I am commuting about 8miles to work a few times a week, in the Scottish highlands. While at present it is a pure pleasure (bar works 1mile long/250m climb drive at the end...), the weather will turn at some point. It is hilly, so I warm up quickly - windchill and water (it rains, a lot) is key I think.
I have a birthday coming up, and fancy treating myself to some proper warm tights/trousers.
I already have good jacket/fleece/baselayers aplenty.
options are:
Go for some proper cycling overtrousers (eg Endura Tech pant), and pair up with some of my lycra shorts and some thermal leggings (I have some leggings, and can use under my Patagonia over trousers for daily work, so a few more pairs would be good).
Go for some proper, cycling specific, windproof and waterproof all-singing and expesive tights. Thinking like the Endura Stealth Extreme bib longs @£125+.
Look for some cheaper 3/4's, a pair of warm tights and waterproof shorts and a pair of waterproof overtrousers - more stuff, but at cheaper end, but possibly more adaptable...? Some good value Addidas and Nike stuff available for example.
Any other (Highland) commuters out there?
Go for the endura stealth things, I've got a pair of endura bib tights (cant remember which ones) and theyre great. However, I only paid about £80 for them, so I dont think you need to pay £125 to get their highest model or anything.
I have some £20 waterproof overtrousers that fold up tiny so they stay in my pannier all the time. They are remarkably good - I even put them on in the Lakes over my Endura Humvee Longs last December when it poured down all day and they worked fine.
Because I commute in a suit I never have to consider the weather before setting off.
Sugoi tights are great in the cold. I was a bit warm wearing them at -5 in the dry, and perfectly fine wearing them at -30. I haven't actually had chance to wear them in cold and wet yet (how lucky am I?).
I have the fancy RS ones, but their cheaper stuff is great too.
I guess I am balancing the ability to ride to work in really cold wet conditions, against the 80% of the time when its merely cold n wet....
+ 1 for endura stealths here.
Ive had alsorts of goretex over trousers and shorts etc but nothing does the job like a pair of stealths - some thermolites a pair of mw02s and some overshoes .... if you get cold with that lot on your in the iditarod !
I don't like my Stealths at all. Worn them for barely 10 miles.
Get better results from merino baselayers and a big woolly jumper from Debenhams 🙂 Add a Montane Pertex top if it's wet.