mpop

Ok I never biked in the winter, so I don't know what I will be up aganst. So let me first state two facts then ask a few questsion
Fact 1) My bike is a standard issue Raleigh C40 (2003)
Fact 2) I hate winter and snow and cold (and I live in Pittsburgh go figure)
Question 1) I have some ski gear I got 2 1/2 years ago when I tried to go snow boarding (big mistake, my knee was still hurtting months later, I ended up having to go to a doctor for it) will that be good to wear to keep myself warm while biking
Question 2) The ski gear I listed above is heavy and I remember I was swetting big time when I used it that one time, so this question is on hydration, can I go on the same levels of hydration, do I need to up it, or should I decrease it?
Question 3) if there is ice/snow/slug on the road how does that change the conditions for biking.
Question 4) I usally where some thin biking gloves, I have thicker gloves, but I am not sure they will give me the freedom I need to control the bike, is there a good glove I can look into that would be a good middle ground, or am I just being parinod?

And any other things I should watch out for that I have not thought about here.

CBBaron

1. For myself ski gear would be much too warm for winter biking. A couple thin windproof layers like a winter tight and a softshell jacket are sufficient for me for most conditions.
2. You need to be careful during winter riding as you won't feel as thirsty despite needing nearly as much or more water.
3. Ice can makes things tricky. Studded tires make a huge difference but are much slower than slicks.
4. Ski type gloves should allow enough dexterity but will probably be too heavy. I like a lighter weight windproof glove like something made of WindPro or WindBlocker.

Also you need to think about what you want for your feet. They tend to get cold when riding in the winter. If you perfer clipless then some booties are probably necessary otherwise consider PowerGrips unless you perfer platforms.

Craig

Walkafire

3 things I need taken care of for my ride:
Ears
Hands
Feet
The rest I can manage ok.

Gloves: I wore a pair of Windstopper (Gore) Gloves until my fingers felt like they were gonna fall off.... I Have a pair of PI Lobster Gloves...nice and toasty!

Feet: Lake MXZ301

Head/Ears: Bell Metro Helmet with all the "trimmings" (Winter Kit) and a Pearl Izumi Microsensor Balaclava

SAB

Ice and snow definitely make a big difference. Smooth-tread very narrow road tires are not a great idea for winter commuting in general. Maybe some larger touring tires, like 700x28 ot 700x30 would fit our your Raleigh. I have a set of 700x40 knobbies that fit great on my cross bike. Also a set of full fenders are very useful and may really help your comfort level when it's wet. Check out some SKS Race Blades if you don't have eyelets on your frame for full fenders. These things clip onto your seat stays and front fork and offer almost as much coverage as standard fenders. I've been very happy with them, however, they are contoured to fit narrow tires, maybe up to 28 or 30. For my 700x40's I use no fenders or I use my full set of fenders which accomodate up to 45mm tires. For pure ice and consistent hard-pack snow try the knobbies with steel studs - if they fit on your frame.

Another issue is the salt they use to melt the snow. This will get all over you and all over your frame. It can increase the speed of corrosion on cables, gears, frame, etc... If your are consistent in keeping your bike clean and lubricated, you should be OK.

As far as clothing it really depends on you and how much heat/cold you can personally tolerate. A full set of ski clothes would be too baggy and too warm, in my opinion. You want thinner, multiple layers that you can remove if you need to during your commute. I find that if I am slightly cold when I start my ride in winter, then after a couple of miles I'm warm enough for the remainder of the ride. If I am warm when I start off then usually I'm dressed way too warmly for the remainder of the ride. Gore-tex clothing is expensive, but it's thin, warm, wind/water resistant and will likely last many seasons.

I use clipless pedals. For winter I wear mountain-bike style shoes which allow me to use thick warm wool socks. I also put plastic baggies in the sole (but not covering my feet) to keep out the wind that gets in via the cleat. Over the shoes I wear a thick neoprene bootie, lined with fleece. My toes still get chilled, but it's tolerable.

My warmest gloves are a pair of Craft "lobster" mittens which have three compartments. One for the thumb and one each for two pairs of fingers. No wind gets through and there is a soft fleece lining that can be removed if I get too warm. I have used snowboarding mittens when it's in the single digits, but obviously this does hinder dexterity slightly.

If your ears/face get cold try a balaclava. This is a stretch fleece hat that covers your head, neck, mouth and nose. There is a large opening for your eyes, which can be pulled under your chin for ventilation/drinking. The thin ones will fit under your helmet.

You will need to drink just as much, if not more, then in warmer months. You'll be sweating some underneath those layers, and the winter air is very dry and you lose a lot of water through respiration. I find that once them temp gets into the mid twenties and below my water bottles start freezing after about 20-30 minutes. Use either insulated water bottles or a small camelback (50-70oz) UNDERNEATH your jacket, with the drinking tube coming around to the front under your collar. I do this same trick while snowboarding and I have unfrozen water all day.

These are just some tips I've learned by riding in the northeast during the winter. You should just take your best guess and see what works for you. Good luck, and let us know how it works out.

CastIron

EXACTLY the same kit.

pinkrobe

Extremeties are important to keep warm. Core and legs usually do just fine by themselves, with a windproof layer.

Head: some sort of eyewear, in my case Smith sliders with yellow lenses. Also, a balaclava is good to go underneath your helmet.
Hands: I used to use the PI AmFib lobster gloves, but they were only good to about 0C. I have switched to a pair of MEC lobster gloves [mec.ca] that are good to about -10C and beyond that I can probably go to my heavy winter mitts.
Feet: I've used booties over my regular bike shoes in the past, but they never seemed warm enough. Now I'm using some cheap Shimano SPD shoes that have almost no mesh. My feet are fine past -15C so far with just some light liner socks on. For colder temps I'll throw on some wool socks.
Torso: PI Barrier jacket. Just about the best cold/cool weather cycling jacket ever. I'll throw a waterproof/breathable shell on over top when it gets really cold.
Legs: nylon shants, with a heavy lycra tight faced with Gore-Tex underneath when it gets really cold

Dress a bit lighter than you normally would, except for face, feet and hands

GGDub

....and nads!