What clothes/material do we need when it gets cold?

Everything Else
1

Hello all, I am a bit confused as to what type of clothes you guys would use if the weather gets bad.

I am buying the shorts and jersey, but I dont know if I need anything else for riding in bad weather.

Do you just add legwarmers to ur shorts and that’s that?

And what about upper body? U just put a Wind jacket on top of your jersey, and your fit to go?

I am just wondering what else I should invest in…

THanks guys!

2

hey melodie,

For riding in rain, some people wear plastic style rain jackets. These are good for keeping the rain out, but they really keep the sweat in, and I dont like how much of a sauna they create on my body. I prefer the coolness of the rain, but thats just a personal preference. You get wet from the rain, or wet from your sweat.

That being said, in cooler rain conditions (such as in the fall), they can be good for keeping you warmer than you might otherwise bein the rain.

As for fall dry conditions. I have two thermal jackets (of different thickness) depending on the temperature. One is good to about 0 degrees (with arm warmers), while the other is good to about 5-10 degrees (with arm warmers underneath).

If its around 10 or so, i wear just regular arm warmers and leg warmers. Some people wear thicker leg tights, but i find them too constricting and a bit too expensive for what they are and how much I would actually use them. Thats just a personal opinion though.

Get a good set of full fingered gloves thats big enough to layer under but not so big that if you wear them by themselves your fingers dont stay war.

I also have an ear band, as I get massive headaches due to a sensitivity to the cold I have for some reason (but only when doing physical activity).

And get a pair of thermal booties (or at least toe covers).

That would be a decent wardrobe of fall/spring/rain weather stuff.

Any additions anyone?

3

Think in layers, you can aways take it off if you’re too hot, but you can’t put on what you don’t have. start with a base layer, then your jersey and shorts, arm/leg warmers and a jacket if needed.
Booties are probably the best thing I’ve bought, theres nothing nicer than toasty toes.

4

Thanks for the quick answers!

Ok so here are my questions:

Because I already have a fleece zip up sweater, would that be enough?

*About the gloves, are fleece gloves enough? and I cant layer I only have one pair lol

*What are toe covers? are they those weird socks u put on your shoes? or is it something you put inside your shoe?

OK, so from what I understand I will have to buy a rain jacket, I think thats pretty versatile seeing as it will allow me to put layers under it and still have the mcgill colors when I ride 8) . And, I like the sauna effect :slight_smile:

As for legs, Im fine with my leggings (at least I hope so!), and for the arms.

Thanks!

5

Hm I just thought of something,

What about gloves? The ones on the champion systems site has gloves that would fit me perfect, so no room for layering… as you recommended Mike.

Is layering that important for gloves?

THe XS gloves are 6-7inches, and my hand is 6.5inches, so its the perfect size…

What do you guys think?

6

i buy my gloves at jean COutu for $3, and they’ve lasted two years.

the booties: wear two pairs of socks, perhaps with a newspaper between the two if it’s really cold, and a plastic bag around your socks to stop the wind if you have airing holes in your shoes.

7

Gloves are not being offered this year as the quality received wasn’t what was expected. You can talk to Leslie or Christina for a review but I recommend getting a pair from ABC. I have a winter pair, but generally i wear a pair of those thin cotton things from the dollar store under my normal gloves.

8

i find that the most important factor to consider in cold weather riding is the wind. Personally, I’m a bit of a furnace, so if I can keep the wind off, and ride hard enough I tend to stay warm.

So when it gets cold, in addition to my regular kit I wear (top to bottom):

  • thin toque (long underwear material)
  • layered tops (quick-dry undershirt + jersey)
  • vest (I find this is better than a full jacket as it keeps the wind off your core while still avoiding the suana effect as the trapped sweat will lead to you getting colder in the long run)
  • arm warmers
  • wind stopper gloves (I find that these are enough until it becomes too cold/icy to ride
  • either knee warmers or bib tights (with wind resistant front). These were a fairly big expense but they make me really happy on the really cold rides
  • neoprene booties (they may be a bit overkill, but happy feet = happy Mike)

The cherry on top for me is a warming balm. It’s important for the knees and achilles and just plain luxurious for anywhere else. The knees and achilles are the most used and least insulated joints so it’s really important to keep them warm to avoid injuries.

Most important thing to remember in any cold weather activity where you will be sweating: Wear as little cotton as possible…none is ideal. The only thing that cotton is good for is getting wet and staying wet.

9

THank you so much for all of the advice!

So much for believing my mom who says that cotton is the best material , because it lets you breathe…

Melodie

ps: gear swap day at the MEC on Sunday!!! 10-5pm! i think im gona go and hope theres all that stuff you guys are talking about :smiley:

10

I wear an MEC shell in wet weather, here is the women’s version

Booties are a good idea, either Gore-Tex or neoprene work equally well. Long fingered gloves are great and if you can find a Gore-Tex version, even better.

I also wear a thin polar fleece beanie under my helmet to keep my brain warm.

11

there is a lot of end of the year discounts in bikes stores as of now, even if it usually do not apply to fall / winter’ish cloathing, you might be able to find some sweet stuff for next season if you are sure to continue biking.

have fun at the MEC gear swap day