Your winter gear experiences

[rousseau]

The cold weather's coming. We've already had a taste of it these past few days in the Great Lakes area and northeastern North America. So what do you wear for cold rides? I think it can be educational to hear about the gear people use, you end up learning new tricks to beat the hea...er, cold.

Apologies to Ozzies and Kiwis gearing up for summer, or to those too close to the equator to experience much in the way of frosty breezes, but I'm in southwestern Ontario. And I do most of my riding between October and March in the evening, so I don't get anywhere near the daytime highs.

Ride Data
Temp: 0 (first literally freezing ride of the year--I'll ride down to -5, which we do see a goodly amount of in January and February around here, but I can't be bothered if it gets colder than that)
Wind: 15 km/h, not too harsh

Gear
Feet: Summer socks, plastic bags, regular shoes, overshoes
Legs and Glutes: Winter tights underneath summer bib shorts
Midsection and Arms: Long-sleeved base layer, arm warmers (wife's old socks), summer jersey, Under Armour Cold Gear long-sleeved shirt, winter cycling jacket (thin, windproof though not waterproof)
Hands: Thin winter gloves, cycling gloves, lobster claw mitts
Head and Neck: Toque (aka "knit cap" if you're not a Canucklehead), neck gaiter, cycling helmet

Was I warm? I was warm. And yeah, people say you should put the bib shorts on first and the tights on over top so that the chamois is in direct contact with your private bits, but I can't bring myself to do that for aesthetic reasons. I need to see the fancy designs on my bib shorts pistoning up and down below me, and if that's what it takes to motivate me, well, that overrides other seemingly more practical considerations.

I love the plastic bag gambit for keeping your feet warm. I did an hour this evening at 0 degrees and only felt the beginnings of some mild stinging on the tips of my big toes near the end of the ride, so I consider that a success.

Has anyone tried pogies/bar mitts? I'm interested in perhaps trying them, and have read lots of good reviews online. While I appreciate the warmth of the lobster claws, the dexterity hit is annoying.

[Fatty]

I can cherry pick the days I ride. Never ride in the rain and very seldom in any kind of bitter cold. About the bar mitts though I had a set for the mountain bike and think they probably the most crucial of cold weather gear. Can get away with regular gloves in the single digit temps.

[rousseau]

I can cherry pick the days I ride. Never ride in the rain and very seldom in any kind of bitter cold. About the bar mitts though I had a set for the mountain bike and think they probably the most crucial of cold weather gear. Can get away with regular gloves in the single digit temps.
I start to get cold fingers the closer it gets to zero, but once it hits freezing all bets are off and it's lobster claw time.

I think I really need to put some serious thought into bar mitts though.

[ripvanrando]

It was 35F yesterday morning (5 am) with sleet.

Wool socks, Sidi 6.6 shoes, Assos leg warmers, Wool calf length bibs, merino LS jersey, cycling jacket, Gore EN1150 vest, regular cycling gloves, and thin merino wool gloves. I do wish I had my fenders. Otherwise, I was fine. Fenders are key in winter.

Below freezing until 20F, I use ski gloves or sometimes the less effective cycling lobster mitts, water proof wool socks (internal membrane) with TT-type water proof covering, a Shwerspass rain covering for helmet to block airflow. Extra material to block airflow to the penis area. Keeping both heads warm is key

if definitely below 25F for the whole ride, neck gator and tights over wool bibs. A merino or cashmere base layer is also added. I won't ride below about 15F unless it is sunny with no wind.

[witcombusa]

Easy... the bikes get to rest till Spring while I wear SKIING kit into April....

[fiamme red]

Easy... the bikes get to rest till Spring while I wear SKIING kit into April....Praying for snow that never comes...

[AJosiahK]

Day to day the setup changes for sure, New England weather can be that way...

I ride year round. The bike varies more than the other stuff.

Widdled down to a Seven Evergreen with full fenders and dyno setup, or a ANT ss with gen lights too.

Gear wise -
Usually a ss or sl base layer for breathability
summer bib shorts underneath craft winter bib tights.
top layers varies more, to a ss jersey under a thick winter jersey for dry days, maybe a vest. To a LS jersey, over a wool baselayer or SS jersey, which would be under either a heavy softshell or rain jacket. for the colder longer rides/days
Lake winter boots and wool socks for the feets, sometimes booties. And a merino liner under some Outdoor Research highcamp gloves for the hands

its a science !

[Mikej]

Zero? Oh C- you mean 32 degrees...

[Schmed]

Yes - bar mitts are incredible. Regular thin cycling gloves under them, and I have warm hands down below 20 deg F.

Feet - I get cold feed after an hour around 20 deg F using Shimano winter cycling boots. Just the toes. I might try those heater packs.

For me, moisture-management is the biggest issue. You need regular airflow to let the moisture out (torso area), but the more venting you have, the more cold air you bring in. An hour isn't bad, but much longer, and I start to get too moist, then cold, and them I'm stuck finding a safe place to warm up - typically a microbrewery. :beer:

[Ti Designs]

I ride all winter in the Boston area, my training schedule has me doing 4+ hour base mileage rides in January. I also product test for a number of clothing companies.

I wrote a piece about dressing for winter riding, it seems to bounce around on the internet. I found it here: http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/dressing-winter-riding-567532.html

Products change, new technology (or old technology in the case of wool) comes along, but the basics don't really change because the science of it is sound. A wicking layer is only doing it's job if there's very little temperature drop from the inside to the outside - lots of people don't get this, they think the base layer should be warm. Each layer has it's job, if each layer does it's job you stay warm and comfortable.

I'm in the process of getting my girlfriend ready for winter riding, and finding good products can be frustrating for a number of reasons. It seems that the people in the chain from manufacturer to retail sales never ride a bike in the winter - that's most of the problem. I wear one of six outer shells that I have all winter long, 5 of those are Harvard team thermal jackets. It's a windstop shell that has a brushed interior, but little insulation of it's own. Just about every team has them printed, they are on the custom jersey order form every manufacturer, but you'll never find a generic one hanging in a bike shop. One of my jackets says Wheelworks on it, if it weren't black it would be the best winter jacket I own. We don't sell them...

A few staples of the winter clothing closet: Base layers. Craft makes the best base layer I've ever tested. They stopped making the turtle neck - I can't explain why, the people who still own them all think they're the best thing going. Base layers shouldn't have zippers. If you layer right you're going to have one or two base layers, then thermal layers, then a shell. They put the zipper on the same place, so you'll have a half dozen zippers all in the same place. Thermal layers are somewhat easy, it just needs to be a dead air space. This is where wool shines, 'cause it can absorb moisture from the wicking layer and still do it's job. I've done some testing with sensors and a data logger, on long rides when the base layer reaches saturation, there is nothing that works as well as wool for holding the temperature. I'm picky about tights 'cause they really have to fit well, and they have to insulate. I have a number of weights of thermafleece tights which I can layer. For commuting I switch to a heavier tight with wind/water front because I'm not on the bike that long and it just saves time. A scarf is a simple item, I don't know why it's that hard to find a good one. I asked Columbia for a scarf, they sent me one that was 72" long - I think they're trying to kill me... Shoes and socks are another key point. I've spent years coming up with the perfect shoe/liner/bootie combination, skip that and go right to the winter boots. Don't forget that the layering system still works for you feet. I've never walked into a bike shop and found good winter socks - OK, maybe EMS or REI, but they call them hiking socks. Fox River, Wigwam, any of those good winter socks, and buy the socks before you buy the boots...

Like anything else in cycling, the best advice comes from your own learning, or the people around you. You probably don't know me, this is the internet, I might live in Florida and only go out when it's between 75 and 78 degrees - you don't know. You do know that the guy riding next to you, who always seems to be comfortable in any condition, knows a thing or two about dressing. He's a resource, he's not going to blurt out all of his advice at once, you have a problems with your hands getting cold, you ask about that... The other good piece of advice is to learn how to swim in the shallow end. Start the learning process at 50 degrees when it's OK to make a mistake or two. At 20 degrees mistakes can mean frostbite.

[daker13]

I think the 30s (F) are perfectly reasonably temps to ride in, below that, I avoid it. I was just considering getting a winter cycling jacket. The problem is I'm a big guy (6'2", 205) and a lot of cycling stuff fits me like kids' clothes. And, of course, a lot of winter cycling jackets cost about $400. I have a showers pass raincoat that fits fine, so I usually layer under that, but want something with more insulation. In addition to your list I like a good cheap balaclava when it's windy.

Your reasoning for wearing the bibs over the winter tights is ... unique. Whatever works!

[chiasticon]

Like anything else in cycling, the best advice comes from your own learning, or the people around you. You probably don't know me, this is the internet, I might live in Florida and only go out when it's between 75 and 78 degrees - you don't know. You do know that the guy riding next to you, who always seems to be comfortable in any condition, knows a thing or two about dressing. He's a resource, he's not going to blurt out all of his advice at once, you have a problems with your hands getting cold, you ask about that... The other good piece of advice is to learn how to swim in the shallow end. Start the learning process at 50 degrees when it's OK to make a mistake or two. At 20 degrees mistakes can mean frostbite.sound advice, as always. the only worthy winter clothing reviews online are where they specify exactly what they're wearing overall, what speed they traveled at, the temp, the wind speed, and whether they typically run hot/cold.

OP: sounds like you're on the right track. I never had luck with the sandwich bag over feet thing. I use wool socks, oversocks and booties; and alter the combination depending on how cold it is. I've also tried the bar mitts and hated them, because I just felt trapped. it took me a while but I finally found gloves for sub-freezing temps: Castelli Estremo. they work for me from below 40 degrees to 20 degree or so (whatever that is in C, I dunno). above 40, I like the Castelli Diluvio or Rapha Winter gloves. I run pretty hot though and I'm talking about road riding, with 10+ mph winds and going about 18mph or so average.

the one revelation I had last year was that until it's around freezing, I prefer to use leg warmers instead of tights. mainly just because they're a hell of a lot easier to get on and off, and I don't notice a warmth difference. I combine these with fleece-lined bibs but a lot of guys I ride with just wear their team bibs. beware though that you'll have no wind-layer that way, so it can be...painful...in a certain...area...:eek:

[MattTuck]

No real help here, but I am with Dakar. Below 30, and you're putting yourself in a situation that has the potential for bad things. A mechanical issue at 22 degrees becomes a life/death situation in a way that it doesn't at 50 degrees.

Also, I've yet to discover a combination of winter clothing that suits the terrain around me. 10-20 minutes climbs followed by descents. If you are on pretty flat, or rolling terrain, it's fairly straightforward to hold a certain intensity/speed, which translates directly to how warm you are with a given item of clothing. With lots of ups/downs, it becomes much harder.

[Brian Cdn]

I love the plastic bag gambit for keeping your feet warm. I did an hour this evening at 0 degrees and only felt the beginnings of some mild stinging on the tips of my big toes near the end of the ride, so I consider that a success.


Back in the day before hi-tech winter gear and specific winter clothes such as insulated boots, we'd wrap our feet in just about anything to stay warm. We learnt pretty quick that plastic bags and feet didn't go well when your feet got wet from condensation... and then froze.

Stay warm...

[notsew]

I live in the northwest, so I can almost always avoid riding below freezing. But upper 30s is pretty common for morning rides in the winter. My most amazing piece of kit for this (and into the 40s) is the Castelli flanders windproof base layer. Soo nice, add a winter jersey and a vest and I'm warm enough.

I do wish I had some tights that put some windproofing in front of the junk. brrrr

[EDS]

The cold weather's coming. We've already had a taste of it these past few days in the Great Lakes area and northeastern North America. So what do you wear for cold rides? I think it can be educational to hear about the gear people use, you end up learning new tricks to beat the hea...er, cold.

Apologies to Ozzies and Kiwis gearing up for summer, or to those too close to the equator to experience much in the way of frosty breezes, but I'm in southwestern Ontario. And I do most of my riding between October and March in the evening, so I don't get anywhere near the daytime highs.

Ride Data
Temp: 0 (first literally freezing ride of the year--I'll ride down to -5, which we do see a goodly amount of in January and February around here, but I can't be bothered if it gets colder than that)
Wind: 15 km/h, not too harsh

Gear
Feet: Summer socks, plastic bags, regular shoes, overshoes
Legs and Glutes: Winter tights underneath summer bib shorts
Midsection and Arms: Long-sleeved base layer, arm warmers (wife's old socks), summer jersey, Under Armour Cold Gear long-sleeved shirt, winter cycling jacket (thin, windproof though not waterproof)
Hands: Thin winter gloves, cycling gloves, lobster claw mitts
Head and Neck: Toque (aka "knit cap" if you're not a Canucklehead), neck gaiter, cycling helmet

Was I warm? I was warm. And yeah, people say you should put the bib shorts on first and the tights on over top so that the chamois is in direct contact with your private bits, but I can't bring myself to do that for aesthetic reasons. I need to see the fancy designs on my bib shorts pistoning up and down below me, and if that's what it takes to motivate me, well, that overrides other seemingly more practical considerations.

I love the plastic bag gambit for keeping your feet warm. I did an hour this evening at 0 degrees and only felt the beginnings of some mild stinging on the tips of my big toes near the end of the ride, so I consider that a success.

Has anyone tried pogies/bar mitts? I'm interested in perhaps trying them, and have read lots of good reviews online. While I appreciate the warmth of the lobster claws, the dexterity hit is annoying.

Winter tights under summer bib shorts? I usually go the other way around.

[carpediemracing]

Thoughts.

- My tights have the padding in them. Bib tights, so they don't sag.

- I wear wind proof tops pretty early on, i.e. lower temps. Not necessarily jackets, usually vest or bag under top layer. Wind really saps heat so keeping wind out really helps.

- Thermal shorts. I only have them as part of a (long sleeve arm) skinsuit so very limited application, but I can see using thermal shorts with knee warmers. With regular shorts my privates get way too cold even if my knees are protected/etc.

- Wind proofing really helps keep warm. You need air/insulation underneath the wind shield. A wind vest/jacket directly under a LS jersey but over 1-2 base layers is great. A wind vest/jacket as base layer is horrible. I use plastic bags as thin, temporary wind shields. I've used them on my arms, torso, and feet. I even tried on my thighs but the bags moved around too much, and also my note about "wind shield as base layer is horrible" due to no insulation.

- In rain I do plastic bags over shoes (and therefore over socks), but under a bootie. Really helps keep rain out. I tape the top of the bags to my legs to make a real seal. I have maybe a dozen clip in/out cycles before the bag starts to get a bit shredded. I've raced like that and never had a problem pulling out of the pedals inadvertently.

[ltwtsculler91]

Thoughts.

- Thermal shorts. I only have them as part of a (long sleeve arm) skinsuit so very limited application, but I can see using thermal shorts with knee warmers. With regular shorts my privates get way too cold even if my knees are protected/etc.


These are my absolute favorite fall, early winter, and spring item. Below 55 they are just awesome. Add in knee warmers and I'm good into the 40s, leg warmers any they are like tights.

For the really cold days, I've found thermal shorts and knee warmers under unpadded winter tights is a great combo too

[mcteague]

The only real problem I have with Winter riding is cold fingers. No matter what gloves I try, after 20 minutes in freezing temps, my fingers hurt like crazy. Tried a pair of heated motorcycle gloves but they were either useless or just plain defective, sent them right back. Guess I have to move to warmer climes!

Tim

[OldCrank]

Neoprene booties.
No, they don't breathe, they keep the cold wind out.
Put on wool socks and make sure your toes can move.
Buy `em big enough to fit over shoes and boots (yes you need boots!)

Toe covers for those 35-45 degree days- easy to take off, like arm warmers.

Helmet cover. And a good wool watch cap, or cycling cap with ear flaps.

Roubaix-weight (?) bibs, and polypro (or silk) longies under, on reeally cold rides.

Base layers: Been having good luck with cheap UA knockoffs from Marshall's.

Want wool.

[Brian Cdn]

The only real problem I have with Winter riding is cold fingers. No matter what gloves I try, after 20 minutes in freezing temps, my fingers hurt like crazy. Tried a pair of heated motorcycle gloves but they were either useless or just plain defective, sent them right back. Guess I have to move to warmer climes!

Tim


Gloves never worked much for me either. Mittens with a glove liner usually do. If the merc dips well below -15c, I'll use a hand warmer pad and I can stay out in most weather.

[rousseau]

No real help here, but I am with Dakar. Below 30, and you're putting yourself in a situation that has the potential for bad things. A mechanical issue at 22 degrees becomes a life/death situation in a way that it doesn't at 50 degrees.
If I understood the old Fahrenheit system (is it just Americans that use it?) I might have a better idea of what those temps mean, but I assume you mean very cold and not, as I once experienced in Turkey, an actual temperature of 50 degrees that felt like an oven?

50 degrees is Saudia Arabia scary!

I wouldn't want to be caught out in the middle of nowhere when it gets close to freezing or below. I used to do two-hour-plus rides below freezing, but these days I only go out for an hour or so when it gets really cold, and I don't stray too far from the small city I live in. My wife or a taxi is never more than fifteen minutes away.

Also, I've yet to discover a combination of winter clothing that suits the terrain around me. 10-20 minutes climbs followed by descents. If you are on pretty flat, or rolling terrain, it's fairly straightforward to hold a certain intensity/speed, which translates directly to how warm you are with a given item of clothing. With lots of ups/downs, it becomes much harder.
Or wind, which is essentially what descents are when it comes to being cold on the bike. I stay away from the larger hills in the winter, both because I don't want to get really cold going downhill, but also because with the lobster claws on I just don't feel that nimble at the controls at higher speeds.

[rousseau]

Gloves never worked much for me either. Mittens with a glove liner usually do. If the merc dips well below -15c, I'll use a hand warmer pad and I can stay out in most weather.
Thankfully it doesn't get down to -15 in southern Ontario very often, save for those crazy winters we had in 2014 and 2015. Though I wouldn't bother going out when it gets that cold anyway.

My record is -13. For half an hour. Of pure suffering. All I could think was: why the hell am I doing this?

[Tickdoc]

Ugh, this post has me anxious already.

I feel like I spend way to much energy and time planning my winter rides. Our winters are mild usually, and my cutoff temp is 25f.

I will check the wather app constantly and try to plan my ride times for optimal light and warmth. It's exhausting just thinking about it. I hate being too hot or cold and it is so hard to get it right.

I have a castelli jacket that is great in the cold ( forget the name due maybe?). And castelli nanoflex winter bibtights that are padded.

Spec booties and spec wool socks are the nicest I have when it's really cold.

I have a nice Rapha snood/neck Gaiter, but I combine it with a turtle fur acrylic one for extra warmth when really cold.

Outdoor research skull cap.

I have base layers from Columbia Castellano, and Uniqlo. Uniqlo is the hottest, and cheap too!

Gloves were the hardest for me until a buddy sent me an old pair of his dads pearl izumi gloves. They look just like ski gloves but with extra palm padding. Must be twenty five years old but are just awesome lifesavers when it's cold.

[rousseau]

Winter tights under summer bib shorts? I usually go the other way around.
Yeah, I know, that's probably the standard way to do it, and probably makes more sense. But the look doesn't work for me, I need to see the fancy team colours and logos/patterns on the bibs in order to be motivated aesthetically.

[deechee]

Gloves never worked much for me either. Mittens with a glove liner usually do. If the merc dips well below -15c, I'll use a hand warmer pad and I can stay out in most weather.

-15C?! I don't even want to be in the car at those temps. (No garage.) And of course, when its so cold that the tires feel like bricks and there's snow inside the rims screwing up the balance at highway speeds... Oh joy I can't wait.

Just adding Craft baselayers really are awesome. Those were a revelation. And I love that they're still relatively comfortable while wet once you get home. Its not like a mad rush to strip and jump in the shower.

Plastic bags on my shoes are really when I'm lazy or when I'm commuting and its going to be really warm by the time I go home. Swiftwick's wool socks are just as great as their summer socks. I tend to get cold feet/hands, but the Swiftwicks have been great. I use some very ratty MEC lobster mitts, but the new ones don't seem as warm so I should find a replacement eventually. I got some GORE gloves recently that are great once my body and hands are warm enough. Change of accessories is essential if you know you're gonna have to stop and you're a heavy sweater like me.

I have a pair of great tights that Lou/Foxwear made for me but I see the site is now gone. I hope he's retired although they are great for those really cold days...

[OtayBW]

I carry mesh bags in my larger kit that contain i) light-, mid- and Admiral Byrd level gloves, ii) leg, knee, and arm warmers and toe covers, and iii) various head gear ranging from light windbreaker to Nanook Of The North head covering. I also carry a light-mid weight, breathable, windproof jacket. If I need more, I am now well into wicking long-sleeve undershirt and jersey. I then decide whether to go with chamois-less tights over bibs, or full bib tights with chamois. If needed, I break out the Gore Xenon jacket, probably with full boot covers at this point. Final fail-safe is neoprene-lined goggles.....

I guess the take-home is that short of the really heavy stuff, I carry around a menu of what I need most of the time to use as needed.

[Gummee]

Seems all y'all run a lot colder than I do.

I end up in a mesh base layer, a wool layer, and then a softshell front/fabric back jersey/jacket when it gets cold. Any more and I get too hot and sweat. Sweat, even with the mesh on means cold at some point in the ride.

Tights I'll vary in weight/windproofness depending on how cold it is.

One thing that was a revelation to me last year were winter shoes. I'd gone the booties route for 20+ years. Winter shoes make getting ready SO much easier. Lace em up and go. No struggling with booties any more. Too bad I ordered both pairs of winter shoes one size too big. Put up with them for the winter, but the cleats were really far off. Grrr

M

[spoonrobot]

The only real problem I have with Winter riding is cold fingers. No matter what gloves I try, after 20 minutes in freezing temps, my fingers hurt like crazy. Tried a pair of heated motorcycle gloves but they were either useless or just plain defective, sent them right back. Guess I have to move to warmer climes!

Tim

I had this same issue and last year I just started putting one of those disposable iron oxide handwarmers in each glove for my rides. They last 8+ hours so you can just keep them in a sealed ziplock or jar after you're done and the lack of oxygen arrests the reaction that creates heat. I did about 45 rides/100 hours of riding where the temperature was +/-10 of 32 F and had comfy, warm hands every ride. Went through 9 pairs of warmers as they still sort of work once they're dead if you're already riding.

[isaacneff]

I ride down to pretty cold. I commuted to work down to 0f several days last winter, but the ride was only 20mins or so.
I'll do training rides down into the low teens.
I really like marino wool base layers, Icebreaker, Smartwool, etc. They seem to do the best job of keeping me warm yet not over heating.

[jemoryl]

I ride all winter in NJ, but avoid riding when there is snow on the roads. That still means a lot of chances to ride when the temperature goes down to the mid 20s F, which is about my limit.

For freezing or below, I have a couple pairs of good windproof bibtights, one from Santini with Windtex front and another from Nalini with their windproof fabric. Up top I have a mock turtle long sleeve baselayer (the Champion C9 ones are pretty good) with either a Windtex Voler jacket or a somewhat thicker and warmer Nalini one. Top that off with a balaclava under my helmet.

Feet and hands: Right now the warmest gloves I have are something from LG, but I have several others. I'm looking for a good pair of lobster gloves, if anyone has a suggestion. I don't have winter shoes, but use some wool socks with LG windproof booties. This will usually serve me well for at least 2 hours.

No matter what I wear, I often think that I'm mad for the first 5 miles or so, but after the blood starts to pump I'm usually fine.