Nocturnus said:
Not like it really gets that cold here where I am in Texas, but riding in sub 50's temps does kinda bite. Looking at getting some leg, arm warmers, full finger gloves and a skull cap. Other then that, my normal riding gear is just shorts and a cotton t-shirt. I'm not all into the riding shorts/jersey thing. Tried a pair of bike shorts and just could not get situated in them. Any other ideas as to what I should get?
you need layers for riding in cool / cold weather. a base layer next to your skin to wick sweat away (coolmax, wool, other synthetics. NO COTTON), an insulation layer (whatever you got, wool and synthetic blends work. some cotton in the blend isn't too bad), and a protective shell to keep the wind / rain / snow out. windproof pants or tights and warm socks are a must, as are windproof gloves that fit well and aren't too bulky. i find i don't need anything on my head until it gets colder than 35 F. your ears will freeze (not literally) at those temps, but you warm up in 15 minutes or so. i just put my hood on and warm up, then take it off and put my helmet on. of course wind and sun can alter that; you may want a headband on windier days. you should start off slightly cold and then warm up. if you're warm, you'll get too hot. if you're cold cold, turn around and put on something warmer. a lot of it is trial and error.
icebike has some tips that may be worth reading.
at 50+, all you may need are some sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt with a sheet of newspaper down the front to block any wind / cool air.