Yes, I can imagine it was great for Scotland but in the South? My Icebreaker is brilliant but does get damp at zero degrees, beneath my softshell.

Check out Lowe Alpine, North Face, Berghaus etc. I find having a zipped high neck really useful and much prefer the outdoor brands for wicking.

C_G – I’m sure I’ve read you complaining about the uselessness (is that a word?) of many of the bike specific jerseys in the past. I used to wear sombrio etc, but as soon as you go from casual pootle to pushing yourself you might as well just be in a cotton T.

Think I’m coming to the conclusion that for serious riding you need serious clothing.

<goes and looks at getting lycra shorts instead of baggies 😯 >

The trouble with excessive sweating, & I’m also a major sufferer is (lowers voice to a hush) body odour (there I said it) & I personally find that the man made base layers take on a stench in no time at all whereas merino resists it for a much greater period. Also there are different ‘weights’ of merino garments and I find a thin one as good if not better than man made for temperature. I’ll also add my vote for a Gore gilet with the mesh back having recently purchased one, the only trouble being it creeping up my back under a camelbak.

Lol.. Buffalos.. 🙂

My mum bought me one when I was 17 and I went on my first week long tour in North Wales in October. She was (as always) paranoid about me being cold. The thing was so bloody warm I had to unzip the sides all the way, unclip the crotch strap and clip it over my shoulder leaving my midriff bare in the 12 degree Welsh drizzle. I was still terribly uncomfortable.

I reserved use of that thing to the very coldest weather. I think the last time I used it was in 1994 or 95, one sub-zero but brilliant winters day. Temperature was -2 or so, but I thought I’d be too hot in my Buffalo so I wore shorts to compensate. My leg hairs were thick with fine hoar frost by the time I finished 🙂 That was the ride where IanB’s eye started to freeze over.

Re odour, I don’t find I smell a lot – perhaps not as much as other men judging by the amount of bloody deodorant they use in the showers at work *cough* *gag*

Sometimes the synthetic base layers smell a bit but I like to use Assos washing liquid to sort that – brilliant stuff.

Yeah, I don’t really smell either. My gym kit is starting to suffer spending most of its time drenched in sweat and stuffed in a bag, but that’s a different story.

The Southern Yeti – Member
Divagirl – It’s got nothing to do with fitness, I’d say I’m pretty damn fit, sweating hasn’t changed (might’ve got worse if anything?!).

Some people are just hot! We’re the lucky ones.

Glad you said about the fitness, I run and do military training, can’t understand why I’m so hot!! probably need to shift a couple of pounds. I quite like the smell of fresh CLEAN sweat.

About yer gym kit – a spoon of napisan added to usual detergent seems to do the trick, brings my kit back to life.

The fitter you are, the more work you can do. The more work you do, the more heat you generate.. perhaps?

I’ve been told that sweating is good, because it means your body’s good at controlling it’s temperature.

Personally I find I perform very well in hot weather, and I love a good baking hot day for a bike ride. Loads of other people complain about hot weather.

What about the other sweaters on here?

I am a sweaty monster and have tried numerous wonder fabrics over the years. My path to wicking but warm lead me to a short sleeved polartec Powerdry Tee shirt, its absolutely the best performer of all my sporty type tops and is my go to base layer for boarding, riding and running.

Hmm I am afflicted by this too, currently I am just wearing a nike cotton vest type thing and my Charge Surface lightweight jacket/windcheater. Pretty much spot on in the current weather, may have to add a cycling top to the mix once it gets colder.

Id be screwed in the Arctic or somewhere where you have to be careful not to work up too much of a sweat.

Divagirl – wouldn’t even think that carrying a bit of excess is the cause.

The fitter you are, the more work you can do. The more work you do, the more heat you generate..

There is certainly some truth in that…. Specifically for things like spinning classes where the only thing determining how hard I push yourself is you. I reckon I could fill a cup with sweat after one of those.

Can’t say I mind riding in the heat. Keeping hydrated is the main issue!

I could fill a pint glass with sweat I reckon after a hard indoor session.

My road bike has corrosion on the stem from all the sweat dripping on it from turbo sessions.

However more impressively my XC frame has corrosion on the cable mounts on the top tube due to sweat and that’s only from racing out in the open air!

Also, I hardly ever have to stop on a ride for a wee – all spare moisture is sweated out 🙂

I have tried nearly all versions of base layer, and the Icebreaker one is no warmer than my HH ones, it just stinks less. I have merinos in all available weights (I ski as well) and the lightest is the one I use for cycling. I do use UnderArmour vests in the summer, but in winter they are very chilly when wet (which they are after 8-10 minutes).
Re. fitness/bodyweight. I find that is irrelevant in my case. I sweat just as much when in racing snake order as I do when carrying bit of timber.
A session on the lash the night before a ride certainly increases the flow.
Although I do drink fair bit when riding ( 1-2 litres on a 3-4 hr ride), I can manage without if I forget a bottle.
Also, I have never suffered from cramp, even in hot weather.
I have ridden up Mt. Tidy in Tenerife in 35 degrees, with the sweat literally squirting out of the vent holes in my shoes, and running down my arms. Ran out of water halfway up, and although I was pretty far from OK, I didn’t cramp up.

Oh and whilst we’re on the subject of hydration, my best ever semi-useless skill is being able to time drinking exactly right – so I finish my camelback within 5 mins of the end of a ride 🙂

Re merinos, they are often warm but lately they have started making really light weight ones. I have a tshirt in the thinnest ice-breaker weight, which is lovely. Especially as pyjamas 🙂

I have tried nearly all versions of base layer

I bet you haven’t! There are hundreds on the market.