Roadies – what do you wear at this time of year?

I’ve recently got myself a road bike and my road wardrobe is a bit lacking. I have some DHB bib longs which are well warm and comfy, and a set of bib shorts/short sleeve jersey for sunny days but nothing in between.

What do you wear up top? I’m in the Pennines so it can be quite mild in the valleys but once you get up on the tops and the wind hits you it’s pretty chilly. And then there’s the April showers.

I’ve been doubling up on base layers for inbetween days with a short sleeve over a long sleeve but there’s no wind protection.

aldi gilet rolled up in a back pocket

Long sleeve top or short sleeve and arm warmers. Bib 3/4s or bib shorts with knee warmers. Gillet for early starts, maybe thin shoe covers.

Thin base layer, LS jersey (or SS and arm warmers), gilet. All about the gilet. I virtually never remove it on a ride, they’re not that hot.

what kind of long sleeve top @cheers_drive?

soft shell?

what’s a gilet? is it French!?

does nobody wear a windproof softshell type jacket?

3/4 bibs, SS jersey, Morvelo arm warmers and Gilet.
If its raining a LS castelli gabba and ss base layer.
Castelli Gabba is the best piece of waterpoof / windproof breathable kit ive bought for road.

Gilet if you need wind protection. A decent selection of base layers depending on how warm you want to be. Leg, knee and/or arm warmers as required.

The ubiquitous Gabba (alternatives are available) is pretty good for this time of year too for the conditions you describe above as it does give a bit of wind protection and warmth.

Gilet[/url]

(I have a poor(er) people’s gabba – capo lombardia. It’s good too but too warm now for that, darn sarf)

sorry i am a complete newb to road cycling. Why would you choose a gilet over something like a softshell? is it the ability to add arm warmers depending on conditions?

Anywhere between about 6 and 14 degrees I’ll have a long sleeved Gabba over a short or long baselayer, 3/4 bibs, shoes. Any colder and it’s boots, bib longs and long base layer under a Sportful Fiandre NoRain. Gilet tends to be kept for summer rides over a short Jersey, with arm warmers – easy to pop in back pocket and covers around 15 degrees up

Generally – a base layer, knee warmers, shorts, jersey, arm warmers, gilet, oversocks and possibly a cap too.

Versatility beats anything else this time of year for me.

aldi base layer, Gore jersey, Gilet (gore activeshell reduced on amazon) and arm warmers.

sorry i am a complete newb to road cycling. Why would you choose a gilet over something like a softshell? is it the ability to add arm warmers depending on conditions?

Softshells are too warm / sweaty / not very breathable.
If you are putting in effort it just isnt the right type of garment.
Softshell is probably ok when its below freezing, windy and dry.

Gilet and arm warmers more versatile and can be put in a back pocket if warm.
A decent gilet is an excellent investment..

sorry i am a complete newb to road cycling. Why would you choose a gilet over something like a softshell? is it the ability to add arm warmers depending on conditions?

It’s a handy layer that isn’t bulky and doesn’t do much more than add a bit of wind protection. Easily packable if you get too warm.

As has been said, a decent one is a very good thing to have, though TBH I very rarely wear one these days.

Temps vary a lot this time of year – I usually check the garden thermometer before putting my cycling gear on. Last Sunday, it was 4 degrees so I wore the full winter kit – thermal bibs, overshoes, thermal base layer, arm warmers, gilet, skull cap. Yet a week earlier, I was warm enough in shorts.

Arm warmers, gilet, knee warmers, light gloves and a skull cap are great for this time of year as they’re small enough to fit in jersey pockets.

Grab one of the Scott gilets from start cycles. Windproof front, breathable rear. I wear it on probably 70% of my rides over winter/spring/autumn.

Cloudnine, blobby, ransos, thanks for clearing that up.

Oh and gloves… DeFeet Duragloves are most excellent for Spring.

Grab one of the Scott gilets from start cycles. Windproof front, breathable rear. I wear it on probably 70% of my rides over winter/spring/autumn.

Thanks, keep those recommendations coming. I’m on quite a tight budget.

Any recommendations for good value arm warmers/ long sleeve/ short sleeve base layers?

S/S top, gilet, bib shorts and dependant upon how cold it is possibly arm and leg warmers.

I find the Gaaba is too warm once the temp get close to double figures.

Oh and gloves… DeFeet Duragloves are most excellent for Spring.

Thanks again. They don’t look very windproof….

Oh and gloves… DeFeet Duragloves are most excellent for Spring.

+1. I tend to wear them over mitts, and take them off once it’s warmed up.

They don’t look very windproof….

They’re not but are surprisingly good over a fair range of temps. I don’t much like mitts so go from winter lobsters, to Duragloves, to bare hands.

I mix and match a lot. Start is almost always a ls compression top, irrespective of season (after skin cancer in my dad i like coverage)

I’ve a ss top to wear over it (Planet-x are decent for not much cash) or a warmer weight ls top if it’s colder. The a gilet – always worth having unless it’s properly hot, takes no space up if you take it off.

Have been known to add arm warmers over the ls compression top, again what works at 0730 when I set off isn’t necessarily right at midday.

On the bottom – bib shorts with knee warmers, or in winter roubaix bibtights. Knee warmers rarely come off, needs to be proper hot again. I just like having warm knees, OK?

Feet – usually merino socks for 340/365 days….. thinnies for the really hot ones. Winter boots and overshoes for bad days through to shoes with flandrian booties for spring and mornings. I hate cold toes as much as I hate cold knees.

Ive been wearing the 100% Brisker gloves on the road for the last few months.. getting too warm for me now but they are really great gloves for £20 and more of a mtb glove. They dont have the stupid gel pads that loads of mtb gloves have

Long finger men gloves work fine for spring road rides.
Ive just got a Stolen Goat Orkaan de Muur la jersey, havent had to test the waterproofness yet but its comfortable from the 5 to 15c

3/4 bibs, SS merino jersey, merino arm warmers ( for the morning and after 18:00), Snood and long cuff gloves. Gilet in my pocket unless below 5deg or above 20mph winds.

sorry i am a complete newb to road cycling. Why would you choose a gilet over something like a softshell? is it the ability to add arm warmers depending on conditions?

At the risk of stating the obvious, it depends how cold/hot you think you’re going to get!

You’d want a long sleeve windproof in your wardrobe too of course, and it can be tricky to decide what to set out in at this time of year.

A windproof gilet + armwarmers combo is warmer on a chilly morning than you might think once you get going. It’s more versatile if you think you’re likely to want to take something off, and whatever comes off will take up less space in your jersey pocket.

For today in the Midlands I’d probably have gone SS jersey, shorts, arm + knee warmers, and a gilet. A bit colder and I’d maybe swap the shorts and knee warmers for some thicker 3/4s, and maybe the gilet for a long-sleeved windproof.

Short sleeve vest as base layer.
Bib shorts
either mid-weight long sleeved top or short sleeved cycling top plus arm warmers depending on how windy/cool it is or what it’s forecast to do later in the ride.
Gilet
Leg warmers
Overshoes (optional – depends on state of roads really)

Gilet, leg and arm warmers can be stuffed in jersey pockets if things warm up. Flexibility is the key, at this time of year temperatures and conditions can vary widely.

Difficult this time of year, especially if commuting when it’s cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon. Currently I’m wearing a merino base, with a normal summer jersey and the aforementioned scott gilet from start cycles (£15 – bargain) on top, with arm warmers and a castelli packable shell that goes in a pocket. lower down normal bibs with thin gore leg warmers (the non-fleecy ones). This does me from about 5 degrees to 15. If it get really warm then the gilet can be unzipped, the arm and leg warmers can go in a jersey pocket and the arms of the merino base rolled up.

3/4 Lycra & Gore windstopper long sleeve jersey (not jacket)

The top is the most money I’ve ever spent on a bit of cycling gear (was reduced to £80) is very very good though, so far used it from about 2-12 degrees

The Gore Windstopper Jersey I use is very versatile for spring/autumn. Well worth it. I think I got it for the same price. Was it a PSA on here?

Short sleeves and bib shorts, arm and knee warmers with oversocks if it’s on the cool side or damp.

Gilet if it’s dry or showerproof when there’s a possibility of rain, either can be packed away when things warm up /dry out.

Castelli Lightness full finger gloves but starting to favour mitts a bit more now.

Just washed and put away my winter stuff, kit now comprises:

Baselayer
Bibshorts
HRM
Knee warmers
Arm warmers
Socks
Cap
gloves.
Very light gillet.
Helmet.
Shoes
Oversocks
As it gets warmer the knee warmers and gilet may get left behind, I’ve started to wear arm warmers more due to getting itchy arms which is apparently from repeated sunburn.

Similar part of the world to you OP.

Short sleeved jersey under a thin jacket on cold/damp days.

Long sleeved winter jersey on milder ones.

Whatever I pick it’s usually wrong.

Overshoes/oversocks matter more on a roadbike than MTB as you’re out in the wind more and riding faster – your toes can get cold much more quickly than you’d expect.

I’ve recently started commuting almost every day so I’ve needed some extra kit and I’ve been very impressed with the quality and fit of Wiggle’s DHB. I would kit yourself out with a few different cheaper bits and pieces as suggested above and see how you get on. You’ll essentially learn from experience what it is you need – different people run hot or run cold or have different physiologies meaning different kit needs

From the top:
Cap under helmet. Not always but sometimes in the mornings.
Short sleeve base later.
Short sleeved jersey.
Arm warmers.
Gillet.
Gloves of various thicknesses and finger length.
Bib shirts, thicker winter ones if it’s cold.
Knee warmers.
Merino socks.
Toe warmers over shoes.

I don’t think I’ve ever worn a softshell on a road bike, far too hot for any real efforts.

It’s all about the warmers at this time of year, today going to work I was ss Base Layer, ss jersey, bib shorts, arm and knee warmers and defeet dura gloves (and oversocks) on the way home, gloves and gilet went in the bag and it was spot on. Yesterday I dropped the knee warmers too in the afternoon.

Soft shells and the like for me, are far too hot if you’re pushing it, my soft shell only comes out if it’s below freezing.

Bib shorts or tights; normal socks (and overshoes if extra chilly); compression/baselayer top; soft shell jacket.

This is the jacket[/url], and it definitely passes the test.