this is the first time i’ve ever had to bike in what i assume is fall (comparable to winter in florida) and i can only assume it will get colder. i know nothing about winter gear. today it was like 50 degrees and wet so i wore leg warmers x shorts collabo and a hoodie under a cycling rain jacket i borrowed from my roommate. what do i need that will give me all of it in low temperatures? i think i can get this at the shop my friend works at. what should i be looking for? wool socks?
that setup sounds like too much for me personally. i don’t do a layered rain jacket with baselayer unless it’s 30 or colder. no tights til 30; i usually wear pants and merino socks from 32-55 degrees. colder than that is when i use my toasty sugoi midweight tights that have kept my legs warm at -30. i’ve used the pearl izumi cyclone gloves alone with success to about 20 degrees, any colder requires some cheapo bodega gloves underneath. balaclava and goggles are key for them super shitty days too.
swvre winter weight knickers if it’s below 45, in the thirties i’ll throw on some cheapo arylic long underwear i got at the army surplus. i’ll wear a pair of baby socks and throw on some 40 below wigwam socks and that will keep me warm through anything.
usually just wear a light northface wind/water resistant jacket down into the 40s, then throw a fleece under it once it gets to the low 40s. in the 20s i’ll throw a hoodie under all that. that’s all i’ve ever needed.
keeping the ears warm is really important.
plus get some nice gloves, a pair for all types of weather. make sure you have some good heavy gloves, your hands will go way before anything else and you’ll want to lay down and die.
balaclava down maybe once it hits 30.
also schmear toothpaste all over your glasses and everything else you own too.
Why don’t you tell us what the climate you’re in is like?
Like… where are you living at?
Then The crazy winter dewds can get more gooder tips out there.
i was riding to school and didn’t want to carry a full change of clothes in my bag, just the pants i changed into at school, hence the leg warmers x shorts collabo (plus it kept splatter from the road off my legs). i normally would have just worn a hoodie but didn’t want to be soaked so i opted for the extra layer, which is too big for me so it needed something under it. could have opted for the long sleeve shirt but i couldn’t find it this morning. was comfortable on the ride so w/e
philadelphia.
think they’ll let me set this up on the bus?
Fuck that, heath.
California doods GTFO winter thread!
The best thing is just to layer correctly. Philly barely gets any snow… something like 20 inches annually or something, so you’ll be riding in crappy weather almost constantly.
Definitely bring a pair of socks with you to wear once you get wear you’re going (if applicable) and a set of dry shoes (if you can just leave a pair at the office or whatever that’s awesome).
Wool on the skin is nice, something lofty (like a hoodie) for the middle layer, and then a shell. You’ll probably want gore-tex for the waterproofness.
If you can’t do the shoes, get some waterproof show covers. Neoprene booties are nice, but not “necessarily waterproof”.
For the head, you could wear a ski helmet (thats what most people I know do) not only for safety, but the warmth and water repellency is excellent. If it gets to the point where you don’t want to wear glasses (to keep shit out of your eyes) because it’s too cold, you can wear goggles which is what EVERYONE does in ND.
For the pants, you can wear something like jeans rolled up with some leg warmers on (once you adapt to the “cold temperatures”) and then wear some waterproof pants (shell) over that so when you get to where ur going, you can just peel the shells, shake them off quick and hang them up. Walk into class/work/lunch whatever wearing a hoody and some rolled up jeans lookin all normal.
I wear swerve winter knicks with knee high smartwool ski socks and a smartwool LS jersey with a wool cap under my helmet down to ~35 degrees. Colder than that I throw on my swerve hoodie like the one you posted and layer another pair of wool socks. Once it gets below 30 I wear a wool balaclava under my cap under my helmet and put a pair of poly longjohns on under my knicks. For super fucking arctic conditions I’ve got army surplus wool knickers a neoprene facemask and some badass PI lobster gloves and a pair of ski goggles for super snowy days.
I’ve never been cold on the bike.
[quote=EivlEvo]The best thing is just to layer correctly. Philly barely gets any snow… something like 20 inches annually or something, so you’ll be riding in crappy weather almost constantly.
Definitely bring a pair of socks with you to wear once you get wear you’re going (if applicable) and a set of dry shoes (if you can just leave a pair at the office or whatever that’s awesome).
Wool on the skin is nice, something lofty (like a hoodie) for the middle layer, and then a shell. You’ll probably want gore-tex for the waterproofness.
If you can’t do the shoes, get some waterproof show covers. Neoprene booties are nice, but not “necessarily waterproof”.
For the head, you could wear a ski helmet (thats what most people I know do) not only for safety, but the warmth and water repellency is excellent. If it gets to the point where you don’t want to wear glasses (to keep shit out of your eyes) because it’s too cold, you can wear goggles which is what EVERYONE does in ND.
For the pants, you can wear something like jeans rolled up with some leg warmers on (once you adapt to the “cold temperatures”) and then wear some waterproof pants (shell) over that so when you get to where ur going, you can just peel the shells, shake them off quick and hang them up. Walk into class/work/lunch whatever wearing a hoody and some rolled up jeans lookin all normal.[/quote]
i’ve definitely brought socks with me just in case and have not needed them yet. i have a pair of shoes in my studio i switch to when i get to school and change out of my cycling stuff. should i just look into a shell since i have plenty of sweaters or should i look into a shell for rainy days/not-so-cold-but-still-shitty and something like that swrv hoodie when it’s really shitty?
[quote=EivlEvo]The best thing is just to layer correctly. Philly barely gets any snow… something like 20 inches annually or something, so you’ll be riding in crappy weather almost constantly.
If you can’t do the shoes, get some waterproof show covers. Neoprene booties are nice, but not “necessarily waterproof”.
For the head, you could wear a ski helmet (thats what most people I know do) not only for safety, but the warmth and water repellency is excellent. If it gets to the point where you don’t want to wear glasses (to keep shit out of your eyes) because it’s too cold, you can wear goggles which is what EVERYONE does in ND.
[/quote]
What he said, except for the freak winter storm that blanketed philly in 20 inches of snow last year over the course of a weekend.
Some of the best advice I got was, If you are warm when you walk out the door, you are overdressed. You will be producing enough body heat to warm you up if it feels a little nippy right outside.
I rock a de marchi coat that is windproof front that keeps be toasty with a t-shirt below 30.
This is sort of obvious, but your shoes+socks should be a bit loose to allow for circulaiton to your toes. Shoes that are fine in summer can be absolutely awful in the wintertime, even if you are using neoprene booties, wool socks and all that jazz. So, if you are going to put on more socks than in summer, it’s a good idea to make sure your shoes have the space. And sometimes when your feet are cold you can make em better by loosening your shoelaces/ clicky straps.
[quote=lwkwafi]Some of the best advice I got was, If you are warm when you walk out the door, you are overdressed. You will be producing enough body heat to warm you up if it feels a little nippy right outside.
I rock a de marchi coat that is windproof front that keeps be toasty with a t-shirt below 30.[/quote]
i didn’t feel like i was warm until i started riding and even then i didn’t feel like i was overheating.
my problem is with figuring out what items i need since i formerly lived in a climate where winter cycling gear wasn’t a requirement.
Florida to Philly? Damn dude. This is going to be fun.
It seems odd but everyone is in the same boat, knickers with tights or knee-high wool socks is the jam. Absolutely main upper body purchase is a breathable, waterproof, windproof shell. It will cost a bit but will cover so many bases it pays for itself. If you have that you can layer underneath pretty easily. In even the coldest, brutal weather I only wear my shell, a hoodie, and a t-shirt. Maybe at the worst some long underwear under my t-shirt as well, but that’s happened like twice.
Oh, and you are already a pro at covering your face, so you should be solid.
checking in. this is the first weekend of it being chilly, and i like it. for when it gets colder, i have a pearl softshell jacket, tights(2 pairs, one tight, one looser and thicker) and thick wool socks. going to get gloves, wool base layer and shoe covers, and that should be good for 90% of the winter afaik.
i am looking for suggestions for gloves/shoe covers/base layer
For gloves I use loose fitting full finger gloves or lobster claws. Colder and I’ll use some therma-Lux Glove Liners with hand warmers. Colder still I put the whole mess in some XL Outdoor Research mittens that go up to my elbows.
Feet I use thin wool ski socks in my loosest fitting shoes, Toe covers or full booties. longer rides toe warmers under and if really cold over and under my toes.
Gloves are a total personal preference. The thing you need to consider (though maybe not in philly, but certainly here) is that if you get a flat, there is a high probability that YOU WILL DIE CHANGING IT if you don’t have the proper attire.
Gloves are a must, I’ve heard good things about the lobsters. Remember though, you may want a liner or something so if you need the dexterity, and can’t get into a bus block or something to change it, you can have dexterity and warmth.
You could also certainly just look into a shell. Make sure it has zipper vents that are easy to use when riding (or at least know how to do it).
Another pro tip: if ur jammin along and ur really warm (like starting to sweat) you NEED to SLOW DOWN, because if you puncture right there, you’ll be freezing so bad. Winter cycling builds lots of discipline for me because you just need to focus (so much more) on your riding skills and your pace. Get there on time, but don’t over-heat etc.
I feel like I missed a question, have I missed a question?