Hot Pads
These are an excellent accessory. For me they are a necessity to get through winter. I buy a pack of 40 in October. When temperature is cold, I open a pack and put the hot pad in between 2 layers of socks. The heat generated keeps feet nice and warm! If it is really cold I put a pack in my gloves as well. However, I find in gloves to be less effective, as you can’t get the pads so close to your fingers. But, it definitely helps.
How To Keep hands warm.
Try 2 layers. a thin base layer, underneath some ski type gloves. The thin base layer help to soak up any sweat. Ski type gloves tend to be more waterproof, but less breathable. Wool based gloves have base breathability. Merino wool is best quality. Make sure hands are warm to start off with. If they get cold, clapping your hands on bike definitely helps getting some blood to them. You can practise riding with no hands.
How To keep Feet Warm.
Make sure you don’t have too many layers of socks which restrict blood flow. I buy shoes with sufficient space for 2-3 layers of socks Neoprene overshoes. Use hot pads if necessary.
Skull Cap.
50% of heat is lost through the head. So a skull cap, thin hat is an excellent way of keeping the heat in. I also like a skull cap that covers the ears. These can burn with cold otherwise. I have a Craft skull cap, which is very warm and breathable.
Craft at Wiggle I used to have a neoprene hat, but this had a tendency to be sweaty.
Some people tape up holes in their helmet – a cheap way of keeping more heat in.
Leg Warmers
I will use leg warmers at anything between 4 degrees and 17 degrees. Below 4 degrees, and one pair of leg warmers may be inadequate and I will use some thermal tights.
Castelli nanoflex are good because they are highly water-resistent.
Other leg warmersBase Layers
The worst thing in winter is to get that feeling of cold sweat drying as the temperature falls in the late afternoon. For this reason, I dislike goretex based jackets, I find that they are not good at breathability. They retain a strong layer of sweat, which can soon get cold. I tend to wear a few thin ‘wicking base layers’ close to the skin. I have a few varieties. For a long time I had a few simple vests from Marks & Spencers. But, they aren’t the best at wicking away sweat. I have tested
Craft base layers at for a few months, and they are good. Comfortable and have good wicking properties. Another good value base layer is the
dhb Corefit long sleeve Base layer for £16.49 , at only £16.99 it is good value and does the job.
Winter Fleece Jackets
For winter, I use a fleece jacket. I always wear a club fleece jacket from Impsport with long zip. It is good insulation. The long zip is important for opening when you get hot. The main thing I like about the jacket is that it is fully breathable; it isn’t going to get any excess layer of sweat underneath. You can pay up to £200 to get a top of the range Goretex wind proof jacket. But, am not convinced they are essential. Unless you are planning to be out for 5 hours – whatever the weather.
Race Cape.
I always carry a packable, lightweight racing cape. It is another layer of waterproofing and can help keep that chill off. If they can be packed into a back pocket, they inevitably will let heavy rain in. But, it is good for those winter showers. This
Castelli race cape is good.
Gillet.
A gillet is even smaller than a race cape, and can be packed up tight to carry in a back pocket or saddle bag. It is good for providing a wind proof layer and prevent wind chill on long descents. It is easy to take on and off, so is good for alternative descents and ascents. Most gillets are not really designed for waterproofing. But, the one I have from Impsport, is quite good for those brief showers. Combined with a race cape, it can provide two layers of shower proofing.
Cycling GilletsWinter Tyres
In winter the number one priority is to minimise time spent on side of road mending punctures with frozen hands. See:
best winter cycling tyresMudguards
Mudguards are essential for a winter training bike. You will keep your bike, clothes and riding companions – drier and cleaner.
Best mudguards.Lights
I wouldn’t be without lights on a winter training bike. Even at midday, it can be worth having them on, if it is misty and foggy. I also have a fluorescent jacket for these kinds of days.
Seated Heat
A Heated Cycling Seat
Well, its pretty cold out there, but, I can’t help but think this heated cycling seat is going to be another of those cycling inventions that just don’t catch on.
Related
I was a club and racing cyclist in the 50`s 60`s 70`s to begin with i did not have much spare money for clothing. During the winter if your wedding tackle got abit cold and you had to stop for a pee,it was unbeleavebly painful. It only happened once our club sec who witnessed this said next time lad before tha`comes art wrap thi`bits in brown paper it keeps the cold art. It did work honest.
The Discount Bike Accessories link no longer works. It seems they discounted too much and have gone
It’s not my backside that gets that cold this weather cycling, but my feet and hands and face. So, wearing a pair of trainers a size bigger than needed normally, with two pair of socks helps, and thick gloves for the hands and balaclaver for the head helps.
But is it is this cold, I just stay on the trainer bike.
Can’t see the UCI banning it, but I can’t see how several kilos of gas tank will go down with road cyclists – maybe when they develop a carbon-fibre model that weighs 60g it will generate more interest from roadies, and then the UCI…
Hallo Tejvan,
truly this time is cold for bicycle outdoor.
Her a link to a holder for notebooks for home trainer.
http://www.daum-electronic.de/en/zube01.html
I use it one larger way and think about this is very useful perhaps for you inspiration by this season.
Richard / Germany
Ha. Only this week, after another morning of scraping ice off my saddle (alas, my bike has to live outside), I was thinking that someone should make heated saddles. Not hot enough to make you infertile, just cosy so you can still feel your bum when you get to work. Daft as the UCI is, I can’t see them feeling the need to ban this one, though…
I like it!!!