Winter Gear: Help me shop

stopped_clock

Right, I've survived the 'summer' without too many soakings and I'm all set to keep training* through the winter. I've even started going out on club runs! Despite getting my road bike this time last year, the only cycling I was doing until spring was commuting and I generally got away with shorts and a couple of 'breathable' layers under a supposedly waterproof cycling jacket (which isn't really, despite being a bit pricey).

In short, I'm gonna need some new clothes, so the bottom line is: What do I need? These spring to mind, but do I need them, what's a must?

- Leggings
- proper rain coat
- overshoes
- wet lube
- knee warmers
- hip flask
- mud guards
- some sort of hat
- gloves with fingers
- base-layer type thing
- tyres

Cheers, as always!

As an aside, I was coming through an airport last weekend with some bike gear in my carry-on. My 120ml bottle of chain-oil got binned. (No complaints, I knew I was chancing it.) The security guy wasn't too impressed when I asked him if there was anywhere I could "get some lube" in departures...


*your definition of "training" may differ from that of stopped_clock and associates. It's meant in the loosest of senses...

zzzzzzzz

stopped_clock wrote: »

Right, I've survived the 'summer' without too many soakings and I'm all set to keep training* through the winter. I've even started going out on club runs! Despite getting my road bike this time last year, the only cycling I was doing until spring was commuting and I generally got away with shorts and a couple of 'breathable' layers under a supposedly waterproof cycling jacket (which isn't really, despite being a bit pricey).

In short, I'm gonna need some new clothes, so the bottom line is: What do I need? These spring to mind, but do I need them, what's a must?

- Leggings
- proper rain coat
- overshoes
- wet lube
- knee warmers
- hip flask
- mud guards
- some sort of hat
- gloves with fingers
- base-layer type thing
- tyres

Cheers, as always!

As an aside, I was coming through an airport last weekend with some bike gear in my carry-on. My 120ml bottle of chain-oil got binned. (No complaints, I knew I was chancing it.) The security guy wasn't too impressed when I asked him if there was anywhere I could "get some lube" in departures...


*your definition of "training" may differ from that of stopped_clock and associates. It's meant in the loosest of senses...

Just buy a pair of kneewarmers and you'll be grand.

If I were you I'd invest in:

Good fleece lined bib tights
Decent winter jacket.
Rain (shower) jacket.(mainly wind proof more than anything - if you're out in the rain you're GOING to get wet. Put this on halfway through your spin and you'll warm up nicely)
Base layer
Fleece-lined oversocks - great for keeping the cold out on chilly days (5 degrees)
Neoprene overshoes
A skull cap is always good to keep you warm
2 types of gloves - a light-ish pair just for cold days and a waterproof pair (if you're bothered)
Mud guards are a personal preference really - personally I don't bother with them

Tyres are a great addition to any bike! Save those rims for the summer!

It all really depends on how long you're planning on spending out in crap weather to be honest. The more options you have the better - the weather here varies so much!

If you were to buy all this stuff at once it'll cost you a fortune but if you don't want the weather to hamper your cycling then it's all worth while. The list above is (pretty much) order of necessity IMO...

E@gle.

If you want to splash the cash go for Assos, its really comfortable and warm but it will cost ya. If not i think the Pro team replicia stuff is pretty good, if its good enough for the Pro's its good enough for me.

You will save a fortune if you buy online all you need to know is your size..

Try

www.probikekit.com
www.wiggle.co.uk
www.chainreactioncycles.com

stopped_clock

Cheers guys (I assume!).

Having read the Fred thread, I'm nervous of going out in stuff that's of too high quality!

unionman

stopped_clock wrote: »

Cheers guys (I assume!).

Having read the Fred thread, I'm nervous of going out in stuff that's of too high quality!

Pfft! Embrace your inner Fred and go for quality, comfort etc. Besides, knowing what a Fred is means you can't actually be one.

I've gone through some winters looking like an extra from Fargo and some summers looking like Dafydd from Little Britain

I survived.

E@gle.

stopped_clock wrote: »

Cheers guys (I assume!).

Having read the Fred thread, I'm nervous of going out in stuff that's of too high quality!

Nah Fred winter gear is a pair of shorts and Football socks pulled up to the knees, a tea-cosy on the head and an aran jumper

Chips Lovell

Good points from Eagle there. Assos stuff is fantastic if you can afford it. Replica stuff is usually very good too and some of the older kits are quite cheap. I've got an Aqua e Sapone replica jacket that only cost me €70 and it's as good as stuff twice the price.

I think how much stuff you wear is a very subjective thing. I don't feel the cold as much as other guys I ride with for example. A good base layer is a great start. They can really warm you up. I use the Canterbury rugby ones. Tights are also a good investment, as is a jacket. I find some of the heavier jackets too warm except for the depths of winter so I'd often ride with just a short sleeve jersey on over the base layer or a lighter jacket. My big discovery this year is knee warmers. I bought them a few months ago but only started using them in the last week or so. They make a huge difference and the tights will probably be staying in the drawer for another while yet.

E@gle. wrote: »

Nah Fred winter gear is a pair of shorts and Football socks pulled up to the knees, a tea-cosy on the head and an aran jumper

Yep. I've even seen some guys riding in gear like this in the depths of January.

stopped_clock

I do tend to feel the cold, so might go straight to being fully wrapped up! I'm hoping to make an order in time to use it next weekend, so I'll post about my state of warmth afterwards...

Is there any form of waterproofing for the legs, or is it just a case of tight clothing not retaining water? I've seen those thigh-cover things, but they seem more aimed at commuters.

I have one of those convertible hat / headband things which I find great for keeping the ears warm (Can't remember the brand name right now.)

ROK ON

I treated myself a few weeks ago to Assos Airblock full length, fleece lined tights. They cost me a pretty penny. They are way beyong my cycling ability if you know what I mean. I wore them for the first time the other morning heading to work. They are unbelieveable. So comfortable, that I really wanted to wear them all day.
If you can part with the change go for them.

Other than that, beanie/skull cap, a base layer and leg warmers are a must, and wont cost the earth.

Rain jackets are not worth it unless it is a short spin. I wear them commuting, but I really cant wear them on long commutes. I have an Altura rain jacket, and if I wear it for any length of time, I find that I just burn up and sweat like a pig. Good as a wind block on a descent, but otherwise can leave you seriously dehydrated on a long spin.

E@gle.

stopped_clock wrote: »

Is there any form of waterproofing for the legs, or is it just a case of tight clothing not retaining water? I've seen those thigh-cover things, but they seem more aimed at commuters.

I got a pair of them tight- cover things and i'd say i worn them once, yes they are aimed at commuters. Get a good pair of waterproof bib tights i have a pair of these Assos and they are great. ENDURA are also a good

Lumen

Riding intensity has a big effect on warmth in my experience.

I used to go out in the snow and winter rain with summer gloves, shorts, t-shirt, fleece, windproof top, overshoes, and was fine.

My fitter mate would suffer on the same ride, as his heartrate was barely over tickover and mine at about 180bpm.

SomeFool

a turbo trainer:D

MDP

Hi guys,

If I could just hijack this a little

Last winter I was able to just cycle in shorts etc and have the facilities to change on the end of my commute - this year I'm planning to take things a bit slower and just cover up with wet gear.

I was looking at the Altura jackets in the great outdoors in Dublin yesterday, I see they have them on wiggle

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Altura_Night_Vision_Waterproof_Jacket/5360029726/

then I also found this one

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Endura_Gridlock_Waterproof_Jacket/5360020526/

Just wondering if anyone knows if one is better then the other? Or if theres any others in the market around that price that I could look at?

Also, I tried on a lowe alpine hat, which covered the back of the neck and ears, in the Outdoor Adventure Store on Liffey St...it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I'm convinced that I need one. They sell for 45 quid in there, again, anyone know where stocks them cheaper or any alternatives?

Finally, to cover the legs? Any recommendations? Or just the standard issue waterproofs available in the shops? I suspect I might end up with trousers soaked with sweat instead of rain...

Thanks!

paddyb

I have the night vision. its not that breathable, I use it for my commute but would only use it for training on the very coldest of nights.

Lumen

I have the Endura Gridlock. Used it over a t-shirt for 15km (35 min) commute last week and it was fine, i.e. I didn't end up drenched in sweat.

IMO if you're going fast enough to sweat appreciably, you're probably going to need a shower at the end regardless of the breathability of your clothing.

rflynnr

I have the Night Vision too but I don't think it's useful as a training jacket. It'll keep you dry in all but the heaviest showers but even with the underarm vents fully open it's not fantastically breathable and on a long ride you're going to get soaked in sweat. It's more for commutes or low-intensity touring.

Also (and I'd be interested if others have had this experience), the zips on Night Visions are awful. I've had to return two or three of them because of broken zips. If it hadn't been for the fact that on every occasion I was immediately offered a no-quibble replacement (by Cyclelogical) I'd have gone for something else.

Have never tried Endura though so can't comment on them.

scottreynolds

Does anyone use GoreTex? does it make a difference when cycling. Have a Gill jacket at the moment which isn't compact nor breathable and need a replacement

FrankGrimes

I have the Endura Gridlock and find it very good for commuting as it is a great windbreaker and I haven't had any water get through it yet. I wore it on the Kildare 100 aswell for most of it as it was raining on and off and it was grand.

Last 2 times I've worn it on a 60km training ride though, I've gotten very cold. First time I was wearing a normal cotton t-shirt which got wet with sweat then froze the hell outta me. Second time I was wearing a short sleeve cycling jersey and I think it may have been more that my runners got soaked and I couldn't feel my toes that I was generally frozen, but it did make me think to ask here what most people do. Previously I've cycled in shorts all through the winter, but might change that this time, though to be honest it's more the feet and torso that feel the cold, not the legs. Overshoes should help the feet.

There's not going to be a jacket that's waterproof, windproof and breathable (though the Gridlock is certainly more breathable than a normal raincoat), so what do most people do in the winter? Do you start your ride with a coat/jacket and remove it when you get warm and only put it back on for descents or rain?

scottreynolds

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I I couldn't feel my toes that I was generally frozen, but it did make me think to ask here what most people do...... Overshoes should help the feet.

Used overshoes for the first time on Saturday and WHAT A DIFFERENCE my feet were nice a toasty and the weather Saturday soloing into the rain and wind up some little hills in wicklow would normally have made me cold but these little puppies saved me.... The aren't expensive about e40 but they make a massive difference.

72hundred

MDP wrote: »

Hi guys,


http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Altura_Night_Vision_Waterproof_Jacket/5360029726/

I've the dark one of these. I like it alot and it does the job for me.

72oo

rflynnr

FrankGrimes wrote: »

There's not going to be a jacket that's waterproof, windproof and breathable (though the Gridlock is certainly more breathable than a normal raincoat), so what do most people do in the winter? Do you start your ride with a coat/jacket and remove it when you get warm and only put it back on for descents or rain?

Frank's right about all three being mutually exclusive (although I suspect if one entered the loftier heights of Gore-Tex where one can spend €300 and more you'd get pretty close). However, I've been using the Montane Featherlight (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29853) which claims to be all three. It's not rainproof but its pretty good and combined with a jersey it's plenty warm. But it's major advantage is that it's tiny: so you could start out with it on, then wrap it up and easily fit it into a jersey back pocket.

FrankGrimes

I picked up a pair of the BBB Waterflex overshoes in Joe Daly's as advised on here. Wore them today on my commute for the first time and they're great...kept the feet from getting wet and kept the feet warm....no more frozen toes for me so!

And at €23.50 they're well worth it.