BikingZombie

I'll bike well below zero, and here's my usual gear.

Shell: flip between an Arc'teryx shell and a Marmot shell. I really need to get a better shell for biking as the Arc'teryx doesn't breath well enough and the Marmot isn't waterproof.

Shirts:

• wicking t-shirt
• Stoic long-sleeve 150 merino -- those two are enough down to 30
• thick Smartwool PhD 1/4-zip (bought a few winters back -- no link) -- add this when it dips into 20s and below

underwear:

• >30 = ExOfficio Give-n-Go Sport Mesh Boxers
• <30 = add Patagonia Capilene thermal long underwear

Pants:

• Jeans or whatever
• Columbia storm pants -- whenever it's raining or once it gets snowing & the ground is slushy

Footwear:

• >=30 = Salomon XA PRO 3D GTX + wicking socks
• <30 = used to wear a general pair of Zamberlans, but this winter I'm rocking some 45Nrth Wolvhammers + thick wool socks

Gloves:

• 40-50 = Bontrager Stormshell
• 30-40 = Bontrager Stormshell + wool liner gloves
• <30 = Pearl izumi lobsters + wool liner gloves

Neck & face:

• 30s = Smartwool gator
• <30s = CTR balaclava + Smartwool gator. Thinking about picking up a Ergodyne bala as well

Helmet:

• >33 = normal summer helmet
• <33 = Bern G2

Eyewear:

• >~28 = Ergodyne Skullerz DAGR -- ballistic tested and good wrap-around fit. Cheap too
• <~20 = ski goggles

Light:
Niterider 550

jrickards

Do you find that the first time you hit a particular low temp, such as 30F, you dress according to your guide here but later in the season when the temp goes up to 30F, you need less? I have found that. It used to be that between 10 and 5C (~50-40F) I'd need tights over my shorts but later this "fall", when I rode in at 0C/32F (wearing tights over my shorts and long merino socks) and then rode home at 5C, I was perfectly fine in just shorts and short socks.

BikingZombie

Absolutely. It's all relative.

snow_echo_NY

what i wrote for someone else who asked for a guide for winter cycling:

for winter cycling (commuting in AM and PM, so usually colder than daytime temps):
depending on whether it's 10-20F, 20-32F, or 32-40F i usually use some combination of the following


tops
- a wool base layer - (top) i.e. smartwool from REI
- a thin fitted fleece or similar midlayer (top) -> if 32-40+, leave this off and just use rain/wind shell if there's rain or wind.
- a rain/wind shell (top) -> leave this off in over freezing temps (32-40+) if no rain or wind.


bottoms
- cycling short (maybe w/chamois depending on your husband) + fleece tight (varying in lightweight, midweight, and heavyweight).
- or use a thermal cycling tight (again, maybe with chamois), rated for temps below freezing.


basically you want something that will keep you dry but also warm: wool wool wool. however washing and drying wool is tricky so best to learn if you do not otherwise it's very easy to ruin wool in the wash. (and never put wool in the dryer!)


***also do not forget the most important parts to cover when winter cycling:
-hands - use wool or silk liners inside hardware or work gloves
-face - use a balaclava in less than freezing temps. alternative: skullcap liner plus fleece skull cap and wool or fleece neck gaiters work fine too.
-feet - 1-3 pairs of wool socks depending on the temps & wind, rain/wind proof cycling shoes.


getting appropriate layering for the extremities is by far more important than what you wear on your body. the body will generate enough heat to keep itself warm. however in winter conditions, your face hands and feet are the most vulnerable and layers will be essential for the cold.

Diablito

My new list is perfect. Went offroad riding today in 19 degrees and I was toasty. When the temps hit 24 degrees I was thinking I should have left the polartec fleece at home.

-Mavic Inferno Jacket with Balaclava -Excellent Jacket with lots of zippered vent were I need them. Today I had all vents opened with my set up even at 19 degrees.
-LL Bean Mid Weight Polartec Fleece long sleeve under. Should have left it home tho.
-Castelli Gabba Jacket/jersey. Excellent alone with temps as low as 45-50 degress.
-45NRTH Merino Wool Cap - which when paired with helmet cover I sweat my brains off but cap stays warm.
-Duluth Waterproof Winter Gloves these work great and only $40
-Wigwam medium wool socks
-Bontrager OMW SPD Boots. EXCELLENT FREAKING WINTER BOOTS. NO COLD WHATSOEVER. I added aerogel insoles.
-4ucycling Windproof Athletic Pant - Excellent pants for $40 over
-Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal Tights
-Oakley Racing Jackets which when I stopped yes they fogged up even with the vents.
-Bell helmet with no cover. I was sweating my head off. I probably should have took off the balaclava and just used it for a neck warmer after I warmed up.

euclidean plane

2 coldddd

rumrunn6

can I trouble you for a brand & model?

danmar

Layers. Always layers.

PaulH

This pretty well sums up my nearly 60 years of winter cycling experience, ranging down to -20 F: Copenhagenize.com - Bicycle Culture by Design: Overcomplicating Winter Cycling - Why It's Bad

parkbrav

Perl Izumi outer shell in a high visibility color
Columbia polar fleece jacket with zipper pockets
Tech/Mesh long sleeve running shirt
Possibly a thermal long sleeve shirt under that

Duo-Dry Sweat Pants
possibly thermal underwear
running socks - crew length
crew length wool socks

Perl Izumi winter biking gloves
balaclava
Helmet
next winter: Ski Goggles

keeps me warm to about 0 degrees Faranheit

haphaeu

Good reading. Agree with the point. But he seems a bit too eager in making less of cyclists outfit. Fact that commuting in a bike can be a good opportunity for exercising, meaning you want to push harder, and sweat... Pushing harder cycling wearing loose pants is just annoying. you don't go to the gym using normal clothes, do you? I like to enjoy my exercise during commuting and go straight to the shower when arrive at work, and for that proper cycling clothes do make a big difference. So yes, as I said, agree with the point that you can cycle in winter with minimum or no extra gear, but if you want to push a bit harder, you'll enjoy it a lot more with some specialised gear.

generalkdi

Hi guys! I'll be starting some snow riding with my new Fatbike this winter. Winter here is cold, REALLY COLD, cold like -15C to -30C. I'm looking for the best gloves out there. Any suggestion to survive that?

I read the 45NRTH Sturmfist 4 are pretty good, did anyone try those?

rumrunn6

last winter I got significant use out of some new (with & without bar mitts / pogies) I'm guessing no matter what gloves you use you'll want the bar mitts / pogies as well

Pearl Izumi - Ride Pro AMFIB Lobster Gloves





combined, they were 19 degree blizzard proof. got winter? bring it!

Bikewolf

@rumrunn6: Do you use hand warmers too (if only sometimes)?

rumrunn6

absolutely!



but going back to that other scenario / ride, with the lobster gloves & bar mitts in the very cold blizzard, no hand warmers. they weren't necessary. if I keep my hands warm detting ready for the ride, then put on warm gloves, combined w bar mitts, no hand warmers are needed. in fact I usually find ways to avoid hand warmers. I have tried them but no, I don't use them for my hands. there was a ride last winter where I threw them in the bottom of my drop bar bar mitts but ultimately didn't need them



those gloves are so good & the mitt provides enough of a wind screen that I was able to hold the bars on top like this

archfotos

Just wanted to give a shout out to cardboard. Freezing today found a piece of cardboard cut it down to fit inside my jacket (chest area) toasty warm for the rest of the ride. Love that trick.

don't tell REI

guythatbrews

What to wear to stay warm is pretty personal. And for me hard to find anywhere close to try on which can be frustrating! Kinda a crap shoot when buying as sizing with cycling clothes is all over the board.

FWIW the 45 NRTH stuff is great. Pricey so i diligently look for used. Wish they would offer some hi viz stuff for gray winter days on the road.

Wolhammers are great. Got gently used pair for $95. Size 45 which is a definately on the small side for me but works fine with medium weight sock. I wear 11.5 medium or d street shoe. 45.5 would be ideal if offered. Foot bed fits me great. Could be more grippy busted my hindquarters on some ice.

The naughtvind jacket great too. Love the offset front zip, generous tall neck, and pit zips. Used like new $175. Size M and I'm on my way from 200# to 170 or 175. 6'0" Right now L would be better but I get by rather sausage like with the M so definitely much more generous sizing than euro team gear. So far down to 6F for an hour with two light long sleeve base layers no worries. Add a heavier second base layer for colder.

Barmitts extreme cold also great. With the vent zips they cover a wide temp range with just light or no gloves or summer gloves. I like the gloves for a nose wipe. Fleece lining so no raw neoprene on your hands. And cheaper than high end gloves. Your hands will ABSOLUTELY stay warm.

Dschmale

rumrunn6

read that in another thread. sounds brutal. few weeks ago I rode over a small foot bridge (no railing) at a flooded trail. as I approached the bridge I was hoping it wasn't slippery. was thinking this could be a really bad decision. I got lucky I guess & didn't go down

Dschmale

Yeah man, it's a crap-shoot. Good to hear you made it through. You'd probably get messed up good falling against a railing or something there; or worse yet, falling off. I've bombed a ton of those concrete fords around here - they're built into the trail, designed to be overrun when the water gets high - and fortunately haven't washed out yet. My luck ran out. I haven't wrecked proper in a while. Bad spot for it. The rest of me stayed warm though! Layers, baby!

H.Franco

First of all I really appreciate to your for get back to ride and than I suggest you to wear heavy clothing like thermal jackets and Thermal Vests they are help you to safe your body against cold weather and definitely you wear also socks and thermal pants also, I've very good experience in bike ride for a winter and I usually wear best quality apparel which re getting me warm while riding mostly I buying these types of clothing an online store like amazon, eBay and one of my favorite store who give me very good discounts on these clothing is that ustradeent.com if you are really want warmest clothing that i'll suggest you these stores.

Batstar

Has anyone ever used gaiters on their winter rides? I have an older but unused pair of MH Conduit boot gaiters but thought that I might put them to use on colder days as an additional layer thinking that they might help shield my calves. Would they hinder cadence or restrict movement in any way?

rumrunn6

If that area is sensitive for you I’ve read other ppl using them. Personally the tops of my thighs are more likely to feel the cold

Batstar

Thanks! I'll give'm a try.

rumrunn6

I would make sure the straps are securely in the notch before the heal & don't interfere with the pedal or removing your foot from the pedal