slloth

Does anyone have a good suggestion for something to keep my upper body warm in the morings on the way to work. Right now I leave the house ate about 5:30 AM. It's not too cold here now but I know it's going to get colder in to Fall and my goal is to commute year around. I just started commuting in May so I missed last Winter.

The facts!
-North California is where I live sometimes low 30's in Winter and 100's in Summer.
-I need to be able to fit it in to my small Camelback on the way home when it is much warmer outside.
-Short commute about 4.5 miles each way.

I was thinking of something like "under amour". Is that stuff any good? I was also considering a vest?

When I first started commuting in Spring I would wear a jacket in the morning and have to tie it to my rack on the way home. I no longer have a rack.


I also plan on commuting in the rain!

CCrew

Well, it'll be in the low 50's here tomorrow @ 5am when I leave. I'll be wearing shorts and a fleece top. It's all about layers.

One of the biggest things that makes a difference for me is a Under Armor fleece skullcap under my helmet. Has to do with you head being a major radiator. Keep it and your core warm and you will be too.

-Roger

MrCjolsen

I just wear layers of long sleeved jerseys and a pair of tights in the morning. In the afternoons, I wear what I need and put the rest in my bag.

But then, I don't start putting on any more than summer gear until it gets into the low 50's.

On the coldest mornings, I'd wear two long sleeved jerseys and two short sleeved jerseys. Going home, maybe one long and one or two short if it's really cold.

Right now, I'm wearing a long sleeved jersey and normal summer gear on the ride home.

Lizzylou

I have a fleecy long sleeved jersey that I really like, and I'll put that on over my short sleeves in the morning. Same thing, tights over shorts. On the way home I carry the tights and the long sleeved jersey.

If all you've got to carry stuff is a small camelback, you may want to look to upgrading. On days one of my panniers is full of nothing but the warm clothing on the way back home.

Heckboy

I'm still in summer gear but in the darkest coldest winter days here (SoCal coastal) in the morning I'll wear a longsleeved jersey, vest that has a mesh back, and full fingered gloves for my standard commute (22 mi RT min, 36 mi typical, 52 mi max). I ride in shorts year round. I'll have a pair of short finger cycling gloves in my pannier along with a short sleeved jersey for the ride home if needed. You wouldn't think the temps would change so drastically but it's not unusual for me to see 45 or 48 degrees on my patio when I leave home in the morning and 80 degrees at work when I leave in the late afternoon.

When I do my "short commute" ( 7 miles round trip, by taking the bus most of the way in both directions) I wear street clothes and a VERY light jacket since my goal is to not sweat on the short days.

Regards,
HB

Danre

Yes! I get to make another recommendation of the Louis Garneau jacket I have.

Jokes aside, here's my suggestion. First, get a base layer sweatshirt that is rather tight and light. Second, you will need a waterproof jacket that has a fleece lining inside. I have a LG jacket that is like this, plus you can unzip the arms if you wish. I'm sure your LBS has something similar.

Ash

aahh I dont seem to have that problem .. if i'm cold in the moring i look for another blanket ...

slloth

I am brand new to this forum and pleased at all the response in such a short time!

Basically you folks have reinforced what I was thinking all along in the back of my head.

Suck it up! There is a reason why we ride bikes and it's not to be in the comfort of a heated automobile.

I think I will just get some good "under Armour" type stuff that is light weight and maybe a vest.

When it starts to get a lot colder I will wear a jacket that I might also be able to wear on the way home.

It's just getting in to a tricky time of year when the mornings are chilly and the afternoons are hot.

Yesterday I rode to work it was in the 50's not counting the wind chill (it get's very windy where I live) and about 90 on the way home.

robtown

I use sleeveless, short sleeve, and long sleeve base later (poly, wool, and silk). A vest also works. Another idea is the light jackets that fold up into their own back pocket. One I have folds into a pouch and has a belt/strap so I can wear it around my waist when it gets warmer outside.

ollo_ollo

A ragwool sweater works & it can be compressed quite small but I'm not sure it would fit in your camelback but you can use the sleeves to tie it around your bars.

Jarery

Jersey in the afternoon, with a cycling vest and arm warmers added in the morning. Or a windshirt which packs up as small as an apple and fits in your jersey pocket for the ride home. For a windshirt I use Montane featherlight Marathon. Cycling vest and arm warmers you can get online cheap but they take up more room for the ride home.

slloth

I like all of your ideas. The thing is I never drive to work. I have to wear work pants and an issued t-shirt at my job so I am trying to work around that.

I love riding. This morning I had a full moon and the cool crisp late summer air to wake me up!

Then my coffee of course.

powerband

I'm convinced there is no secret garment to wear around this time of year (in Northern California) and through winter but to switch from your small Camelpack to a larger bag, like a back pack. This way you can dress appropriately in the morning and stuff your warm jacket in the back pack for the ride home. The added benefit is that you can take a bigger lunch to work with you, and steal office supplies from the office.

eelriver

Put the coffee in your CamelBack on the colder days

slloth

I just burned my throat reading that! But I do feel warmer.

slloth

I don't need a bigger lunch! I might end up going with the back pack though. I really won't need the camel back in the Winter anyway. I work outside all day so I usually go through the entire camel back while working. In the Winter I won't need all the Water so the back pack won't be that much weight difference...but the rain will be an issue!

Kenay

I plan on riding all winter-and my clothing of choice is: ex army wool coat.
I bought this for $4 at salvation army and it is the best coat I own. It beats my $300 spider coat to pieces. Its sad actually.
I figure if it rains--I have wool on--and wool will still insulate while wet unlike other materials. It is about an inch thick and wind cant touch me-plus when I fall it will feel better. On top of all of that-I look like some kind of bad ***** lumber jack on a bike. So its good.
I recommend wool for everything considering cold and wet. You cant beat it-and you can get really nice wool sweaters that dont itch too. They just smell bad when they get wet=but if you are working outside it wouldnt be that big of a deal!

tballx

Polyester long sleeved base layer in the morning with a polyester t-shirt over the top, gloves and a smart wool cap in the AM. In the PM, pack the gloves, cap, and long sleeved base layer in my pannier.

Cave

More-or-less what I do.

I go for a long-sleeve underlayer, maybe a vest or T-shirt over that, with a windproof jacket over the top. The windproof makes a huge difference without needing the bulk of an army coat and once you've warmed up you can undo the zip a bit to cool off.

Gloves for the hands, long socks (I guess you could use cycling leg-warmers), I have wind/waterproof shoe covers but don't bother with them unless it's wet, and instead of a wool cap under the helmet, I use a shower cap as a helmet cover if it is raining or really cold.

I would recommend against a lined jacket, they are bulky and quickly get too hot. I prefer keeping the insulation and shell layers separate, that way you can have just 1 compact wind/rain jacket and tailor the underlayers to what the weather is like on that day.

ZombieButcher

If you get the Topeak Seat Post Rack and then add the Side walls you can use the Topeak Bag with Panniers. Then on the weekends or when you don't need it all you can take it off since the rack uses a Clasp hinge. I use this up for my commutes and then when I need a little more storage I have another set of Navaros that will fit much more. Then the weekends I am good to go with out being concerned about the weight or the drag. This way you can have your warmer morning clothes or rain gear and not worry about what to do with it later.

Kenay

ahahaha-cave you are probably right! I have problems with my windbreaker making me sweat horribly bad-and getting the inside all slimy. I hate it actually...

I havent really thought about the shoe thing.. I was just going to let my riding shoes get drenched and then have my walking shoes at the school. hidden.

caloso

Armwarmers and kneewarmers into the 50s, add a vest and gloves into the 40s, add skullcap and long jersey and tights down into the 30s.

wickedcold

Man, tell me about it! Its getting colder in the mornings up in VT. This morning it was about 40 when I left home at 4:40 am. I was wearing hanes sweatpants, a long sleeve "underarmor" type shirt, and a heavy sweatshirt on top of that, and a full face balaclava under the helmet to keep my face and ears cold. I was quite cold for the first 10 minutes or so but I warmed right up.

In my panniers I've got my work clothes which consists of pants and a polo shirt, as well as my belt and all the stuff that goes in my pockets. Underneath that stuff is my clothing for the ride home, which today is a light jersey from Eastern Mountain Sports and a pair of gym shorts, as well as some short socks. A lot of stuff to haul around, but hey what can you do!

savethekudzu

1. That's not cold.
2. Get a rack.
3. Just use a lightweight, non-insulated windbreaker you can fold up or roll up into a very small package when you're done with it. You won't need much more than that, other than ear warmers or a light hat, and gloves, when winter comes.

wickedcold

Hehe.. You're right. 30 is not cold. I can't imagine a winter with a low of 30 degrees. I've had to scrape the ice off of my door handles just to get them to budge when it is 30 below (not counting wind chill!). I can't wait to see if I can hack it when the temps start going below 0 up here. My prediction? No. I'll run back in the house screaming like Drew Barrymore in E.T.