XL. These fit like a second skin.

Performance gel bibs, size XXL. These feel more comfortable than the Trek, but they are probably too large for me. The shoulder straps are always sliding down, for instance.

Tights:

Performance "Century" tights, size XL. These have a built in chamois. Never worn.

Trek heavyweight tights. size XL. I wear these over shorts, since they don't have a chamois. Wonderfully warm in the cold weather.

Socks:

Too many to number. Only one pair of wool socks, which is a pain since I need to wash them daily.

Shoes:

Specialized mountain bike shoes with SPD multi-release cleats, size 47, red, gray, and black. My first bike shoes, purchased on my 41st birthday. That was three months ago, and already they are showing a lot of wear. And so I got:

Forte mountain bike shoes, size 47, gray, white, and black. No cleats installed yet. I want to get them broken in before I set them up to match my pedals.

Jacket:

Yellow Performance, size XL. Too small, but I wear it anyway. I will shrink into it.

For the most part I have a bunch of performance shorts that I don't wear much anymore since I found bliss with bib shorts. For shirts I use Duluth Trading company Performance Long T's, they are wicking T shirts that are about 3 1/2 inches longer than normal shirts so no butt crack when wearing my standard shorts. I don't have any jerseys since it's hard to find them in tall sizes.

Bibbed knickers and a cheapola Canari jersey with a white Bell Ukon helmet (white keeps the sun from frying my noodle in the summer) terramar baselayer top/bottom and a cheap ecko windbreaker as the cold sets on. if its really bad I'll throw in a one-piece pair of insulated underwear between the baselayer and the jersey.

running cold has never been my problem, and even when its 30F out I have to make sure I don't overdress and sweat myself to hypothermia.

Sugoi bib knickers, Aerotech shorts and jersey's, Voler Jersey's.

Performance Century Gel bib shorts
Performance Coolmax jersey off the sale rack
DeFeet AirEator socks
Forte CM200 velcro 2-strap shoes
Pearl Izumi lycra backed short gloves (warm weather)
REI Minimalist waterproof microfleece lined gloves (cold weather)
REI Elements rain jacket and pants (cold, wind, rain)
Sirrus mid-weight balaclava (snow)
Native Nano-2 sunglasses
Smith ski goggles (under 20*F)
Bellwether No-Aqua booties (cold weather)
REI MTS fleece long johns (cold weather)
Euskaltel team cycling cap for a helmet liner / sweat mop
Bell Citi helmet

What a list, after spending all that money, I'm surprized you had any left for a bike!

Most of my stuff does multiple duty, some was purchased for other things.

I have two jogging shirts, these are short sleave, same material as a Jersey, but lighter and half the price, only thing missing is the back pocket, but I don't need it.

1 Pair Louis Garneau cycling shorts, with the chamious, I ride with these all the time, I need to pick up another paiir, but I'll wait until I can find them on sale.

1 Pair of cycling gloves, I think they are Louis Garneau as well, full fingered, I don't really find them too warm in the summer, and if you crash, your hands are fully protected.

1 Polyester sweat shirt, this is fairly thick, for cool weather rides, you can sweat like a demon with this thing on, and not get wet. Moisture tends to go right through it, and as long as your not wet, your not cold.

1 Pair polyester sweat pants, works like the sweatshirt, I use a velcro strap around the ankle on the drive side, to prevent problems.

I also have two pair of thermal polartech underwear, nothing holds in the heat like this stuff.

1 Regular rain shell, great for damp weather, and keeping off the wind, it's zippered for climate control.

I have an open faced balaclava, it's thin enough to go under a helmet, and I have a neck gator, put on the balaclava and the neck gator, and you are good to about -5C I have a closed face balaclava, that was originally intended for hunting, too thick for under the helmet, but good for hiking, to about -20C.

I want to add a pair of rain/wind pants, to this collection, and upgrade the rain shell to something goretex like, it tends to get damp inside, with the pants to match, probably close to $200 though, but my Birthday is coming up.

Most of this stuff I bought for hiking, but it can do double duty, so gets used for cyclng as well..

Well, it's sunny and 8C, and I hear a noise from the garage, it's my bike, and it's calling me, or is that the cat in the kitchen wanting dinner?:rolleyes: Guess I'll give the cats their dinner, and then go ride.

Head to Toe:
Trek helmet
run of the mill cotton T-shirt (add sweatshirt if cold)
Aerotech compression shorts with baggy shorts over them.
gloves with finger tips cut out.
white cotton socks
old tennis shoes

How's that for casual?

Bell helmet,
Aerotech bib shorts
Aerotech \ Col d'Lizard jerseys
Aerotech \ Pearl Izumi socks
Pearl Izumi \ Sidi shoes
Pearl Izumi gloves
Serfas glasses

Sales and gift certificates, sir. Also, I consider this an investment in a lifelong activity. And since I take it seriously, I decided to invest in the gear I needed. Aside from the multiple jerseys, and perhaps the second set of tights, I don't see this as excessive at all.

I hope the cats enjoyed their dinner, and you had a great ride.

Much of my gear is multiple detail:

REI Elements jacket and pants, MTS long-johns, balaclava, Minimalist gloves, Coolmax jersey, and my backpack are also my hiking gear.

My bibs, socks/shoes, booties, helmet, and cycling gloves are really the only bike-specific gear I've bought.

Cats are like people, they like their food. One thing that gets me, a cat can eat an amount equivilent to a person eating a Christmas turkey dinner every day, with ALL the trimmings (including three peices of pie), spends 90% of his/her time sleeping, and doesn't get fat. Gee, if a doctor could figure out how to give people that ability, he would put Bill Gates into second place as the worlds richest man, in under a week:D

The ride was pretty good, I was trying a different route from my usual, a longer one, and didn't really like the route, so I need a plan B. Cultural training in this town says, to get out of the city, go North, problem is that you need to use heavy traffic, high speed streets often populated by wannabe dragsters in pickups and rice rockets, to do so. The region that is North of the city, is about as friendly to cyclists as beach patrol is to a great white shark. So I think I will head South, through the city using our pretty good bike route system, then use the Martin Goodman trail to head East out of the city, for really long rides.

I need to think about where I want to go tonight, but I really don't feel like riding, so even though it's a nice day out, I might skip it.