so now i’ve got a roadie i plan on doing some reasonable rides involving lycra/cycling-specific clothing.
However it’s winter and i know nought about the needs for staying warm on winter rides, particularly if they start early in the morning.
so i’m asking the FOA brains trust to recommend me some winter stuffs. i have regulation summer kit (short sleeve jersey/knicks etc). what are the basics that i need???
arm/leg warmers, gilets, full jackets, thermal knicks???
(in melbourne btw)
currently thinking essential purchases are arm/leg warmers and a jacket like this.
don’t bother with long sleeve jerseys or knicks. just get leg and arm warmers. i have rapha ones. they’re overpriced. but i love them. that’s just me. i don’t like being convered in brands and advertising when i ride. eh.
skip the jacket and go with a merino wool base layer. it’ll keep you warm enough and regulate your temperature enough so that you’re never too warm. they also wick sweat away really nicely, so you miss all the wind chill.
also get yourself some merino woollen gloves and socks. defeet make awesome ones.
so yeah. i love merino wool. maybe you’ll be into synthetics, some are.
You’ll be liking those ear warmers soon enough, let me tell you. Freezing ears, which leads to headaches, are horribly unpleasant. Also, merino wall jerseys are freaking awesome.
Wool base layers, if you get caught in the rain you will get wet but stay warm. Arm warmers and knee warmers, bootie covers, long finger gloves, and a good wind proof vest, jackets are pretty good when it’s super windy or wet too
I’m a bit of a rapha pin up boy but any thing that’s well made is good!
That pearl izumi jacket looks like a good buy. Not stupidly priced either. I just ordered some winter gloves, arm warmers and full length long bib knicks, all Castelli stuff. Never had long knicks before, maybe removable warmers are smarter… Still, looking forward to being able to feel my fingers again.
Each to their own, but I’ve found myself wearing a face warmer (just a polar fleece one I bought at the snow last year) and leaving it on all day… Really takes the edge (and pain) out of breathing in cold morning air.
Bought a columbia waterproof/windproof jacket the other day, and my sunday afternoon at home has culminated in wiggle/crc orders including knee warmers and some sealskin gloves. Though a bit off the topic, can anyone suggest any plain-looking waterproof shorts? Not keen on any of the mountain bike COVEREDINBRANDS things… Need belt loops too.
Jamster, for keeping your noggin warm you can’t go past a belgian style woollen hat to sit under your helmet - I’ve got a possum fur blend one that is made by my buddys across the ditch at Solo and it is like wearing what I’m imagine fox fur would feel like. (Wish undies were made out of this stuff). You can order them online at the Solo website and they will arrive within a week of ordering.
Seriously they are awesome, extremely warm, great to wear and well worth the investment.
Invest in some nice merino socks - the assos ones are the best I’ve found - $20 online. Icebreaker do a good merino glove liner - I wear them under summer gloves in late autumn and under my gloves in mid winter - you can get them from snowgum - mine are still going strong after about 3 years.
Stu
Re: Swrve, I bought one of their ES Hoodies last winter, thinking it would be good for commuting/around town. Stupidly, I forgot about the incompatibility of hoodies with helmets. I wear a helmet everywhere, so the thing is pointless. The hood doesn’t zip away like some other brands, so it just flaps around behind you and blocks any vision over your shoulder. The solution is to fold the hood down inside itself, but it’s not great, especially when it’s raining. Otherwise the design is ok - it’s waterproof enough and has good vents under your arms.
+1 on the merino. It makes the best socks and base layers I wouldnt use any thing else
I ride year round in merino socks
A good wind proof Gilet is a killer peice of kit… A nice packable one that you can stow if you get to hot
I just got one of the new campag heritage ones from wiggle, very nice looking bit of gear.
Assos make some really nice gilets and jackets too but they are very $$$
I’m pretty much rocking Summer kit with warmers and layering, it gives you more options and control over your heat levels.
A friend of mine swears by the Craft windstopper base layers that wiggle sell, totally worth a look, I prefer tight merino base layers but the Craft stuff makes lots of sense…
For hard paced road riding fully water proof jackets are a bit wasteful. Not much point In a jacket that will keep the rain out when you sweet enough to soak everything under the jacket any way. There isn’t a fully water proof jacket made that can adequately dump the heat and moisture you produce while climbing hills at 80%+ max heart rate better to be warm than worry about been wet.
I second the craft base layers too - nice and light, great temperature regulation and the price is right.
Using Sportful No-Rain warmers at the moment… again, they’re cheap and while not fully waterproof, they’re somewhat water repellant - anything less than torrential downpours simply beads and runs off.
Also a recent convert facewarmer-wise - using a Gore model which covers the important areas and I reckon its the best use of $10 bucks I;ve thrown at bike shit of late