UPDATED Feb 2024 with updated links, prices and new info on ski helmets, and bar mitts It's that time of the year when temps start dropping and lots of people start thinking that they can't bike any more. As an utter wimp when it comes to the cold I used to be one of them. My body can easily handle 100 degree heat, but at 60 F I'm shivering. Luckily, I learned how to pick out clothes to make cold weather biking really comfortable, even for a heat loving guy like me. Read on to learn how you too can bike comfortably, no matter how cold it gets.
Incredibly janky port of comments from my old WordPress site:
Andrew
2021-12-17 at 5:08 pm
Solid advice, though the temperatures you cite do certify you as a cold weather wimp. 😉 For a different perspective, I’m a furnace when I bike. My keys from 10 years of Alaska are: layer up and start cold. Zipper layers and especially pit zips in your wind layer are key to maintaining good temperature. I usually end rides well vented, even when below 0F. Your hands and feet are critical as they aren’t moving. I wear full on winter boots to solve the feet (many use toe warmers). Pogies are excellent and I often go barehanded on the bars at 10F in them once I’ve warmed up, and mine are just the lightweight neoprene ones. I’ve never found eye coverings to be worth it (though I’m under 10 mph on my fat bike) and I embrace the ice beard and usually forgot face covering too. The key is to experiment with what you have and take note at different temperatures what works for you. Buy new things last.
Incredibly janky port of comments from my old WordPress site:
GreenMarketer
2022-01-13 at 4:41 pm
Love your post! I’ve spent the past few months stepping up my winter wear game so it’s comfy to ride… but it still isn’t there (yet).
Your advice about lined pants and eyewear is exactly what I need to get myself out there on the coldest days of the year (windchill of 0-10 F or so)
Thanks again!
Incredibly janky port of comments from my old WordPress site:
Andrew
2021-12-17 at 5:08 pm
Solid advice, though the temperatures you cite do certify you as a cold weather wimp. 😉 For a different perspective, I’m a furnace when I bike. My keys from 10 years of Alaska are: layer up and start cold. Zipper layers and especially pit zips in your wind layer are key to maintaining good temperature. I usually end rides well vented, even when below 0F. Your hands and feet are critical as they aren’t moving. I wear full on winter boots to solve the feet (many use toe warmers). Pogies are excellent and I often go barehanded on the bars at 10F in them once I’ve warmed up, and mine are just the lightweight neoprene ones. I’ve never found eye coverings to be worth it (though I’m under 10 mph on my fat bike) and I embrace the ice beard and usually forgot face covering too. The key is to experiment with what you have and take note at different temperatures what works for you. Buy new things last.