Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
staying warm on a winter bike ride..
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
agree with FB, the most important thing for your outer clothing should be windproof/windstopper. Underneath that you should only need a smelly hansen and you will be baking in temps down to zero.. Feet tend to be a problem, but I've found, waterproff sokks with a lining and neoprene overshoes keep me toasty...e.g. did 55 miles before workon Thr in pitch black freezing cold and was a bit too warm !
Thanks for these comments.. I've obviously not got the right kit..
As someone once said.. there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes..
Having just returned from an hour and twenty minutes in 2C with 18mph wind I can now confirm the effectiveness of the Gore jacket that I bought on the recommendation of BTB. I wore a base layer, winter l/s cycling top and the Gore jacket - toasty as a toasty thing. Unfortunately I can't feel my feet despite Thorlos socks, windstopper liners and overshoes!
Cartman - can you please give more details of these waterproof socks and overshoes (I have Decathlon cheapo ones at the mo)? I feel a Xmas present coming on.
the only issue I have with them is fit - they are like soft wellies in some way so are never a close a fit as normal socks due to the waterproof layer (not goretex - but more waterproof)...
plus - what wet they keep out means they also keep the sweat in
I only use them for muddy MTB rides not road rides
Which Gore jacket is that LMH..?
FB - is there an alternative that you'd recommend?
DV - it's a Gore running jacket that I got online from Pete Bland Sports, BTB linked me to them on the thread I started asking about keeping warm in winter!
Mr B - just dabbling
Glad to help out LMH. Lest anyone thinks I'm on commission I can also confirm that decathlon's own brand stuff is v good as well. They do a windproofed, fleece lined glove for a ridiculously low price (less than a tenner I think last winter) which is very nearly as good as my Gore pair and fine for running in. Planet X also have a winter special deal on at the moment.
I quite like my sealskinz socks for commuting to work in on the bike. I can't think they've ever let me get cold. Can't imagine running in them, though, despite their claims - they are cut too baggy.
Loving this winter weather though - lovely and quiet on the roads early morning, snow on Kinder scout, hot chocolate afterwards - bliss.
>^o^<
did someone mention hot chocklit?
bendy's right about decathlon's windproof kit - I have a few of their windproof jackets/gilets (from their Quechua brand which is mainly aimed at mountain sports) and they are as good as goretex and much cheaper. the one I cycle in cost me about £50 which is easily half the price of a gore equivalent. the quechua kits isn't so available in the UK so we tend to do a big Decathlon shop when we go to France - especially their Quechua shop in the Alps near Chamonix which is also their R&D centre so they have all the latest stuff.
LMH - Get him to invest in the merino wool lined ones. Lovely and snuggly. Just make sure your trousers/tights go over the top of them, not tucked in (D'oh).
So,
Expensive outdoor kit (Gore N2S etc) at 100 quiddish or
A turbo at 130 quiddish or
Spinning classes at a fiver a pop.
Which do I go for? Which would you pick? I have a garage.
I have quite bad circulation in the cold and my fingers and toes go white VERY easily (too many years of smoking probably)
You don't need an expensive top - yes it would be nice but stick a couple of old wool jumpers under a couple of normal cheap cycling tops - you could get some second hand cycling tops for a tenner off ebay. I don't think a top is really the problem - it's harder to keep your toes and fingers warm - there's no problem sticking extra layers on your torso. If you are anywhere near Derby you can pop round my house and I'll give you a nice windstopper gilet that is too small for me - worn twice.
Turbo - are you willing to sit on a turbo for 2 hours? Personally I'm not - I did it once and it's mind numbing. My limit is about an hour - any more than that and I'd ride outside or just not bother.
Spinning classes - no, as icing on the cake maybe, not as a mainstay of your bike training.
So if forced to choose I'd go for the expensive top - though I'd probably split the money and get some decent gloves, a pair of winter cycling boots and a couple of pairs of overshoes - but for base winter miles you don't need to spend a lot on kit if you don't mind looking a bit like the Michelin man on a bike.
Dustboy I'm hypothyroid and so have increased intolerance to cold but as Popsider said it's mainly the fingers and toes that are a problem and in my case at the minute the toes. Yesterday was the first outing for my expensive Gore jacket and that was £50 rather than £100, the rest of teh stuff is all year round layering type stuff cheap from Decathlon or outdoor shops.
Pops - I might be interested!
What's so bad about a spin bike vs a turbo..? Why should be a turbo be better..?
The resistance on the spin is variable and anytime on it and your thighs certainly know it!
Q factor..? uh-oh! What's that...?
Q facttor is the width between your feet. I'm not convinced it makes too much difference to us amateurs - I have no idea what the Q factor is like on my race bike v winter bike vs tt bike.
Lovely and mild out there today - mitts weather rather than gloves.
I went out yeaterday with 3 layers on top (oh plus gaysuit) thermal running tights on the bottom, sealskinz socks plus extra pair of merino socks inside and overshoes plus gloves (Endura winter jobbies) and a skullcap under my bike helmet...
I was pretty damn warm for the 3 hour ride...maybe my arms could have been warmer but otherwise OK...was a bit on the sweaty side by the time I'd finished....
I'm going to invest in a Gore biking jacket tho' for the really cold days...
What was the temperature? It must have been bloody freezing if you needed all that gear.
My only problem is freezing toes, but that's because I cycle in nicely ventilated running shoes.
Oh...it was about 6 deg C...tropical by some standards...
My problem is that my feet get VERY cold...the week before, I had only been out about 45 mins and they were frozen...courtesy of some nicely ventilated tri-cycling shoes
The rest was more by way of experiment (like the skullcap and an extra layer on top)...my arm get a bit chilly too...hence the new 'proper' biking jacket...feet are now toasty...
yesterday's MTB ride - tight long sleeve base layer, technical T, windproof gilet, 3/4 tights (non thermal), seaslkinz - and I was bloody roasting!! was 8C...