Hi [MENTION=347107]wipekitty[/MENTION],

I note that you describe winter clothing in levels 1 and 2...any more? I have posted about my apparel for all year round cycling as levels 1 to 6. My sister-in-law lived for a few years in the Raleigh-Durham area, and I seem to recall that area was prone to treacherous ice storms coating the roads in Winter.

Keep us posted.

Every year at this time I get to commute to work for six weeks. I ride the five and a half miles to the Salvation Army headquarters in the city. I drive the bell ringers to their assigned stores. I'm know is the office as the designated Atheist. Every year I have to remind my coworkers that everyone is an Atheist. I just believe in one less god than them.

My levels are perhaps not as refined as yours - but run something like the following. I used to live in western Wisconsin with no household car, so the levels needed to cover down to around -15F. Over around 45F, I get away with normal cycling gear, like fingerless gloves, knee warmers, sleeves, and a wind jacket. Then the fun starts:

Level 1 (low 40s to low 30s): Wind jacket with wool baselayer. Tights, full-finger gloves, thin wool socks with booties, ear covering, sunglasses.
Level 2: (low 30s to low 20s): Vented softshell with wool baselayer. Thick wool socks with booties, add silk liner to full-finger gloves, add balaclava.
Level 3: (low 20s to maybe 10 above): Vented softshell with thicker wool baselayer. Thick wool socks with booties and toe warmers OR winter boots, heavy GoreTex ski gloves, add snowboard helmet and ski goggles.
Level 4: (10-0): Vented softshell with multiple wool baselayers. Winter boots, add single liner to ski gloves, add outer layer (rain pants) over tights.
Level 5: (below 0): Vented softshell with multiple wool baselayers. Winter boots, two liners in ski gloves, outer layer (rain pants) over tights, additional face cover. In western Wisconsin this kind of temperature usually means high winds, so the idea is to eliminate skin exposure.

I've heard that as well. Fortunately, my workplace is pretty good about shutting down for inclement weather, so I should not need to commute much, if at all, on the ice. I brought the studded tires just in case, because I've been commuting for so long that my winter driving skills are pretty much nonexistent!

Your scheme then is apparently specific for winter cycling. My system is year round and by 45°F, I’m into my level 2, with similar apparel, though I wear at least lightweight knitted full-finger gloves in the 50s – low 60’s; and I still haven't bought Winter boots.

I probably mentioned this over in the Winter forums a few times, but I definitely tend to run hot! I'm of the school of 'fifty degrees, bare your knees', and my hands are usually warm enough with fingerless gloves over 40°F...unless it's raining, or I'm descending for over a mile. I've spent the last two months in North Carolina wondering how the other cyclists are not absolutely sweltering.

I'm too cheap to buy winter cycling boots - I go with normal winter boots and clips/straps once it gets snowy. I once tried SPD-SL in the snow, and that was a dumb idea.

[MENTION=134410]rumrunn6[/MENTION], how is it going so far?

lol, dropped it like a stone off a bridge ... guess I'll be sticking with just a few during the summer ...

Biking to work is always the best part of my work day. Daylight and cold, windy, snowy Iowa winter's pretty much puts an end to my commute mid October- April. Roughly corresponding to commuting only with Daylight Savings Time.

Having kids also curtails many if my daily commutes, their activities are a handful. Got one kid driving now which helps some.

So during mostly the summer I usually commute 3x a week.

Mine is 22 miles one way and pretty harrowing and now that it’s pitch black out am and pm it’s even worse w several ‘kill zones’. During July it’s daylight am and Bright sunshine pm plus traffic is lighter cuz everyone is on vacation. nothing like that now

[MENTION=134410]rumrunn6[/MENTION], that's weird. I thought you like winter riding, no?

My ride home yesterday was in the dark but it was about 45 degrees out. And no wind at all. That's a great temperature. Withing 2 minutes of starting you are warmed up and the air is the right temp to keep you from overheating without making you cold.

I ended up riding in and out of every side street to extend the ride

Now those 22 degree mornings this week have been rough. That's just cold. I'm cold when I start. I'm cold when I get there.

30 is usually my lower limit. I'll drive when colder. But the cold snuck up on me this week.

I started this past spring, and just did a really bad job of keeping up with it. I don't even live that far from work. My commute is approximately 3-4 miles. But I don't live in a very bike friendly area, so I always feel somewhat anxious about my commute when I do. I think that's part of what makes sticking with it hard for me.

oh you're right, I do! but the 44 miles round trip is too far, too dark (now) & too dangerous. I'm lucky I can pick & choose where & when I ride

Well as of October 26th my commute is over for probably the winter. Rode from work to the gym, made the poor decision to take a sidewalk for the first time in months. Crossed a parking lot entrance with my neon orange, reflective jacket and strobing light. That wasn’t enough to alert a texting driver that there is a bike. They stopped right in front of me. Luckily I was able to stop right before hitting. Went over the handle bars broke my scaphoid. Lesson learned though. Funniest part it snowed that Wednesday.

Ouch tough lesson my Wife broke her wrist last summer- hang in there - you have some kind of cast?

44 miles round trip? I didn't know you were considering that. I had a 27-mile round trip, and that was too much to do every day.

haha no worries, as much as we know ea. other on the forums, we can't keep track of ea. other. been at current office since August 2011. the last office is where I learned bike commuting. it was a perfect 26 round trip, mostly downhill in the morning. mostly just 1 nice road, easy peasy. this place is a whole 'nother animal. was driving home Friday & I saw two cyclists going the opposite way. I moved to my right giving that traffic more room to go around them. it looked brutal. those guys had lights & were moving pretty good, but it looked rough. I've done this commute several times during the past cpl summers, usually drive in bike home, or vice a versa then the opposite the next day. this summer I did round trippers & it was great! I started this thread, mostly to enjoy vicariously thru others' travels ... I'd love another 13 mile one-way with a shower & locker!

yeah I like that distance but not every day year round. I can do that year round, just not every day