I don't live in the wilderness, i mean the farthest i am from a store or something is 1.5 miles. The negatives you explain have never been an issue, ever.

Just got back from subfreezing ride, no issues.

- Andy

I agree with Andy. It does not follow that good wilderness survival tips/techniques are applicable or the best answer to every winter bicycle commuting clothing question.

I like my combination of cotton Carhart hooded jacket, with a fleece or down vest worn over polyester undershirt and Land's End medium weight cotton shirt. Denim pants with cotton sweat pants over them work well for me; buttons preferred over metal zippers at sub zero temps. I prefer the snap button closure on the jacket for venting purposes, the vest keeps out the cold air and wind. With the down vest I have been comfortable for hour long rides at sub zero F weather. The Sportsman's Guide - Hunting & Outdoor Gear, Shooting Supplies, Military Surplus, Survival Gear and More!

Scarf and a knit cap added at single digit and below temps.

If your jeans get wet, just throw them in the deep freezer.

Good for you. The OP asked about 8 mile or longer rides.

And single digits.

I agree that there are better fabric choices than cotton for cold weather activities, - especially if you're likely to sweat or get wet for other reasons. At the same time I've survived a lot of winter outdoor activities even though I was wearing jeans.

I agree with KBentley57 that 60 degrees is too great a temperature swing for "zipless" solutions, and with other posters about the unsatisfactory properties of cotton jeans. In temps below 25F, I wear mostly the same layers I wear for back-country skiing:
- merino wool underwear
- breathable, windproof and water resistant soft-shell jacket and pants, preferably Schoeller fabric.
- add hard-shell jacket if really windy and/or temps below 15F, and sub in a down sweater when temps below 5F.

My comfy wool work pants and belt hang in the office coat closet, with 5 minute change-over at start and finish of the work day.

OP is commuting in/near Minneapolis, not on a trek in the wilderness.

Whether or not they're actually in the wilderness is beside the point. If the cotton becomes damp for any reason along that journey (be it from sweat, rain, melting snow, etc), it's going to draw away more body heat than other fabrics, which is a fair concern in my opinion. Sure, I've done some long winter rides in jeans, but now that I've tried clothing that was far better for the job, I'm not going back.

I came across a guy a few years ago that had crashed/fallen and managed to break his leg. I didn't see it happen and somebody else was already helping him. It might have been in the winter actually. At that particular spot, at that particular time, he wasn't in any real danger. There's a lot of car and people traffic around.

However, there are some pretty popular commuting routes like the Cedar Lake trail that take you from downtown through some open fields and woods to the Southwestern part of the city and the Western burbs. If you were to bite it in some wet snow and were hurt in the process, it could be awhile before somebody found you, - again depending on the time of day and the weather. There just aren't as many people on the trails this time of year.

On the other hand, most everybody carries a cell phone these days, so I wouldn't think help would ever be too far away. It could be pretty miserable waiting for them though.