Cold(er) weather riding

I would like to keep riding the mountain bike well into the Fall this year, hopefully right up until ski season. Brian, Tim and I talked briefly about it and Brian made a good point about how your fingers and toes can get pretty cold. I have full finger gloves, but there's no insulation and I can see how your feet can get pretty cold, especially if they get wet, given my riding shoes are very "breathable".

What do you do to combat this? I figure I'll start with a long sleeve synthetic shirt when the temps dip below 50 and maybe a fleece if it gets close to 40. I wouldn't anticipate riding in temps much below that. Do you just stick with shorts, or do some long pants come into play? Any specific good clothing suggestions?

There are, of course, purpose made solutions to MTB riding in the cold weather. However they can be kinda costly and I have trouble justifying them for a limited amount of could weather riding. I may pick of a pair of warmer cycling gloves though. They have booties to cover your shoes, but they seem kind of pricey for what they are. I've seen threads on other sites where people take old wool socks, cut a hole for the cleat, and put them over their shoes. Might look silly, but I suppose it would work, at least until the sock falls apart.

I might just get a set of flat pedals to ride with some warmer shoes. That and some warmers clothes will probably he it for me.

o3jeff said:

I might just get a set of flat pedals to ride with some warmer shoes. That and some warmers clothes will probably he it for me.

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Don't underestimate how cold your hands can get being out in front on the handle bar. I took one ride in some slightly colder weather last fall and my hands and feet were freezing to the point that I cut the ride short. I had on some spring weight skiing gloves and my fingers got so cold I had trouble using them to control the bike. I tried to ride hard to get my core temp up and my blood flowing, but it didn't matter since the harder I rode the faster I went, which meant more cold wind hitting my hands...

And winter riding gloves too. I think Chainlove had some recently for road riding.

o3jeff said:

And winter riding gloves too. I think Chainlove had some recently for road riding.

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Yeah, they've had them up a few times.

Platforms for the winter, huh? That's a thought. Do they simply make colder weather shoes which you can use with cleats; some insulation and perhaps with Gore-Tex? Probably a wash vs. buying platforms and easier to adjust the shoe to the pedal based on the temps, vs. swapping pedals.

And maybe a set of shin guards. I have some old insulated/waterproof hikers kicking around that I haven't worn in a while and just hated to toss them, this probably would a good use for them.

I wear my LJ for skiing under my shorts and put my spring ski gloves on. It may look a little gomersih but it does not matter. People hate getting tromped by a gomer which makes it all the better.

My feet never get cold but what about a pair of foot warmers. I would think they would do the trick

Greg said:

Platforms for the winter, huh? That's a thought. Do they simply make colder weather shoes which you can use with cleats; some insulation and perhaps with Gore-Tex? Probably a wash vs. buying platforms and easier to adjust the shoe to the pedal based on the temps, vs. swapping pedals.

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Yes, they make cold weather cycling shoes.

I've done the long johns under shorts thing too, seemed to work alright.

Grab a pair of these.
http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/ou...umi-Vertex-Thermafleece-Bib-Knicker-Mens.html

Also noticed they want $50 for a pair of thermal bike gloves:-o

This past winter I did some riding since Stamford doesn't really get that much snow... and it was at night, so pretty cold. This is what I wore on the coldest of nights.

Feet - neoprene booties, and sometimes I'd throw in those neoprene toe covers for inside the shoe. The neoprene toe covers alone do not do the work needed. Booties just work a lot better in colder weather. There are some small sized ones on clearance:
http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_...4442591238&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302874555
I reeeally like having the booties.

Legs - tight fitting long johns, running tights, or leg warmers. Can't really wear pants since they'll catch on stuff. My legs don't get too cold, so that stuff works.

Upper body - long sleeve riding shirt. Colder? Add thin windbreaker. Colder? Add fleece vest under windbreaker. If I'm still cold while riding with all this on then it's probably too cold to be riding.

Hands - half fingered gloves with glove liners over them:
http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_...4442246885&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302890577
and I think I have cold hands to begin with! My hands don't really get too cold on the mtb, but do get cold easily on the road bike (less dynamic, higher winds). If your hands start getting cold... pedal faster or find an uphill to heat up on - a higher core temp will get more blood pumping to your hands.

Head - thin liner. My head usually doesn't get cold, its my ears. Cover them a little and they're fine. I think only once did I actually wear a balaclava out riding. It was a very cold night!

What you have to figure out riding in the cold is what you need to wear while riding. All my cold night rides started with me shivering in the parking lot and prob the first 10 minutes of the ride. Then I warm up and its all good after that.

My buddy and I were talking this morning in the woods before work about how we can't wait for the 30's to ride.

Winter gloves are huge. They are made with windstopper fabric, don't need to be as fully insulated as ski gloves but they do have some insulation. One of my buddies does wear old ski gloves. But, I like winter riding gloves as they give you more dexterity. Fingers don't really get that cold until the mercury drops into the 20's and below.

I have a couple of pairs of riding tights. 3-4 season. 4 season tights are usually fleeced inside. Most 3 season are plenty. I ride, whether mtn or road, with tight traditional bike shorts, as I find I am able to more freely maneuver on and around the saddle with them as opposed to the baggy versions. I put the long tights over the bike shorts and am good to go to about 20 degrees in the woods. (on the road, you need something more windproof and insulated at those temps).

We ride throughout the winter even with snow on the ground. They do make winter bootie shoes. I just throw on a big sock and keep moving those toes like on the chairlifts! I also have neoprene booties, but tend not to wear them often in the woods...cold toes happen more on the road bike for me than mtn. But, the hardest part for me is that the SPD cleats get iced over. I always curse them and swear I'm going to buy some eggbeaters but never do. So platforms might be an answer, but I'd rather go with a better shedding click-in pedal.

On top, I have variable weight biking jerseys and this very thin, breathable windproof jacket made by hind that is awesome. In the middle of the winter I can wear just a zipnecked poly long sleeved baselayer, a fleeced biking jersey and that jacket with temps into the teens. And, by the time up the big hill, i have all 3 layers unzipped down to my mid-chest.

Winter riding is great!!! So much better than middle of the summer. Camelback freezes over....but, the insulated water bottles i use in the summer on the road work to keep the water in its liquid state in the winter!

Oh, a skull cap is key for very cold weather....but even in the 30's I'll usually end up pulling it off mid ride.

Greg said:

Platforms for the winter, huh? That's a thought. Do they simply make colder weather shoes which you can use with cleats; some insulation and perhaps with Gore-Tex? Probably a wash vs. buying platforms and easier to adjust the shoe to the pedal based on the temps, vs. swapping pedals.

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If you're looking into buying quality platforms just for winter riding (at least $50)... or a new set of winter, possibly GTX, shoes ($150+ for shoes and $10 for extra cleats)... you might as well spend $40 on booties and use the same shoes.

i'll usually mtb into the mid 20's. neoprene booties are pretty cheap and work well with thin wool socks, long johns or running tights over spandex bike shorts with running shell pants on top, underarmour/fleece/windshell as required and thin headband(bike specific) under helmet, full finger bike gloves. I found a pair of thin warm snowboard gloves that work great also. my cold spots are toes, knee caps (get cold & achy) and thumbs while the rest of me is usually sweating! don't forget your blaze orange vest depending on where you ride!

I have a pair of Canonndale grind pants. They have a regular chamois bike short inner and a synthetic long pant where the legs can zip off. They have tons of velcro on the lower leg so nothing gets caught in the chain. Those are just fine down to around freezing without layering. I'll usually slide some windproof fleece gloves over my bike gloves and some fairly thick Smartwool socks.

My brother commutes to work in the colorado (boulder) winters by bike, I'd like to pick him up some winter gloves for his commute. Could you guys recommend any specific brands/models? How about the Louis Garneau Tornado?

How bout some studded/spiked tires? I saw some in a james bond movie once --

I don't have any recommendations on gloves. I have a pair that I've only used once, so I'm not much of an authority.

As far as studded tires goes, search the web. There's lots of how-to info out there to make your own.