I have an opportunity to buy some clothing items at cost. I can order from most any vendor. So, without going into Assos or Ralpha high-end products and pricing, what do you recommend for the following items:
Thermal bib shortsThermal bib knickersArm warmersLeg warmersKnee warmers
Thank you.
Michael
Everything except #2 and #5.
Everything except #2 and #5.
I want to buy all five items. However, it’s been a while since I’ve bought these items, so I’m seeking recommended brands/models. Which brands are people’s favorites?
i am a tall male rider and generally avoid the euro brands as the sizing is a pain. I ride in cold wet weather and have been happy with
craft tights and windstopper underlayer
smartwool underlayer in sleeveless
pearl izumi tights, I prefer w/o chamois bibs or no bibs
Louis garneau tights and jackets
i did a team order last year through verge and bough long sleeve skinsuits for cyclocross, both in regular and thermal fabric, they are great. The verge jackets are very nice too
For a big bulky training shell to wear over a winter jacket on a real nasty day, look at Showers Pass they have some neat rainwear too
i wear wool jerseys a lot. They are pricey, but last forever and don’t get stinky
i wear winter mtb shoes with endura shoe covers over top
For arm and leg warmers, verge is fine, they have two weights
Dunno, man. As a mountaineer and ice climber, I can tell you that it’s all about wool. There is nothing, synthetic or otherwise, that will retain it’s insulation properties like wool will when cold and wet (sweat and water). As far as winter training goes, your legs don’t need too much. Some cold weather compression will do fine. Your top could need some cold weather compression and a micro-fleece layer. Warm gloves and socks are the major concern. Otherwise you should be generating your own heat by 5-10 minutes in to be fine.
Castelli, not the cheapest and certainly they have the Euro fit but nice once you find your fit. They have some really great stuff all through the line. The only thing I use that is not theirs is a pair of wind stopper running pants. I wear either shorts or bibs underneath. The Castelli jacket I have is truly amazing, never too hot or too cold. I tend to layer when I ride like today near 32 deg F or 0 C. Long sleeve base layer, long sleeve jersey, jacket and a shell/ vest, I wear shorts and the windstopper pants and I am good to go.
Dunno, man. As a mountaineer and ice climber, I can tell you that it’s all about wool. There is nothing, synthetic or otherwise, that will retain it’s insulation properties like wool will when cold and wet (sweat and water). As far as winter training goes, your legs don’t need too much. Some cold weather compression will do fine. Your top could need some cold weather compression and a micro-fleece layer. Warm gloves and socks are the major concern. Otherwise you should be generating your own heat by 5-10 minutes in to be fine.
I guess I’m saying don’t waste money on high end bike/run gear. You don’t need it. For instance when I’ve ice climbed in temperatures so cold that a water bottle will literally freeze before your eyes (eg much below 0 degrees F), I’ve only had on wool socks, compression tights (CWX Cold weather), a “soft shell” pant, a wool layer (smart wool or ice breaker) shirt, a wicking layer (mountain hardware) shirt, and a fleece layer (mountain hardware ueli steck line) shirt. If you’ll be moving, you should generate your own heat. As I said, wool will keeps it’s insulative properties better than anything else in those conditions. Perhaps a wind layer if the winds are whipping, but any gore-tex/breathable-waterproof layer will do in those conditions.
If you want to move, then stop, then move, then stop, then wool wool wool. Sweat is your enemy in cold weather because it kills the insulative properties of clothing both by getting them wet and by making them stick to you killing that insulating layer of air between you and your clothing. A cold muscle is an efficient muscle. It’ll take experience, but you want to layer enough so that you’ll be uncomfortably cold but functional, but never sweating much. I’ve literally spent days and days in near 0, blizzard conditions while camping and climbing at high altitude. Survival and thriving is a simple layering strategy. I fail to see how some random bike gear company will produce anything beyond gloves or booties that you’ll need to keep you warm on a short training session. Maybe I’m missing something.
Dunno, man. As a mountaineer and ice climber, I can tell you that it’s all about wool. There is nothing, synthetic or otherwise, that will retain it’s insulation properties like wool will when cold and wet (sweat and water). As far as winter training goes, your legs don’t need too much. Some cold weather compression will do fine. Your top could need some cold weather compression and a micro-fleece layer. Warm gloves and socks are the major concern. Otherwise you should be generating your own heat by 5-10 minutes in to be fine.
I guess I’m saying don’t waste money on high end bike/run gear. You don’t need it. For instance when I’ve ice climbed in temperatures so cold that a water bottle will literally freeze before your eyes (eg much below 0 degrees F), I’ve only had on wool socks, compression tights (CWX Cold weather), a “soft shell” pant, a wool layer (smart wool or ice breaker) shirt, a wicking layer (mountain hardware) shirt, and a fleece layer (mountain hardware ueli steck line) shirt. If you’ll be moving, you should generate your own heat. As I said, wool will keeps it’s insulative properties better than anything else in those conditions. Perhaps a wind layer if the winds are whipping, but any gore-tex/breathable-waterproof layer will do in those conditions.
If you want to move, then stop, then move, then stop, then wool wool wool. Sweat is your enemy in cold weather because it kills the insulative properties of clothing both by getting them wet and by making them stick to you killing that insulating layer of air between you and your clothing. A cold muscle is an efficient muscle. It’ll take experience, but you want to layer enough so that you’ll be uncomfortably cold but functional, but never sweating much. I’ve literally spent days and days in near 0, blizzard conditions while camping and climbing at high altitude. Survival and thriving is a simple layering strategy. I fail to see how some random bike gear company will produce anything beyond gloves or booties that you’ll need to keep you warm on a short training session. Maybe I’m missing something.
biking in the cold is different because you are going to sweat a lot while also having this constant wind your create along with slop and crap spraying all over the place from the road and other bikes. The clothing needs to fit so it doesn’t flap around and let some heat escape from the core while retaining it at the hands and feet. So, yes it’s different from ice climbing in some ways, but wool is still worthwhile for sure.
I would say, #2 is redundant.
The beauty of a lot of the cycling apparel is how modular it is. You can change up basic shorts and jersey and under-shirt for much more foul weather, by adding, arm-warmers, Knee warmers or leg warmers, and a wind vest. By adding and subtracting those modular pieces, you can go from +25C, to 10C and back again, without even getting off the bike!
We are just heading into the time of the year, when we can start out a ride in 10C in the morning and by mid-ride it will be over 20C some days. So you start out with the arm-warmers, the knee-warmers or leg-warmers and the wind vest on, then strip off as needed, on the fly. Stuff whatever you take off in the pockets of your jersey.
Dunno, man. As a mountaineer and ice climber, I can tell you that it’s all about wool. There is nothing, synthetic or otherwise, that will retain it’s insulation properties like wool will when cold and wet (sweat and water). As far as winter training goes, your legs don’t need too much. Some cold weather compression will do fine. Your top could need some cold weather compression and a micro-fleece layer. Warm gloves and socks are the major concern. Otherwise you should be generating your own heat by 5-10 minutes in to be fine.
I guess I’m saying don’t waste money on high end bike/run gear. You don’t need it. For instance when I’ve ice climbed in temperatures so cold that a water bottle will literally freeze before your eyes (eg much below 0 degrees F), I’ve only had on wool socks, compression tights (CWX Cold weather), a “soft shell” pant, a wool layer (smart wool or ice breaker) shirt, a wicking layer (mountain hardware) shirt, and a fleece layer (mountain hardware ueli steck line) shirt. If you’ll be moving, you should generate your own heat. As I said, wool will keeps it’s insulative properties better than anything else in those conditions. Perhaps a wind layer if the winds are whipping, but any gore-tex/breathable-waterproof layer will do in those conditions.
If you want to move, then stop, then move, then stop, then wool wool wool. Sweat is your enemy in cold weather because it kills the insulative properties of clothing both by getting them wet and by making them stick to you killing that insulating layer of air between you and your clothing. A cold muscle is an efficient muscle. It’ll take experience, but you want to layer enough so that you’ll be uncomfortably cold but functional, but never sweating much. I’ve literally spent days and days in near 0, blizzard conditions while camping and climbing at high altitude. Survival and thriving is a simple layering strategy. I fail to see how some random bike gear company will produce anything beyond gloves or booties that you’ll need to keep you warm on a short training session. Maybe I’m missing something.
biking in the cold is different because you are going to sweat a lot while also having this constant wind your create along with slop and crap spraying all over the place from the road and other bikes. The clothing needs to fit so it doesn’t flap around and let some heat escape from the core while retaining it at the hands and feet. So, yes it’s different from ice climbing in some ways, but wool is still worthwhile for sure.
Agree to disagree. I’ve been fine in winter on my bike with a good set of bike specific gloves and booties. It’s only my hands and feet that’d get cold while wearing the same clothing as I do ice climbing and mountaineering. I can’t even fathom the amount of “slop and crap” you’d need to be hit with to make being on a tri bike in the winter comparable to be doing a legitimate expedition in winter conditions. I mean I face winds 30-50 mph in snow storms in near zero temps for days at a time (you’re sleeping in a tent in it). If you go biking in that, perhaps you need something different. I doubt that’s the discussion though. We’re probably talking a few hours here. Bikers should probably look to the people who’s sole survival is pinned to their clothing choice in cold temps before buying pretty, pin-striped, tight shirts that cost a lot of money. My $.02. Get some functional clothes that’ll help in all areas of your life first.
Again, I’m a total punter when it comes to climbing. There are a ton more people that are “tougher” than me. Not trying to say I’m tough at all. Just saying this stuff isn’t necessary.
I guess what I’m saying is those clothes are too warm for the job. Few people do a lot of riding on the roads below 25f so you just need to be able to get out and be somewhat comfortable in the conditions presented. Here’s a typical day on the roads in the winter around here, not a lot pf pretty pinstripes
