It is so very very cold

[Gazzab]

Without getting to graphic re button mushrooms and so forth......
How do you keep your digits etc warm.....?
I wear some winter gloves but my fingers still get reasonably cold.
I wear Seal waterproof socks and specialised SPD shoes. My toes get very cold.
I wear cycling 'tights' plus outer waterproof shorts and my **** gets cold !!
The rest of me is fine.
I am going to try wearing some thin gloves and some thin socks to address first two issues. The final one is more worrying !!! Anyone got a clothing proposal !!!!???

[BOR]

Presumably it depends how far you ride and at what air temperature.

I rode in today @0-minus 3degC, and at these temps I just wear normal jogging trousers/t-Shirt/fleece/Skiing Jacket/balaclava. I use my motorbike gloves, and a pair of winter boots. After about 5kms I have to unzip the jacket (from waist upwards) about half way.

If your hands and feet are cold, it could be that your core body is not warm enough, so a thicker jacket might, paradoxically make your feet/hands warmer.

Wearing SPDs might be producing a "cold bridge" to your pedals which might be sucking heat away from your feet.

[pdV6]

Gazzab said:

I wear cycling 'tights' plus outer waterproof shorts and my **** gets cold !!

If your tights don't have a chamois insert, wear a pair of lycra shorts underneath for that extra layer warming factor.

[WildCards]

Make sure that your gloves & shoes/socks aren't too tight aswell, if circulation is being restricted that won't help matters.

[Gazzab]

I tend to ride about 20Kms ish on a ride, virtually all off road in very rural peak district.
Tends to be very cold now.
I have properly fitting thick gloves and properly fitting shoes.
I have pretty cheapo tights with chamois (from Decathlon).
I layer up eg long sleeved thermal top, thickish cycling jersey and a thin shell jacket.
Also wear a beanie thing on my head under the helmet.

[936ADL]

It was certainly cold on the way to work this morning!

Last night's night ride was also pretty chilly. Trails that were mud baths last week, were hard packed and icy. Awesome.

As for keeping warm, layers are the only answer. I use Shimano MT90 boots which also help quite a bit.

[d1bble]

I have a ridiculously hot shower before i tackle a very cold ride.

Also thin layers help

[pdV6]

Gazzab said:

I have pretty cheapo tights with chamois (from Decathlon).

Maybe a pair of cheap, unpadded lycra shorts over the tights but under the baggies then?

[Gazzab]

think that might be a good idea. I am ok re losing a finger of a toe to frost bite but not me chap.

[Exige46]

You can get thin gloves to go under winter gloves, various manufacturers do all types of overshoes, and are your tights lycra or a thicker 'Roubaix' material? Just need to browse wiggle.co.uk or evanscycles.co.uk or one of many other sites or local (good) bike shops.

Inner gloves on here:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/CategoryProducts.aspx?cate...

Overshoes (make sure they go over the shoes you have, some fit very closely to racing shoes)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/CategoryProducts.aspx?cate...

Tights
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/CategoryProducts.aspx?cate...

[Fourmotion]

Gazzab said:

I wear Seal waterproof socks and specialised SPD shoes. My toes get very cold.

My feet get bloody cold with just my Sealskins on too. I wear a pair of Hilly running socks under them. They're quite thin but double layered, and layers are always key to warmth.

I've got a pair of ski glove liners that I wear under my Gill "Warm when Wet" gloves, it seems to do the trick.

Other than that wear a proper technical base layer on top and a long sleeve t-shirt, and as long as you're not stopping all the time then that should be plenty warm enough. I wear the same shorts all year round.

[sjg]

Ride faster. Take a hipflask.

[JWB]

I have ridden regulary through a Scandinavian winter, the temps you are talking about are shorts and T shirt weather !! -20deg C was common.

Seriously.

Hands: I have a thin pair of woollen gloves worn under a pair of ski gloves.

Feet: A pair of winter cycling boots (with SPD) a size too large. A thin pair of socks and a thick pair of wool walking socks. The scret is to have air space.

Legs: Theraml bottoms then my cycling longs on top.

Top: Lots of Merino layers, fleece if req. and a windproof.

Neck: A merino neck warmer, basically a tube.

Head: A merino balaclava and a thin hat under if req.


You can get heated insoles for your shoes if you really suffer.


Strangely I find a cold shower warms me more. After a cold shower my body is glowing and warm.

Edited by JWB on Friday 14th December 16:50