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5 min read<\/p>\n5 min read<\/p>\n
If the thought of getting out there in the elements is a bit daunting, though, here\u2019s a comprehensive guide to layering for cold weather\u2014to help you enjoy your winter rides to their fullest. <\/p>\n The Rules of Layering for Winter Cycling <\/p>\n The first rule of cold-weather riding<\/a> is to dress in layers. Use fabrics with good moisture-transfer capability so that sweat can dissipate to the outside and leave your skin relatively dry. That means no cotton, which has poor wicking capacity. <\/p>\n And skip standard wool, and opt for merino instead: It\u2019s the super-material of the wool family because of its ability to breathe and insulate so well. This soft, lightweight fabric is used in socks, base layers, and even some cycling jerseys.<\/p>\n Opt for one of the many high performance, cold-weather-oriented fabrics that have become standard over the last several years. Manufacturers such as Pearl Izumi, Castelli, Gore, Specialized, Rapha, POC, and Pactimo among others all make a wide array of cycling clothing that\u2019s designed to keep the chill of old man winter at bay without overheating you, the rider. The next rule is, when possible, do a little testing before committing to an outfit. Say you are headed out for a two-hour ride with friends on a 32-degree day. Get dressed a little early so you can spend some time experimenting on a short loop around your house. <\/p>\n \u201cMaybe you start out with a heavy long-sleeve jersey and a jacket,\u201d says Derrick Lewis, a former North American retail and communications manager for cycling apparel maker Rapha, and who once commuted to work in Minneapolis for nearly an entire winter. \u201cTake a 10-minute spin and if you don\u2019t feel a little chilly, circle back and dump a layer.\u201d <\/p>\n Once you are about 30 minutes into your ride, your heart will get going and your circulation will pick up and you\u2019ll start to get hot. Being hot means getting wet with sweat, and that can lead to you getting really cold. <\/p>\n Keep Your Core Warm<\/p>\n Lewis\u2019s other key piece of advice for layering in cold weather is to stop obsessing over fingers and toes and instead think about your core. \u201cKeeping your chest and shoulders warm is key,\u201d he explains. \u201cYour body has a very clear self-defense mechanism. <\/p>\n If your core temperature drops even half a degree, it contracts veins to your outer extremities because it knows it can lose a couple fingers and toes and still survive. But it can\u2019t let the core area get too cold because that is where all the vital organs are.\u201d <\/p>\n That\u2019s why you always want to start your dressing routine with a cycling base layer in winter, which helps to keep your core warm and promotes the transmission of sweat away from your body. So for instance, on a 32-degree day, Lewis says he starts with a long-sleeve base layer and then a winter-weight long-sleeve jersey that has some wind-proofing on the chest area. Finally, he adds a light wind jacket or vest. <\/p>\n \u201cThat way, if I start to warm up I can take that light wind layer off and stuff it into a jersey pocket<\/a>,\u201d adds Lewis. Indeed, it\u2019s a good idea to keep your last layer packable so that you can adjust on the fly once you are out on the road.<\/p>\n Below the waist, the same strategy applies. Consider wearing a pair of thermal bib shorts with a pair of lighter-weight winter tights over them<\/a>. This will keep your core area warm but let your legs breathe a little more since they are the ones doing all the work. Just don\u2019t let your knees<\/a> get too cold.<\/p>\n Plan for a Range of Temperatures <\/p>\n Jeremy Powers also knows a little something about riding in the cold. The former multi-time U.S. national cyclocross champion earned a paycheck for a long time battling foes\u2014and Mother Nature\u2014during this cycling discipline that takes place in fall and early winter. <\/p>\n Though he is no longer competing on the European cross circuit or racing in the United States, he still puts in the miles training at home in Massachusetts during New England winters, and is constantly looking for the right balance between staying warm and staying comfortable and dry.<\/p>\n In general, he says he looks for apparel that can adjust to a varying temperature range. That typically means lots of zippers, which allow him to open and close ventilation as the mercury and his internal temperature rise and fall. <\/p>\n One of Powers\u2019s go-to pieces is a softshell jacket with zippers at the chest and underneath the armpits. Powers also loves neck warmers<\/a> because they keep heat from escaping out the opening of a jersey or jacket. \u201cIf your core is warm, you\u2019ll be warm,\u201d he says, echoing Lewis.<\/p>\n Gloves<\/a> are another key consideration for Powers. He often opts to bring two pairs. \u201cThat way if you start to get sweaty, you can swap on the new dry pair,\u201d he explains. \u201cOtherwise the wind starts hitting that perspiration, which translates to you getting cold hands. And nothing ruins a ride quicker than not being able to feel the brake levers.\u201d <\/p>\n While it\u2019s hard to shift gears<\/a> or use the brakes with full-on mittens, split-finger gloves<\/a> are a good option on really cold days. These have one compartment for your thumb, one for your first two fingers, and a third for your ring and pinkie fingers. This design pools heat almost as well as mittens, but allows you to maintain some semblance of manual dexterity. <\/p>\n Layering For Your Lower Body <\/p>\n Further down, Powers focuses on his knees<\/a>, usually opting for a pair of thermal tights<\/a> that have some wind protection at the knee. \u201cYour knees are doing a lot of work when you are riding,\u201d he says. \u201cYou want to keep them warm so everything in there stays nice and lubricated.\u201d<\/p>\n This falls in line with one of cycling\u2019s oldest traditions, which says anytime the temperature is below 65 degrees, your knees should be covered. A set of lightweight knee warmers will suffice until the temperature gets below 50 degrees or so.<\/p>\n As part of his multilayer approach, Powers employs a trick to protect his feet. First he puts on winter-weight socks<\/a>, then his cycling shoes<\/a>, and then he slips a thermal hand-warmer packet (think skiing) onto the top of his shoe and secures it in place with a cotton shoe cover. For the last layer, he puts on a pair of neoprene booties, which keep road spray at bay. \u201cIt sounds a little crazy, but I keep notes for all these different layering combinations based on the temperature,\u201d Powers adds. \u201cThat helps me take a lot of the guesswork out and I just focus on getting out for my ride.\u201d <\/p>\n
Summer may (arguably) be the most fun time to ride, but winter is where cycling stories are born. You\u2019ll likely never forget the time you braved the bitter elements, navigated a snow-packed road, and had a great time on your bike while less hearty souls were back home sitting in front of the TV or rolling on their trainers<\/a>. <\/p>\n
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