Cold advice!

[ljm2008]

Firstly, thanks to everyone who suggested Chewy's mirror extenders! I bought some last week (superfast delivery!) and fitted them before a Sunday ride today. It's amazing! :D I can actually see behind me now without shifting about all over the place, lol! :smt026 So should that lower my insurance now that I actually have usable mirrors??? :p

The only thing is now this cold weather...I had 2 layers, plus jumper plus winter textile jacket on and I still came back cold. I don't feel the cold when I'm riding, but when I stop and get off, within around 10 mins I'm always freezing. I even wore an extra layer of gloves today and although my hands were toasty, I'm still cold! Any ideas?? :confused:

Cheers!

Laura
xxx

[Biker Biggles]

Get some food inside you.No matter what you wear you still need fuel to generate body heat.

[Lissa]

Get some food inside you.No matter what you wear you still need fuel to generate body heat.

Good advice. Stoking your boiler helps to keep you warm. Also treat yourself to some good thermal gear. Lots of thin layers are better than a couple of thick ones.

You could also try Hein Gericke's Pathan gloves. They look weird but they've kept my hands warm even in minus temperatures.

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Hein_Gericke_Pathan_3_Finger_Glove__5110600

[fizzwheel]

Thin layers work better than thick jumpers.

Go into Millets and get some thermal base layers. Then a sports base layer over the top of that. Then a thin fleece, then over the top of that get a Windstopper from your local bike shop. Then over the top your winter jacket.

I rode well in -6 to - 8 temps a two winters ago and I wasnt cold using a similar system as I have outlined above.

Something like an EDZ undersuit is a good starting point as are the EDZ Microshells to.

If you buy the dedicated sports base layers they wick the sweat away from your skin so you dont get to sweaty either. ( Handy for wearing under leathers in the summer to )

Also a decent pair of socks to keep your feet warm is handy to.

[TSM]

Good thermals and multiple layers.

My back protector does a good job too and a backback, as long as the torso part of your body is warm generaly you dont have too much of a problem overall.

[svdemon]

Waterproof/windproof jacket and trousers and a good neck tube. And thermals underneath when it gets proper cold

[TazDaz]

You'll probably be feeling the cold when you stop from the sweat. Keeping warm is all about breathability. I've been wearing my mountainbiking gear under my textiles, in particular this top http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/dhb_Compton_Zip_Neck_L~S_Base_Layer/5360031535/ (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/dhb_Compton_Zip_Neck_L%7ES_Base_Layer/5360031535/)

[yorkie_chris]

Neck tube definately. I'm sometimes cold when I stop, but my bonce doesn't have much insulation without a lid on.

[Dangerous Dave]

Under gloves, thermal socks (Military ones are good), and a neck tube.

Try not to wear layers on top of eachother that have a zip at the front, the coldness will get to your chest and this is the vunerable part. Cover yourself fully, but don't over do it on layers as it can also work against you.

[silverelephant]

Yay you for getting out and enjoying the great weather we had today!! I have to say today was the first time I've felt a wee bit cold on the bike, I knew I needed new gloves and today just proved it! I can definitely recommend a neck tube, don't know how I ever managed without one.

Is it wrong that all the talk of layers has made me want to go and watch Shrek?? Now I'm a flying talking donkey :smt026

[yorkie_chris]

Neck tube, or one of those arab style towels are good in summer too. You won't think it's a good idea untill you catch a wasp with your neck.

also, handguards are excellent for keeping your hands warm and dry.

[TEC]

....I'm sometimes cold when I stop, but my bonce doesn't have much insulation without a lid on.
And neither do your hands unless you leave your gloves on but you hit the nail on the head :shock: and this could be ljm2008's problem as well. No matter how warm you are when actually riding, most riders take their glove and lid off when standing about shooting the breeze, in a breeze :rolleyes: hey presto all that warmth you had built up will be sucked away in seconds through your head/hands :( Simple solution, if wearing a neck tube, pull over head or put a hat on, cap beanie etc. Try and keep hands a little warmer by sticking them in a pair of thin gloves or in your pockets :)

[embee]

I was amazed at just how effective the forcefield back protector is at keeping you warm. Especially effective around the kidney area. If you can keep the core warm your body won't start to shut down circulation to the extremities, so hands stay warmer.

[yorkie_chris]

Yeah I stay a lot warmer with a backpack on... waist strap stops draft getting up my jacket.

[fastdruid]

Heated jacket and heated grips.

Best bits of kit I ever got for riding in winter. Cut down both the number of layers I was wearing (and so quicker to get kitted up) and meant I was actually warm rather than just gradually losing heat. I also found that just having the jacket on meant my hands didn't get as cold either.

Druid

[yorkie_chris]

Halvarrsons jacket here, heated grips and enduro handguards. Not tried it with the handguards on a long run yet, but seems pretty toasty so far.

[Dangerous Dave]

I was amazed at just how effective the forcefield back protector is at keeping you warm.

Yeah I stay a lot warmer with a backpack on... waist strap stops draft getting up my jacket.
Keeping the core of your body warm is the main aim, you arms and legs will look after themselves.

[ljm2008]

Ooooh...heated grips sound lovely after my ride to work this morning! Borrowed a friend's gloves to try today because I was thinking of getting a pair, but they were too small for me and also I'm sure they must be summer gloves because my hands were in agony after only around 5 miles!

So added to the shopping list is a cosy neck tube and something to go over my head, new gloves, thermals and some thicker socks then we'll see how that goes :-)

I think you might be right though about cooling down when I take my helmet and gloves off...never thought of it like that! To *maybe* discount the sweat thing, I change clothes as soon as I get home and then after 10 mins or so I start to get really cold... But will go shopping soon to get some bits and pieces and hopefully that'll help!

Laura
xxx

[missyburd]

Yeah I stay a lot warmer with a backpack on... waist strap stops draft getting up my jacket.

Does tucking your top in not help then (or whatever you happen to be wearing under your jacket) ? Or does the draft prevent it from staying tucked in?

Thermal gear highly recommended, I just got me some Peter Storm thermals, top and bottom, cheap built-in central heating :-)

[Paul the 6th]

in a mother knows best scottish accent:

"if yer dun't get yer porridge, yer'll be cold all day"

aye, something nice like porridge and several t-shirts seems to work for me. If I wear a tshirt and a jumper it doesnt work as well as say 3 t-shirts

[yorkie_chris]

Does tucking your top in not help then (or whatever you happen to be wearing under your jacket) ? Or does the draft prevent it from staying tucked in?

Thermal gear highly recommended, I just got me some Peter Storm thermals, top and bottom, cheap built-in central heating :-)

Yes but you still get a draft. Pointless having a nice windproof goretex jacket if there's a draft going up the back of it! That's the problem with not having zip-together riding gear.

[ethariel]

Must admit that my cheap replacement jacket won't zip up to my rukka trousers and indeed there is a bit of a draught, however my back protector seems to be a bit big for even me so it does help a goodly bit.

However for cold hands i have to got the heated grip and muff route, poor circulation means bleeding cold hands (and time for preaching now - If you are a smoker, quit and your hands will be warmer! (honest, the nicoteen damages your circulation:P))

Colin

[missyburd]

Yes but you still get a draft. Pointless having a nice windproof goretex jacket if there's a draft going up the back of it! That's the problem with not having zip-together riding gear.
See, you know it makes sense to just wear your leathers :p Then not only would you be nice and draft-free but you wouldn't have to suffer when I choose to demonstrate how cold my hands are muahaha :lol:

[northwind]

The Spada Force 2 WP gloves are very warm, and more waterproof than the HG Pathans (I loved the Pathans I had but these are better, fully armoured as well, and not weird looking either)

The other thing about layers is not to mummify yourself, air is a brilliant insulator so packing layer upon layer tightly is usually less warm than less layers fitted more loosely. Cotton's pretty poor for cold weather in pretty much every way, too.

I love my Belstaff Celsius jacket :) If it was goretex, it'd be the best bit of kit I own but as it is, it's not particularily waterproof. But it's so warm...

[TEC]

Ooooh...heated grips sound lovely after my ride to work this morning!
Yeah but a heated jacket is much better ;)

I change clothes as soon as I get home and then after 10 mins or so I start to get really cold...
Aha so already cooled off from a ride and then changing into cold clothing in the house, been there and done that :( Found that a large baggy jumper works quite well to keep some heat in and then restore normal temps sooner :)

[Grinch]

Have a look at my blog - bikersview (http://bikersview.blogspot.com/2006/05/all-weather-riding.html)- as I wrote something about this many moons ago...

[fatneck]

Balaclava under your lid - got to keep yer head warm!