How To Keep Warm cycling



 



LAYERS LAYERS LAYERS... It all boils down layers. 



SOCKS

1 Pair Of Thinsulated Socks. £5 is such a small price to pay

2/3 pairs of very thick wool socks. You may need slightly large shoes. 

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OVER SHOES

1 pairs of plastic type commuter over shoe's. These are not pretty, but keep the wind out!

1 pair of racing over shoe. These are 1) to be stylish and 2) they will prevent 80-90% of the wind getting to the 1st pair of over shoes



LEG WARMERS

The main advantage over leggings is then can be pulled of quickly at any stops and popped into your back pocket. I've never had to take them off, just keep your legs covered whether legging or leg warmers. Another advantage of course you can add fashion by mixing shorts/leg warmers.



ARM WARMERS

Cold days wear two pairs. You can always pull them off.



JERSEYS​

Forget base layers. My personal favorite is 3 cycling jerseys. The main advantage is 3 zips. On climbs you can undo all 3 and let air in. On cold days this air conditioning works so well. How far you unzip, how many tops you unzip you control how much air gets in and how cool you want to be.  The second advantage is pockets. 3 tops = 9 pockets. Plenty of room for spares. Also if it hots up (in Perth the temperature would be 0 degrees celcius at 6am, by 10am it was 20 degree's) you can take a top or even two off and pop them in your back pocket. 



You didn't really think you got dropped because your jerseys were thicker than theirs did you. 



NECK SCARF 

Essential piece of kit.  Can be warn around neck (keeping nay cold from entering your top through the collar, pull up over face for the strong head winds and fast decents, and also over your ears if need be. I normally take two, especially if climbing. When you sweat, they will get wet. So having a spare dry one to swap over for the last hour of the ride is always good. 

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EAR WARMERS/HEAD BAND

these allow heat to escape from your head, cool breeze to flow through helmet while keeping your ears snug. Again if your stopping a spare one is a good idea. These and the neck scarves take up no space what so ever. you could get 5 of each in 1 pocket.



GLOVES

Don't be a hero. BUY expensive! Ski gloves can be very good for keeping your hands warm (£50), but Aldi's also do fantastic ones for £15.. On very cold days, a spare pair in a pocket means after 2-3 hours of working and sweating, a clean dry pair for the ride home can help.

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COATS 

I don't like them. However you need them for the rain. i still prefer 3 tops when it comes to cold, but obvious if its raining you need to keep dry. Buy a good quality gillet or you will just sweat into the arms of the jacket. one solution is to cut a small hole at the elbow to allow the sweat to drip out

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LINKS

£2.50 from china. They're reverseable soyou

can have plain black. click here to view on Ebay

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