Winter Cycling in TX
 

I live in SE TX and just started riding a road bike this year. I have no winter cycling clothing, any suggestions? I doubt I'll ride in anything below the upper 30's. I just wanted a few basic items since our cold weather is usually gone before the end of Feb... thanks.

Layers are the way to go.
start with a good base layer (I like the croft base layer), a long sleeve jersey
and jacket. I have either tights or a few pair of full lenght bibs for legs.
If I'm starting early and it's cool out I use leg and arm warmers that I can remove
later as the day heats up.
I'm up in DFW area and only found 2 or 3 days that are actually too cold for me
to ride. I do draw the limit at winter precipitation (ice, snow) but thats more
a safety issue.
btw the tights and jacket don't have to be cycling specific, I've found a soft shell
jacket (marmot, north face, REI etc.) works just fine over a normal jersey.

Marty

Performance has some good deals on winter gear. At minimum I'd get:

long finger gloves
wicking base layer (long sleeve)
long sleeve jersey(s)
Wind jacket
arm/leg warmers and/or tights
warm socks (I like the Defeet Blaze wool)
Toe covers for shoes (blocks all those vents that are nice in summer, bad in winter)
Head/ear warmer of some sort. Wool is good here as well.

Here is my list with the fewest items for the most conditions, in order of importance:
1) Base layer shirt short sleeve
2) Arm and leg warmers (converts all your summer jerseys and shorts for winter use)
3) Long finger mid weight gloves (can be layered with liner if it is super cold)
4) Skull cap with ear protection
5) Wool socks (layer on top of your summer cool max socks, the cool max will wick the sweat off your toes)
6) Wind blocking vest (can be stashed once you warm up)

That will get you down to 45-50 degrees without having to buy winter specific items like long sleeve jerseys and full tights. My rule of thumb is to start off cold, you will warm up on the first hill. You will be more cold from wearing too many layers and sweating than from dressing a bit light.

For below 40 degrees add the following:
1) A serious winter shell/riding jacket that has wind protection but still breathes
2) Base layer shirt long sleeve (I prefer a wool blend)
3) Wool long sleeve jersey
4) Shoe covers (I prefer just the toe covers vs. full booties, if your toes sweat they will never get warm)
Micro fleece lined leg warmers work fine even at this temp. I don't use tights unless it is below 25 and only maybe then.

The accepted method is three layers:
1) A base layer that wicks moisture off your skin
2) A mid layer that traps body heat
3) A shell that blocks wind, is able to keep the body heat in the middle layer but allows moisture to escape

The majority of heat is lost through your head, when in doubt add your layer there first. It is also easy to remove and stash when you warm up.

Use an embrocation to fight the nasty effects of winter turtle-dick ;-)

embrocation? like icy hot? are you sure?

I see you have experienced the dreaded turtle-dick. I use Assos chamois cream it has a slight warming ingredient and I am already putting it on my ass anyway. Icy hot sounds a bit extreme but there are other embrocations offered in varing levels of heat.

For those too afraid to ask...

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...rm=turtle+dick



I would recommend a turtle neck. This is the key piece of clothing for me. http://www.rei.com/product/663041

Looks like most of the key items are covered. Some extras items I never had a prob with personally. Anyways allow me to get this thread back on track...


....for those rare emergency port a potty stops, stay away from button fly pants/shorts. :eek:

Just bought the Skully arm warmers from the PI shop in Fort Worth. I'm anxious to try them out.

http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.ph...duct_id=792895

Is Ice a concern on roads in the DFW area, like patches of black ice? I know there are one or two days where it is really icy which traditionally I stay home for. If it is too icy to ride I'm not taking my car out to play pinball with either.

This will be my first winter on a bike since I left Connecticut and my first winter to my new work location in Irving. In CT I had a dedicated Ice Bike with studded tires and all that but do I need to worry down here? On my last downhill which ends in a 90 degree turn there is a hotel which seems to leave it's sprinklers on regardless of weather and the whole street is covered in puddles of water. I'd hope they would turn them off eventually but they were on when it was in the high 30s recently but not cold enough to freeze.

I'm set for clothing. Arm/Knee/Leg warmers, underarmor cold gear for sub 40 (probably neccessary for Texas but I had it for CT), fleece vest for core warmth and wind front vest and some ziplocks for in between my shoes and smartwool socks :)

The whole metrohell shuts down when we have a black ice storm, or any kind of frozen precip. I don't think there is a need for studded tires here. You may have use for them three times in five years.

i think i'm set... arm & leg warmers, winter gloves, wool cap, base layer, shoe covers, wool socks, & a vest... anybody have a good recomendation for a vest? I see LG atmos is around $20 at nashbar. PI Optik, Zephyr?? o yea and em-bro-cay-tion (no TD 4 me)

Surely you jest. . . .
5 to 1 says they NEVER turn em off, including those few mornings when it's about 20 degrees out.

Where in Irving are you? I work close to Freeport and 114.

Marty

Yeah I figure they will probably never turn them off :( I'm eventually going to go skidding across the road there if I keep going that way. I think I have an alternate route that avoids that little hotel row there.

I work in the Verizon Hidden Ridge Building just north of the Byron Nelson Golf course about 5 miles WSW from 114/Freeport if you go down 114. I ride royal/regent/freeport 3 times a week now on my commute heading to/from Double Oak. Ever changing but sort of commute http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...-Oak-to-Irving


That Atmos vest looks pretty ideal for what I'd be looking for.. IF it came about 3 sizes larger :(

my lunch ride does freeport/regent/kinwest/royal/regent/freeport about 3 times
a week, nice route.
yah the LG Atmos is nice. in fact almost anything that LG does is good.

I do a lot of work with the legal department at that Verizon location. Love the campus.

I like the PI Vagabond jacket. Sleeves zip on-off and can be done pretty quick, though I can't do while riding. This makes a nice vest with three pockets. Very near, but not quite, windproof. Or, use the entire jacket. It is heavier than the Zephyr vest but I still like it. The Vagabond is about $100 and is worth the money. I've worn it down into the 20's. Performance has a transformer jacket that people speak highly of.

I'm probably getting a Vagabond jacket for the holiday. Wearing it and a long-sleeve jersey, how how cold would you say you can comfortably go for a 10-20 mile ride??

Its just me, but I'd say 50 degrees or so. Now, if you add a base layer you can go down another 10 degrees, IMHO.

It was 38 here yesterday morning (before sunrise). I wore a long sleeve loose UnderArmor shirt, PI Quest (light weight) long sleeve jersey, and my Vagabond and warmed up nicely after a few miles.