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Winter Clothes |
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Written by Zach Magoon
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Sunday, 03 December 2006 |
Winter clothes. Seeing as though today was the first snowfall of the season here in Portland, ME I think it's time I talk about winter clothes. The right clothes make all the difference for winter riding and commuting. I've tried a lot of different combinations of jackets, jerseys, hats socks and gloves, but here are a few that work well for me. Let's start from the bottom up:
FEET:
I have two win/water blocking solutions that I use. In really wet conditions, I use a pair of GORE-TEX socks that I picked up at a marine hardware store. These block both the wind and the rain, but don't do a great job of keeping my feet warm. So I tend to use these on warmer days or when it's raining. For cold weather protection I switch to neoprene booties like the Pearl Izumi AmFIB Shoe covers . These do a great job of insulating and keeping heat in the shoe because of an integrated fleece lining. They also provide a great deal of water-resistancy but I've found they're a little too warm for anything over 40 degrees. Another nice feature of these is that they have a reflective strip on the back for nighttime visibility. As far as socks, I go with merino wool all year long. They're cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Very rarely do I wear two pairs cause it cuts the circulation off--so one nice thick pair and either the booties or the GORETEX socks do the trick. For a real low budget solution, try ziplock bags--it works for some, but they never seem to fit all that well for me.
PANTS:
I have been buying the same pants for years now--Bellwether Windfront Tights . They're perfect for any type of weather from 40 down to -10 with a pair of tights or shorts underneath. They don't have built-in pads so I'm at least always wearing shorts under them. In extreme cold, you have to put on another pair of ass-grabbing tights. Bellwethers are a more of a fitted tight--tight in all the right places, so they are a little less revealing than an all out lycra pair. I use mine for biking, hiking and xc skiing in the winter. The wind blocking material over the thighs and knees does the trick to block wind and rain from the front and the lycra backs help ventilate.
JACKET:
I use the Craft Stretch back jacket, but would recommend just about anything from this company. I tend to run a little hot, so I need a jacket that breathes well. This one does the trick because the whole back is stretchy lycra and the front is a water resistant, wind-blocking material. The cuffs are key on this jacket--they're like you would find on a jersey so it's nice and tight around the wrist. I also like that the sleeves are long enough to accommodate even this monkey-armed rider. I usually just wear a long sleeve Bikeman jersey underneath and that's enough for me. Sometimes I switch out to a soft shell when it's below 15 degrees as it provides a little more warmth in the back--the Cloudveil Serendipity jacket is my choice for that. Because it was built for ice climbing, the sleeves are long enough and articulated, making it just right for leaning over the handlebars as well.
GLOVES:
I have been using some Pearl Izumi windblock gloves for about 3 seasons now. I don't think they make them anymore, but the replacement Gavia's look really nice and a few people on team Bikeman give them good reviews. I also have a pair of neoprene gloves that I use when it rains or wet snow is in the forecast. They work like a wetsuit--the water gets warmed up by your body temperature and keeps you nice and toasty. They don't work as well in the freezing cold--that is unless you get them wet first. There's also a major stink factor with these gloves. Wash your hands well after using them--or suffer from stink-palm all day.
HEAD:
Under the helmet, I use the Team Bikeman Fleece Cap . Works great so far but it hasn't been all that cold yet. I may have to supplement it with a pair of swix xc ski earmuffs or just get one of the Team Bikeman Winter Hats . Some days when it's below 15, I have to break out the Craft Pro S3 Balacalava . This helps by covering up my mouth so I can at least breath the semi-warmed up air.
So that's the rundown. I have had good luck with all of these clothes and hopefully you will too. The most important thing is to not let the cold keep you inside on the lame-ass trainer. Get some new clothes and hit the road or trails. Ride safely (and warm).
Zm |
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