Bracing for Winter
It will not be my first New England winter, but it will be my first biking winter. Currently the weather is unusually fall-like but I am trying to wrap my head around approaching cold and snow. After some research and talking to people it sounds like I am supposed to buy a lot of stuff until I look like this:
However what I have learned so far in my years of biking is that no matter what I always take the wrong advice and I always buy the wrong stuff.
So I have been very concerned about researching, being cautious, and making the best decision about the right gear for my commute style. I expected a long process ahead of me. I made a trip to the local sports equipment store to review my options starting with gloves. However I discovered that my gear decisions may not be that hard after all.
Apparently they don’t expect women to go outdoors until spring.
If I can bike all winter you definitely can!
My fiercest gloves are from K-Mart and my other fierce gloves came from the women’s running section at Adidas. Bicycle-specific clothing and accessories (except for lights and locks) can suck my teet.
Exactly! I only have a couple bike-specific things such as a hat that goes under my helmet and lightweight wind-proof grippy gloves that are all black. No one can tell they are sporty. But I hope to get through the winter with mostly regular clothes smartly put together. (It also helps I have a high-tolerance for uncomfortable weather.)
I have zero bike-specific clothing for transportation cycling, and I’ve managed to do it for 2 winters already. Discovering the power of wool and silk was my salvation – but it’s still all just regular clothing, not technical garments.
I’m (mostly) with LB on this, but I do use warmer gloves than I would if I were walking/taking the T, They’re not “Bicycle specific” but they’re closer to Ski gloves. And while much of my clothing is not “bicycle specific” my bicycling needs have shaped the clothes I wear. Smartwool tights are fantastic!
Mens’s gloves it is then! Or knit you some nice wool mittens.
Well, after all, this extreme sport of riding a bicycle is not suitable for the delicate fairer sex.
Heh.
Instead of the sporting goods store, try Nordstrom or Macy’s – or Etsy, for that matter
I just use some knitted wool mittens with silk glove liners underneath, or a second pair of knitted wool gloves if it’s cold enough.
just get a men’s glove in your size. no worries about pink then!
Broadway Bicycle School has some wool DeFeet gloves with grippy silicone thingies on the palms in men’s & women’s sizes, or at least had the last time I was there. I have a pair and love them.
The first time I tried to buy a pair of full fingered women’s bike gloves the only choice was indeed pink. I still have them but seldom wear them.
Regarding grip – I have plastic handlebar grips on my bike, and I find that leather gloves grip them incredibly well, almost too well sometimes. They aren’t the warmest, but if you can get ones large enough to fit a thin wool layer underneath, you’re good to go.
Other than how large a particular size is, is there a difference between women’s and men’s gloves? I mean, women’s hands don’t seem to be shaped differently than men’s, and they tend to have to same number of digits. I say that as a man who owns a few pairs of women’s socks – they are nice wool hiking socks that were on clearance, while the men’s were out of stock. They are the oh so feminine color of gray heather.
A motorcycle store may offer you some functional glove options as well.
Granted, I live in a little warmer climate (Washington, DC), but it does get cold, snowy and yucky…but I found I can bike up to 3″ of snow….after that, it just gets too difficult. Actually, you really don’t need a whole lot of clothes to stay warm – just a few layers. You warm up as you ride, just as a car engine does.
You’ll probably experiment and tweak your riding clothes as you go through winter, to see what works and what doesn’t. Bravo for you for even trying! Lots of people (guys included!!) don’t dare to bike in the winter. You can show them that it can be done. 
Just make sure you keep warm (not TOO warm though), and dry. Those are the keys. 
Good luck!! Charmaine
I biked through a Michigan winter, and I got by with minimal gear! Thick mittens, a fleece + windbreaker (I used a cycling rainjacket), jeans + long underwear, thick socks + hiking boots, and lab goggles + a wool skullcap under my helmet. It worked pretty well! I only fell on the first day, on a patch of ice.
Yes, pink does tend to clash with the blond Scandanavian beard balaclava!
You should ride this Sunday ! The ride is out of Arlington called the ‘Jingle Ride’. It starts at Jamn’ Java on Mass. Ave. @ the bike path. It is sponsored by Ciclissimo Classico (not sure if that’s spellrd right…) a bike tour company based in Arlington. Check out their ‘Facebook’ page for video and info. on the ride !
I’ve done it the past few years, it’s a blast !!!
Gary from Dracut…
I saw that was happening but can’t make it, though I see it goes on for a while so I may run right into it as I’m out and about.
Ha, ha… (not sure if that’s SPELLED right…) LOL
I’m a complete temperature weenie, and I’ve found that the only gloves that can keep my hands adequately warm in really cold temps (20 and below) are the Pearl Izumi “Lobster” gloves. They’re bulky, but they’re the only gloves up to the task. Also, they’re sized really small. I normally wear an XL, but only the 2XL lobster gloves fit me. Try to get a glove fit that’s not too tight, as it will restrict blood circulation through your hands.
PI lobster mitts FTW!
My hands actually sweat in those if it’s not below 20 degrees
Hilarious! So true… Since I’ve taken up biking again this year, I have been a tad bewildered by so-called “cycling specific” clothing. With the exception of padded liner shorts (which don’t seem as important now that I think I have successfully acclimatised to biking, and adjusted my saddle), I am more than fine with all my hiking gear.
There is a much better range of gear in the outdoor/hiking retail world. The principle of layering and close fitting garments is the same anyway. I am a small woman, and the outdoor world offers much more choice. Close fitting merino wool garments: the New Zealand “icebreaker” brand is particularly good (for undergarments and socks as well as other base and middle layers), and bargains can be found in the numerous outdoor online retailers. And right now I am even cycling with my gore-tex ski jacket; it has zips in the armpits which are much better at venting than a lighter weight jacket. I also wear merino wool leggings under my hiking trousers. The merino wool leggings (which are “specific” to hiking) have flat seams to avoid chafing, and my synthetic hiking trousers, while not waterproof, are lightweight and shed water nicely. Even if I get wet (which happens in the UK a lot), I don’t feel clammy, the trousers dry off quickly and the merino wool keeps you warm even when wet. Merino wool, besides being thermal and highly breathable, also does not stink, so even if perchance you overheat and perspire heavily, you’ll still be quite respectable enough to mingle with other humans! You can also wear a lightweight fleece jumper over the merino base layer and under your outer shell if you get cold. And if it becomes exceptionally cold (though personally, I can’t see myself cycling in such extremes) you could even put on a down inner jacket( inside the gore-tex shell. Both the lightweight fleece and down inner jacket are fantastically light, and easy to pack into even a bag the size of a Carradice Barley. And even with it all on, you still don’t look like the Michelin man!
Randy of A Christmas Story.
If I really try I can not see hair, but it is difficult.
Some diving gloves work fine for cycling. Mine have a lightly-padded, faux-suede palm, thin neoprene fingers, a mesh back, and they’re not pink! These keep me comfortable down to freezing, then I switch to shearling gloves or waterproof mittens w/ wool liners.
I bicycle through the winter in mid-Missouri. We get a fair amount of ice and snow. I agree with you- bicycling specific clothing is for the birds. I use regular cheap long underwear and my gore tex pants I got in the Army. If it’s cold enough, I add another layer of cheap long underwear. Two long sleeve shirts and jacket on top. Thin stretchy gloves (from a big box store, you know the ones) and larger mittens or gloves on top. Mine have had a rip in them for a few years and I hardly notice. I wear a thin silky balaclava if it’s freezing out. I put packing tape over the vents of my helmet. Makes a huge difference. I use studded snow tires when it’s slick out. It’s easy but I do only commute 4 miles one way, through residential streets. Good luck with it! And remember- it’s not hard, it’s not complicated, it’s not expensive. People snow ski and snowboard in much colder weather and they call it “fun,” not “extreme.” Cheers!
As a friend of Charmaine, I can attest she’s flat out insane! Actually, she’s right. You don’t need a whole lot of stuff. (Although Charmaine will admit to using electric socks.) If all else fails, go to a ski store. They are way better at dealing with cold than bike stores. I ride as much as I can in the winter here in DC. I did spend a decade in Boston and Providence (BU and Brown). I even survived the blizzard of ’78 om Brighton. You can easily cope with the cold but the ice and snow will cause big problems. For snowy and icy conditions, Charmaine uses studded tires. I use a wind trainer in my basement. (Hey, it’s 15 miles to work!)
My favorite winter biking gear includes lobster gloves (waaaay warmer than regular, full fingered gloves), chemical hand and feet warmers (for below 30 degree wind chill days), a Marmot Precip shell (it’s hiking gear but it’s waterproof and even has a hood), neck gaiters (extremely versatile), and my holey wool sweater (an old sweater made of soft wool. It has a few holes in it). Performance booties (one size too big). No cotton against the skin. Open up the laces on your shoes to make room for wool socks. You want the shoes tied loosely to allow warm air to get trapped.
Last bit of advice. Lay all this stuff out the night before. Otherwise you’ll never get out the door in time.
Best of luck.
You are so right! It’s not just gloves, it’s everything—pink this, floral that, sizes XS to M. Yeah, gloves are pretty unisex, but I could never find a yellow outer shell in stock that could fit over my butt without draping under my armpits. And they wonder why more of us don’t bike!
Hi,
I bike to work in regular winter clothes (wool, tweed, cachemere or even heavy cotton); I give special attention to keeping my head, hands and feet warm (wool cap, wool socks, winter gloves for bikes).
But, other than that, no need to over-stuff yourself – i totally subscribe to what was said: ‘You warm up as you ride, just as a car engine does’.
However your metabolism important – help it, by helping yourself to a larger breakfast than usual (or a more complete one, including fruit especially) . It really matters in winter.
Have a cup of tea, hot chocolate (i’m sure you’d like that) , or a few spoons of honey at destination. Your throat will thank you
Avoid overheating and taking in too much cold air in your lungs of course.
Note: I’m a guy, from E Europe – Bucharest, Romania.
Nice blog – a regular read for me, along with Lovely Bycicle (thanks Velouria for recommending this)
You guys are doing a good job, and showing the better side of the US of A
Definately get the mask. I had a long commute one winter and got frostbite on my nose. Not only was the skin damage very uncomfortable, the fact that the tip of my nose had a red “glow” to it let to the inevitable associations to a certain reindeer given the holiday season.
Now you know how men feel when shopping for shoes. Or clothes. The typical mall has 400 options for women’s clothing and shoes, and 1 sad, lonely and overpriced men’s clothing store. (Adult men, not logo-wearing fratboys.) But in addition to all the other suggestions here, I’d say that any good pair of slim cross-country ski gloves will do the trick in most temperatures.
The challenge of cold-weather riding (other than not falling on ice) isn’t so much staying warm — it’s keeping from overheating and soaking your clothes. My short ride involves some steep hills and getting there without breaking a sweat is a real challenge.
I find it easier to ride in regular clothes in the winter than spring and summer, since i don’t feel like I’m sweating to death. A windbreaker and the winter beard (you weren’t kidding about that, it makes a difference!), are the main additions to my cold-weather riding gear.
Probably the handiest cold-weather accessory I’ve got is this thing called a Buff. It’s just a tube of slightly stretchy fabric about the size and weight of a bandanna, but it’s thin enough to wear under my helmet and keep my ears covered when it’s cold, and I can reconfigure it like a balaclava if I need to. I got it as a giveaway at a bike race years ago, but I’m pretty sure you can buy them in some shops or online.
I have one made of stretchy fleece, called turtle fur. Also known as a neck gaiter. Great stuff.
Every time I see the word balaclava, I think of baklava, and then I get hungry. I love baklava.
Well, I tried wearing a baklava under my helmet one winter, but it didn’t end well.
If I tried wearing a baklava anywhere near my face, it wouldn’t last very long
I hate that about big “outdoor” shops. Either they have nothing in women’s sizes, or it’s pink/ floral embroidered.
Gloves and glasses are the only really critical piece that I find I need to be mindful of on the bike, although I am still struggling to find glasses that a) are clear for use at night b) aren’t safety glasses. Nerd chic has its limits.
Wool socks and stockings are great, as are leather boots. I am a big fan of Earbags, which sounds kind of like an indie band or something a plastic surgeon would encourage you to feel self-conscious about, but are actually little fleece “pods” which fit over your ears. Charlotte of Chic Cyclist introduced me to them, and my ears are thankful. They kept running away though, so I leashed them to my helmet straps with thread and snaps, which works well.
Finally , and I’m sure you understand this on your own, just because you’re “cycling through the winter” now, doesn’t mean that you have to ride on the days when there’s 6″ of snow, or when it’s 6 degrees, or when you just can’t face the 33 degree rain. The first year I cycled in Boston, I stopped in December. The second, I stopped in January, and started in March, and now I go pretty much straight through. Over time I could figure out what worked for me, which is the best way to gear up.
Sounds to me like the women’s glove department got picked over by all the women cyclists, while the men are procrastinating their purchases (big surprise there!) And the only one left was pink? Of course!
Most women do have more slender hands, but not all. My daughter’s hands and mine are almost exactly the same size, only her fingers are slenderer.
My daughter claims she is allergic to pink. Given her reaction to any pink in her vicinity, I have to believe her.
Hat or under-helmet sock. Variety of gloves for cool to liquid nitrogen conditions. Don’t need 40 layers, only 3 – base, mid and top. Top should shed wind and rain. Mid is for insulation, and base is to wick away moisture so you don’t get clammy. I’ve swung in wind-chilled chairlifts at -10F in nothing more, just adjusted that mid layer so it was thicker.
Nooooooo! If you go out dressed like that you will most likely overheat on even the coldest winter day in boston. I’ve gone through a few boston winters on bike and I can tell you the most common mistake made by people new to winter biking is overdressing.
A winter-weight baselayer like something from underarmor or smartwool and a light, water resistant jacket (aka ‘shell’) will suffice for most days. You want to wear stuff what will keep you warm but still breathe. Generally avoid waterPROOF materials as they will not breathe. I’m not sure if it is common knowledge or not but wool is a great fabric because insulates well even when wet, and is somewhat resistant to developing funky smells.
If you are properly dressed, you will be a little cold when you first hop on your bike. Don’t fear it. After a few minutes the heat you generate biking will keep you warm and toasty!
“If you are properly dressed, you will be a little cold when you first hop on your bike. Don’t fear it. After a few minutes the heat you generate biking will keep you warm and toasty!”
That is the most important advice.
The second picture is hilarious! I love it!
As many have already commented, most hiking gear is perfect for winter riding.
Icebreaker/merinowool baselayer combined with a waterproof jacket with pit-zips can help to keep you comfortable.
I do however feel that cycling specific gloves can make quite a difference. After trying various so-called “warm” skiinggloves I just went back to my windproof cycling gloves with a layer underneath. Excellent grip, a good fit and with nice reflective parts.
I hardly use the other 5 pairs I have, some as expensive as €120,-
In deep winter I love the windstopper Storm Buffs. You can either wear them reversed as a windproof lined beanie, or as a scarf you can put in front of your face. Needless to say, I have two of them.
In the end I am always surprised how fast you can get used to cold temperatures, especially if the weather allows you to ease into it. At the end of winter I can ride gloveless in freezing temperatures. When I try that at the beginning of winter I’ll be using pertroleum jelly for weeks afterwards.
I just had to add this video:
That is all you need to wear in freezing temperatures. With the expection of severe cold though. At -10C + severe wind is enough reason to look like the first picture.
Whatever sport they come from – the one essential for me is a proper snot rag (not very lady like i know, but hey ho)
Winter Cycling Tip # 53: Pick one glove to wipe your nose, and one glove to wipe off your sunglasses/goggles. REMEMBER WHICH IS WHICH!
I like your view on things
I just found myself in the bizarro version of this strip. I needed a new helmet and the “women’s” version was $20 cheaper and only differed from a “men’s” because it came in a pink box. I’m sure the fact that I have tiny tiny head and helped too.