|
|
Cycling in autumn and winter can be one of two things.
A miserable experience, one which usually ends up with the bike
being thrown to the back of the shed until spring, or, the season
in which some of your best, most life affirming rides will happen.
It's up to you how well you prepare for the whims of our winter weather.
"There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes."
It's a hoary old cliché but it is absolutely true. Prepare well
and you'll be able to enjoy cycling throughout this season with
the minimum of discomfort.
|
What you'll be up against:
The cold. Both what it says on the thermometer and the wind chill.
It's winter, in Britain. It will rain. And don't forget you're cycling not
walking the dog and going to be working up a good sweat in all probability.
Think waterproof and breathable.
Chances are, unless you've got the ultimate flexi-time set-up at work you'll
be doing some night riding this season. So visibility is key. Both your ability
to see the road and other road users' ability to see you.
Other factors:
What kind of cycling are you doing? Road cyclists and commuters tend to be pedalling
constantly, whilst mountain bikers often have periods of intense activity interspersed
with relative lows.
The weather won't remain the same. Versatility is central to both autumn and winter
cycling clothing.
Tredz guide to clothing for autumn or winter cycling
With all that in mind here's our guide to what should keep you in the saddle this
season, with some examples of each category.
The head
First off, don't substitute your helmet for a hat. Through extensive research (I fell
off my bike) I can vouch for their ineffectiveness at shock absorbing. Use an under-helmet
or skullcap underneath your trusty hard hat.
We're sure that you know that the majority of body heat is lost via the head. A chilly nose
or ears can seriously put you off wanting to get back on the bike next time, whilst it's
dangerous to let your head get too cold.
An underhelmet hat like the
Altura Windproof Cycling Skullcap is the ultimate way (apart from a full balaclava) to keep the entire
top of your head warm when the temperatures drop and the winds pick up. You'll want yours to be breathable,
warm and shaped to cover your ears.
A headband is a great stopgap. It'll keep your exposed bits warm (ears and forehead) whilst
maintaining a cool head.
The upper body
This is where it gets complicated. So many things can influence what you should be wearing,
from personal preference, intensity of activity to the weather.
There are some golden rules to be aware of though.
Staying totally dry on a bike in winter is impossible. Doesn't matter how breathable
your space age tech jacket is, your body's ability to breath will beat it. The key is
remaining dry for as long as possible and comfortable when wet.
Layering
Layering is the key word that you'll hear repeated to you in every outdoors shop throughout
the land. It gives you the versatility that is key to remaining comfortable whilst being
physically active and is the best way to achieve the properties you'll need. The traditional
approach is via three layers.
Base Layers
This layer is all about thermal insulation (keeping you warm) and wicking (moving your
sweat off of you before it gets cold). A bit of choice here, from the polyester microfibre
based products that offer good breathability at great value, to the more expensive Merino
wool items, that'll keep you comfortable even when wet and (spousal Christmas shoppers note!)
don't smell.
Base layers are cut to be close fitting and worn tight to the skin. Don't be tempted to
use a tight fitting cotton tee as a base. It'll make you damp, cold and very uncomfortable.
Some 'tried and tested' base layers are:
Mid Layer
Customarily the layer you could remove if the weather became a bit friendlier. Warmth
without weight is the balance your looking for.
Often a Roubaix type material (a fleecy, comfortable and warm lightweight fabric), or
again Merino. Standard cycling jerseys are quite regularly used for this layer, with a
zip (or half zip) that'll easily pull down to increase airflow.
Take your pick:
Top Layer or Shell
The holy trinity of outdoor activity jackets - waterproof, windproof and breathable
is a mantra you'll hear repeatedly from manufacturers. The best of this type will
stop the ingress of all rain whilst allowing for a very high level of breathabilty.
Some products get their waterproofing from being chemically treated (and may need
occasional reproofing), whilst some have 'natural' waterproof qualities.
As high breathability is key to remaining comfortable, most cycling jackets will have
several vents to allow good airflow.
Being the surface layer, another really important factor is how visible the jacket
will make you on the road. Ideally you'd want 360 degrees of reflectivity.
Arm warmers, whilst not being appropriate for colder conditions are great at prolonging
the usefulness of your summer gear in the interim period.
Some best-sellers:
Gloves
On a bike it's absolutely crucial that your hands are kept comfortable. Your response
time depends on it.
As well as the standard reasons for wanting a pair of bike gloves (cut down on blisters,
cramps and discomfort), your cold weather gloves are going to need to be full finger,
insulated and breathable.
Winter gloves tend to be bulkier, perhaps being made in two parts, inner and outer,
so that the inner can be washed. They will tend to have longer cuffs, to tuck into
jackets and avoid the wrists being chilled, a waterproof exterior and a layer of
insulation between that and the liner or inner glove.
If the weather turns really nasty you've got to start looking at lobster claw gloves
(fewer pockets of air, so warmer but less manoeuvrable) and thin inner gloves.
Take your pick:
The Lower Body
Doesn't follow the exact same line of thinking as the upper body, chiefly because
your legs are the part of you that are doing all the work.
Bibs and thermal tights are a very good way to keep comfortable in winter -
offering manoeuvrability, high levels of wicking and good levels of warmth. Leg
warmers offer good interim protection, a great way to prolong the useful life of
your summer gear and very handy to slip on if the weather turns nastier mid-ride.
How about these:
Cycling trousers offer a less cycle specific 'style' (for those with an in
built fear of lycra), but offer less wicking.
Cycling overtrousers are a popular option for commuters in particular, fitting
over your 'base' layer (or even work trousers), they benefit from their versatility -
keeping whatever you've got on underneath from getting muddy/wet/torn and providing
an extra layer of warmth.
Good cycling bottoms will provide some vital reflectivity and have a cycle specific
fit that'll keep you from getting tangled up with your chain. A few of the better
options out there are:
Feet
Cold feet can ruin a ride as quickly as cold hands. Thermal insulated and high wicking
socks will keep your feet comfortable long after your cotton's are sodden and cold.
Our favourite:
Shoes fall into two categories. You can either buy a pair of winter specific cycling
shoes that will be highly breathable, waterproof and tough enough to shrug off mud and
rocks, or, invest in a pair of overshoes. Overshoes generally fit over summer cycling
shoes or in some cases ordinary shoes.
A good overshoe should either be waterproof or offer good insulation. Again, some
reflectivity is nice as your feet are highly visible if lit up:
Lights
Essential (and required by law) as the nights draw in. They vary from the very basic to
the high performance lights, which are designed to help mountain bikers see as far ahead
as possible. They'll go up in performance (and price) according to their weight, brightness
(candlepower/lumens) and battery life.
As a general rule of thumb LED based lights are much more hardy, brighter for their size
and have an outstanding battery life. Halogen lights tend to offer better value for money.
However much you spend it's worth noting that by law you must have a front and rear light
(that will allow you to see the road). It's a good idea to have at least one good light set
and one set of (LED) safety lights for road use, ensuring that you can see and be seen this
winter.
A selection from our range:
Miscellaneous
Mud Guards. Obviously these are something that you can use all year round, but they come
into their own when the roads start to get really crud filled.
Its not only you that needs protection from the elements, protect your backpack with a
waterproof backpack cover that'll also keep you highly visible.