Winter Clothing Essentials Recommendations - Please

[Downward]

Hi
I need some new spd shoes and maybe a new jacket for cold and wet weather below 6 degrees!
I have a gore jacket but find its waterproof but not very warm.

Noticed the northwave shoes have a mention but which ones?

[John Laverick]

Notorious100HP said:

Didn't know about these, they seem excellent value

I'd describe PX gear as cheap and cheerful rather than good quality. It's not bad as a starter set but wont last too long (some of it does some of it doesn't)

[louiebaby]

John Laverick said:

I'd describe PX gear as cheap and cheerful rather than good quality. It's not bad as a starter set but wont last too long (some of it does some of it doesn't)

They also go on and off offer with hilarious regularity.

If you watch what an item costs over time, you really need to time your purchases.

[neenaw]

What winter gloves do people recommend?

I've currently got a pair of the neoprene Castelli gloves which aren't too bad but now it's getting down to freezing they're not quite up to the job.
I tend to struggle with cold hands when I'm on the bike and used to have the same problem when I used to have a motorbike so any suggestions are welcome.

[SomersetWestie]

neenaw said:

What winter gloves do people recommend?

I've currently got a pair of the neoprene Castelli gloves which aren't too bad but now it's getting down to freezing they're not quite up to the job.
I tend to struggle with cold hands when I'm on the bike and used to have the same problem when I used to have a motorbike so any suggestions are welcome.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-extreme-winter-glove/?sku=5360404316 just got these and thus far in, they appear to be the DB's !! Well recommended :-)

[LordHaveMurci]

neenaw said:

What winter gloves do people recommend?

I've currently got a pair of the neoprene Castelli gloves which aren't too bad but now it's getting down to freezing they're not quite up to the job.
I tend to struggle with cold hands when I'm on the bike and used to have the same problem when I used to have a motorbike so any suggestions are welcome.

I've just ordered some Castelli Leggendas but they say they're for 4-5 degrees minimum, not sure I'll be riding if it's gets much colder than that anyway plus I'm hoping as I ordered a large pair I may be able to wear glove liners if required.

[Gruffy]

neenaw said:

What winter gloves do people recommend?

I've currently got a pair of the neoprene Castelli gloves which aren't too bad but now it's getting down to freezing they're not quite up to the job.
I tend to struggle with cold hands when I'm on the bike and used to have the same problem when I used to have a motorbike so any suggestions are welcome.

I get cold hands too but there comes a point where the gloves offer diminishing returns. Merino liners might make a good investment (I've learned to trust Hestra for anything glove-related). Make sure the gloves are a great fit too. Not too tight with a bit of room for air. Then make sure you're moving your hands and fingers regularly. Chances are those will make a bigger difference than even thicker gloves.

[yellowjack]

Downward said:

Hi
I need some new spd shoes and maybe a new jacket for cold and wet weather below 6 degrees!
I have a gore jacket but find its waterproof but not very warm.

Noticed the northwave shoes have a mention but which ones?

For practicality, I bought the Northwave Celsius SPD (MTB) boots. Older ones, not the current stuff. I bought the non-'Arctic' ones, as I needed them to work in warmer weather too.

Current Northwave Celsius 2 GTX MTB boots are rated from -10°c to +15°c
Current Northwave Celcius Arctic 2 GTX MTB boots are rated from -25°c to +5°c

Estimate how cold it would get before you bin riding off and stay in by the fire, then buy the appropriate boot. I couldn't foresee a situation where I'd be likely to be out and about below -10°c so saved a few pennies by buying the 'lesser' of the two types.

I use mine mainly on my 'winter' road bike. I swapped the pedals on my posh roadie over to SPDs for the winter too, so I don't have to faff with pedal swapping, and can take the nicer bike out if it's been dry for a few days. Add in a decent (or even cheapo Aldi) pair of thermal socks for increased cold protection. Soooo much better than buggering about with overshoes, quicker on before going out, and more importantly quicker off when you get back so you can get into the nice warm shower faster.

I can't rate them highly enough. They keep my feet nice and warm, but not hot, and they've lived up to their waterproof billing on all but one occasion, but that ride was so wet that chest waders wouldn't have kept my feet dry. Basically, they're 100% waterproof against ingress through the upper/sole (I stood in a freezing cold river to prove that) but they're as susceptible to ingress through the top from water running down your legs as any other footwear after a couple of hours of solid heavy rain.

Tweeks seem to have a decent price on them right now...

http://www.tweekscycles.com/Product.do?method=view...

http://www.tweekscycles.com/Product.do?method=view...

...but do check the other web outlets for better prices, and even your local bricks'n'mortar bike shops too. I got mine in late summer at half price from a local(ish) shop, which I was well chuffed with.

Oh, and best of all? I was pleasantly surprised to find that the sole is very stiff, yet it's very comfortable to walk in. A three mile walk home (I forgot to take a pump on one ride!!! ) was a pretty good test of their hard wearing, yet comfortable soles.

[benny.c]

After a -3 degrees ride this morning I decided to cave in and ditch the summer shoes/neoprene option. I drove up to Tweeks straight after my ride and purchased the Northwave Celcius Arctic 2 GTX. They seem very comfortable and warm so thanks for the heads up yellowjack

[SixPotBelly]

yellowjack said:

For practicality, I bought the Northwave Celsius SPD (MTB) boots. Older ones, not the current stuff. I bought the non-'Arctic' ones, as I needed them to work in warmer weather too.

Current Northwave Celsius 2 GTX MTB boots are rated from -10°c to +15°c
Current Northwave Celcius Arctic 2 GTX MTB boots are rated from -25°c to +5°c

Estimate how cold it would get before you bin riding off and stay in by the fire, then buy the appropriate boot. I couldn't foresee a situation where I'd be likely to be out and about below -10°c so saved a few pennies by buying the 'lesser' of the two types.

Useful to have someone spell out the regular/Arctic differences, YJ.

To confuse things further, they also do a Fahrenheit winter boot. I assume that isn't just a version aimed at Americans...

edit - Got my GoogleFu on. Fahrenheit for road cleats, Celcius for mtb cleats. Correct?

Edited by SixPotBelly on Saturday 16th January 15:02

[yellowjack]

SixPotBelly said:

...to confuse things further, they also do a Fahrenheit winter boot. I assume that isn't just a version aimed at Americans...

edit - Got my GoogleFu on. Fahrenheit for road cleats, Celcius for mtb cleats. Correct?

Correct!

Fahrenheit boot has a flat, road style sole with three-bolt fixings for SPD-SL type cleats, whereas the Celcius boot has a recessed sole with chunky tread at the heal and down the sides of the forefoot, with threads to take toe-studs too, with the two-bolt fixings for SPD (MTB) cleats. The shop I bought mine from had a glut of spare studs, two pairs of which found their way into the box with my swanky new boots just for me having the bare faced cheek to ask...

Well happy with mine today. A metric century in about 2°c temperatures, with plenty of ice still around even deep into the afternoon.

Fingers were a different story. Two pairs of cheapo Aldi/Lidl gloves to choose from. Pair 1 have been worn and washed to death, and can be quite chilly, but pair 2 are too thick and far too warm for anything above freezing. So I wore pair 1 and regretted it for at least two hours of my ride. Weirdly, though, it seemed to warm up a bit after the sun went down

My PistonHeads/Bioracer jacket is snuggly though. Expensive to buy, and it hasn't seen much action at all this year, but it's now starting to come into it's own with the falling temperatures. So just a decent set of gloves for intermediate temperatures, and some warm long bibs to sort now. Aldi/Lidl windproof bib tights are OK, and the windproof fabric really does do it's job, but the lack of a thermal fleece lining on the back of the legs is letting the cold in on the coldest rides

[Gruffy]

yellowjack said:

So just a decent set of gloves for intermediate temperatures, and some warm long bibs to sort now.

These Hestra gloves and these un-padded Rose overtights work for me. I wore my regular shorts underneath, a mesh base layer and a jacket for 190km of -1°C yesterday. The double-material over the knees is really useful and the tights also continue the fleeced insulation half way up the torso too. If I need any more warmth on the fingers I add a pair of Hestra merino liners.

[ALawson]

Gruffy what you wearing on your feet in this weather, whilst I don't mind wearing two pairs of thermal socks in summer shoes with over shoes, my feet although cold and wet aren't that bad.

I am wearing just short sleeve base with arm warmers below a Gabba, summer Assos bibs with leg warmers and then some 1996 vintage water repellent (long gone) tights over the top. This works down to minus three, just need to keep my feet dry.

Anyone got specialised defroster shoes or a Northwave the way to go?

[Gruffy]

Regular weight merino socks. Fizik R5B summer shoes. Generic neoprene overshoes. Rapha oversocks.

My toes do suffer a bit, but it's manageable if I remember to keep moving them. It helps to get out of the saddle regularly and get a bit of pressure through them.

[ALawson]

Over socks may be the difference, they neoprene?

[yellowjack]

Gruffy said:

yellowjack said:

So just a decent set of gloves for intermediate temperatures, and some warm long bibs to sort now.

These Hestra gloves and these un-padded Rose overtights work for me. I wore my regular shorts underneath, a mesh base layer and a jacket for 190km of -1°C yesterday. The double-material over the knees is really useful and the tights also continue the fleeced insulation half way up the torso too. If I need any more warmth on the fingers I add a pair of Hestra merino liners.

Cheers Gruffy!

I'll get the tape measure out and consult the sizing charts now!