Frequently I hear "I'm a fair-weather rider" or "I don't have the right gear." Jumping into cycling in the middle of winter is tough, I'll give you that. Good news though, spring is here so it's time to get rolling!
You may have received a new bike for Christmas or made some (at the time) reasonable New Year's resolution to get fit and ride more. The cold, cold reality of heading out on your bike in freezing, sloppy and dark conditions is quite different than the vow you made months ago while sipping a hot chocolate in your flannel PJs. If you haven't tried it, and don't have the proper equipment, winter riding is a bit intimidating. Sure you could just charge out the door at 10 degrees, jump on your bike and spin away; sure, it's possible, but you're going to learn many painful, and perhaps dangerous, lessons the first few times you do it. With more moderate temperatures and conditions (like now), the risks of dressing improperly are lower.
People are also reading…
Here are some tips to get you rolling:
First, safety and (relative) comfort trump fashion. Don't feel as if every item has to be cycling-specific. Gear and apparel used for running or cross country skiing may also be used for cycling. If your trip or commute is relatively short, you could even ride in regular street clothes; the longer your ride the more you'll appreciate cycling-specific clothing. Whatever you wear, make sure you're visible, with bright colors and reflective material.
Second, you can't discount cycling's sense of style. Sometimes looking good leads to feeling good, especially if it motivates you to get out and ride. Rapha, Castelli, Giordona, Pearl Izumi, Assos make great cycling clothing; visit your local shop, feel the fabric, try stuff on, ask questions. Over time, as you ride more, you'll also start to appreciate the features of cycling-specific clothing, like big rear pockets for stashing extra gear, food, cell phone, etc. Or two-way zippers to facilitate venting. Or rain jackets with extra long tails, to protect your back side when you're bent over in the drops. Local bike shops can outfit you and get you ready to ride with a minimum fuss, but not minimum cost, if you buy it before, or in, season. And as you try stuff on, relax; we all feel a bit goofy when we first start wearing “serious” cycling gear, but most all of the design features have a purpose.
Third, dress in layers: an inner, wicking layer against your skin, then an insulating layer and finally a protective, external layer. For example, I have several types of gloves and they all have about a 15-to 20-degree range of optimum comfort: fingerless gloves (From "hot" to 55 degrees), thin long-fingered gloves (60 degrees to 40 degrees), thick(ish) gloves (50 degrees to 40 degrees, add liners to extend range to 35 degrees), thick winter gloves plus liners (40 degrees to upper 20s), lobsters plus liners (30 to "damn cold"). Using liners in winter gloves helps as an additional insulating layer, helps wick away sweat and makes the outer glove infinitely easier to get on and off. If you wear cold-weather gloves above their optimum temperature your hands will sweat, and man it's tough getting hands in and out of gloves when the liner is damp, grabby and gets all bunched up. For early winter/spring commutes, with 30 degree temperature swings, I might ride in with one type of glove, and ride home in another. Same goes for head coverings, socks, etc.
Which gets to my final point: buying this stuff all at once and in season is expensive. Here's a little tip: buy winter stuff now! Retailers are bringing in new gear and clothing for warmer weather; most folks who rode through the winter already have all the gear they need, so the stuff on the racks is priced to move. It's this time of year I go through my gear and see if anything needs to be replaced, and if it's even close to wearing out, I buy the stuff on sale.
Start with good cycling shorts (no underwear!), and work from there. Don't restrict your search for attire to bike shops (though they will have just what you need for one-stop-shopping). Outdoor stores such as Canfield's and ski shops are good places to find athletic clothing that will work great for cycling.
Be flexible and adaptive, keep safe operation of the bike and (relative) comfort as your top priorities, and have fun! Once you go through each season once, you're pretty much an expert on what to wear and what works for you. Take the challenge of riding year – round once you do, fun, fitness and adventure is right out your front door!
You may write to me at crownsonpine@gmail.com or visit me on Facebook. See you on the road!