Cycling Gear: cold weather clothing

while i have enjoyed recreational riding for a couple of decades, it has taken the birth of my 3rd son to get me serious about excercise for the sake of exercise.  my wife got me running, but when i started cross training to help my "runners knee," my love of riding was rekindled.

i live in utah between the wasatch mountains and the great salt lake.  it will be getting quite cold here soon.  some of my morning runs and rides have already been a bit cool.  i have no experience with cold-weather workout clothing.  i started looking at gear online but got confused with "tights," "base layer," "thermolator," and the various "weights." what works best? 

 I live in Dunstable UK, which isn't very mountainous, but it gets pretty cold (and it's getting that way now) in winter.

I find that a sweat shirt and jogging bottoms from your average clothes store is sufficient for the job; sweat shirts are generally baggy enough to pull the sleeves over your hands till they warm up, which is usually after the first mile or so, even when it's really crisp outside. I find if I buy bottoms which would be considered a size too small for general use, they are less baggy around the legs and don't flap too much when you run.

If you are new to running, you needn't be put off by breaking the bank with buying expensive gear - basic clothes will adapt nicely if fitness is your goal.

Up until a year ago, I used to live in a place that got really cold and lots of snow.  Some of the things that let me extend my riding season were thermal booties for that go over your shoes, a thermal headband with ear coverings, thermal biking gloves (Lake makes some that are really warm) and cycling jackets that are made from windproof fabric.  I've done rides at 40 degrees out and felt fairly comfortable.  It is never going to be as nice as a 75 degree day in the sun, though!

The tough thing about dressing for biking in the cold is the range of temperatures, you get hot and sweat climbing the hills, and get blasted by frigid air coming down the other side.  You definitely don't want to overdress, sweat a lot, and then chill yourself. 

The  hardest part to keep warm is the toes.   I've found that some type of insulated bootie over the cycling shoes to work very well.  They are the one piece of specialized cold weather biking gear that I wouldn't be without.  Anything else can be improvised.

The other extremity to get cold is your arms.  I snipped off the arm sleeves of an old, orange, wool sweater.  They look a little silly, but provide a little extra visibility and most importantly keep my arms warm.  They'll provide warmth where you need it, but without overheating.

I've found that polypropelene (long-underwear) works very well as a bottom layer to insulate and wick away sweat.   Layering is a good technique to allow you to adjust as you change temperature. 

I wear either thick mittens if it is really cold, or gloves if it isn't so bad.  Another piece of specialized biking gear is a thin hat that will fit comfortably under your  helmet is nice when the temp drops.  I take it off if I get too warm to help ventilate.

Here in northern PA it has dropped down in to the low 20s, and so far I've been able to comfortably dress for any temperature.  If you're on a budget, I highly recommend the insulated cycling booties, a hat, and long underwear. Layer on top as necessary.  There are also long sleeve cycling jerseys insulated in the front, and vented in the back that work well for temperature regulation.

Of course, if you have money to spend, there are tons of options.  I was lucky enough to get a full set of Gore-Tex windstopper biking gear recently which is pretty awesome.

The biggest risk is overheating, really.

Enjoy,

Marten