Baby its cold outside!
On these chilly winter mornings if you start your ride feeling warm and toasty I can guarantee you will be cold and wet by the time you get home, unless you are wearing cold weather cycling gear.
Cycling generates a lot of heat so clothes that are warm and comfortable have to be able to control the build-up of heat and moisture as well as insulate and protect from the wind.
In Australia, unless you are living in the Alps region, it is highly unlikely that you will be riding in snow conditions, but wind chill factors can be extremely high, even in coastal areas. Riding in heavy frost conditions is not advisable as black ice can still form on the roads making them hazardous to cyclists and other road users.
Heavy frosts and wet conditions are a good reason to stay indoors. If you can't keep off your bike get a wind trainer and expend your energy by riding some of the international bike courses replayed on your DVD player.
Torso clothing
To gain the most from your winter cycling, your riding clothes need to be garments that can be layered. Multiple light layers with neck zippers let you adjust your ventilation as you ride.
Your base layer (against your skin) and mid-layers should be synthetics or wool. Cotton in these layers will feel wetter and colder. And definitely no T-shirts! An undershirt, either long or short sleeved, is ideal. Made from a thin moisture-wicking fabric it moves perspiration away from your skin and keeps you dry. Follow this with a short or long sleeved jersey, depending on your preference and the weather conditions.
A sleeveless vest is ideal as an outer layer as long as the front is made from a windproof fabric and the back of the vest allows your body to breath. This style of vest usually has stow pockets at the rear for storage. Purchase one that also has visibility features such as reflective tape or even an inbuilt flashing LED light.
Fleecy lined arm warmers, also made from fabric that wicks away perspiration, can be fitted onto bare arms or even over a long sleeved undershirt for an extra layer of warmth, depending on the extremity of the weather.
Head, face and neck clothing
Not only does your head need to be safe, it needs to be warm. You'll need a helmet with adjustable pads that can accommodate headwear of different thicknesses.
New to the Australian scene are neck gaitors, which you wrap around your neck and fall over your chest area. They can easily be removed when you start to warm up but offer that little more protection from the wind. Balaclavas are for heavy-duty cold conditions and you should find one that comes just below your bottom lip and exposes a minimal amount of face area. They also protect your ears. Your face, head and neck will need different amounts of protection as conditions vary. Uncovering your head is usually the simplest way to dump heat.
Ear bands are also a great invention and fit snugly under our helmet but offer extra warmth for your ears and back of your neck. They also allow more heat to escape from the top of you head and through your helmet vents than a fully enclosed cap does.
Blade-style glasses or goggles will stop your eyes from watering (and eyelashes from freezing) and keep flying road grit out of your eyes.
Hands
Your extremities will quickly become the coldest. Any warm, windproof gloves will do. Lobster-claw-style cycling mitts offer maximum warmth without sacrificing dexterity. These gloves are designed for five fingers to be placed in three pockets which still allows you to steer, brake and change gears. Your fingers seem to remain warmer when they have a buddy!
Feet
Wet feet equal cold feet, and cold feet can lead to a cold body. Wet shoes also dry slowly, so at the end of a long workday, putting on your cold, wet shoes can dampen your enthusiasm for winter biking
Neoprene cycling booties are made to keep your feet as warm and dry as possible under bad conditions. Booties made from thick lyrca area also available for milder conditions. These can be purchased as a toe cover or a full shoe cover. They do make a difference to you comfort level of a frosty morning.
Waterproof overbooties made of moisture-repellent fabric keep your shoes and your feet dry and comfy. Remember, even with booties on, you'll need warm socks. Ensure that your socks are also made from moisture wicking materials or else you will end up riding with two ice blocks for feet!
Legs
I have known some women cyclists to don three pairs of cycle knicks at the same time and still complain that their derriere is freezing! Cycle tights are your best bet if the weather is really cold. Put them on over your knicks and if you are still too cold add a pair of leg warmers on top of that. Some of the compression garments that are currently on the market can also double as cycle tights. But be warned you will start to look like the Michelin Man with all those layers!
Dress for maximum visibility. Bright coloured garments accented with highly reflective tape are ideal. There are also a variety of personal flashing LED lights that mount quickly and easily to the back of your helmet to add extra security.