Running around looking for gloves? What about pockets of an anorak?
I hate wasting time by picking up things. I need the anorak, when it’s cold or windy or rainy. So I stored my gloves in the pockets, together with a headband and a cap (it’s a derivation of Gibbs’ rule #9 ).
Over the years I’ve developed a cold weather strategy that works quite well for me. If I could find my gloves quickly and easily, I wouldn’t be pre-warmed when I go outside.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve experienced this… It’s a PITA to get all the stuff on, a PITA to have to stop to take it off, and a PITA to have to figure out some way of getting it transported to your destination (and back). I guess I need more wool clothing.
Step outside after dressing up and wait for a minute. If you’re warm then you’re overdressed for the ride. I also carry extra layer or two in my bags so I rather underdress and then put something on, than overheat, sweat and have to take something off.
+1 for erring a bit on the cold side and packing an extra layer. If I’m a little cold I can also ride faster. I guess it works the other way too, but on a commute you don’t want to slow down too much or you’ll be late.
I was mostly joking about looking for my gloves, but I usually wait a few minutes after getting dressed until I start to feel warm. Then stepping outside is refreshing and the first mile isn’t as chilly. Especially when I go for a run instead of a ride, because I’ve got nowhere to carry extra layers.
My usual cycling gear in the 1960s was ‘Anorak, Scarf and Gloves.’
The gloves I still use! A light, leather, pair that help prevent gravel rash to the hands and keep the wind of my hands. A fleecy cloth liner inside makes them warm but also wicks away sweat. Good all-weather gear and difficult to replace!
I have unusually thick fingers that make guitar playing a problem (I need a wider fingerborad than a standard neck – ‘Classical’ sized.
It is difficult to find gloves that both allow the blood to flow and don’t have an inch or more of material slopping around beyond my fingers.
The Anorak was good as the hood can be left down unless it is needed, it has enough pockets to rival Yehuda’s ‘Bag of Holding’ and has drawstrings to shape it for more comfort instead of flopping around like a sack. Pulled tight, the coat feels more aerodynamic too? On the m/c I used to use a PVC version that made me waterproof in most conditions, but was too hot on a Summer day for cycling…
A good pair of water-resistant over trousers complete the ensemble in wet conditions. These usually rolled up and fitted in a saddlebag or a pocket of the Anorak.
I once tried some over shoes to keep my shoes dry, but they were to clumsy to use for long rides. Okay for a commute though, helping me get to work dry and tidy
Too early in the morning – a good time to delete the whole thing and re-write it!
s/b ‘(I need a wider fingerboard than a standard neck – ‘Classical’ sized.)
I find that every 10 degrees below 47f dictates a different level of clothing selection or layering. So I like front zips and vents as well as windproof leather mitts for riding in winter. Scarf and earmuffs, thin cap under the helmet, and as always the safety glasses to keep my eyes from drying out in the wind. Today will be commute RT number 197 for me this year.
Yeah, it’s fun watching the days add up! I’m at 172 commuting days as of today, despite having been out for a solid month-plus on paternity leave in the spring.
Hey Pops, you want a cold snap, come to minnesota, our low last night was 33, 68 is a shorts and sandal weather up here. our high for today is going to be 48, i’m tempted to get the shorts and sandals out for that. What state are you in?
Same here. 40 degrees this AM here in DC with a northerly wind. I wore cargo shorts, two tee shirts (one long sleeve, one short), and full fingered cycling gloves. Was a bit nippy for the first five minutes, but I felt great at the end of the ride.
It reminds me of when I was in high school on the tennis team. My friends and I would go play tennis in 30 degree January weather. After about five minutes of warming up, off came the sweatshirts and we would be in shorts and a tee shirt. It was great. Just like on my commute this AM, you could exercise hard if you wanted and not have a drip of sweat. It’s nice…
Perceived warmth or cold is also very dependent on time of year. I find that in fall, the first few forty something degree days seem really cold, and I’ll have on a fleece jacket or something to help me stay warm and maybe throw on tights under my shorts.
Exact same weather conditions in March, and wearing tights doesn’t even enter my mind, and my clothing waist up is probably just a long sleeve tee.
Yesterday in NYC we had 2 inches of snow and low of 31F. I took my road bike to work in the AM and regretted not taking the forecast seriously when I had to leave at the end of the day while my MTBike was sitting at home.
Same thing here. I use panniers for my commute so things can go in there but living up on a mountain makes the first mile tough. In the dead of winter I drive down to the base of the hill (it’s only the first 2 miles of 12) and ride from there. When it’s 10deg and dark those first couple of miles are just way too cold without being pre-warmed. I get chilled and never warm my extremities back up. I guess I could bundle up in my ski gear but then I’d have to take all of that off and carry it all.
pulled my first cold weather ride (ie below 40f), 2 wool layers + up and down roubaix (i’m hybrid ) were fine, but i did need real winter gloves and the balaclava under my wool cap (over preparation!!) … made a midday pickup the next day in mountaineering pants and was sweating before I left the block … as Yehuda made clear, you have to prepare for the last mile, not the first. that first ride did take an hour to dress for, which probably gained me 5 degrees
My first mile is downhill, so not only am I cold, but I’m going over 30 miles an hour. Then it’s about another two miles of level riding before I hit my hills and start to warm up. I can’t dress lightly enough to not be sweaty by the time I top the ridge 3/4 of the way through my commute. Oh well. It beats a treadmill or stationary cycle.
I just open my coat and let my chest steam. If not enough, I take one arm out of the coat, leaving it buttoned around my torso like the Tibetans do. I’d rather dress for “the first mile” than find myself hypothermic if I’m too low on energy to keep moving fast. but then too, I have COPD and panting, especially cold air, brings on asthma attacks. So I must pace myself.
In cold weather I’m usually shivering and my face and hands are going numb for the first couple of miles, especially on the downhills. But then I start getting warm and I finish the ride in comfort. If I’m dressed warmly enough to be anywhere close to comfortable when I start out then I’ll be hot and miserable for most of the ride.
I find that getting dressed, then running around for 5 minutes looking for my gloves or sunglasses pre-warms me for the first mile.
Running around looking for gloves? What about pockets of an anorak?
I hate wasting time by picking up things. I need the anorak, when it’s cold or windy or rainy. So I stored my gloves in the pockets, together with a headband and a cap (it’s a derivation of Gibbs’ rule #9
).
headband, cap and gloves get really smelly if i store them in a pocket after a ride
Over the years I’ve developed a cold weather strategy that works quite well for me. If I could find my gloves quickly and easily, I wouldn’t be pre-warmed when I go outside.
If you sweat that much, do you really need gloves, headband or cap? I said nothing about storing laundry in anorak pockets after a ride.
i sweat that much coz i pedal that hard, not because its so warm outside.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve experienced this… It’s a PITA to get all the stuff on, a PITA to have to stop to take it off, and a PITA to have to figure out some way of getting it transported to your destination (and back). I guess I need more wool clothing.
Step outside after dressing up and wait for a minute. If you’re warm then you’re overdressed for the ride. I also carry extra layer or two in my bags so I rather underdress and then put something on, than overheat, sweat and have to take something off.
+1 for erring a bit on the cold side and packing an extra layer. If I’m a little cold I can also ride faster. I guess it works the other way too, but on a commute you don’t want to slow down too much or you’ll be late.
I was mostly joking about looking for my gloves, but I usually wait a few minutes after getting dressed until I start to feel warm. Then stepping outside is refreshing and the first mile isn’t as chilly. Especially when I go for a run instead of a ride, because I’ve got nowhere to carry extra layers.
My usual cycling gear in the 1960s was ‘Anorak, Scarf and Gloves.’
The gloves I still use! A light, leather, pair that help prevent gravel rash to the hands and keep the wind of my hands. A fleecy cloth liner inside makes them warm but also wicks away sweat. Good all-weather gear and difficult to replace!
I have unusually thick fingers that make guitar playing a problem (I need a wider fingerborad than a standard neck – ‘Classical’ sized.
It is difficult to find gloves that both allow the blood to flow and don’t have an inch or more of material slopping around beyond my fingers.
The Anorak was good as the hood can be left down unless it is needed, it has enough pockets to rival Yehuda’s ‘Bag of Holding’ and has drawstrings to shape it for more comfort instead of flopping around like a sack. Pulled tight, the coat feels more aerodynamic too? On the m/c I used to use a PVC version that made me waterproof in most conditions, but was too hot on a Summer day for cycling…
A good pair of water-resistant over trousers complete the ensemble in wet conditions. These usually rolled up and fitted in a saddlebag or a pocket of the Anorak.
I once tried some over shoes to keep my shoes dry, but they were to clumsy to use for long rides. Okay for a commute though, helping me get to work dry and tidy
Sorry – ‘wind of my hands- s/b ‘wind off my hands’
Too early in the morning – a good time to delete the whole thing and re-write it!
s/b ‘(I need a wider fingerboard than a standard neck – ‘Classical’ sized.)
I find, just taking the hat off helps to cool things down a bit…oh, wait.. XD
I find that every 10 degrees below 47f dictates a different level of clothing selection or layering. So I like front zips and vents as well as windproof leather mitts for riding in winter. Scarf and earmuffs, thin cap under the helmet, and as always the safety glasses to keep my eyes from drying out in the wind. Today will be commute RT number 197 for me this year.
Yeah, it’s fun watching the days add up! I’m at 172 commuting days as of today, despite having been out for a solid month-plus on paternity leave in the spring.
If I am not cold the first 15 minutes of the ride, I am (probably) overdressed. Layers should come off as easily as they go on.
Yup… know you mean. We had a cold snap come through yesterday – must have got down to at least 68…. Where’s my leg warmers??? Brrrrrrrrrr
Hey Pops, you want a cold snap, come to minnesota, our low last night was 33, 68 is a shorts and sandal weather up here. our high for today is going to be 48, i’m tempted to get the shorts and sandals out for that. What state are you in?
What do you call cold?
-40 to 30 above, thats what i call cold
If I’m not a little cold when I start off, I’m probably over dressed.
Same here. 40 degrees this AM here in DC with a northerly wind. I wore cargo shorts, two tee shirts (one long sleeve, one short), and full fingered cycling gloves. Was a bit nippy for the first five minutes, but I felt great at the end of the ride.
It reminds me of when I was in high school on the tennis team. My friends and I would go play tennis in 30 degree January weather. After about five minutes of warming up, off came the sweatshirts and we would be in shorts and a tee shirt. It was great. Just like on my commute this AM, you could exercise hard if you wanted and not have a drip of sweat. It’s nice…
@GaryL: Cold is when you are cold. Cold could be 50 deg F if you are wearing shorts and sandals.
hey, 50 is warm for me, its when it gets down to 30 that it gets cold for me
Perceived warmth or cold is also very dependent on time of year. I find that in fall, the first few forty something degree days seem really cold, and I’ll have on a fleece jacket or something to help me stay warm and maybe throw on tights under my shorts.
Exact same weather conditions in March, and wearing tights doesn’t even enter my mind, and my clothing waist up is probably just a long sleeve tee.
You wear shorts and sandals riding when it is 50 deg out?
Shorts at 50 is not bad. Do not wear sandals anytime. But then I do wear long fingered gloves to keep fingers from hurting.
Yesterday in NYC we had 2 inches of snow and low of 31F. I took my road bike to work in the AM and regretted not taking the forecast seriously when I had to leave at the end of the day while my MTBike was sitting at home.
Clinton Hill … where’s brooklyn at?
My “first mile” includes a 45+ mph descent. So I have to wear stuff that I take off later in the ride.
Same thing here. I use panniers for my commute so things can go in there but living up on a mountain makes the first mile tough. In the dead of winter I drive down to the base of the hill (it’s only the first 2 miles of 12) and ride from there. When it’s 10deg and dark those first couple of miles are just way too cold without being pre-warmed. I get chilled and never warm my extremities back up. I guess I could bundle up in my ski gear but then I’d have to take all of that off and carry it all.
pulled my first cold weather ride (ie below 40f), 2 wool layers + up and down roubaix (i’m hybrid
) were fine, but i did need real winter gloves and the balaclava under my wool cap (over preparation!!) … made a midday pickup the next day in mountaineering pants and was sweating before I left the block … as Yehuda made clear, you have to prepare for the last mile, not the first. that first ride did take an hour to dress for, which probably gained me 5 degrees 
Rule: A cyclist starts his tour slightly shuddering.
My first mile is downhill, so not only am I cold, but I’m going over 30 miles an hour. Then it’s about another two miles of level riding before I hit my hills and start to warm up. I can’t dress lightly enough to not be sweaty by the time I top the ridge 3/4 of the way through my commute. Oh well. It beats a treadmill or stationary cycle.
I just open my coat and let my chest steam. If not enough, I take one arm out of the coat, leaving it buttoned around my torso like the Tibetans do. I’d rather dress for “the first mile” than find myself hypothermic if I’m too low on energy to keep moving fast. but then too, I have COPD and panting, especially cold air, brings on asthma attacks. So I must pace myself.
I’m with you on that Yolanda – well writen
In cold weather I’m usually shivering and my face and hands are going numb for the first couple of miles, especially on the downhills. But then I start getting warm and I finish the ride in comfort. If I’m dressed warmly enough to be anywhere close to comfortable when I start out then I’ll be hot and miserable for most of the ride.