Warm up on the trainer or with star jumps before leaving.
I reckon you’ll be a medium. I go large
Hmmm…
Blue or Grey?
try some windproof shell gloves with thin wool gloves underneath. (best of both worlds).
shoe covers if you feet are cold (cycling shoes are designed to vent lots)
i’ve always been a fan of many thin layers as it provides more flexibility for layering. ive ridden regularly in -4 to 4c and damp cold using that strategy. having a windproof layer on top (that vents well or provides easy vent opening) makes a big difference and means you can use thinner/less layers on top. the benefit of CBr is that its a drier cold (even with fog) so its easier to warm up if you have the clothing to permit it. damp cold just seeps in.
i cut the sleeves off a couple of old wool jerseys and use them as headbands under a normal cycling cap in winter. i like the cotton top of the cap (allows more cooling in an area that is wind-protected) and the adjustable ear/forehead/back of head protection from the sleeve.
the ‘go long(er)’ crew i’ve been riding with lately love their buffs (light microfleece/merino). lotta hilarious options for using them that protect neck/face/chin/ears.
i also find starting your ride using a higher cadence/lower gear helps get the body warmed up faster.
One thing that I guess I am trying to avoid is bulk and as many items as possible.
Yesterday I had
- Shoes
- Shoe covers
- 4Shaw Wool socks
- DHB 3/4 bibs
- Troy Lee baggies
- Craft baselayer w/Windstopper
- 2XU jersey
- 2XU Thick Vest
- 2XU Arm warmers
- Gore glove liners
- Troy Lee full finger MTB gloves
- Icebreaker buff type thing
- DHB Ear wamers
- Cycling Cap
Thats a lot of shit!
These are the current toe covers I am running. Notbd.
Material is starting to split a bit along the bottom where the cleat opening is from walking around a bit. Can’t find these anywhere now though so I might get some replacement DHB’s when they fail.
that’s about what i wear; minus the booties, buff, thick jacket, glove liners and ear warmers.
and given you’re a few degrees cooler than us, i’d say there’s nothing wrong with your attire.
Sounds pretty similar to me. It takes ages to get ready in winter. Summer is socks, knicks, jersey, cap. Getting ready in winter requires me to block out time in my calendar and get up extra early
Same, but how good does it feel to ride comfortably in the cold. I love winter.
I need a check list to run through!
^ I line up everything on the kitchen table the night before when I ride early. Sometimes I forget stuff… like the other day 4ks in the ride I realized I forgot my helmet.
think I’ve just found a use for jerseys i have that are otherwise falling apart (including… gasp… a FOA anticoast jersey) ;p
I’ve never used it but this Marmot Variant Jacket makes sense to me. Warm where you need it, but less risk of overheating. That said, I run hot, so ymmv. For the super cold (albeit Melbourne’s version of super cold) mornings, I’ve got a Montbell vest, previous version to this. Just enough extra warmth to make a difference and then packs down into it’s own pocket and weighs less than a t-shirt. It’s primary use for me is drinking in the park in early spring and autumn, so it is known as my “drinking vest”.
I use the couch
Hmm, so what would you suggest in -3.
Couch or kitchen table?
spread it around:
could split table for above the waist and couch for below, or maybe base layers on the couch and outer layers on the table.
Alternatively, leave everything outside the night before: that way, you get used to the outside temp straight away.
I wouldn’t listen to this advice.
Last night two nights I slept in my baselayer and socks so they were warm in the morning.
Wow I never wear that much Ezy. You could simplify the cap/ear warmers together with something like the Bunyan velo cap but you probably already know that (I’m probably going to get one). You could ditch the baggies as well (and your modesty).
I have just been wearing Knicks, wool base layer, cycling cap, gloves, rapha rain jacket or that swell long sleeve jersey and a regular cycling jersey. Got some warm black sheep cycling socks as well. Descended Donna (snowy conditions) in that. I think just getting on your bike and pedalling really hard/high cadence is the best thing to do to warm up. I just deal with being a bit colder in the start and perfect for the majority of the ride rather than leaving toasty and getting too hot later.
Yeah I think I need to get over this one.
I was looking at that Bunyan Velo one - seems legit. Looked at going straight to the source though.
I am going to wait for the rapha rain jackets to go on sale. When I borrowed yours I was really impressed - which changed my mind about their gear.
I have been finding that different bits will get cold/warm during the ride. One are could be super toasty and the other area suffering all at different stages. Maybe I am just strange. Maybe I just need to harden the fuck up.
Once you’ve got the basics covered there’s not much to do than get out there.
There is no magic solution.
I’ve heard mixed reports on beards, inspector chimp thinks that they hold too much moisture.