View Full Version : Chill factor - Wear the right gear folks
I consider myself an experienced biker. I got my license in 1976, and have ridden off and on since. The MOST sophisticated riding gear I had back in the day was a Line7 rain suit. We wore the warmest, most robust clothes we owned, some of us wore leather. Mostly we were warm, sometimes we got wet and cold, we used newspaper for insulation etc. These days I am ATGATT most of the time, with helmet, gloves and boots covering ankles the minimum I will consider "safe". I own 3 jackets and a couple of pairs of pants/gloves/boots etc. The gear is amazing, waterproof (mostly) windproof, and abrasion resistant.
We had a fabulous weekend gathering here. Catching up with people we have not seen for ages. It gets cold in this part of the world sometimes, so wearing the best gear you can is important. We went for a ride out on Sunday, a grey day, but dry and not particularly cold for these parts. I put my thermal lining in my jacket and rugged up with thermals etc.
I about froze. At one point, with my teeth juddering and my whole body shivering, all I could think of was getting a poxy newspaper down my jacket front. We got into Taumaranui and I managed to get a woolen scarf from a Mobil servo, thought that would help keep my chest warm. Fuck me. Nope. Probably the most miserable I have been on a bike in forever. I generally run hot, so feeling this cold is not normal for me.
Finally got home and warmed up and decided to see if I could work out why I got cold wearing "good gear" with the thermal lining in it.
Windproof layer missing in my jacket! What a noob mistake to make. There is no way you can stay warm at speed, in winter without a windproof layer. Please make sure you always have a windproof layer even if it is simply some Warehouse plastic pants and a jacket.
Please make sure you think about wind chill this winter and stay warm when you ride.
Mike.Gayner
1st June 2015, 20:33
My experience is that windproof is the most important element in winter. All the thermal gear in the world means nothing at 100km/h where the wind cuts right through it. That's why I like waterproof gear in winter, even if it's not wet - it's totally sealed from the wind, generally speaking.
do you have any pics of your chest?:yes:
jellywrestler
1st June 2015, 20:45
i sometimes use a heated vest, it cuts down the sheer layers you need to carry and manage but it really brings home how much you brain is not working to it's full level when you are really cold, it's something you are not aware of until one notices the change when warmer.
I would have described myself as mildly hypothermic by the time we got home. I had stopped shivering, but could feela vibration through my core. Many layers, a thinsulate beanie, gloves, scarf. A pass the parcel present had nothing on me I can tell ya. It took ages to feel warm again. Wind is the killer, no doubt about that.
nzspokes
1st June 2015, 20:53
Rubbish sack will work at a pinch as well.
neels
1st June 2015, 21:07
Couldn't agree more.
I still wear a 1980's vintage leather jacket, and don't like waterproof overjackets because the cheap ones flap too much in the wind, and I'm too tight to buy a decent one. I quite often wear a cheapish waterproofish jacket that I bought to stick in my back pocket for cycling under my jacket, doesn't keep the water out after a day of riding in the rain, but keeps the wind out and definately helps with the chill factor.
Have ridden cold a couple of times, and it's scary how much thinking about how cold you are distracts you from everything else that's going on around you.
awa355
1st June 2015, 21:10
When it gets really bitter, I usually stop and zip up my jacket. :apumpin::apumpin:
I was logging native forest way back when, at Pureora. In summer we would take the swannis off about 11 oclock, and by 2pm the swannis were back on. The wind made a bee line from National park straight across the forest park to hit us.
buggerit
1st June 2015, 21:11
I consider myself an experienced biker. I got my license in 1976, and have ridden off and on since. The MOST sophisticated riding gear I had back in the day was a Line7 rain suit. We wore the warmest, most robust clothes we owned, some of us wore leather. Mostly we were warm, sometimes we got wet and cold, we used newspaper for insulation etc. These days I am ATGATT most of the time, with helmet, gloves and boots covering ankles the minimum I will consider "safe". I own 3 jackets and a couple of pairs of pants/gloves/boots etc. The gear is amazing, waterproof (mostly) windproof, and abrasion resistant.
We had a fabulous weekend gathering here. Catching up with people we have not seen for ages. It gets cold in this part of the world sometimes, so wearing the best gear you can is important. We went for a ride out on Sunday, a grey day, but dry and not particularly cold for these parts. I put my thermal lining in my jacket and rugged up with thermals etc.
I about froze. At one point, with my teeth juddering and my whole body shivering, all I could think of was getting a poxy newspaper down my jacket front. We got into Taumaranui and I managed to get a woolen scarf from a Mobil servo, thought that would help keep my chest warm. Fuck me. Nope. Probably the most miserable I have been on a bike in forever. I generally run hot, so feeling this cold is not normal for
Finally got home and warmed up and decided to see if I could work out why I got cold wearing "good gear" with the thermal lining in it.
Windproof layer missing in my jacket! What a noob mistake to make. There is no way you can stay warm at speed, in winter without a windproof layer. Please make sure you always have a windproof layer even if it is simply some Warehouse plastic pants and a jacket.
Please make sure you think about wind chill this winter and stay warm when you ride.
A hot pie in each cup?:eek::devil2:
Gremlin
1st June 2015, 22:12
Wind chill factor on bikes can be as much as 20 degrees (so 5 degree day can feel like -15).
That said, I didn't use the wind/waterproof layer in the jacket all weekend, but this arvo on the way home I did throw a rain jacket over the top (mostly because of the ugly looking front). Taumarunui - Taihape region was bloody cold... single digit temps and as I got into the Waikato it warmed up almost immediately. Bike topped out at 20 degrees! :crazy:
Tricia1000
2nd June 2015, 21:13
Coming back from the shore this evening, in the thunder and lightening, and at one point torrential rain, (in my car, due to knee surgery) a "biker" goes past me, and I use the term very loosely.. He was on the bike, and riding it, but don't think he was a biker..
Anyway, he had on an orange workmans jacket, and a pair of SHORTS!!! And soft shoes..
In the winter as previously mentioned, the ability to stay warm on a bike is of paramount importance. Equally as important as not overheating or getting dehydrated in summer.
Once either of those states take hold of your body, it becomes much harder to concentrate, your ability to operate your levers and pedals declines, and your body tries to shut down as many working parts as possible to conserve heat, or get cooler.
Sliding down the road, with just shorts on, is another story..
Gloves, waistcoats, socks, trousers can all be wired into your battery, to keep you moasty-toasty on your ride in the winter.. I have just received my 3 rd pair of gloves in 15 years, and couldn't ride in the winter without them, especially on the motorway..
Tricia1000
RoADA (Dip)
Consultant to NZTA
willytheekid
2nd June 2015, 21:40
Hi Mom! :wavey:
I ride all year round in ChCh, I wear my leathers, thermals, jersey etc...but the best piece of kit I have...is a thermal one piece wet weather suit that goes over top:niceone:
WTF is a thermal wet weather suit??:confused:...its a nice light weight one piece suit that has this really thin 3M insulate lining...it looks like thin black material with lots of tiny holes in it (mesh type..ish)
I shit you not...that 3M liner is simply amazing!!!:first:
On the coldest of days, when I see car drivers shivering and leaning into there heaters...I am sitting beside them with the heated grips on full, and feeling nice an warm and cosy al over...and having a water proof/windbreaker exterior, it even holds the body heat in at highway speeds!
...unfortunately, my suit has no labels except for the 3M thinsulate badge on the inside (Got it off trade me from a bike shop clearance sale...$80!:D) so I can't say what brand it is (its black gold and silver??:blink:)
But have a hunt around and find a one piece wet weather suit that has that thinsulate lining...cheap option and they make winter just super comfy:eek: (Ohh...and my heated grips...cos Im soft!:o)
Wind, wet, cold.
http://www.musicfestivaljunkies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/highlander.jpg.png
Basic outdoors rule. 2 or more for an extended period of time and you're asking for trouble.
Easy.
Mike.Gayner
2nd June 2015, 22:17
Coming back from the shore this evening, in the thunder and lightening, and at one point torrential rain, (in my car, due to knee surgery) a "biker" goes past me, and I use the term very loosely.. He was on the bike, and riding it, but don't think he was a biker..
Aaah wait just a fucking minute. Here you are in you CAR, while he's out there on his bike in the pissing rain. And you're questioning giving HIM the title of "biker"? Because you didnt like what he was wearing?
What an asshole.
haydes55
2nd June 2015, 22:27
These days I am ATGATT most of the time
Everyone just take a moment to appreciate the irony in this statement ;)
I rely on just my outer jacket to block the wind chill. It's textile/water proof, but not perfect. I've spent a bit in Kathmandu etc. buying thermals, polar fleece etc.
nerrrd
2nd June 2015, 22:33
ATGMOTT :p
It's more than being windproof. My old Spidi is no longer waterproof, or windproof - I've been using either an inner or outer depending on weather, but am completely over having to guess the weather with something else to put on. So I've taken the not so travelled path, and gone for oilskin - completely waterproof and windproof. But it doesn't keep out the cold, it's just the waxed cotton and the cotton lining, the cold goes right through. The Spidi may have been letting the wind through, but it's layers upon layers, and that helps more than a thin windproof layer. I'll be getting the wool liner for the jacket soon, but layers under are the way to go - merino, cotton, cotton, cotton, wool, that seems to work.
Erelyes
3rd June 2015, 00:13
It's more than being windproof. My old Spidi is no longer waterproof, or windproof - I've been using either an inner or outer depending on weather, but am completely over having to guess the weather with something else to put on. So I've taken the not so travelled path, and gone for oilskin - completely waterproof and windproof. But it doesn't keep out the cold, it's just the waxed cotton and the cotton lining, the cold goes right through. The Spidi may have been letting the wind through, but it's layers upon layers, and that helps more than a thin windproof layer. I'll be getting the wool liner for the jacket soon, but layers under are the way to go - merino, cotton, cotton, cotton, wool, that seems to work.
Nar. Thin windproof layer means the insulation can actually do its job, e.g. trap air.
My usual winter garb.
Work shirt, merino jumper, 1tonne jacket with thermal/wind liners. Scarf.
Work pants, 1tonne pants (no thermal liner).
Ditch the scarf and bike pants/jacket when I get to work. Merino jumper can come off once the office has warmed up.
No time for umpteen layers for me.
Tricia1000
3rd June 2015, 05:39
Yep, I sure was.. I would love to be back on my bike, but I had major surgery on my femur in February and I am still unable to enough flex ion in my knee to ride..I have a queue of people waiting to do Cbta, and can't get to any of them..
Most devoted bikers would have proper gear..:scooter:
Tricia1000
RoADA (Dip)
Consultant to NZTA
Aaah wait just a fucking minute. Here you are in you CAR, while he's out there on his bike in the pissing rain. And you're questioning giving HIM the title of "biker"? Because you didnt like what he was wearing?
What an asshole.
Ulsterkiwi
3rd June 2015, 09:41
....getting the wool liner for the jacket soon, but layers under are the way to go - merino, cotton, cotton, cotton, wool, that seems to work.
I scuba dive, I wear thermal items under a wetsuit and in winter under a drysuit. We have a saying, COTTON KILLS. Cotton, when wet, will act as a heat conduit AWAY from the body. Avoid cotton at all costs in the winter, at some point you will get wet and then the fun begins...not. Merino is by far the best, any wool is good, but there are numerous synthetics which act as terrific thermal garments, polyprops etc.
An additional anecdote to support Moms assertions.
Monday past was a very very nice day here. My wife and I went for a ride on trusty TNAB Black Magic. My wife suffers terribly from the cold. The ride out was just tolerable for her. On the way back she pulled on a cheap but waterproof jacket I keep in the tank bag over her Alpinestars jacket, it made a world of difference and she enjoyed the trip home again all the more for it.
nzspokes
3rd June 2015, 11:42
Aaah wait just a fucking minute. Here you are in you CAR, while he's out there on his bike in the pissing rain. And you're questioning giving HIM the title of "biker"? Because you didnt like what he was wearing?
What an asshole.
:facepalm::facepalm:
OddDuck
3rd June 2015, 11:46
I'm lucky enough to have a choice of full textile or full leather - the modern textiles win hands down in cold / rain conditions.
I was pilot on the day and was warm enough, though I did have the right gear on from the get go. I even changed to my summer gloves at Te Kuiti for the rest of trip. Hand guards are great. At least the clouds weren't on the ground over the saddle from Taumaranui/Kuratau Junction like last time.
I scuba dive, I wear thermal items under a wetsuit and in winter under a drysuit. We have a saying, COTTON KILLS. Cotton, when wet, will act as a heat conduit AWAY from the body. Avoid cotton at all costs in the winter, at some point you will get wet and then the fun begins...not. Merino is by far the best, any wool is good, but there are numerous synthetics which act as terrific thermal garments, polyprops etc.
Yeah Motu has been riding a long time and not to tell anyone how to suck eggs, but the same thing instantly crossed my mind. Granted it's more physical than most riders get but a lot of trampers have almost died, or outright died, because of cotton and a combination of 2 or more of the weather factors mentioned earlier.
If I know it's going to rain or I'm on a multi day trip I avoid it like the plague and replace cotton with polyester (old sports tops). Like polyprop and merino it keeps you warm even when wet and also dries quickly.
I still maintain wind chill the biggest problem riding in winter. I had the option and "forgot" to put the wind proof liner in my jacket. Senior moment. Oil skins. Used to ride with one of them too back in the day :D
Oil Skins for the win, needs the fluffy bit on the inside though, and cheaper than any over priced made for winter riding jacket.
nzspokes
3rd June 2015, 17:29
I still maintain wind chill the biggest problem riding in winter. I had the option and "forgot" to put the wind proof liner in my jacket. Senior moment. Oil skins. Used to ride with one of them too back in the day :D
Which is why I said rubbish sack. One ride I was on a rider was freezing, rubbish sack under her jacket which was not wind proof made a huge improvement and got her home. Good for a laugh to.
I reckon an oil skin would work well.
Grubber
3rd June 2015, 17:41
Hi Mom! :wavey:
I ride all year round in ChCh, I wear my leathers, thermals, jersey etc...but the best piece of kit I have...is a thermal one piece wet weather suit that goes over top:niceone:
WTF is a thermal wet weather suit??:confused:...its a nice light weight one piece suit that has this really thin 3M insulate lining...it looks like thin black material with lots of tiny holes in it (mesh type..ish)
I shit you not...that 3M liner is simply amazing!!!:first:
On the coldest of days, when I see car drivers shivering and leaning into there heaters...I am sitting beside them with the heated grips on full, and feeling nice an warm and cosy al over...and having a water proof/windbreaker exterior, it even holds the body heat in at highway speeds!
...unfortunately, my suit has no labels except for the 3M thinsulate badge on the inside (Got it off trade me from a bike shop clearance sale...$80!:D) so I can't say what brand it is (its black gold and silver??:blink:)
But have a hunt around and find a one piece wet weather suit that has that thinsulate lining...cheap option and they make winter just super comfy:eek: (Ohh...and my heated grips...cos Im soft!:o)
I have a revit one similar and i swear by it.
I have chucked it over my leather 2 piece on a freezing night and all of sudden it's very cosy. Brilliant gear.
Cotton, when wet,
I am well aware of that - you don't get cotton wet, just a little tip. Just stepped in the door from riding home in that down pour - oilskin jacket and pants, cotton between wool inside and out - I am totally dry and warm. Oh, and Rainoff's, my hands are dry, I ride a BMW, so my workboots are dry.
OK, question time...
Have used polyprop for a number of years - put it on next-to-the-skin and feel warm immediately. :woohoo:
Bought some merino - was told it's better than polyprop - and did the same.... Brrrr! felt cold and couldn't get warm. So merino has been consigned to the storage trunk and polyprop is used.
OK, what did I do wrong? Expected merino to warmer than polyprop...
Look forward to the usual selection of really helpful and well-considered answers and suggestions... :facepalm:
Gremlin
3rd June 2015, 17:59
I still maintain wind chill the biggest problem riding in winter. I had the option and "forgot" to put the wind proof liner in my jacket. Senior moment. Oil skins. Used to ride with one of them too back in the day :D
Nup, pretty sure it's the rain. Makes the road slippery, turns dirt to mud (horrible when your adventure bike is on the heavy side :innocent:) and just generally makes you wet, especially those occasional drops that find their way under your helmet past your jacket and down your spine.
Cold? Chuck on another thermal layer or waterproof layer on the outside, turn on heated grips/vest and watch out for frosty roads. Coldest I've ridden in was ambient -4, plus wind chill it was approaching -20... But torrential rain, flash flooding and thunderstorms are more tricky
Smifffy
3rd June 2015, 18:12
OK, question time...
Have used polyprop for a number of years - put it on next-to-the-skin and feel warm immediately. :woohoo:
Bought some merino - was told it's better than polyprop - and did the same.... Brrrr! felt cold and couldn't get warm. So merino has been consigned to the storage trunk and polyprop is used.
OK, what did I do wrong? Expected merino to warmer than polyprop...
Look forward to the usual selection of really helpful and well-considered answers and suggestions... :facepalm:
It's the wind chill, as others have said. I find that an icebreaker (merino) t shirt, a thin merino jersey, and then a light polar fleece (windproof) shirt or jersey under my jacket keeps me toasty on the windswept, icy Central Plateau.
It's not that bulky, and the layers can come off when you step into that warm dry pub/cafe/loveshack for the afternoon. :msn-wink:
Nup, pretty sure it's the rain. Makes the road slippery, turns dirt to mud (horrible when your adventure bike is on the heavy side :innocent:) and just generally makes you wet, especially those occasional drops that find their way under your helmet past your jacket and down your spine.
Cold? Chuck on another thermal layer or waterproof layer on the outside, turn on heated grips/vest and watch out for frosty roads. Coldest I've ridden in was ambient -4, plus wind chill it was approaching -20... But torrential rain, flash flooding and thunderstorms are more tricky
You ate dirt on the weekend eh?
OK, question time...
Have used polyprop for a number of years - put it on next-to-the-skin and feel warm immediately. :woohoo:
Bought some merino - was told it's better than polyprop - and did the same.... Brrrr! felt cold and couldn't get warm. So merino has been consigned to the storage trunk and polyprop is used.
OK, what did I do wrong? Expected merino to warmer than polyprop...
Look forward to the usual selection of really helpful and well-considered answers and suggestions... :facepalm:
I have always worn merino under gear, summer and winter. Natural fibre, breathes. Nothing sticks to you on the hottest summer day, cold is not a problem in winter.
I am trying bamboo atm. Interestingly enough, I found some energy to think about how warm my legs were while freezing on the bike. Meh, jury is out. I was simply too cold to care. Never used polyprop. Just love my natural fibre.
It's the wind chill, as others have said. I find that an icebreaker (merino) t shirt, a thin merino jersey, and then a light polar fleece (windproof) shirt or jersey under my jacket keeps me toasty on the windswept, icy Central Plateau.
It's not that bulky, and the layers can come off when you step into that warm dry pub/cafe/loveshack for the afternoon. :msn-wink:
Thanks for that and sorry, I was not clear about the polyprop vs merino.
Used as first layer, then either short or long sleeved t-shirt and, if needed, light polar fleece and then textile jacket, which is nice and toasty if I use polyprop as first layer. Use merino and not so toasty warm... Perhaps you've supplied the answer though, use merino as second layer.
Know about dry pub or cafe... but these "loveshacks" do need further investigation... :eek5:
varminter
3rd June 2015, 21:07
Heated jacket liner and hot grips. Does it all.
Heated jacket liner and hot grips. Does it all.
Several bikes here at the weekend had heated grips and general consensus was that they only heated the palm of your hands, which makes sense. Ultimately, if you want warm hands, heated grips/Hand Guard combo would work best.
Warm hands, cold fingers. Handlebar muffs sort that. Staying warm can look uncool at times.
Gremlin
3rd June 2015, 22:38
You ate dirt on the weekend eh?
Yup, pretty much literally and got a real dirty bike to clean :laugh:
Handguards are good for keeping the back of your hands from getting cold, or as said, you can get those muff things which go right over the entire grip and you slide your hands into them.
Big Dog
3rd June 2015, 22:59
Thanks for that and sorry, I was not clear about the polyprop vs merino.
Used as first layer, then either short or long sleeved t-shirt and, if needed, light polar fleece and then textile jacket, which is nice and toasty if I use polyprop as first layer. Use merino and not so toasty warm... Perhaps you've supplied the answer though, use merino as second layer.
Know about dry pub or cafe... but these "loveshacks" do need further investigation... :eek5:
Horses for courses.
Polypropylene makes me smell like cheese and feels cold.
Merino doesn't make me sweat and keeps me warm.
My wife is warm is both but finds poly less comfy and bulkier.
Others swear the polypro is the way to go.
Oilskin rocks if you ( or your desk neighbours ) can live with the odour.
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
Tricia1000
4th June 2015, 08:23
Hi Gremlin and Mom-long time no hear.....
Gremlin,
Looks like you had fun on the weekend.
About the heated grips, have had several students that use them, but I have heard several times, that when you use the levers, you lose some/alot of the heat, and have to build that heat back up again.
Lots of m/c couriers in UK, Ireland use the Muffs, but unless you wear gloves inside them, if you and the bike part company, they are staying with the bike.
My preference has always been:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271322214043?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
I have a new pair for this winter, if I can get back on my bike. The other two pairs have lasted 15 years between them. They wire to the battery. No off switch, cos they can get too hot, come in mens and women fitting. NZ$130 plus postage, and worth every single cent. You can get cheaper ones, but you get what you pay for, I suppose.
Tricia1000
RoADA (Dip)
Consultant to NZTA
0212693246
Yup, pretty much literally and got a real dirty bike to clean :laugh:
Handguards are good for keeping the back of your hands from getting cold, or as said, you can get those muff things which go right over the entire grip and you slide your hands into them.
mulletman
4th June 2015, 08:49
Ultimately, if you want warm hands, heated grips OR Gloves/Hand Guard combo would work best.
Totally agree with this set up.
Graelin
4th June 2015, 11:32
My Line 7 was great! For over forty three years I have tried to overcome a wet patch getting in and keeping warm in atrocious conditions. Yes it does get wet and cold in Australia too.
Heated grips are essential and or the BMW Pro Winter Gloves. I bought a heated jacket last year and trialling it recently it works far better with a wind proof layer over it. My jacket flows a lot of air without the Gortex liner.
In very bad weather two weeks ago I tried out the BMW one piece rain suit. Totally dry and all the other riders were shivering. I can't plug In my heated jacket though with this but maybe I won't need it.
Ice Breaker is my favourite woollen layers the quality feels much better than other brands that I have tried.
I have always liked NZ gear since my Line 7. If it works in NZ I can rely on it here.
Big Dog
4th June 2015, 18:09
Hi Gremlin and Mom-long time no hear.....
Gremlin,
Looks like you had fun on the weekend.
About the heated grips, have had several students that use them, but I have heard several times, that when you use the levers, you lose some/alot of the heat, and have to build that heat back up again.
Lots of m/c couriers in UK, Ireland use the Muffs, but unless you wear gloves inside them, if you and the bike part company, they are staying with the bike.
My preference has always been:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271322214043?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
I have a new pair for this winter, if I can get back on my bike. The other two pairs have lasted 15 years between them. They wire to the battery. No off switch, cos they can get too hot, come in mens and women fitting. NZ$130 plus postage, and worth every single cent. You can get cheaper ones, but you get what you pay for, I suppose.
Tricia1000
RoADA (Dip)
Consultant to NZTA
0212693246
Totally agree with this set up.
Several bikes here at the weekend had heated grips and general consensus was that they only heated the palm of your hands, which makes sense. Ultimately, if you want warm hands, heated grips/Hand Guard combo would work best.
I can attest the grips cool very quickly in the wind when operating the levers. Handguards cut that a lot, and thinner gloves mean you need less heat for the benifit.
The ideal would be standard palms and bottom side of the fingers, winter top half of the glove, heated grips and handguards.
I use summer gloves for anything above 4 degrees. I like the extra dexterity.
I can attest the grips cool very quickly in the wind when operating the levers. Handguards cut that a lot, and thinner gloves mean you need less heat for the benifit.
The ideal would be standard palms and bottom side of the fingers, winter top half of the glove, heated grips and handguards.
I use summer gloves for anything above 4 degrees. I like the extra dexterity.
'The ideal would be standard palms and bottom side of the fingers, winter top half of the glove'
Cricket gloves? :corn:
Na seriously, a good idea.
I revisited the '70's again to sort cold hands - mittens, specifically ski mittens....and before someone jumps in with the obvious, they are leather. Non gauntlet cuffs, so I have cut up some old socks to cover the wrist area. Way warmer than my fancy gortex thinsulate motorcycle gloves, and way cheaper too. But the better the gloves, the less the heated grips work (I have handlebar heaters) I understand you can get gloves for heated grips, thin in the palms with insulation on the outside.
Horses for courses...Others swear the polypro is the way to go.
Oilskin rocks if you ( or your desk neighbours ) can live with the odour.
Thanks for your comments, perhaps I'm a polyprop person rather than a merino person.
As for oilskin... I'm old enough to remember japara raincoats which everyone wore on their way to and from school or work, cause in those days you used public transport... still have a Driza-bone riding coat which I'd wear when doing crossing duty on wet days...
A few years ago a colleague rode everyday no matter the weather... asked him about keeping hands warm in winter. He replied he used a trick he'd learnt from an in-law who rode daily in the Waikato and was a recreational diver. He had several pairs of summer weight gloves which he wore over 2mm or 3mm divers' gloves which kept his hands warm and dry despite the leather gloves being sopping wet.
Just a thought...
russd7
4th June 2015, 22:41
i layer up, starting with microfibre t shirt (swazi), brushed cotton shirt, wool jersey then my leather jacket, and on really cold days i wear moleskin trou instead of jeans under my leather pants and the best socks, possum-merino blend (exspensive but i only wear them biking) and to keep the rain out i use a good old Driz-a-bone riding coat. gave up on the textile stuff.
didn't need the coat at the weekend but the rest kept me warm riding to and from the brass monkey
Oilskin rocks if you can live with the odour.
They only smell when new or reproofed, and fades pretty quick. I wore leather for 30 years, ah, the smell of wet leather putting it on to ride home, or in the morning going to work.
Berries
4th June 2015, 23:43
You could all just move south. We don't seem to get the bad weather all you northern pussies are having problems with.
Gremlin
4th June 2015, 23:57
You could all just move south. We don't seem to get the bad weather all you northern pussies are having problems with.
No... these pussies are complaining about night time temperatures you'd be happy with for daytime :laugh:
Big Dog
5th June 2015, 00:41
They only smell when new or reproofed, and fades pretty quick. I wore leather for 30 years, ah, the smell of wet leather putting it on to ride home, or in the morning going to work.
I quite like the smells of wet leather and oilskin, fond memories all that shit.
My work colleagues have other ideas. I wear dayglow but odourless gear to work but prefer the oilskin for going for a spin in the wet.
Big Dog
5th June 2015, 01:18
You could all just move south. We don't seem to get the bad weather all you northern pussies are having problems with.
Bad weather is not the problem. How badly Jafas drive in temperate or inclement weather is.
Not doing your best to mitigate any inconvenience caused by aforementioned conditions on the other hand leaves you miserable, distracted and grumpy when these people decide you don't in fact need the space you are occupying as much as they do, leaving you little processing power for dealing with the "shituation".
Rugging up isn't about being weak. It's about using your head.
Besides if we all moved down South you would have to put up with over a million Jafas.
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
Berries
5th June 2015, 07:18
Besides if we all moved down South you would have to put up with over a million Jafas.
I don't mind Chinese food so not all bad.
pete-blen
5th June 2015, 17:55
yer can keep yer heated grips.....
these...
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Motorcycle-gloves-electric-bicycle-gloves-winter-thermal-warm-gloves-windproof-gloves-winter-rider-gloves/714414932.html
had a home made set on a RD400 years ago when I was riding home from stoke to wakefeild in nelson at 3am...
dam great things....
awa355
5th June 2015, 18:25
I had a pair of mitts on a CX500 when I was riding from Putaruru to Rotorua over the Mamaku ranges throughout winter back in '93. They were good but damn near ran off the road once trying to get my glove back into the flapping opening after adjusting the helmet visor.
I have a pair of new hand guards but the right one would have to clamp to the handlebar ahead of the master cylinder and that wont cover the hand grip.
pete376403
5th June 2015, 20:10
My home-made electric vest worked brilliantly on the Brass monkey. -5 degrees at HariHari on Thursday morning and (from the waist up) perfectly warm and comfortable. If I've calculated correctly its 12 watts (12v and 1 ohm resistance cold) which doesn't sound much but it great. I used heating wire from an old low voltage electric blanket.
Another heated item I've got is an old one piece Windak flight suit, with heated boot and glove liners, but its 24 volt and just doesn't create any warmth on 12v.
pete376403
5th June 2015, 20:13
I have a pair of new hand guards but the right one would have to clamp to the handlebar ahead of the master cylinder and that wont cover the hand grip.
Have a look at KLR650 hand guards, they clamp on using extensions to the brake or clutch lever pivot bolts.
T.W.R
5th June 2015, 20:34
Would never use heated grips on my own bikes, have ridden a few bikes with them and just don't like them. Come cold weather its out with proper winter weight leather gauntlets & its real cold silk liners.
Rode many years in the small AM hours in all weathers with just polyprops as a base followed by merino top then std clothes under leathers ( which regularly get treated with snoseal) & never had probs; had multiple times where condensation on inside of visor would freeze.
Drafts are the killer; minimize them and anything is bearable....more you do it, the more conditioned the body becomes.
yeah, I got stories of how tough I was as a young fella....but now I'm an old fart and harden the fuck up just doesn't work anymore.
Big Dog
5th June 2015, 21:42
yeah, I got stories of how tough I was as a young fella....but now I'm an old fart and harden the fuck up just doesn't work anymore.
I hear you! The things I put up with at student age seem ridiculous now.
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
ruaphu
5th June 2015, 22:45
WTF is a thermal wet weather suit??:confused:...its a nice light weight one piece suit ..........,,
o)
Or otherwise referred to as a gold ole 'boil in the bag' suit.
yep they work really well, I changed over to the two piece variant, allows for a bit more flexibility.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ruaphu
5th June 2015, 22:59
Oh if ya light on space on ya bike, but want something just in case, grab a hand full of them cheap wharehouse emergency ponchos.
Only a couple of bucks each. . They are folded up small as so take up feck all space, weigh nothing and made of a light flimsy plastic.
But holy heck they keep the wind and rain out awesome so ya kept dry and nice n toastie.
They are only single use thingies but great for stashing a few easily on any bike. I used to keep a couple of them taped to underside of my ole CBR seat. When the weather fouled up, whip one out n wear under ya jacket, and bingo, dry and warm. When ya get to ya destination, either fold it up or bin it, simple as.
Oh, one other thing I keep on the bike (in my first aid kit) is those emergency plastic silver hypothermia blankets. They work awesome if ya need em. Just cut a hole for ya head and wear under ya jacket, all sorted, dry n warm
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pete-blen
6th June 2015, 09:33
yeah, I got stories of how tough I was as a young fella....but now I'm an old fart and harden the fuck up just doesn't work anymore.
To true....
bikes are for fun now.... being cold an't fun....
To true....
bikes are for fun now.... being cold an't fun....
Coldest I have ever been was on the desert road, shivering on the bike. Stopped at Waiouru for fuel, but more importantly just to get off the bike, it was quite tropical there by comparison.
T.W.R
6th June 2015, 11:40
Coldest I have ever been was on the desert road, shivering on the bike. Stopped at Waiouru for fuel, but more importantly just to get off the bike, it was quite tropical there by comparison.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=312604&d=1433547507
swbarnett
6th June 2015, 11:58
To true....
bikes are for fun now.... being cold an't fun....
And can be dangerous.
Did the Coromandel loop with ice lining the roads at 11am. That day I was inadequately dressed. By the time I got back to Auckland my brain was not working to full power. Had to lane-split to avoid a car that I had seen coming and didn't see as a threat. I had stopped shivering a couple of hours before I got home (and not because it was warmer).
I know I'm an old softy now, but are the young riders of today soft because of all the gear they use. At 16 I treated my motorcycle as a powered pushbike, I rode to work on frosty mornings with no gloves, no helmet and a nylon jacket, I probably thought it was cold, but didn't moan about it, that's just what you did.
Big Dog
6th June 2015, 13:07
I know I'm an old softy now, but are the young riders of today soft because of all the gear they use. At 16 I treated my motorcycle as a powered pushbike, I rode to work on frosty mornings with no gloves, no helmet and a nylon jacket, I probably thought it was cold, but didn't moan about it, that's just what you did.
I have definitely gotten softer as gear has gotten better and my ability to buy it has improved.
Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.
I know I'm an old softy now, but are the young riders of today soft because of all the gear they use. At 16 I treated my motorcycle as a powered pushbike, I rode to work on frosty mornings with no gloves, no helmet and a nylon jacket, I probably thought it was cold, but didn't moan about it, that's just what you did.
Has something to do with metabolic rate... and age...
varminter
6th June 2015, 16:01
[QUOTE=pete376403;1130870939]My home-made electric vest worked brilliantly on the Brass monkey. -5 degrees at HariHari on Thursday morning and (from the waist up) perfectly warm and comfortable. If I've calculated correctly its 12 watts (12v and 1 ohm resistance cold)
12 Volts, 1 ohm = 12 amps = 144 watts although it'll go up when the wire heats up. Would be nice and warm though.
yeah, I got stories of how tough I was as a young fella....but now I'm an old fart and harden the fuck up just doesn't work anymore.
You can buy pills for that these days :D
I know I'm an old softy now, but are the young riders of today soft because of all the gear they use. At 16 I treated my motorcycle as a powered pushbike, I rode to work on frosty mornings with no gloves, no helmet and a nylon jacket, I probably thought it was cold, but didn't moan about it, that's just what you did.
You know what, a large part of me agrees with this, back in the day we just rode.
I remember having to paint my nice, white, nurses shoes, with white house paint before returning to work as I had ridden wearing them in the rain and they looked very road film black...Matron would not have been impressed!
I am not so sure the youngsters are soft, as much as we are getting old :dodge: Yes, we had to tough up, we used the best we had. We were also foolish, and young and bullet proof.
I can remember being some sort of limpet pillion, clinging to the back of my then hubby, as he/we screamed back to Warkworth from Wenderholm. I believe it was summer clothes all the way, and it was thunder and lightning, hail and torrential rain. I have never been so wet, nor cold. Hail HURTS on bare arms and legs at some sort of highway speed you know...
Would not even consider riding like that now.
FJRider
6th June 2015, 21:48
... and young and bullet proof.
some things never change ..
pete376403
6th June 2015, 21:48
[QUOTE=pete376403;1130870939]My home-made electric vest worked brilliantly on the Brass monkey. -5 degrees at HariHari on Thursday morning and (from the waist up) perfectly warm and comfortable. If I've calculated correctly its 12 watts (12v and 1 ohm resistance cold)
12 Volts, 1 ohm = 12 amps = 144 watts although it'll go up when the wire heats up. Would be nice and warm though..
Okay, what would be the most efficient way to make a variable controller for it. At present I just switch it of when it gets too hot. And, seeing as it appears you know about this stuff, how can I make a DC-DC converter that would handle 5 or so amps? I've an old flight suit that's fully wired for heat but its 24V.
varminter
7th June 2015, 21:28
Okay, what would be the most efficient way to make a variable controller for it. At present I just switch it of when it gets too hot. And, seeing as it appears you know about this stuff, how can I make a DC-DC converter that would handle 5 or so amps? I've an old flight suit that's fully wired for heat but its 24V.[/QUOTE]
Well, that serves me right for being a smart arse. Sadly, just because I remember Ohm's law does not make me a designer. Simplest would be a 1 ohm resistor in parallel but you'd still be drawing the same and it would get really hot. At 140 wats I bet your jacket gets warm, my heated under jacket is only 75 wats on full and that roasts me. Usualy run on low or 1. You could Google it but electric stuff is so cheap...
varminter
7th June 2015, 21:38
I guess the simplest way would be a temperature sensor feeding back to a switching circuit that cycles it on and off.
I know I'm an old softy now, but are the young riders of today soft because of all the gear they use. At 16 I treated my motorcycle as a powered pushbike, I rode to work on frosty mornings with no gloves, no helmet and a nylon jacket, I probably thought it was cold, but didn't moan about it, that's just what you did.
You forgot to mention the uphill both ways part :-P
I'm a 'pussy' and take enjoyment from being warm and dry where possible. Thawing numb hands isn't bad ass or fun to me :shrug: [emoji23]
awa355
10th June 2015, 09:27
An interesting video on riding a 1200GS on snow. All in french. Beautiful scenery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOLyb621_W8
Tazz
15th June 2015, 12:57
https://www.1-day.co.nz/onsale/merino150615/p/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Email
Berries
15th June 2015, 21:26
I got some of these at another one of their sales but my hands were too cold to open them www.1-day.co.nz/onsale/pilz/ (http://twitpic.com/7z1x3n)
Daffyd
15th June 2015, 22:18
Okay, here's another angle... As a lot of you know I'm now living in the Philippines where the temperature is always in the mid 30's, (heat index mid 40's).
My question is; would merino thermals help to keep me cool? At present I have an Alpinestars mesh jacket and Teknic riding jeans. These are always soaked in sweat even after a relatively short ride and have to be dried.
One observation... Why do manufacturers nearly always make black gear when dark colours absorb the heat. Lighter coloured gear is available here, but strangely enough it's not popular.
T.W.R
15th June 2015, 23:22
My question is; would merino thermals help to keep me cool? At present I have an Alpinestars mesh jacket and Teknic riding jeans. These are always soaked in sweat even after a relatively short ride and have to be dried.
One observation... Why do manufacturers nearly always make black gear when dark colours absorb the heat. Lighter coloured gear is available here, but strangely enough it's not popular.
Hollow core fibre thermals are mostly designed to wick moisture away from the body but retain warmth so you're probably going to bake anyhow.
Camel traders in the Sudan wear black more than anything else...and they've been doing it for thousands of years....go figure :rolleyes:
Daffyd
15th June 2015, 23:38
Same here... black seems to be the most popular colour for clothing. I stick to the lightest colours I can find.
Tazz
16th June 2015, 00:52
I got some of these at another one of their sales but my hands were too cold to open them www.1-day.co.nz/onsale/pilz/ (http://twitpic.com/7z1x3n)
A fetching merino Cardigan and bulk pack of maxi pads may have been a better buy for you :laugh:
Motu
17th June 2015, 21:03
Minus 1 in the Waikato this morning, I normally don't ride when it's this cold, but with handlebar heaters, ski mittens and Oxford muffs it wasn't too bad....cold thumbs was about it. Layers upon layers, all natural, kept me almost warm. I was colder off the bike at work, I had to put my hands under the hot tap several times to thaw them out, and my feet went numb on the concrete floor.
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