Top Tips for winter gloves

• Thermal inner liner £4.99 for spring and underneath second pair.
• Defeet Dura gloves  £14.99 for racing and cool weather are excellent.
• For really cold weather, use inner liner + big Ski glove (i have Altura Nevis £14.99) thought there are many other good ones.
• Hot pads, for when below 3 degrees. If below 3 degrees, I can’t really survive without putting hotpads in between thermal liner and ski gloves.

As well as looking at cycling specific gloves, you might get a good deal going into a Millets and buying general / ski gloves. These tend to be good for warmth and waterproof, but, the outer fabric tends to get worn down due to shifting of gears and using bike locks.

The real secret to being warm without sweating is to have different layers of gloves. I always wear some base level gloves which are thin, and act as a wicking layer. Wearing these under some ski gloves or Gore Bike Wear wind-proof gloves will give an extra layer of insulation. Unless you have very cold hands, this extra layer may be unnecessary. But, when it is below freezing – 2 or 3 layers can really help. I find Gore style gloves / Ski gloves can be more prone to sweating. This means your hands can start off warm, but after a long ride, the sweat dries and you start to feel quite cold. An extra pair of underlay gloves definitely helps deal with this layer of sweat. Where possible I tend to avoid wearing very heavy gloves, but will wear two layers of thin gloves, with excellent wicking properties.

Inner Liners

The first pair of gloves I always wear is a thin thermal liner glove like this highlander. It is skin tight and close fitting. On cool days, they alone are enough. But, they really come into their own as an inner liner for other bigger gloves. They really improve my Altura winter cycling gloves. When it’s really cold, I definitely need this inner liner plus something else.

• Thermal inner liners – £4.99 from amazon.co.uk

If you want a slightly warmer inner liner. You could try these

Merino inner liners. – £9.99 from Amazon. Merino is a very good product for gloves. It is warm and dries quickly.

Silk Liners – I’ve tried silk liners, but they seem to tear quite easily, so they didn’t last long.

De Feet Dura Cycling Gloves

Defeet dura cycling gloves are excellent for winter racing. They are like an inner base layer, but are just a little bit thicker, and very good at keeping your hands warm. I can wear them when the temperature is 10 degrees or over.

I like them for racing in cold weather because

• they are close fitting and aerodynamic
• You have excellent control of gears and brakes.
• They have excellent grip on the handlebars.
• Comfortable.

The only downside is that my lovely white gloves are permanently stained with oil and dried banana. Not ideal colour for bike maintenance. Also, because I keep them exclusively for racing, I’ve never lost a glove – which is quite something. I lose gloves when I go into town.

• Defeet Dura gloves at Wiggle only £12.31 – excellent value.

Seal Skin Merino Gloves

When it is warm enough, I also like wearing Merino Wool because it is very comfortable and quite warm without being unbreathable. These SealSkin Merino gloves (at Wiggle £24) are excellent because they have excellent grip for cycling and also are long. (Keeping your wrists warm is important. On short gloves, I often add short arm-warmers to protect the wrists.

• Warm
• Good grip for cycling
• good length for wrists.
• Bit inflexible.
• Prefer to have an inner liner next to skin in addition to these.
• Shower proof.

See: Review of Seal Skin Winter gloves

Altura  Nevis Winter Gloves

I’ve had these for two winters, and they do a good job in very cold conditions. I often wear with inner liner. They say they are waterproof and they can keep light showers out, but like most gloves eventually get wet in heavy rain.

Altura Nevis £18 at Wiggle

Tips for Winter Gloves

• Check the temperature when you cycle and note whether gloves are warm enough. I know which layers to wear for every temperature from -1 – 15 degrees.
• Don’t forget on long rides, the temperature can drop in the later afternoon, it may be necessary to add / change layers.
• For Christmas I got many unwanted pairs of socks, but these made excellent improvised arm warmers. I cut off toes and wore them as arm warmers to keep wrists warm.
• If you really get cold hands, you can add these hot pads (I use this when less than 1 degree)
• I have used both general and cycling specific gloves and it is worth getting the cycling specific as they have better grip and resistance to wear and tear.
• If your hands get really cold, be wary of warming them up very quickly as you could get chilblains.

• Winter gloves at Evans Cycles
• Winter gloves at Wiggle

Related

• Winter cycling accessories

Any other Suggestions?

pj suggested:

de feet gloves underneath a pair of izumi cyclones

Base Layers

The layer next to your skin is important. It has to be very good at wicking away sweat and keeping you dry. I like base layers which are close fitting; they are better at keeping heat in and give feeling of being snug.

This dhb Merino Longsleeve is excellent combination of warmth and wicking. It also feels quite soft against your skin. £29.99 so it’s quite an investment, but very good value for Merino.

• dhb merino baselayer - at wiggle

If you want to save money on base layers, you might try an ordinary clothes shop, I got one or two really good base layers from Marks & Spencers. One is very thick and warm – excellent for when it gets really cold. I can’t quite remember the price, but cycle specific base layers tend to be a little more expensive.

• more base layers

Winter Jacket

The winter jacket is the mainstay of my winter riding. I wear mine nearly every ride in winter. It is essentially like a long sleeved jersey with fleece lining and a bit more baggy than a standard top.

I probably spend more time in my winter fleece jacket than any other piece of cycle clothing. So it’s important to get a good one, which also you like visually and is comfortable and reasonably aerodynamic. The good thing is that because I’m wearing base layers underneath it never seems to get sweaty or smelly (though my mother might disagree) and so you can just put it on top. I have two to alternate and wash.

I’ve never felt the need to get an expensive winter jacket. The fleece thermal jacket I use is very versatile, close fitting and fairly aerodynamic – but still enough room to comfortably put on several base layers underneath. I particularly like the 3 back pockets, and full length zip, so if it gets too hot, you can unzip to let the heat out. Even in winter, I want my thermal jacket to be fully breathable. I think when I bought from Impsport, it was around £50, though it may have gone up since then.

You can spend up to £300 on winter jackets, but I tend to go for fairly cheap ones without any real protection from wind or rain. The logic is that if it is very wet in winter, you will have a specific rain jacket to go on top. If you wear a waterproof jacket when it’s dry, you’ll just get too sweaty and feel uncomfortable.

I’ve rarely been too hot with my thermal jacket, though there have been times close to zero when it does feel inadequate.

I have two unused waterproof winter jackets. They are quite heavy and waterproof, but the breath ability is poor, so I find I never wear them.

The cheapest kind of winter jacket is this basic DHB core jacket – only £29.99 – excellent value for a basic winter cycling jacket. Combined with base layers, will keep you warm down to 5-7 degrees.

I guess my winter fleece jackets is also something like this  dhb Roubaix Longsleeve jacket. At £61.59 it’s relatively cheap as winter jackets go, but a bit more insulation than the core jacket.

This northwave jacket is 54% off at £49.99. Might be good value in sale.

This gore bike phantom soft shell has good reviews, at £79.99 it’s still quite good value, it has detachable sleeeves

 Waterproof Cycling Top

In addition to fleece jacket, I will always have a waterproof jacket as backup. In my saddle bag, I keep a thin race cape because you can crunch it up small. This is useful for the unexpected shower. It does start to seep through after 30 minutes, but it prevents the worst of the rain getting through. It gives you a good hour to cycle home before you get really drenched.

If rain is predicted, then I wouldn’t just rely on a race cape, especially in winter. The Altura Night Vision (£61.99) is fairly thin, but has pretty good waterproofing. See: review altura night vision Flite There is also a non-flite version which is heavier and more protective.

At the end of the day, I very rarely spend more than two hours on the bike in winter, if it’s wet. You’d be better off buying some rollers rather than expensive jacket.

Feet

• I’m a bit of an expert with feet because mine are permanently cold, even when outside temperature is less than 20 degrees, I wear more than one pair of socks. Some tips for warm feet:
• Make sure socks are not too tight around ankles restricting blood flow. You can put three pairs of socks on with elastic and be worse off. Choose socks which don’t have too much elastic. I don’t tend to buy cycling specific socks, but a good quality inner sock, followed by thicker thermal sock. Something like these dhb thermal winter socks.
• For overshoes, I tend to use some neoprene overshoes. I’m not over keen as they sweat a little. But, they do keep a light rain out and are warm. Overshoes at Chain Reaction Cycles
• The real secret to warm shoes is these hot pads, which provide direct heat and warmth in winter.

Leggings

For temperatures down to 7-8 degrees, I tend to use just cycle shorts and leg warmers. I prefer to just use cycle shorts rather than full length bib tights because there is greater flexibility for pedalling. However, if it gets less than 8 degrees, I start to feel the cold so will reach out for leggings. One of my favourite leg warmers is the Castelli Nanoflex – easy to put on, with excellent water repellent material. I wear leg warmers for the majority of the year. There’s only a couple of months just warm enough for shorts, and not too many rides, where leg warmers are insufficient.

Again for full length bib-tights, I’ve never seen the point in spending a lot of money. I mainly use some Impsport bib tights. I’ve had them for over seven years and always do the job. They also have been sewn up with some amateur sewing. (don’t forget good clothes can be easily ripped when you fall off).

The closest to the bib tights I have from Impsport, would be something like dhb vaeon roubaxi bit tights £43.99 at Wiggle- a similar price to Impsport.

Other Recommended Extras

Cycle Hat – Skull Cap

When the temperature is below 8 degrees or so, I like to wear a hat under my helmet. It’s a good way to retain heat and keep your ears warm. It needs to be relatively thin to fit under your helmet.

I use this Craft hat which works well in combination with a helmet.

Gloves

See: winter cycling gloves

Note on Impsport

A lot of my winter clothing comes from Imsport because my club made an order for clothes, so it was nice to get clothing in team colours. (I also got to choose team colours, which is an added advantage) They are generally good. The weakest point was the lining in their shorts. This has improved recently, but the jerseys and jackets are pretty good.

Related

• Best winter tyres
• Winter Cycling Training
• Riding through winter
• Winter training bikes

The only problem with lycra cycling shorts is that the next inevitable step to maintain your chic elite cycling look is  getting out the old shaver (well, actually preferably new sharp shaver) – to proudly display the contours of your bulging biceps. Anyway, that’s another step and that can wait. But, a good padded cycling short is one of the most essential ways to get a more comfortable ride, especially for anything over two hours.

Over the years I’ve tried quite a few cycling shorts. Recently, I’ve been frequently riding some Impsport custom made ones for my cycling teams like Oxonians and Sri Chinmoy CT. Unfortunately, Impsport do not make the best cycling shorts. Although, att least they are better than they were. A few years ago, I received some shorts with the padding in a pretty useless place. However, they are reasonable and provide enough comfort for most of my rides.

A few general comments about Cycling Shorts

• Bibbed shorts are more comfortable than non-bibbed. It is much easier to keep them up without the feeling of elastic around the waist. They also seem to stay in position much more easily. I do have a few non-bibbed shorts, but, when getting in and out of the saddle, they tend to move. I also have one pair of shorts with a very good insert, but, it’s too tight around the waist. I do still use it (I can’t bring myself to throw it away) but, it’s not good to have a tight elastic around stomach.
• All shorts become more comfortable when used to cycling. Getting used to spending hours in the saddle is like anything else, you develop tolerance over time. If you’re new to cycling, spending £200 on some shorts will still feel pretty sore after a seven hour sportive. If you’re used to spending hours in the saddle, you probably won’t really notice even Impsport varieties.
• Keep Clean. I’m sure this doesn’t really need saying, but, you want to wash after every ride. They are pretty quick drying, especially if you wrap in towel. (Some pros used to insist on hand washing so they could be sure it didn’t get mixed up with other laundry which could potentially pass on germs)
• Don’t Wash at Too High Temperature. On one holiday in US, I took my laundry to a US washomat. After washing at presumably very high temperature, the lycra was stretched to almost indecent proportions. I had to throw away the see-through shorts before getting into trouble. Don’t ruin a good pair of lycra by washing in hot water!
• Some Chamois cream can help keep the insert padding soft. Useful for long rides, though most synthetic chamois are pretty good at staying soft.

Despite using my custom cycling team shorts on most occasions, a seven hour ride in the Dales, made me wanting a really good pair for such epic rides.

Assos FI Mile S5 Bib Cycling Shorts

Assos have a reputation for producing the best, (whatever the cost). These shorts certainly looked intriguing with their dimpled padding. The padding is quite substantial and feels very soft when put on. It does feel different to other shorts because of the air flow and space in between dimples. This helps to wick away sweat which is one of top ways of creating friction and discomfort. The short fits on the body very easily, it smooths away pressure and there is no feeling of tightness or discomfort. Also, I never felt any seems which I often do on other shorts. For long rides, it is substantially more comfortable and does make a real difference. Sometimes, in cycling you can pay £150 extra and it’s hard to know what you’ve got for your money. But, buy a pair of these shorts and you will notice the difference in ride quality.

If you are serious for training for long distance rides and sportives, a couple (or one) pairs of these shorts will make a big difference and could perhaps be a higher priority than some carbon upgrade to save 10 grams.

See: full review of Assos T607 F1 Mile

• Assos F1 Mile at Wiggle £154
• Assos F1 Mile at Evans Cycles

I also bought some Assos Uno for £110. These are  a bit more reasonable, but still offer great comfort.

Cheaper Padded Shorts

If you’re a newcomer to cycling, don’t worry that shorts have to be so expensive. I ride close to 10,000 miles a year and so got excited about such a short. But, for the majority of the time, I’ve been fine riding on much cheaper shorts. For example, the dhb Finchdean padded short at under £50.

Under Shorts?

What if you want to ride normal clothes. It may be you want to ride a bike, then get off socialise, walk around the city and even enjoy yourself. If you want to enjoy cycling but, you feel self-consciousness walking around tourist attractions in lycra shorts, you can still get a padded under short you can wear underneath, this will make a comfortable ride. This dhb undershort is only £13. I have a pair of under shorts, but, they hardly get used, except under winter bib-tights with an insert.

• Cycling shorts at Evans Cycles
• shorts at Chain Reaction Cycles
• Lycra shorts at Wiggle
• Tips for a more comfortable ride

Over Christmas I bought these Castelli Nanoflex Legwarmers. For the past few weeks of cold weather, I’ve been testing and am quite pleased with the product.

Warmth

The material is warm and I used over a great tolerance of temperatures down to 4 – 5 degrees. Below that, and you would want something warmer, but that is true for most legwarmers. They feel quite light and stretchy. The inner lining makes them quite comfortable.

Nanoflex Technology

The new feature which made me want to buy them was the Nanoflex technology. This is a technology which claims to be excellent at repelling water. It makes them quite waterproof, but with being fully breathable at the same time. There claims are true, it is not fully waterproof, but it is excellent and repelling a light shower, your legs feel dry despite rain. It’s quite interesting to see the water appear as small droplets on the surface. (as an added bonus, it also seems to repel snot – an inevitability of cold weather riding)

Design

I chose the white colour, which looks good, though I wish the nanoflex logo was smaller or not there. From the picture, I wasn’t sure whether there would be a zip at bottom of legwarmer. But, fortunately, there is. For me this is a feature you really want in a legwarmer. The only drawback of buying white is you have to keep your legs away from the chain

Sizing.

I thought sizing was unusual for legwarmers. The legwarmers size L are very long from your hips to your toes. (I’m 6 foot 3). Put off by length, I went for the medium size. These are still longer than other types of legwarmers size (L). But, the medium were quite tight fighting, especially around the knee. For me, this is not a problem because I’m long and thin (6 foot 3, 10 stone). If you are a short, powerfully built sprinter, I wouldn’t buy these as the sizing is unlikely to be good for you.

Value for Money

You do pay more for the technology. £44 is not cheap for a pair of legwarmers. But, it is good to have a pair which are better at repelling water for rainy days.  I would buy again, though, it might also be worth looking at an alternative such as Sportful No-Rain Legwarmers which promise similar product, but at £33.

 Related

• Castelli Nanoflex legwarmers at Wiggle
• Legwarmer Reviews

Video of Nanoflex

I’m always tempted by cheap, light, easy to pack, ‘waterproof jackets’. But, you tend to get what you pay for. In reality all waterproof jackets offer degrees of waterproofing and degrees of breathability. It is a matter of finding the best combination for your type of riding. I also find it is necessary to have more than one for the different purpose of riding. The Altura Night Vision Flite has served most of my purposes for road riding, and fairly quick commuting. If you have a longer slower commuter, the Altura Night Vision Evo is perhaps a better choice.

Reviews of Different Waterproof Jackets:

Altura Night Vision

Altura Night Vision are quite expensive for a waterproof jacket. But, offer an excellent combination of waterproofness and breathability. If you do a lot of cycling in the rain, it is worth the investment to get a top of the range jacket. There are two main models

1. Altura Night Vision Flite.

This is a lightweight version of the Night Vision jacket. It easily packs up into a small bundle and can be stored in your back jersey pocket or saddle bag. Despite being very thin and light (150grams), it has two layers and is excellent at waterproofing – given its lightweight nature. The Night Vision Flite version is excellent for a quick commuter or road cyclist who wants to carry a waterproof in back pocket. It does start to get a little sweaty after hard riding, but overall I’m quite happy with this jacket and frequently use it.

Altura Flite waterproof jacket at Amazon

• Full review of Altura Night Vision Flite

Altura Night Vision  Evo

The Altura Night Vision Evo is an evolution of the popular Night Vision Jacket. It comes in the same dual layer, with added features such as:

• Reflective, water repel zips and surrounds
• Pit and rear vents
• Hand, chest and rear pockets
• Free Night Vision Lightstick – Velcro, fits to rear velcro patch on the back of the jacket.
• Highly reflective trim for 360o visibility
• Optional hood available separately

This is quite a warm waterproof jacket, suitable for colder winter months, and more gentle cycling. I wouldn’t want to use on ordinary road rides, but will be popular for the average commute. Good at keeping you dry. It stands out pretty well in the commuting line.

• Altura Night Vision Evo at Wiggle

Dare 2b Hybrid Windshell

I have been using the Dare 2b Hybrid Windshell recently during the winter months. It is a convenient size and weight for fitting into the back pocket. It is easy to put on and has strong zips, often a weakness of some waterproof jackets. It is relatively thin, but despite its lightness (180grams size L), has strong water repellent properties. It is also good at the end of the arms. I had size L which covers the whole body, there is an extended back – good for keeping off splash from behind. It isn’t tight fitting. Size L was suitable for someone with a much larger chest than me (I have 32 ” chest) (I It is ideal for keeping showers off, when you are riding quite hard. It has excellent breathable qualities, it doesn’t leave you feeling too sweaty. It stands out well.

I have the fluorescent green version and it stands out well on a grey day. Overall it is very good and not too expensive. At £32 it offers good value for a lightweight waterproof jacket.

Dare 2b Jackets at Halfords. | Dare 2b

Dhb Minima Jacket

This is a  versatile rain jacket and pretty good value. It is light and small enough to fit in a back pocket. With 2.5 layers  it offers pretty good wateproofing for 1-2 hours which is about as much as you want to do when its raining hard. When training, I tend not to ride for more than an hour in heavy rain; it does tends to be getting wet after this time frame. But, keeps the worst of the cold out. Panels in the arm help breath.If it is really heavy, I may use in combination with a cycle gilet which I nearly always carry as well.

• dhb Minima at Wiggle – £48

Cycle Gilet. This is very useful for the days, with frequent small showers (on a recent ride in the misty hills of the Yorkshire dales, it was ideal for the top of the climbs where it always seems to be wet.). The cycle gilet is just very easy to put on and take off whilst on the move. I have a custom made one (Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team) by Impsport which is fine. A gilet keeps these small showers from getting your body wet and doesn’t interfere with your cycling and movement. It also can act as a layer of insulation for windy descents. True, your arms are exposed, but, you maintain a flexibility for cycling and training, which you often want. Without a gilet, you are thinking do I want to stop and get sweaty or do I want to keep going and get wet. A gilet helps fill the gap for those awkward showers where you just want to keep going. Definitely a good product to have.

• Cycle Gilets at Wiggle

If the rain becomes heavier and more persistent I may put on the mid level jacket or race cape. Two layers of thin waterproofing are obviously much better.

Race Cape

I bought this Altura race cape (£34.99, Evans) because I was attracted by how small you could role it up. But, for its small size you pay in the fact that it is less effective in dealing with really heavy rain. It is really insufficient for long persistent heavy rain. But, if you are training / racing through a few showers, it helps maintain a few more degrees in the body. Again I often wear it in combination with a cycle gilet. I tend to take this race cape, when weather forecast is reasonably good / warm. It’s an insurance against unexpected heavy showers, but isn’t too bulky.

Briko Jacket

• Briko Extra waterproof (£44.99) Ultralight jacket made of Nylon Dropshell that is completely heat taped and unlined.

Top of the Range Cycling Jacket

• Endura Venturi eVent (£134.99) This is a 3 layer fabric – Lightweight, fully waterproof and exceptionally breathable. All zips are fully waterproof.
• Rear shoulder vents for extra breath ability
• Claims to be “the world’s most breathable waterproof fabric, this is the ultimate lightweight, waterproof jacket”
  
• Endure Venturi eVent at Chain Reaction Cycles

Other Tips for Waterproof Jackets

Related

• Waterproof jackets at Wiggle
• Rain wear at Evans
• Waterproof jackets at Amazon
• Do you go cycling in the rain?

You don't have to suffer in the rain

For quite a few years of cycle commuting I never really used waterproof trousers. I would kind of get wet, curse the weather and take a spare pair of trousers.

My first pair of waterproof cycling trousers were pretty useless and this must have been what put me off (they did only cost £15 from somewhere like Sports Direct – so I guess you get what you pay for). My solution, was to keep a spare pair of trousers at work and change into them when I got deluged.

However, a couple of years ago I got a decent pair of waterproof trousers and they do really transform your commute. I love the feeling of being able to commute whatever the weather.

The only drawback was that I bought a size too small (too short) so they left a gap between the trouser and sock.

Therefore I also bought a pair of garters to keep the gap between shoes and trousers dry. It’s also a good way of keeping your trousers tucked in and away from your chain. The other simple tip is to use plastic bags within your shoes, to keep all your socks dry. If you use this triple combination, you can keep yourself pretty much dry (even if it does take about 15 minutes to get ready…)

The other trick, I was told by the shop, is to wash the waterproof trousers with a special wax – this helps to keep the waterproof quality for longer.

Endura Humvee Trousers – Long Term Review

The Endura Humvee trousers are a lightweight and breathable trouser. I have used some for two years and have been pleased with their performance. For a 30 minute commute, they basically keep your legs dry, even in heavy rain. After a while, you do start to feel a slight dampness on the thighs where the rain slowly seeps through. However, they are really excellent at their breathability; even in warm weather you can wear these without getting hot and sweaty. I’d rather have the 5% seepage through rain,  rather than getting wet from sweat underneath.

If you are a 34″ length go for the XL

Endura Humvee trousers at Evans – £44.99

If you are looking for a top of the range waterproof trousers for more serious water protection, you might consider the Altura X attack  – at £96 I can’t say I will be testing them myself. I find that a cheaper type of waterproof trousers do what I need.

BTW: I never wear waterproof cycling trousers when doing training. Either I don’t go out if its raining hard – or your legs just get wet. But, when you’re training it doesn’t matter. Lycra tights will dry pretty quick. You just need the waterproof trousers when you need to go into town or to the office.

Related

• Cycling in the rain
• Waterproof Trousers at Wiggle
• Waterproof trousers at Evans

Incorrect Fitting of Helmet

from: flickr

In particular the most common problem is to wear the helmet too far back on the head. If you were to land on your forehead the first thing to hit the ground would be your head rather than your helmet. It is important to fit a helmet so that if you did land on your forehead, the first thing to hit the ground is the helmet.

The other mistake is to wear the helmet too loose. It is suggested that badly fitting helmets can actually cause injury when you fall because they can twist your neck. Take time to tighten up the different straps so that it is a snug fit (but not too snug to restrict your breathing.

Tips for Correct fitting of Bike Helmet

photo by Zimpenfish

• Measure circumference of head about 3 cm above eyebrows. Match your headsize to helmet. It doesn’t have to be exact fit as there will be some leeway with straps and padding.
• Place your head squarely on your head so front protrudes above forehead. Then adjust inner padding and inner straps so the helmet is snug. Not loose, but not too tight. It should not be possible to have more than one finger’s width between strap and chin.
• The front strap should be as vertical as possible.
• The buckle should be under the chin on the back of the lower jaw against the throat. It should not be on the jaw.
  If you try to move the helmet, it should only give a slight movement on the head. If it is easy to roll the helmet around the head, it is not tight enough.
• The helmet should sit level on the cyclist’s head with only a couple of finger-widths between eyebrow and the helmet brim.

Other tips for using a helmet.

• If you crash, or have a heavy impact on helmet – get a new one.
• Just because you are wearing a helmet doesn’t make you ‘safe’ on the roads. At the best it will minimise impact of head injuries. The most important safety feature is to ride with awareness and care.

Related

• Cheap cycle helmets - I can recommend the Specalized Align helmet. It is only £30, but has a very nice and simple system for fitting all head sizes. It feels very snug and is quite lightweight.
• Cycle Helmets at Evans
• Giro helmets

blending in with surroundings is not entirely the best strategy for cycling in busy cities, but, it does often seem to be the most popular.

I was stuck in Marston getting an Ipod adapter fitted to my car, so I was taking a few photos. Not too many cyclists about, probably because it was raining fairly persistently. A straw poll of the cyclists who did pass, showed a surprisingly high % of cyclist wearing dark clothes. Perhaps in summer you don’t expect it to get grey or dark weather. You could argue, motorists shouldn’t need bright clothes for them to see cyclists e.t.c. But, it seems wearing bright colours can only help increase visibility and reduce chance of being knocked over. It would certainly be interesting to see a careful study to see if hi viz jackets really do make a difference.

A waterproof, hi viz cover for backpack makes a big difference.

Nice cycle path. Very busy when school is in session.

Paths closed to cars and you see many children on bikes.

Related

• Cycling rain gear
  Cycling in Rain
  Best waterproof jackets

1. Assos F1 Mile Padded Cycling Shorts. These are the most comfortable pair of cycling shorts I’ve tested. If you find sitting on a saddle for several hours painful, I definitely recommend these padded cycling shorts which will help make the ride less painful on the old rear-end. Review: Assos F1 Mile Padded shorts
2. Nanoflex Leg Warmers. I often do early season races in leg warmers. I find the dangers of getting cold legs after a race are too great to risk riding when it is very cold. I know one UK cyclist who can be seen wearing leg warmers in a race at 20 degrees. I wouldn’t go that far, but lycra legwarmers are pretty useful. The Castelli Nanoflex legwarmers have the advantage of being highly water repellent. In rainy days, there are excellent at keeping your legs dry, but they are definitely fully breathable. See: Review Nanoflex leg warmers
3. Thermal Base layer. It is vital to get a good thermal base layer which quickly wicks away sweat. There is nothing worse than using a cheap t shirt which keeps your sweat close to your skin. I often wear 2 underlayers to get rid of most sweat. Just avoid using a heavy goretex jacket as these tend to make you sweat alot.
4. Cycling Overshoes. Because I have reynaulds diesease, my hands and feet quickly get cold. In particular, I find that it is difficult to keep my feet warm enough. Because of this I am usually wearing overshoes from October through to April. I tend to perfer neoprene. Some people find neoprene makes the feet sweat alot. But, I don’t get that problem. (also keep shoes clean as well)
5. Gillet. A gillet is a great invention and a necessity for any cyclist doing long hills. On the uphill the gillet unzips and naturally folds behind the back, giving maximum breathability. On the descent you can zip it up to give great wind protection. Invaluable for anyone likely to suffer from chest problems. Also essential if you go an any cycling holiday to the Pyrenees or Alps
6. Winter Training Top. My winter training top is not waterproof but fully breathable with a full length zip. It’s not too heavy, or thick. I prefer wearing several layers, rather than one heavy layer.
7. Wool Thermal Gloves I’m not keen on the large ski gloves because I find it is easy for the hands to get sweaty. Then they can become quite cold later in the ride. I bought some top of the range wool gloves for about £15. They are not too thick but give excellent insulation and breath ability. The only downside is that they are not waterproof.
8. Retro Cycling Jersey. If like to do a little posing on on the bike, why not check out these retro cycling jerseys. A bit expensive, but they have style.
9. Lightweight waterproof jacket. I’m not keen on the heavier goretex varieties of jackets. I prefer a lightweight waterproof, which can be folded into a back pocket or cut down waterbottle. They protects against moderate showers, giving you just enough time to race home. best waterproof jackets
10. Arm Warmers. In the UK you can be wearing armwarmers through most of the season. I had difficulty finding armwarmers which were thin enough and didn’t slip down the arms. Lycra makes the best type of armwarmers because they are so quick to dry. I also have some de Feet armwarmers which use a wool based material. Assos Armprotectors are excellent

See also:

Cycle Clothing at Evans

Am happy with new cycling shoes – Mavic Tourmalet after a long battle to find a pair which fit well. They look pretty good too.

When it comes to buying shoes I would prefer buying from a local shop than online. I have always had difficulty buying cycling shoes. Partly, because manufacturers have widely different conceptions of what size 12 or size 48 means means.

Different brands seem to use different shoe sizes. I’ve had cycling shoes from size 46 to size 48.

A problem with buying at local shops is that my size 12, is often not stocked. So with reluctance, I looked online. I was fortunate to find one model which did half sizes, so I ended up getting a Mavic Tourmalet 46.5. Evans cycles were quite good because initially  I thought the 46.5  were too big so I sent it back to get a 46, but, that was too small so I ended up back with a 46.5 – which is just right even in winter and with hotpads stuffed down them.

I don’t know why it’s so difficult to choose the right pair of cycling shoes. But, one foot is slightly bigger than the other and my feet are comparatively wider than normal.

By the way, if anyone takes size 48, I have a pair of Northwave size 48, which I rode twice before I realised they were too big. I guess I should try sell on ebay..

Tips on Buying Cycling Shoes

• Do try them on.
• Don’t put too much weight on manufacturers shoe sizes – they definitely do vary
• Be aware your feet can expand when they get hot. Also bear in mind, you might be wearing two or three pairs in winter.
• A good fit is more important than any other feature.

The Mavic Tourmalet are a good shoe. They look good and weigh little – just 285 grams for size 8.5. They are well ventilated and have good heels to avoid wear and tear.

After three years of wearing the Mavic Tourmalet, they are still doing a good job. They have lasted very well, despite constant use. I usually use some kind of overshoes throughout the year. They help to keep them clean.

The only thing was that the straps were too long. I cut them off to make shorter and more aerodynamic, but they still feel tight enough. You can also adjust them if you are wearing a different number of socks.

Related

• Mavic Road shoes at Evans