C-c-c-cold weather riding…
Dec 10th, 2009 by Leo
A gratuitous ice racing video…to inspire those who think it’s too cold out…
When the weather is mild (like it’s been up until recently here in NY) it’s easy to think leather is a pretty good insulator. But when it gets colder you realize, it’s not. Leather is not so good at blocking the wind or the cold. So what to do? And what do you do if you want to ride in comfort but don’t like bulking up like the Michelin tire man? Here’s a recap of some essential tips from previous winters…
- Break the wind. Before you do anything else your outermost layer has to be windproof. That means big ole’ Gore Tex ski jacket, or North Face or even a thin windbreaker over your riding gear. Make sure your outermost layer is windproof, along with having tight enclosures around the wrists and waist. Windbreaker pants over jeans and long johns are usually enough to keep me comfortable even in zero degree weather.
- Get a good base layer. Stretchy UnderArmour cold gear, top and bottom (or something similar from Nike or some other company) under everything makes the winter more bearable. You can pretty much start putting them on around now, and keep wearing them till the Spring thaw. After the first couple of days you won’t even realize you’re wearing them. You’ll just be comfortable and wonder why everyone else is having such a hard time keeping warm.
- Neck gator. It’s not about keeping your neck warm so much as keeping the cold air from getting down your collar. Your neck, waist, and wrists are the key that if you can keep the cold air out, you’ll stay warm.
- Full face helmet. You should probably wear them all year round, but the cold weather makes them absolutely necessary.
- Water proof gloves (if you don’t have heated grips). I’m not a fan of thick winter riding gloves. I just haven’t found one that gives me the dexterity of regular riding gloves… Rain gloves, however, come close. The thing about waterproof gloves are they also tend to keep air out – not so good on muggy rainy days – but perfect for the cold. Or if you don’t want to invest in a good pair of water proof textile gloves, try the rubber rain gloves made to go over regular riding gloves…not bad.
Got any other tips? Share the wealth in the comments section.
Related posts:
Keep a couple of large sandwich bags under your seat – then put them over your socks inside your boots if it really starts to rain hard.
Dry feet are even more important when it’s freezing cold.