Hi,

i was thinking about what clothes i wear riding. i currently normally wear a race face chute jacket, but when i set off on a day when its not raining i don’t really see the point having a big waterproof on. I as thinking of getting a packable waterproof. What layers do you guys wear out for coldish weather like it is at the minute,

thanks

Goose fat.

rab powerstretch base layer. regatta softshell. toasty warm and ok in showers.

Depends on how cold, how far I’m riding, where I’m going, what bike….

Depends. Have a One Ten base layer form CRC that I’m really taken with. Then a jersey and light gilet over that, or a North Face windstopper jacket if it’s cold. And a rain jacket over some or all of that dpeeending.

I’m normally riding at Afan, went the other day it was freezing think may get a base layer and maybe a jacket like the royal stage jacket. i just want a few layers so can strip down a bit without taking all my warm layers off and getting cold. guess its mainly trial and error until i find what works for me, or maybe i should pedal quicker

On a day like today a windproof Craft baselayer and a thin, non-baggy densely-woven jersey. Polaris/Fox/Endura/Altura make them probably many others as well.

Maybe a non-flappy gilet as well.

I usually wear a baselayer, softshell jacket/jersey and a goretex jacket in my pocket.

do any of you have experience with the race face nano 3/4 ?

Merino base layer, short sleeve jersey, long sleeve jersey and shell jacket. Bib shorts and bib tights with knee length seal skins and winter boots.
(when super cold )
Spare jacket and thick gloves in backpack

Spring (<13C) – 3/4 roubaix bibs and an endura jetstream jersey, it’s it’s a bit nippier (<8C) maybe a very thin baselayer under that.

Cold (<6C)- As above but with a merino Ls baselayer, if it gets much colder (0-3C) swap to long john bibs with thicker roubaix fabric.

Bitterly cold – as above but swap the jetstream for a softshell.

My general tips would be:
Think carefully about what each layer does, it’s not always obvious.
*Base layers can either be lycra based or polypopylene (or something natural). If it’s Lycra it’s drying and cooling, if it’s polyprpylene it’s drying and warm. Same applies to any layer, super expensive winter gloves are great, but if they get soaked a £2 pair of fleece gloves from decathlon will stay warm even when soaked.
*Mid layers need to add insulation but also need to breath
*Outer layers need to be windproof or waterpoof as appropriate. But rarely offer any insulation.

So wearing a windstopper type jersey under a waterpoof all day is expensive and pointless. As are lycra baselayers in winter. But a lycra baselayer under a windstopper jersey will allow very effective temperature regulation if you open the zip, but will otherwise leave you feeling clammy and wet.

Spare stuff for the extremities is useful to carry. Even with waterproof boots a spare set of waterproof socks can save a ride if you missjudge the depth of a ford in January. Ditto gloves. The cheap £2 fleece gloves form decathlon are pretty rubbish, but they do stay warm even when soaking wet and dry out quickly. I had a ride in the Dales before Christmas that went from a pootle to ‘f*** this, it’s getting dangerous’ after getting washed away by what was supposed to be a small stream that turned out to be 3ft+ deep. Didn’t take my own advice and had a very cold and exhausting 15miles back to the car. Wasn’t life threatening but if it had been another hour then it could have gotten serious.

HH + normal top or NF windstopper depending on temp – that’s it, but then I am a sweaty bugger*

Occasionally add windproof/softshell gilet

* tries softshell jacket but nearly always find they are neither one thing or another. Either sweating in it or shivering in it.

Currently a short sleeve jersey under a soft shell.

yeah thats what i was thinking only point wearing a layer if it actually does something. what length sealkinz socks do you guys wear, not sure if mid length would be long enough to come to the bottom of my knee pads

I wear a craft baselayer vest, then a dhb merino long sleeve and the outer shell is my gore phantom jacket (my most used and best piece of cycling kit I own)

Keeps me warm down to minus figures

Depends on road or mtb, obvs, but I take issue when the ‘hardshell offers no insulation’ line gets quoted. Insulation is the trapping of a (warm) layer of air, which is something that a hardshell does very well – observe the efforts of the technical garment industry to improve the breathability of its hardshell fabric.

The problem of sweaty hardshells is well known, but used appropriately, on longer (2 hrs plus), low intensity rides, it can be a very effective ‘warming’ layer when it’s cold, especially in the latter part of the ride. I’ll often start out in a base layer/jersey and softshell, with a light packable hardshell in a jersey pocket, and put it on after a couple hours. Makes a huge difference…

Depends on how cold, how far I’m riding, where I’m going, what bike..

Spring/Autumn (<13C) – 3/4 bibs (or kneewarmers if it’s forecast to get warmer) then usually armwarmers and a windvest. Waterproof in the bag deals with it getting colder.

It’s it’s a bit nippier (<10C) thin merino baselayer and Gore Phantom (best bit of cycle clothing i’ve ever had. Expensive but they’re showing up for £88 in sales at the moment). Or a long sleeve top and windvest.

Cold (<6C)- As above but with a heavier merino LS baselayer, I’m wearing long john bibs by now.

Colder again (0-3C) warmer helly hansen merino mix baselayer or double up thin layer and thicker (which works if it’s going to get warmer later.)

There are key temperatures – I used to have a particular combination for every few degrees when I was commuting. Properly cold mornings with warm afternoons were the issue.

I’m a big fan of gilets. Got an endura one which is a windshell with a mesh back, and an arcteryx synthetic insulated job. If your core’s warm you can get away with less on the arms, even if you’re a bit wet. I’ll stick knee warmers on, just over boxers if I’m not going far.

With the big holes where the arms would be (and the mesh in the endura) any air coming in the front gets very quickly dumped out the back with as much heat as you want. Big difference between done up to the throat, 2 inches below, and mid chest.

One or two LS merino layers underneath.

But whatever I choose, if I’ve not been out for a bit, I always forget how little I need and end up too hot.

Unless I’m out with people who don’t ride much, when I always forget that I need to rely on clothes, not activity to keep me warm, I’m cold all the way round and freezing by the time I’ve freewheeled the 2.5 miles down to the house!

Under armour compression top base layer, merino wool top and then a jersey. Depending on conditions, gilet or waterproof on top of those 3 but try not to use the waterproof if I can due to boil in the bag properties! I do love the under armour top especially.

Shorts, kneepads, jersey and Gore AlpX jacket. Windproof gilet in bag just in case.

Random ski base layers acquired from various ski trips of no particular brand. Some are thicker and more outer layer so go on top.

Unless it’s pissing it down, no waterproofs, and even then I just go with a light shower jacket these days unless it’s a big epic (and I’m unlikely to do that in the pissing rain).

Sealskinz if there are deep puddles/swamps expected.

Usual shorts, unless it’s sub zero.

That’s about it.

Decathlon merino, their XC7 (top line but still cheap) bibs, top and waterproof. Gilet if cold. Best item is a pair of waterproof shorts from classifieds. Aldi gloves and thick woolie boolie merino socks with a merino buff. I often BAaa rather than speak.

Polyprop vest, bibs in shorts of 3/4, conventional cycling top which is not too thick. Cover the lot with a thin windproof gilet.( how I loath that word. I mean waist coat)I hate being cold but sweat like a good un so avoiding that is priority number 1. Add a windproof jacket if its cold and damp and a thin water proof jacket instead of the wind proofs if it pissing down.

Seal skins are best short as then they don’t stick out from the tops of your over shoes and can be sealed with rubber inner tube gaskets.