What do you guys wear when you are riding in cooler weather?

I wanna upgrade my cool weather riding gear since I typically ride til end of October. It's only September and in Minnesota, the mornings are only 40 - 50 degrees... I just wear a hoody, bandana to cover my chin, and a thin cloth glove over my riding gloves... trying to find a better war to stay warm and not be so bulky.

 

I've ridden as low as about 20 degrees (Fahrenheit). Be VERY careful with cold tires anywhere near this range.

Full face helmet is a must. On the colder days I wore a beanie to keep my ears warm.

Thermal underwear, usually just pants, but on really cold days, shirt too.

Two pairs of socks. Two pairs of khaki pants, two shirts, and a leather or windbreaker jacket.

Really good set of leather windproof gloves are a MUST.

edit: this IS bulky, but it worked for me. Less bulky solutions can be had, but for a decent amount of coin.

 

Many years ago a truck driver told me about the following. He said that since a scuba diving wetsuit keeps people warm when diving in ice water you'd think it would keep you warm in cold air. He was right.

For many years I wore a wetsuit under my regular clothing whenever the temps were below freezing and I went for a ride. Sometimes the temp would be in the single digits and all it looked like I had on was a lightweight jacket. People would stare. I was warm.

I now do bicycle rides in sub freezing weather and I've found that a pair of thermal long johns under everything else really makes a difference. Keep your core body temp warm and the extremities will follow. Layering also helps to wick away moisture, instead of one big, heavy article of clothing.

 

why the hell did I never think of that? I'm in FL, so when it drops to 40 I start feeling like a pansy on the bike

 

+1. Layering is key. I wear thick wool socks with boots. Under the pants are a pair of long-john thermals. On top I have a thermal shirt, a sweat shirt, and then a Mountain Hardware wind proof jacket topped off with the leather. Buy a nice set of thermal gloves from motorcycle closeout and a "turtle" neck fleece.

 

Damn, wetsuit sounds like an epic idea. How much does one set you back though?

Suppose its work it to ride into single digits though...I've only been into the high teens. (temperature wise!)

 

How much into typing that did you realize what you said ... haha. Nice save though.

 

lmao I was thinking the same thing

 

UA ColdGear

 

I knew it was gonna go there

It almost slipped by me though. haha