I never get this right, too cold, or too warm.

On the commute it was freezing the other morning, I tend to commute in my work shirt/trousers it’s only 3 miles and it’s all downhill via road, I tend to use a wind proof gillet when it’s warm. Been using a mavic jersey last few mornings with the gillet got to work frozen! Shifts are moving to 4am soon so will be colder, I’ve spotted the dhb thermal jersey and gillet, any other options for a jacket? Needs to be sub £100. My oh suggested just use my Superdry jacket but it’s an excuse to get more biking kit!

I find best thing I have had is a jacket with lots of venting options – zip up downhill, vent on flat or uphill.

You could try a fleecy lined windproof softshell jacket, and then just wear your usual base layer and/or long sleeved mid layer under if required?

Stuff the layers you’re not using in the pockets of your jacket.

Jacket from Aldi was about £25, base layers from Decathlon about £15 and the mid layer, again Decathlon, about £20.

Usually do 15 miles each way once a week starting about 5am and it seems to work fine in the winter.
Have a light waterproof I usually stuff in a bag too.

Cos you’re going downhill innit? No chance to warm up. Try warming your layers before you set off? Should stay warm for a short commute

Radiator pants are the one

My biggest learning point has been to look at the temperature rather than go on how I feel before I leave the house. above x: no jacket, below y: this jacket, below z, knee warmers + gillet. Takes the guesswork out of it.

If the house is cold and you’ve been inactive before you leave, you might feel like piling on more clothing. If the house is warm and it’s cold outside, you might be tempted to throw another layer on after you poke your nose outside.

A well-fitting synth insulated gillet is the best think for cold starts though, done up to the neck and you’re toasty toasty. If your core’s warm it doesn’t matter so much if your arms aren’t protected, especially for 3 miles. You get a bit of venting with the zip just a couple of inches down, and it’s barely doing anything if it’s less than half way zipped.

lovely bargain Gore gilet just popped up on the classifieds… 🙂