George's Weblog

There are several things I consider when I'm dressing to cycle in cold weather:

Temperature (now and expected temperature change during the ride)
Wind expected
Level of effort estimated to be maintained during the ride
Whether it is sunny, cloudy or nighttime
The length of time I will be riding 
If precipitation (snow or sleet) is likely 

Considering all of these is important in choosing the correct clothing. When there is an unknown, I usually err on the side of being a bit overdressed. You can always take something off but you can't put it on if you don't have it.

First of all you can get the most flexibility by using layers. On the bottom I wear tights. When the temperature will be in the 30's throughout the ride I will usually wear two pair, perhaps with one pair being the windfront type. I don't mind wearing tights at all and I like to keep my knees warm with knickers up to 70 degrees F. The only bad thing about wearing two pairs of tights is that it limits the flexibility of your legs so you end up working a bit harder. This isn't necessarily a big negative if you are just doing base miles but it can affect your speed somewhat so if you are on a faster ride you may want to forgo the second pair if you will be riding fast and generating more heat. Once the temperature drops into the 20's I really don't pay much attention to speed and always wear two pairs.

If the temperature will be in the 20's or the temperature will end up there when the sun goes down I like to wear a pair of wind or rain pants. I have a pair of Pearl Izumi WXB bib tights that fit snugly but stop all wind. I rarely use them in the rain but they are great cold weather gear. If you wear a fairly warm pair of tights under something like these you will be good down into the low 20's as long as you keep moving and generating a bit of heat.

For jerseys I almost always wear an outer garment with some wind resistance. Under this I wear a fairly thick long sleeve jersey (Giordana is my favorite). Underneath I vary the number and type of layers based on the factors mentioned above. Typically, if it's going to be in the 30's I will wear one thicker base layer. That gives me a total of three layers if you include the jacket. If it's in the low 30's I will add another thin base, perhaps a Merino wool blend. The idea is to get a wicking layer close to your skin that fits tightly. The layers on top should also fit close but having the bottom layer snug really cuts down on the velocity of any air that gets through the layers. I think this is the key to keeping warm. After all, you are generating plenty of heat to keep your body warm as long as you can hold onto it.

Assuming that you keep your core warm you will have less trouble with the usual problem areas, the hands and feet. I'm lucky that I have a set of winter shoes for the road bike and winter boots if the temps drop into the teens or even down to zero. In the upper 30's I would prefer to use road shoes with covers. Again, the idea is to cut down on the wind which takes heat away. I have a set of Pearl Izumi WXB shoe covers that are very thin but cut the wind perfectly. They are fine when I'm out on a faster training ride in the cold. If I'm going to be out for an extended period or maybe riding slower, I use my winter shoes. I have a pair of Lake all-season shoes. They aren't really Winter shoes but they are neoprene inside and they keep the heat in very well. I make sure not to tighten them up too much so that there is still good blood circulation to the feet. I should be able to wiggle my toes.

Gloves are tricky. My hands tend to start out cold and then warm up. The only bad thing is that they sweat. If I stop in really cold weather even for a few minutes, the moisture in the gloves chills my fingers down. Sometimes it takes a bit of hard riding or climbing a few hills before I can get them warm again. I almost always use glove liners. The good thing about liners is that you can bring along another set so you can change them out if you have to stop and the liners are wet from perspiration. I have a set of lobster gloves that work pretty well with liners but my warmest gloves are actually ski gloves. They are pretty bulky but it's worth it. For me, I think my hands are something that I can count on to be a bit cold no matter what I do. I've considered investing in a pair of battery powered glove liners but I haven't done it yet.