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Im looking to buy some cold weather riding clothes & was wondering what could be worn with padded mtb shorts to keep me warm? I also just bought an Under armour sleeveless cold gear shirt. I bought it becouse it was cheap but Im not sure how to really wear it being sleeveless & all. Does anyone else have one of these sleeveless compression shirts? Just looking for some ideas to stay warm without breaking the bank. Thanks 😕
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The compression shirt goes underneath your regular clothes and outer layers. It’ll keep your core warm but you may find that you want to invest in some removable sleeves for your arms.
As far as layering goes, I would try to stay away from cotton items as they retain moisture which will steal your body heat very quickly. Anything that wicks and breathes a little bit tends to work pretty well.
For extra coverage, lots of people invest in a set of tights to wear belorw their shorts. Some people just wear the tights and forgo the shorts. Too much showing of the moose knuckle involved in that method for me, but to each his own I guess. Another option is the removable leg or arm warmers. A good set of full fingered gloves and shoe covers will save your fingers and toes a lot of pain as well.
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Went for a night ride last night with temp in the mid 30’s, and here was my cold gear:
– Fleece lined tights under shorts
– Short sleeved breathable base layer, long sleeved breathable layer, then a long sleeve light fleece
– thin balaclava (covers the head, ears, neck)
– slightly insulated shell gloves that also cover wrists worn over my normal long fingered mtb gloves
– regular mtb shoes with an extra pair of socksToes get a little chilly, but other than that things were pretty toasty while on the single track and fire roads.
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I think I will go with the full thermal tights underneth my mtb shorts. I can remove the liner from the shorts so I think that will work great. Like alot of cold weather riders the upperbody is my main concern. I think my sleeveless cold gear compression shirt will keep my core nice & warm but Im still stumped on the whole layering thing. I thought you supposed to wear cotton layers over the moisture wickering shirts. is this true? I just want to get the whole layering thing in the right order to obtain maximum performance in the cold. Also do arm warmers work good or should I go with a full sleeve thermal shirt? I thank everyone for the imput so far.
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"castnpedal" wrote
– Fleece lined tights under shorts
– Short sleeved breathable base layer, long sleeved breathable layer, then a long sleeve light fleece
– thin balaclava (covers the head, ears, neck)
– slightly insulated shell gloves that also cover wrists worn over my normal long fingered mtb gloves
– regular mtb shoes with an extra pair of socksCastnpedal has it down pretty good. The only thing I add other then a layer or two (depending on the temperatures)is a lite Kucharik® jacket. This adds protection against the wind.
As for a cotton outer layer…. I live by this simple rule, Cotton kills in cold weather. You want something that will move the sweat away from your body, a cotton outer layer will only hold the sweat and if enough build up it will cancel the wicking effect of the Under Armour.
This site might help you out some… http://www.allweathersports.com/winter/ … ml#Clothes
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I just avoid cotton, and wear a couple layers up top, usually one or two that can come off 30 min in once my heartrate and body temp come up. And I usually care extra layers in my camelback, just in case (don’t want your all day epic to become a survival situation).
Also, as far as shorts go, i have a pair of baggies with a removable liner, and I found it works really well to a) put on your padded chamois b) put on your poly pro tights (or other material) c) put your outer baggy shorts over both.
This eliminates chaffage that by keeping your regular chamois up next to vital areas, keeps your legs warm, and keeps you from looking like a complete moron in his underwear. -
"Goo" wrote
I just avoid cotton
Exactly.
I actually prefer Under Armour ColdGear series. It’s pretty dang warm. A little on the expensive side, but well worth it.
Also another type that I found to be good for a base layer is Patagonia Capilene which can be bought at most outdoor gear shops.
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As everyone has already said. Cotton Kills! Wool and Synthetics are the trick!
I wear polypropylene tights and, When it gets too cold, I wear insulated Polypro. The stuff keeps you dry and warm. I also have a couple of Cycling Vests to keep the core warm. Like the Adidias Climawarm stuff.
There are some cheaper "generic" versions of the UnderArmor out there that work nearly as well. One other piece of cold weather gear that is realativly inexpensive and unbeleivably warm and super durable is "Zyflex"
http://www.zyflex.com I have two of their Thermal shirts that I have worn for years doing all kinds of outdoor activities including rock climbing and the stuff never wears out and is warm as anything! -
Hey thanks JDH for that site on riding clothes. Lots of good info! Im starting to understand the whole layering thing. I know now I will definatly stay away from cotton & stick with other materials that dont absorb moisture. Thanks for all the input from everyone & also the websites. I will definatly look into all the options. Thanks again 😀
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As a 36 year skier and 12 year MTB’r wool rules. I’ve tried capilene, fleece, polypro and more. You simply don’t get hot or cold, always comfortable whether it’s dry or there’s precip. A wool base shirt and tights is the ticket. Go for thin weights unless below 20 degrees. Icebreaker, SmartWool, Ibex, I/O Bio all have good stuff. Swobo has excellent wool tights that cost $120 but sold for $45 at the end of the season last spring.
Dense wool riding socks are great and wool glove liners work better than any I’ve tried.
On the down side wool weighs more than fleece and dries slower when washed. Get a wool dryer; a mesh screen that bows so air flows under the garment to dry it faster after washing. About $5 at Walgreens.
Rarely wear capilene anymore and I swore it was the best for years.
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