Winter Commute: What do you wear?

steamsey

secman wrote: »

Normal jocks ...... really !! Jocks and cycling gear..... a major NO NO

Not really. Have been cycling in normal jocks while commuting almost my entire life and never found any issues. Would use normal jocks too on a lot of my MTB spins. Have plenty of dedicated cycling shorts, with chamois etc, for long spins but for commuting - any old jock will do

Mc Love

Changed shoes this morning and tried the Aldi overshoes, feet still like ice this morning and only starting to warm up now. I'll have to go for thicker socks on the commute. Aldi gloves also started to feel the cold coming through. Thankfully, its only a 15 min commute.

mr spuckler

Mc Love wrote: »

Changed shoes this morning and tried the Aldi overshoes, feet still like ice this morning and only starting to warm up now. I'll have to go for thicker socks on the commute. Aldi gloves also started to feel the cold coming through. Thankfully, its only a 15 min commute.

I can strongly recommend these very light but windproof, I've always struggled with cold feet on the bike and these are by far the best socks I've tried.

Thinkingaboutit

I've been using builder's gloves and the ones I have don't seem much good for keeping out the cold. A tracksuit bottom, socks, runners, but a heavier jacket, a better cap, seems fine otherwise.

AndrewJRenko

steamsey wrote: »

Not really. Have been cycling in normal jocks while commuting almost my entire life and never found any issues.

Does it not get a bit draughty?

Fian

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

No arm warmers this morning? Bare arms? :eek:

It was minus 4 degrees at Blake's Cross at 6am on my commute this morning.

Nope, far from hardy enough to cycle in bare arms that morning I am wimpy enough to wear arm warmers under my softshell jacket when it gets a bit colder. Also wimpy/lazy enough that my commute takes place alot later than that - I tend to leave around 8:30 when it has warmed up quite a bit from 6am temps.

Had an altura softshell longsleeved jacket on that morning, like every morning, except on warm days from June - Sept and even then will often bring the jacket in the bag just in case.

silverharp

3 weeks no rain, getting a better record than the summer. despite only wearing sandals, only hands feeling the cold, noticed if I tuck my fingers under the bar they don't get too cold. Cracking weather though.

skeleton_boy

Can anyone recommend a method of keeping my hands warm?

I bought a pair of sealskinz last winter that were supposedly good in sub zero temperatures but like any glove I've had, when the temperature drops below 4ish my hands are freezing within the first 5 min of my cycle.

Is there any any liners I could use to keep in the warmth or am I better to go for a mitt type glove in these conditions?

Mc Love

Decided rather stupidly to cycle to work this morning in shorts! Must have been 1 or 2 degrees. Wont be doing that again. Gloves were near useless, was looking at the sealskinz or else these https://galibier.cc/product/ardennes-winter-gloves/

Mercian Pro

I know it wasn't a commute but on two club spins this week in very similar conditions (1-8 degrees) and similar gear (Galibier Mistral tights and jacket over a Cantebury base layer), my feet were noticeably colder wearing SmartWool socks than when wearing GripGrab Merino Winter socks. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/gripgrab-merino-winter-socks-aw17/rp-prod163924?gs=1&sku=sku604924&pgrid=55940684141&ptaid=pla-437608219337&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7CsdarLpuNm_dt%7Cpcrid%7C294740729960%7Cpkw%7C%7Cpmt%7C%7Cprd%7C604924IE&gclid=CjwKCAjw6-_eBRBXEiwA-5zHacJWOyM9_4cNSpVABENpztlloKo1RvgBUyg-N3cewGkePYxtzgwMDxoC-_kQAvD_BwE
I also have one of their balaclavas that's great in sub-zero conditions.

Macy0161

If a glove is too big, would it limit their effectiveness? My Galibier Barriers are a couple of years old, and a size up from what I would buy now (you do also lose weight on hands and feet as it turns out), and they don't seem to be as effective as they once were.

Mc Love

Mercian Pro wrote: »

I know it wasn't a commute but on two club spins this week in very similar conditions (1-8 degrees) and similar gear (Galibier Mistral tights and jacket over a Cantebury base layer), my feet were noticeably colder wearing SmartWool socks than when wearing GripGrab Merino Winter socks. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/gripgrab-merino-winter-socks-aw17/rp-prod163924?gs=1&sku=sku604924&pgrid=55940684141&ptaid=pla-437608219337&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7CsdarLpuNm_dt%7Cpcrid%7C294740729960%7Cpkw%7C%7Cpmt%7C%7Cprd%7C604924IE&gclid=CjwKCAjw6-_eBRBXEiwA-5zHacJWOyM9_4cNSpVABENpztlloKo1RvgBUyg-N3cewGkePYxtzgwMDxoC-_kQAvD_BwE
I also have one of their balaclavas that's great in sub-zero conditions.

Those socks have only 28% Merino wool - thats not very good.

AndrewJRenko

Macy0161 wrote: »

If a glove is too big, would it limit their effectiveness? My Galibier Barriers are a couple of years old, and a size up from what I would buy now (you do also lose weight on hands and feet as it turns out), and they don't seem to be as effective as they once were.

I've had it other way round, where a glove just slightly too small seemed to restrict circulation enough to keep the hands chilly on some days.

coward

Macy0161 wrote: »

If a glove is too big, would it limit their effectiveness? My Galibier Barriers are a couple of years old, and a size up from what I would buy now (you do also lose weight on hands and feet as it turns out), and they don't seem to be as effective as they once were.

I'll be a bit candid - and probably ignorant, but hopefully not offensive! - maybe it was the chunky fingers that kept them feeling warmer and not the extra space that is now making them colder? i.e. people with more fat reserves feel warmer? It's my fingers that feel the cold the worst no matter what gloves I've tried. I use this as an indication that I need to eat more cake :pac:

mr spuckler

skeleton_boy wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a method of keeping my hands warm?

I bought a pair of sealskinz last winter that were supposedly good in sub zero temperatures but like any glove I've had, when the temperature drops below 4ish my hands are freezing within the first 5 min of my cycle.

Is there any any liners I could use to keep in the warmth or am I better to go for a mitt type glove in these conditions?

I find these brilliant. to be honest I'm fed up buying cheaper stuff in the hope that they'll do the job - to the point where all of my commuting gear even is now really good quality. that said I do almost twice as much commuting miles as I do leisure so makes a lot of sense for me!

I don't think I ever needed to wear liners with those, throughout all of last winter.

coward wrote: »

I'll be a bit candid - and probably ignorant, but hopefully not offensive! - maybe it was the chunky fingers that kept them feeling warmer and not the extra space that is now making them colder? i.e. people with more fat reserves feel warmer? It's my fingers that feel the cold the worst no matter what gloves I've tried. I use this as an indication that I need to eat more cake :pac:

I also have a cake deficiency and these gloves work for me

Macy0161

coward wrote: »

I'll be a bit candid - and probably ignorant, but hopefully not offensive! - maybe it was the chunky fingers that kept them feeling warmer and not the extra space that is now making them colder? i.e. people with more fat reserves feel warmer? It's my fingers that feel the cold the worst no matter what gloves I've tried. I use this as an indication that I need to eat more cake :pac:

No, not ignorant, that's what I'm really trying to establish to be honest.

I definitely feel the cold much more than when I was fat, but it does seen to be disproportionately affecting my fingers even compared to last winter (I've dropped a bit more but not significantly more)!

I still eat cake, but no plans to go back there for the sake of the cold!

coward

mr spuckler wrote: »

I find these brilliant.

I bought the Giro 100 proof gloves last year. Built to handle extreme weather they say.. but I still had cold fingers. Though last winter had some cold days. Good few people refer to those galibier gloves. Must give them a try.

Mc Love

Galibier are saying they are launching a new Barrier Glove in December

Anyone got these?

https://galibier.cc/product/firefeet/

Macy0161

Mc Love wrote: »

Anyone got these?

https://galibier.cc/product/firefeet/

Yes, got a pair last winter, and waiting on another pair I ordered with the new mistral bib tights.

Mc Love

Macy0161 wrote: »

Yes, got a pair last winter, and waiting on another pair I ordered with the new mistral bib tights.

Assuming as you bought a pair and waiting on another pair, you find them good?

Macy0161

Mc Love wrote: »

Assuming as you bought a pair and waiting on another pair, you find them good?

Yes, thought that was a given!

Mc Love

Macy0161 wrote: »

Yes, thought that was a given!

I know - just read the reviews :cool:

Wishbone Ash

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I've had it other way round, where a glove just slightly too small seemed to restrict circulation enough to keep the hands chilly on some days.

Also if the finger parts of the glove are too short it can be agonisingly uncomfortable on a long ride to have your finger tips pressed against the top of the gloves for hours on end.

Mercian Pro

Mc Love wrote: »

Those socks have only 28% Merino wool - thats not very good.

Maybe so but it made a difference. Must try the Firefeet socks mentioned below for comparison as Galibier kindly included a pair with my Mistral tights.

Mc Love wrote: »

Galibier are saying they are launching a new Barrier Glove in December
Anyone got these?
https://galibier.cc/product/firefeet/

Even with a pair of Merino liner gloves underneath, the Barrier gloves don't stop my fingers going numb in near zero temperatures. Not really sure if there's anything out there that will work for me (and I seem to remember having this conversation here the last few Novembers).

triggermortis

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Maybe so but it made a difference. Must try the Firefeet socks mentioned below for comparison as Galibier kindly included a pair with my Mistral tights.



Even with a pair of Merino liner gloves underneath, the Barrier gloves don't stop my fingers going numb in near zero temperatures. Not really sure if there's anything out there that will work for me (and I seem to remember having this conversation here the last few Novembers).

have you tried something like these?

https://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shop/steiner-silk-inner-glove-liner

Mc Love

I'm hoping the fire feet work for me, but I think I might have cold feet anyway. Cycled in this morning with two pairs of socks and my feet were still cold, fine though when I got in to work but put work shoes on and have cold feet sitting at desk! Might be the shoes, who knows?!

steamsey

Posted these before but they do a good job of keeping your feet warm - for about 12 quid

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meister-Thermal-Neoprene-Booties-Cycling/dp/B014JDTMWK

Mercian Pro

Some good tips here: http://thecyclingblog.com/cold-feet-and-cold-hands/?fbclid=IwAR1KSHL-6Ng9DDnSk6lw1NdOhbVUckyP5fg-yxd_hN7Qs6YyLTLBE6sJQ8Q

Mc Love

steamsey wrote: »

Posted these before but they do a good job of keeping your feet warm - for about 12 quid

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meister-Thermal-Neoprene-Booties-Cycling/dp/B014JDTMWK

Got a hot water bottle for under my desk! :eek: getting some funny looks as I'm normally swanning around in a t-shirt or asking for the heat to be turned off.

silverharp

picked up a pair of fingerless gloves in Pennys , they fit under a pair of normal gloves, might take the edge off, though doesnt seem to be cold this week so wont know for a while.