Cold morning ride - what gear? [Archive]

NNN

28th May 2014, 09:42

Glad I am able to type 3 hours after my ride this morning.. it was effing cold even in Auckland..

May be I am getting old, but i think i need some thermals inside. Either i buy new jacket, trouser and gloves or go for thermals that they sell at the bike shops. The former would eat most of my salary so thermals would be better if they are any good. Does anyone have any suggestions on which thermals are better.. I need an undersuit and an underglove.

Revit ones are close to 200-250. bloody expensive..

Cheers

george formby

28th May 2014, 10:04

Keep an eye on sites like grab one and 1 day. Some great deals on warm gear popping up. Torpedo 7 has a pre winter sale on ect.
Pre winter? T'was 2c when I got up. All my poor wee caterpillars froze & fell off the swan plant.

Ulsterkiwi

28th May 2014, 10:13

so long as you have windproof outer layer you could also consider the gear from outdoor places. Layers of polyprops are better than nothing and you can get the more sophisticated thermal stuff which is still way cheaper than the Rev'It gear. Merino is the best by far. I use a merino long sleeve top as a base layer and have two polyprop layers on top of that. With the thermal lining in my gear that keeps me pretty toasty.
I also have hand guards and heated grips, that way I can use a thinner glove and still stay warm.

Geeen

28th May 2014, 14:42

unstuck

28th May 2014, 14:59

So auckland has a cold morning, and the rest of us have to put up with all the crying. :whistle:

The Pastor

28th May 2014, 15:46

So auckland has a cold morning, and the rest of us have to put up with all the crying. :whistle:

true story.

The Pastor

28th May 2014, 15:49

farmers for thermals - shirts and pants are $30 each or so. (wait for sale), Get a good pair of winter gloves - take your time choosing. Get one with an internal liner built in.

If you are sill cold after that, try rain/wind proof over coats / pants (i use my snow pants and a rain jacket - work really well) and you'll need to go into the heated hand grip option for hands. IF you get heated hand grips, get the plastic hand guards you see on dirt bikes as well.

Gremlin

28th May 2014, 15:59

So auckland has a cold morning, and the rest of us have to put up with all the crying. :whistle:
Except it was probably tropical for other parts of the country.

The crying started a couple of days ago, and now there is multiple threads. :lol: I for one am disappointed it's a bit chilly for short sleeves, but perhaps it will warm up in a couple of days...

Berries

28th May 2014, 19:11

Glad I am able to type 3 hours after my ride this morning.. it was effing cold even in Auckland..
This morning was the first time this week I could get down the drive. Positively balmy, although I did do up my top button.

Wingnut

28th May 2014, 19:33

So auckland has a cold morning, and the rest of us have to put up with all the crying. :whistle:

Yep........... Whatever.......

http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/auckland/auckland-central

AllanB

28th May 2014, 20:09

Yep........... Whatever.......

http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/auckland/auckland-central

Hahahahahhaaha, those lows look like the lower South Islands daily highs!!!

george formby

28th May 2014, 21:45

Oh, hark at this lot. Southern man, national icon. But no longer the strong silent type. More gob shite.:shutup:

Fair call. Nowt to complain about up here. Have resorted to a flannelette shirt instead of t shirt in the mornins.

haydes55

28th May 2014, 21:56

No one else rocks a onesie under their gear?
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/28/edaja5a5

NNN

28th May 2014, 22:57

Ha ha ha. Never thought this thread would go north vs south.. perhaps you guys can share some wisdom on how you deal with it on everyday basis. ..
We could do the same on how to ride in traffic. ..

Laava

28th May 2014, 23:22

If you need new bike gear as well as need to be warm, just buy some half decent textile gear on special and then layers of cheap polyprop underneath. Then you will have good bike gear for year round. Icebreaker merino undergloves are great as well.

george formby

28th May 2014, 23:36

No one else rocks a onesie under their gear?
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/28/edaja5a5

When I lived in sniffing distance of the Arctic circle I used to wear a onesie woolly bear over my poly props but under my bike gear. A woolly bear is the thermal under suit North Sea oil rig divers used to wear under the dry suit. Think a cross between fleece & felt, 10mm thick. Protective bike jacket & pants, one piece waterproof suit on the outside. Normal clothes somewhere in the mix. No heated grips then so Damart under gloves, girt huge leather gauntlets & wool lined handle bar muffs. Boots a size to big & 3 pairs of socks. Silk balaclava with a thermal expedition one over that, under me helmet.
Getting caught short was a nightmare, the wee fella is not big enough to broach the garments & the bladder not strong enough to wait until the wee fella is out.
Also carried stout rope to wrap round me rims when the snow froze solid.
True story.

I must have been 'kin insane.

unstuck

29th May 2014, 05:07

Ha ha ha. Never thought this thread would go north vs south.. perhaps you guys can share some wisdom on how you deal with it on everyday basis. ..
We could do the same on how to ride in traffic. ..

How I deal with it is by not crying about it and complaining about it, but instead embrace it as a wonderful part of the rich tapestry of life. Love and accept the cold as your friend. Without the cold, there is no appreciation of the warmth. :blip:

And then there is the real life version..........Heated grips, the best gear you can afford. And most importantly, well for me anyway, if I am riding in below freezing conditions
Is having a hot feed before setting off, make sure you are warm before even getting on your bike. But there is also a lot of truths in the zen answer above.:2thumbsup

george formby

29th May 2014, 09:46

But there is also a lot of truths in the zen answer above.:2thumbsup

You must be right. I think back fondly too those winter months when I had a permanent scab on the end of my nose where the dew drop would freeze.

How well a bike could handle ice & snow was a major factor to consider when thinking of buying a new one. MZ's were popular.

Devil

29th May 2014, 11:01

Rain gear is good for keeping out the chill. Since waterproof overjackets and pants are typically windproof too, it stops the cold at the outside layer and leaves your inside layers to get toasty warm.
I have a separate rev-it overjacket and pants which i'll chuck on for super cold touring and it makes a huge difference. Don't need it for commuting because my jacket and pants are very good (Rev-it Defender Goretex).

You also need to remember a critical concept: If you start cold, you'll stay cold. Get your jacket and pants on in the house and warm them up a bit before you actually go out.

This is pretty much what I have, and its even on special right now!
http://www.motomail.co.nz/estore/style/rvjkwindh20.aspx

BMWST?

6th July 2014, 18:03

Plus one for heated grips,far more fhan just hand warmers.

FJRider

6th July 2014, 18:42

Ha ha ha. Never thought this thread would go north vs south.. perhaps you guys can share some wisdom on how you deal with it on everyday basis. ..

Down in the southern south ... we call below -5 C ... "a tad cool" ... above zero is normal riding weather ... :bleh:

If you choose to ride during the cooler periods ... get good gear. Hypothermia wont kill you as fast as a Red light runner ... but it can kill you just as dead ... <_<

We could do the same on how to ride in traffic. ..

If we wanted to know how to ride in your traffic ... we would live there ...

PrincessBandit

6th July 2014, 19:35

Possum fur nipple warmers and an extra thermal "sock" for the blokes....if ya get my drift

unstuck

6th July 2014, 19:40

Possum fur nipple warmers and an extra thermal "sock" for the blokes....if ya get my drift

possum fur cock sock.:blip::blip::blip:

NNN

6th July 2014, 19:42

Ha ha.. you guys are good..a tad sensitive. . I just wanted to check what works for most.

pete376403

6th July 2014, 19:46

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/78601-Cheap-Icebreaker-stuff

Berries

6th July 2014, 20:34

possum fur cock sock.:blip::blip::blip:
Do you kill it first?

ikov

6th July 2014, 20:57

yeah, I just have a work fleece under the riding jacket a cheap hand-me-down balaclava if need be. Warm pants under wind-proof stuff for commuting weekdays, but riding pants over jeans if longer distance.

I have the blessing of being too cheap for my own good, so buyin new gear is outta question... 1 x jacket, 1 x pants, 1 x winter gloves.

although heated grips are fully finding a way for savings into the weekly smoke budget. :rolleyes:

FJRider

6th July 2014, 21:26

Do you kill it first?

One has to die before the other does ... :whistle:

skinman

6th July 2014, 21:49

kathmandu sale, either base or mid layer, both if below 0 deg. it does help having fairings & heated grips I find
merino socks

FJRider

6th July 2014, 22:20

kathmandu sale, either base or mid layer, both if below 0 deg. it does help having fairings & heated grips I find
merino socks

These guys have a lot of stuff on sale at the moment ...

http://www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/

cc rider

7th July 2014, 02:37

... either base or mid layer, both if below 0 deg. Is there ratings for 'layers'?

Jantar

7th July 2014, 14:09

I'm a bit of a softie these days and don't ride if it is colder than -6 at the start of the journey. I also don't ride if there is black ice, and the GSX stays at home it there is compacted snow, but the DR is still OK.

I wear full leathers if the temperature is below 10 C and add icebreaker thermals if I am going to be riding for more than an hour in below zero temperatures. What to wear depends on both the temperature and the length of time you'll be out in it.

For this journey, I wore icebreakers next to the skin, flannelette shirt, jersey, kevlar jeans, thick socks and full leathers. I also wore a full scarf rather than just a neck warmer. http://www.jantars.com/motorcycling.php

awayatc

7th July 2014, 17:39

Is there ratings for 'layers'?

Yes there is for merino....

lighter weights ...base layer

then add different layers on to suit conditions.......

great stuff merino

(plenty of cheaper ones on trade me...opshops etc)

cc rider

7th July 2014, 21:35

Thought you meant layers of a material that made up a 'rating' range of a particular product.

Erelyes

7th July 2014, 22:50

Do you kill it first?

During is far better

For this journey, I wore icebreakers next to the skin, flannelette shirt, jersey, kevlar jeans, thick socks and full leathers. I also wore a full scarf rather than just a neck warmer. http://www.jantars.com/motorcycling.php

Pic doesn't work on that page =/
So was that leather pants OVER kevlar jeans?

Things I have learnt:
- If your gear is shit, thermals won't fix that. With my old textile jacket I'd be wearing thermal, work shirt, merino jumper, then the jacket and STILL be cold.
- While you CAN make leather warm, it does mean wearing a lot more stuff than if you just had decent textile gear on.
- No matter how good your gear is tho, it's still nicer having two sets. It seems to me that any leathers that will fit lots of warm weather clothing underneath will end up too loose in summer. Solution: two sets of leathers, or one set of leather and one of textile.
- You can get a huge improvement by fixing the weakest link. When I first left this morning I had forgotten my scarf and my neck was farkin cold, with the rest of me a bit cold as a result. I stopped, put scarf on, resumed. Comfortable all over.
- But on the other hand, keeping a warm core will work wonders. I wore my summer/vented gloves this morning and my hands were a fine - they got to that stage where they're a little cold, but you can't feel it / don't notice it cos the rest of you is warm, and they didn't go numb, stiff etc.
- Naked bikes are colder. WAY colder at 100k. Barkbusters/hippo hands and a screen will fix that mostly. Hot grips are nice but I wouldn't bother until you have the barkbusters/hippos.

Motu

7th July 2014, 23:27

great stuff merino

(plenty of cheaper ones on trade me...opshops etc)

Mine have very low necklines and pastel shades, I don't wear a scarf as my jacket has a separate neck warmer thing. As they are a base layer, no one knows until the bedroom.

Berries

7th July 2014, 23:36

When I first left this morning I had forgotten my scarf and my neck was farkin cold, with the rest of me a bit cold as a result. I stopped, put scarf on, resumed. Comfortable all over.
Ha ha. Walked down to the road at half six this morning and it was just wet, although I could see ice on some cars. Within 200m of leaving at half seven the road glistened quite badly and I realised that I had probably fucked up. But you can't go back can you? Needed to get petrol this morning but given how icy it was when I got in to town I figured it would be best not to in case I had to pick the thing up. You know it is cold when that is a consideration. Had to go out on a job later and watched a cyclist lose it right in front of me on George Street.

Anyway, gave my excellent Belstaff winter gloves 15 minutes on the radiator and had my neck warmer on. Other than that it was normal work trousers, which were a bit drafty, and then my textile jacket with winter liner over my workshirt. Only 15k's to commute. Going to Queenstown on Wednesday which may mean I put some long johns on under my jeans and throw the wind/waterproofs on over the top. Then it will probably be a case of stopping at every pie shop on the way to warm my hands.

unstuck

8th July 2014, 06:26

Ha ha. Walked down to the road at half six this morning and it was just wet, although I could see ice on some cars. Within 200m of leaving at half seven the road glistened quite badly and I realised that I had probably fucked up. But you can't go back can you? Needed to get petrol this morning but given how icy it was when I got in to town I figured it would be best not to in case I had to pick the thing up. You know it is cold when that is a consideration. Had to go out on a job later and watched a cyclist lose it right in front of me on George Street.

Anyway, gave my excellent Belstaff winter gloves 15 minutes on the radiator and had my neck warmer on. Other than that it was normal work trousers, which were a bit drafty, and then my textile jacket with winter liner over my workshirt. Only 15k's to commute. Going to Queenstown on Wednesday which may mean I put some long johns on under my jeans and throw the wind/waterproofs on over the top. Then it will probably be a case of stopping at every pie shop on the way to warm my hands.

I was in queenstown yesterday, the wind was real fresh, and I had my long johns on and a pair of tracksuit pants over the top of my leathers and could still feel it.:rolleyes:

Jantar

8th July 2014, 10:53

......So was that leather pants OVER kevlar jeans?

Things I have learnt:
- If your gear is shit, thermals won't fix that. With my old textile jacket I'd be wearing thermal, work shirt, merino jumper, then the jacket and STILL be cold.
- While you CAN make leather warm, it does mean wearing a lot more stuff than if you just had decent textile gear on.
- No matter how good your gear is tho, it's still nicer having two sets. It seems to me that any leathers that will fit lots of warm weather clothing underneath will end up too loose in summer. ......
Yes, leather over the jeans.
This argument of textile vs leather for warmth has come up many times, but you need to be sure just what you are comparing. If you are comparing touring textile to unlined racing type leathers then textile will always be warmer. But if you are comparing touring textile to touring leathers then there isn't much in it and often leather will be warmer.
I have 2 leather jackets, 1 fully lined and one with removable lining to make it cooler in summer. I also have 1 textile jacket that I only wear in the hottest conditions. The textile is the coldest of my 3 jackets to wear in winter.

That does not mean that I am claiming ALL textiles are cooler than All leather, or visa versa. I bought the textile jacket for riding in outback Australia as it was light weight and only a step up from merely being a mesh jacket. On the other hand, I bought the fully lined leather jacket as was a touring jacket, lined with thinsulate and quilted padding and rated for cold weather rinding.

The thing with buying any riding gear is to ask yourself "what kind of riding will I be doing, and what weather conditions will I be riding in?" Then buy the gear most suitable for that purpose. Add additional layers for colder riding than your norm, and remove layers for warmer riding.

buggerit

8th July 2014, 13:29

one of these down the front of your jacket will keep u warm all over:niceone:

Metastable

8th July 2014, 15:57

RJC

8th July 2014, 16:28

I wear a merino base layer, wind proof long sleeve jersey designed for mountain biking and my textile jacket. It was -7 when I left dunners airport the other week and had no problem with being cold.

Big Dog

8th July 2014, 18:52

So what's cold? :D

Like others have said, windbreaker as the over layer and fleece or something poly as the bottom layer. Avoid cotton. Up in these parts -20C is where I draw the line as far as commuting on the bicycle. With engines I only have track and dirt bikes that aren't street legal, so I'm not commuting on them anymore.

I can't claim to have ridden in -20, but I sure can attest, as cold as it gets here it is usually warmer to be cycling than riding a motorcycle in the same weather.
down to about 0 I usually wear a singlet and shorts... below that if I get wet I put on a parker to hold some of the heat in my core. Still bloody overheat if I am giving it fair effort.

mrchips

8th July 2014, 19:22

Eat more pies :yes:

FJRider

8th July 2014, 20:12

Eat more pies :yes:

But BLOW on them first ... :niceone: safer communities .... :blank:

Metastable

9th July 2014, 11:36

I can't claim to have ridden in -20, but I sure can attest, as cold as it gets here it is usually warmer to be cycling than riding a motorcycle in the same weather.
down to about 0 I usually wear a singlet and shorts... below that if I get wet I put on a parker to hold some of the heat in my core. Still bloody overheat if I am giving it fair effort.

Absolutely! You are warmer riding a bicycle than a motorcycle in the same weather. The layering ideas are the same .... you just need more on a motorcycle. :D

Below -20C on a bicycle the problem is that the hands and feet get cold before the body warms up.