Happy New Year! I hope you're reading this blog because one of your goals this year is to ride your bike more, especially in winter! Living in Anchorage, we have a long winter to contend with and sometimes it is difficult to find the motivation to get out in the cold and dark to go for a ride. For me, I enjoy rides more when I get my clothing right. Comfort is key to making the ride fun! This is what works for me but everyone is different so hopefully, this gives you a good reference point to find what works best for you.
Please keep in mind, this advice is based on riding around trail systems in town. Backcountry rides in the winter are very different from trail system rides! More planning and gear is required.
The categories are: underwear, base layers, outer layer, head/neckwear, footwear, and gloves. I will share what I wear for each clothing layer and share some changes I make to account for temperature variations. I'm only sharing what I wear up to 32 degrees because when temperatures get above freezing in the winter, it is best to wait to ride until it freezes again. Riding while it is above freezing causes ruts in the trails which makes the trail unpleasant when it re-freezes.
Underwear
I always wear a wool sports bra. I used to also wear wool boxers but then I found these wind resistant baselayer shorts and I absolutely love them. They make a big difference in warmth.
I never wear a chamois in the winter.
Base layers
25-32 Degrees
mid-weight wool tights
lightweight wool long sleeve shirt or synthetic long sleeve shirt
15-25 Degrees
heavyweight synthetic waffle knit/grid fleece pants
mid-weight wool shirt
synthetic t-shirt over the top (this might seem a little weird but the little extra layer on the core helps keep in warmth but also helps draw out sweat)
0-15 Degrees
lightweight wool tights plus heavyweight waffle knit pants
mid-weight wool shirt
mid-layer such as a fleece or R1
Below 0 Degrees
mid-weight wool tights plus heavyweight waffle knit pants
heavyweight wool shit
mid-layer such as a fleece or R1
Outer layers
15-32 Degrees
Lightweight breathable shell jacket
I got these insulated bike pants from Pearl Izumi this year and I wear them all the time! They have a grid fleece lining from the knees up and since I tend to run cold, it's perfect for me. Unfortunately, they don't make these pants for women but the men's fit wasn't as bad as I expected. There are other insulated options out there such as these Endura pants. If you don't run as cold, a regular softshell pant might work better for you.
Below 15 Degrees
Insulated jacket w/underarm vents. I have an Endura coat which I love!
Insulated bike pants
Head/neckwear
I always wear a buff around my neck, no matter the temperature. I also bring a Skida bandana when it is below 15 degrees. I have three different hat choices: light, midweight, and fleece. I usually bring two on the ride. Don't forget about your helmet! Make sure your helmet still fits correctly, no matter your hat choice.
The wind chill is harsh on my face and I get windburn easily. Rather than covering my entire face, I just use a little vaseline. Some people wear nose hats. I prefer a little Vaseline over a nose hat.
footwear
It's important to have boots or shoes that will keep your feet warm. You'll want footwear that is a little roomy so you can have some warm air space around your feet. Tight fitting footwear = cold feet! I wear Salomon winter boots. They are tall enough to keep snow out if I need to put a foot down, they're insulated, and they are waterproof. I bought these boots years ago and they're holding up incredibly well especially because I wear them biking, walking, and around town every day. One consideration with winter boots is having a good contact patch with your pedals. I always ride on XL flat pedals so the tread on my boots isn't a big deal. I prefer flats over clipless. I think clipless pedals could be annoying in winter because there can be a lot of on-and-off the bike, especially if there are a lot of other riders out and you're riding on a narrow singletrack. Sometimes the on-and-off results in having to step into deep snow which could cause snow to build up in the cleats. Some people do choose clipless though. I always suggest people ride with whatever they're most comfortable with.
For socks, any old ski sock will do! I love Darn Tough's mountaineering socks. They're so warm but don't get sweaty when you're too warm.
Gloves
I always ride with pogies in the winter! I use them mainly because they block the wind which allows my hands to stay warmer. The use of pogies also means I can wear lighter-weight gloves which helps me use my bike components better. I have a pair of 45NRTH pogies which are great because they lock on to the end of my handlebars and stay put! They also have vents on the top and bottom so I can get a little airflow if my hands get too warm.
As for gloves, I bring at least two pairs but I usually end up bringing three. I start my ride with my warmest gloves and adjust the weight of my gloves as needed. It is good to have options so your hands don't get sweaty. I avoid sweaty hands as much as possible because if something were to go wrong on the trail, I'd want a dry pair of gloves! My heavyweight gloves are these insulated waterproof ones from Endura. My mid-weight gloves are softshell gloves. There are many mid-weight options available from many different brands. My lightweight gloves are my regular mountain bike gloves I wear in the summer.
In my experience, bike-specific gloves are most comfortable because they are shaped for the position your hand is in while biking. I spent my first season of winter riding using ski tour gloves and I found that the thumb was too short and it was always a strain when I needed to shift gears.
Final Thoughts
Shop locally when possible! If you haven't checked out AK Cycle Chic yet, I highly recommend it! You will find some of the products I linked there in addition to some lovely wool layers and a variety of mid and outer layers as well. Many of the bike shops around town carry a good selection of apparel as well.
With winter clothes, baggier is better! Creating a little airspace helps keep you warm and allows you to move more freely.
Frame bags are great. I always prefer to use a variety of frame bags in winter over any type of pack you wear on your body.
Eye protection is always important. I wear glasses on every ride. In the winter, tree branches get heavy with snow and can hang much lower than they normally do. Protect yourself with some glasses.
Sometimes we experience a temperature inversion. This is when high elevations have higher temperatures and lower elevations are colder. Sometimes the inversion can be very strong and there is a huge swing in temperature. In this case I adjust layers as I go and sometimes go so far as to tie my coat around my waist while climbing. I put everything back on before descending back down to the cold.
I hope this post helps you dial in your winter riding layers. If you have any questions or comments, let me know! If you'd like a little coaching on how to ride winter single track, send me an email!
Comments