[dr13zehn]

What do you guys wear when riding in this cold weather?

I'm not so much concerned about what to wear on my upper body, but what kind of pants do you use? I really need to keep my legs warm... It's friggin' cold out there and I'm not gonna quit biking for any reason so please, any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Also, I'm thinking about getting a Camelbak Shredbak to wear by itself over a jersey or as a mid layer in case it gets really cold. Does anyone have any experience with this thing or any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[ADDam]

For your top you need 3 basic layers

1. Moisture wicking material (long sleeved jersey)
2. Insulating layer (light fleece jacket)
3. Wind blocking layer

For the bottom I am currently using Craft Wind Stop Thermal Tights, they seem to be working very well, I went out riding in 20 degree weather the other night and I was quite toasty! :thumbsup:

 

[dropadrop]

Hard to say what you consider cold...

At around 0c (32f) I'll wear long underwear under Craft rain pants (block wind and water pretty well). A long sleeve wicking t-shirt, merino wool shirt and a thin jacket which holds most of the wind and water. I have "winter" bike gloves which work ok while allowing quite a good feel.

At around -10c (14f) I might wear a second layer of long underwear for my feet, and change the jacket to something thicker (or put more thin layers underneath).

At around -20c (-4f) I wear snowboarding pants with long underwear. Flat pedals with regular winter shoes and warm socks. A warm winter jacket. I also wear a scarf and possibly a (soft) mask which covers the lower half of my face (nose, mouth). The mask I have actually makes my face too cold, but deep breathing in that temp weather can make your throat hurt. I also use pretty thick winter gloves which suck but still work.

 

[jeffw-13]

For the bottom I am currently using Craft Wind Stop Thermal Tights, they seem to be working very well, I went out riding in 20 degree weather the other night and I was quite toasty! :thumbsup:

Tree Fort has them for $115

http://www.treefortbikes.com/189_333222346183__Wind-Stopper-Thermal-Tight.html

 

[chuckie33]

I'll be watching this thread as well. Can any recommend a good beanie or skull cap to cover the head and ears? I need one thats not too thick so I can wear my helmet over it. Also, what type of gloves is everyone using? FYI cold weather for me is 30-50 F(Warm for many I know but chilly in MS and the humidity makes it feel colder)

 

[ADDam]

Tree Fort has them for $115

http://www.treefortbikes.com/189_333222346183__Wind-Stopper-Thermal-Tight.html

Yes We Do! :thumbsup:

 

[dr13zehn]

I'll be watching this thread as well. Can any recommend a good beanie or skull cap to cover the head and ears? I need one thats not too thick so I can wear my helmet over it. Also, what type of gloves is everyone using? FYI cold weather for me is 30-50 F(Warm for many I know but chilly in MS and the humidity makes it feel colder)

Hey chuckie33, I'm in MS too. Are you near Jackson?

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I'll check out those Craft pants. They look like they'll do the trick.

 

[Dan Gerous]

I find I can ride at very low temperatures with just a base layer, a thin fleece and a wind blocker for the upper body, I have some fleece backed cycling tights for the bottom and a thin wind/water resistant layer on top of it, that's enough. At around 0C/32F and above I even skip the fleece. Wen pedaling, the core and legs get warm, dont dress too warm and get soaked from perspiration because then you'll get cold quickly.

What needs to be well protected are the feet, hands and face since they are at the extremities, they don't do much and are in the wind. I use flat pedals when it gets too cold, I can pedal with warm shoe/boots, I also have shoe covers big enough to cover those so I rarely get cold feet.

For the hands, I have some cheap 3 fingers glove, a bit warmer than gloves since fingers are two together but I can still control the brakes and shift. At -10C/14F and below, I add a thin glove inside those... I can get cold sometimes though.

For the face/head, I replace the cycling helmet by a snowboard helmet, just a thin skull cap underneath and tube thing for the neck that I can pull up over my mouth and nose. I replace the skull cap by a balaclava/face mask...

I ride year long, commute to work everyday.

 

[Gasp4Air]

I have 3 sets of leggings

1. Leg warmers that can go/off easily.
2. A set of light stretch riding tights
3. A set of heavy riding tights - the kind with heavy material in front, lighter in the back of the leg.

In cool weather, I'll wear or stow the leggings. A bit colder (25-35 deg), I wear the light tights with the leg warmers packed in case I need more. Below 25, I wear the heavy tights and pack the leg warmers. And so on. The temp ranges can vary depending on wind, sun, etc.

Although you only asked about legs, I take a similar layered approach on top. One trick is to carry extra underlayers to swap out when they get too damp. Even the best non-cotton materials can be overcome at some point, especially if you perspire freely. I try to keep my skin as dry as possible. I also err on the side of having too much clothing. Better to pack it and not need it than the other way around. Finally, I have a post rack mounted for extra clothes & gear when it's cold. Enough to survive the night in the woods should I get lost or injured and can't communicate via cellphone.

 

[chuckie33]

Hey chuckie33, I'm in MS too. Are you near Jackson?

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I'll check out those Craft pants. They look like they'll do the trick.

Hey dr. Not near Jackson but I pass through every now an then. I've been wanting ride the Ridgleland trails but haven't had the chance yet.I live in Oxford. Still in school there. Grew up in Greenwood though. Not too many hills or anything other than flats to ride around there. Oxford has some great riding though and thats where I really got into riding. PM me if you ever in the area to ride.

 

[dr13zehn]

Hey dr. Not near Jackson but I pass through every now an then. I've been wanting ride the Ridgleland trails but haven't had the chance yet.I live in Oxford. Still in school there. Grew up in Greenwood though. Not too many hills or anything other than flats to ride around there. Oxford has some great riding though and thats where I really got into riding. PM me if you ever in the area to ride.

Gotcha...

If you're ever in the area and want to check out the Ridgeland Trail, send me a PM. It's a nice little trail system.

 

[InvictaS1]

for chilly weather i'll just wear a pair of padded cycling shorts with a pair of Mt Borah Freedom pants over them. The Freedom pant is similar to a tight but they fit loose, but not loose enough to get caught in your chainrings.

for colder weather i'll wear padded cycling tights then the Freedom pants, and if the weather is really nasty i'll throw on my Louis Garneau rainpants. with those 3 layers i can pretty much ride in any weather.

 

[Dan Gerous]

It was -19 when I left for work this morning, -30 with the wind factor... I was fine with the setup I mentioned above except the fingers. They got cold a bit so I tried to keep them moving and after 20 minutes, they started to either adapt or become numb so they didn't feel cold!

 

[hatake]

Perl Izumi Barrier GTX

I tried ski socks with plastic bag, nylon, bootie, whatnot, to keep using my sidi in the winter but none of these keep my toes from getting cold (hurts) especailly around 10F with speed.

Mrs. Claus gave me a Perl Izumi Barrier GTX (http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.php?mode=view&pc_id=43&product_id=1315173&outlet=) and finally found what I was looking for, Yesterday, the snow drifts about a foot high appeared on the bike path overnight and I had to tredge through them on and off for about a mile total. It was 10F, and with wind, more like 0F. Despite, my toes were 100% dry throughout the ride. And while it got slightly chilled (I guess I can still use a pair of ski socks), I did not suffer from usual pain at all. High gaiter kept snow from coming into the shoes, and toe spikes gave me an excellent grip on the slippery surface. The sizing is slightly larget than regular shoes, so you order the same size as regular even with thicker socks on. Easy lacing system wrapps your toes fully, so you can make adjustments there. Now I can go riding in bad weather without any worry. Wind, water, and cold proof. I recommend these to anyone who wants to ride in the winter. The only thing I'd like to see is for them to include SPD cleats - luckily I had a bunch.

So now the sidi can retire until the spring, and the wife/kids can quit laughing at me with garbage bags sticking out of the shoes. Besides, the GTX will see much more use than the wife's $200 sandals:thumbsup:

 

[iamtylerdurden]

For thin wicking tights (full length w/o chamois) how should you layer these? Should the be worn under or over my standard lycra chamois shorts?

 

[Mike Di]

Shoes

Most of the heat loss from your feet is through the cleat.
Before you mount the cleat to the shoe, seal the opening with silicone sealer then bolt on the cleat.
remove the foot bed or insole and cover the opening inside the shoe with plastic, like an old credit card with double back tape (saw this somewhere) it works pretty well. Also replace your insole with a thermal insole like the ones found in insulated work boots.
I made a pair by cutting fleece from an old scarf and double back taping it to the regular insole. It worked well. Didn't ice up as much.
That is, if you don't have winter shoes.

 

[gmcttr]

For thin wicking tights (full length w/o chamois) how should you layer these? Should the be worn under or over my standard lycra chamois shorts?

Whatever has the chamois always goes on first.

To the OP...how "friggin' cold out there" does it get in Mississippi?

 

[iamtylerdurden]

I have lived in Georgia, southwest and southeast Alabama and temperature wise it does not get that cold in the lower parts of the state......the problem is the moisture level of the air and wind makes it feel 10 times worse than it actually is.

Ive been outside layered to the hilt in GA when it was 30 deg F, and felt so cold it hurt...........and been out visiting my grandparents in Durango, CO when it was 0 deg F with a long sleeve t-shirt and wind shell and been cozy.

 

[Blksocks]

Hanes Thermals and shorts. Yea... I'm an animal and the cold doesn't bother me.

 

[Qatarbhoy]

Those Pearl Izumi winter shoes are the shiznit but it only drops to about 70F here so I've no excuse to buy a pair!