Let me be clear, I hate riding indoors. If you can actually enjoy bolting your bike to a stationary trainer and pedaling to nowhere more power to you. To me nothing makes me dislike riding more than doing it inside.

Lucky for me Richmond does not get nearly as harsh in the winter as some place really cold like Chicago. However I think it’s fair to say that things do get cold here. This is certainly not San Diego.

So when it gets cold I pretty much do the same thing I always do… ride outside 7 days a week. I just wear different clothing.

One of the new guys on the team asked for some advice on winter time riding gear and this is what I told him:

Upper body. Two words: “wool” and “layers”. I have done the heavy jacket wind stopper thermal base layer baloney and all I ended up getting was sweaty and cold. Then I picked up a Capo Forma merino wool base layer and everything changed. This simple piece of clothing is the first thing I put on for any ride below 60 degrees. It does not look like much but this super thin and lightweight t-shirt cut number does amazing things. No man made fiber works as well as a base layer. It wicks well and keeps you warm even if you managed to get sopping wet. Best of all wool is naturally anti microbial and is way easier to get stink out of.

I pair the base layer with some Smartwool arm-warmers on all rides under 60 as well. Over this layer I put on either a normal weight long sleeve cycling jersey for rides that will get into the upper 40′s and higher or a mid-weight fleece jersey for the days when it stays below 45.

If it’s windy I’ll usually put a extra lightweight vest on early in the ride and remove it as I warm up. For all of these items I have been using the basic team gear we had Champion System make for us. Every company that makes cycling gear does stuff like this though. If you are not into the team thing Sugoi and Castelli both make some good alternatives in roadie style or more casual stuff as well.

For my lower body I have an equally simple approach. First things first… winter bib shorts. That’s right… winter SHORTS. By going with a fleece lined bib short rather than tights or knickers I have the option to pair with knee (usually Smartwool for cool days) or leg warmers (Sugoi Mid-Zero for cold days) depending on the ride. I have found that winter shorts have a better overall fit compared to knickers and bib tights. Unless it’s below freezing I never need more than this on my lower body.

Extremities. This is where there is the most room for variation. My hands and feet get cold pretty easily and I keep my head shaved so I probably dress a bit warmer than average here.

Hands: Craft Siberian gloves. From low 30′s to 50 these are the best. For truly freezing days nothing beats a “lobster” glove and anything over 50 calls for light knit gloves. The Siberian gloves are hands down the best gloves of this type I have ever owned.

Feet: THIN wool socks. People often make the mistake of trying to stuff a thick wool sock into a shoe they sized for thin cycling socks and wonder why their feet get cold. All that extra pressure squeezing your feet actually reduces blood flow at your skin making you colder. A relatively thin wool sock like the ones from Swiftwick or Craft does the job nicely.

If you are like me and you still get cold you have two options. Shoe covers or winter shoes. Shoe covers are a decent fix but nothing beats a winter shoe. Shimano makes a couple that are really great. It’s amazing what a little, goretex, neoprene, and thinsulate does for a shoe. Toasty warm feet no matter the ride.

Last but not least is the head. Again I think natural fibers are the best here. If it’s not that cold and I’m just trying to keep the wind off my head a cotton cycling cap does the trick. When it’s cold though I go right for wool. Both Capo Forma and Cannondale make great 100% merino wool cycling caps with ear covers that fit perfectly under a helmet.

So there you have it… everything you need to brave any ride over 32 degrees. Now get out there and ride!