What To Wear Winter & Fall Cycling
Luckily I’ve ditched the northeast and moved to Tennessee in 2016, but there are still days that it gets cold here, down into the 20’s. This article will outline all you need to know about how to dress for winter cycling.
The Old Days In Rochester, NY
You Guide to Cold Weather Biking Gear
Normally I’ll wait until the sun shines and temps hit the high 40’s or low 50’s, but every once in a while you can’t escape cold winter cycling.
The question even arises now: What to wear for winter cycling? As the temps drop, what is the best winter cycling gear?
Sometimes I still ask myself: “What clothing do I wear on today’s ride?” “What cold weather cycling gear do I need?”
It becomes a total sh!tshow if you’re with a friend and cycling in the cold, because then you doubt every choice you’ve ever known to make. “Wait he’s wearing arm warmers and a long sleeve base layer? I was going to wear XYZ, I’m so confused.”
The main goal with winter cycling clothes is to stay warm without sweating. Every piece of bike clothing for cold weather you wear should keep this in consideration.
If you sweat too much, you’ll be wet, and you’ll be miserable. Here’s how you can enjoy cycling even more this fall!
2014 image of myself during a training ride in Rochester, NY
One key to remember is that if you are warm when you walk outside and are standing around, you’re going to be a wet mess once you start riding.
If the temperature is below 55ºF, it should feel a bit brisk when you leave, but you’ll warm up quickly with winter cycling clothes.
Related Post: Training in Extreme Heat
Cold Weather Cycling Gear
What do I need for winter biking?
Neck warmer / neck collar / neck gaiter / buff, whatever you want to call it. A warm neck equals a warm body, but so many cyclists leave this crucial area exposed.
There is a lot you can read about acupuncture channels or Chinese medicine that will describe in more detail why keeping your neck covered is important.
End of the day, it will keep you warm without making you sweaty. I wear one every ride 47ºF and below.
Winter Cycling Vest. The vest is a crucial piece of cold weather bicycle gear for blocking wind, but also keeping the core warm, without overheating with a massive jacket or windbreaker. The vest also allows extra heat to escape through your arm pits, whereas full on jackets trap too much heat, overheating your core, creating sweat, which makes you cold.
Putting on You Winter Bicycle Gear
How should I dress for bike riding in the winter?
The goal, again, is to not sweat.
In order to not sweat before you leave, you want to put the warmest pieces on last.
Picture this: you’re all bundled up, ready to go, and like a normal ride, you go to put your shoes on last.
By the time you sit down, put the shoes on, get them just right, add the booties, reach for your hat, helmet, and put the gloves on….you’re warm.
Too warm.
Dress Bottom To Top.
If possible, set your bike outside first. If there’s a worry for theft, keep it close to the door; not down in the basement.
Start with your kit bottoms and your best leg warmers for cycling. Then shoes and booties.
This means everything else should be near the door. Then dress the top portion of your body, and I usually put the hat (if needed), helmet and gloves on when I’m outside.
See Also: Base Training Plan for Cyclists
The Cycling Winter Gear Needed
What to wear cycling in winter?
Everyone is going to be a little different, but this guide should get you in a rough ballpark and then you can tweak it as you see fit.
Your bicycle winter gear will need to be tweaked based on if there is sun or full clouds, how hard you are going (if you get into the Build phase, sometimes I find it just too cold to rip intervals), what is the duration of the ride, and what the wind situation is like.
Take notes after the ride: what body part was cold, what got too hot?
I don’t ever wear full length winter cycling bib tights. I used to when I first started riding, but it really seems to make the legs and lower torso too warm, and I’d often sweat. While it would be so warm that I wouldn’t feel cold, it just seemed like overkill.
I also never wear a balaclava. Your head lets off a lot of heat, and so many times riders have icicles on them. I’d recommend a cream over exposed areas. My usual one is discontinued, so I’m going to try this one next from Castelli.
Cycling Clothing Temperature Guide
Below is a rough guide for cycling clothing by temperature!
25-32ºF
Feet: Thick wool (but breathable) socks, two shoe covers (one for warmth, the other for wind/water protection)
Legs: 2 of the best cycling leg warmers
Torso + Arms: thermal bibs, long sleeve wool base layer, long sleeve thermal jersey, possibly arm warmers also. If you have a cycling winter jackets, now is the time to use it. Once the temperature is above 32ºF, put that piece of clothing away. Otherwise, winter cycling vest.
Neck / Head: neck warmer, winter hat
Gloves: Full fingered gloves, the warmest you’ve got
32-40ºF
Feet: Thick wool (but breathable) socks, two shoe covers (one for warmth, the other for wind/water protection)
Legs: 2 cycling leg warmers. If it’s super sunny, maybe leg warmers and knee warmers. You really want to protect the knees at all times when it is 60ºF or less, unless you are racing.
Torso + Arms: thermal bibs, long sleeve wool base layer, long sleeve thermal jersey, possibly arm warmers also, thermal vest. Normal vest could be substituted if it’s very sunny.
Neck / Head: Neck warmer and thin winter hat (super breathable, like light fabric, really to protect the ears)
Gloves: Full fingered gloves, but lighter version of the ones when it’s almost freezing
40-45ºF
Feet: Normal cycling socks with 2 booties, or thicker socks with one set of booties
Legs: 2 bicycle leg warmers. If it’s super sunny, maybe leg warmers and knee warmers
Torso + Arms: thermal bibs, long sleeve wool base layer, long sleeve thermal jersey, possibly arm warmers also. You could also switch out the long sleeve wool base layer for a thin long sleeve base layer. Normal vest.
Neck / Head: Neck warmer and thin winter hat (super breathable, like light fabric, really to protect the ears)
Gloves: Full fingered gloves, and again, slightly lighter ones than before. I have like 6 or 7 pairs of cycling autumn/winter gloves.
46-50ºF
Feet: Normal cycling socks with bike booties
Legs: cycling leg warmers
Torso + Arms: normal bib shorts, thin baselayer, jersey, arm warmers, vest
Neck / Head: maayyyyyybe a thin something around the ear…leave the head open to breathe!
Gloves: Full fingered gloves, very light
51-55ºF
Feet: Normal cycling socks with bike booties
Legs: cycling leg warmers. Many will start to switca vesh to knee warmers, but I really like to keep the achilles area protected from any chills as there isn’t much natural blood flow down there.
Torso + Arms: normal bib shorts, thin baselayer, jersey, arm warmers, vest
Neck / Head: free as a bird
Gloves: Full fingered gloves, very light, just in case. If it’s sunny, leave them at home, or put them in your handle bar bag.
56-62ºF
Feet: Normal cycling socks with bike booties
Legs: cycling leg warmers below 60ºF, then I switch to bare legs.
Torso + Arms: normal bib shorts, thin baselayer, jersey, arm warmers, vest
Neck / Head: nothing
Gloves: nah
63ºF and up
You’re pretty much just grabbing arm warmers and maybe a vest; I wear a vest almost all the time because the added benefit of protection it adds from being so small is amazing.
See Also: Cycling Power Zones for Endurance Rides
Late Winter Racing….Come On Spring!
Also, get one of these handle bar bags! I was so hesitant on it, but the added carrying capacity is just phenomenal for long rides or when you want to shed gloves, etc.
What did we miss? What do you wear cycling in various temperatures? Let us know the tweaks that you’d make so more cyclists can find the perfect temperature and ride farther and longer!
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Thank you to everyone for your comments and questions, let’s continue to foster a constructive conversation about cycling; let’s #EvolveOurIQ Together.
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