Cold Weather Cycling

Let me encourage all you fair-weather riders to get out there and ride. Don't let the cold scare you off. With a little know-how and a few simple layers, you can ride comfortably in cold weather. See, I've done the research for you. I've braved the chill and learned from a few mistakes. And so I present to you what I wear in cold weather.

You will, of course, want to make adjustments for differences in your metabolism and in whatever clothing you have.

I at times still have second thoughts before going out in the winter, but once I get out there I'm always glad that I did. Give me your feedback so I can improve this, particularly if you can fill in the blanks below 22 degrees.

temperature	< 22ºF	22º - 29ºF	29º - 36ºF	36º - 40ºF	40º - 45ºF	46º - 52ºF	52º - 56ºF	56º - 62ºF	62º - 65ºF	65º+	temperature
shoe cover	booties	booties	booties	booties	booties	booties	booties	toe warmers	toe warmers		shoe cover
feet	warmest wool socks & 2 chemical toe warmers	warmest wool socks & 2 chemical toe warmers	warmest wool socks & chemical toe warmers	warmest wool socks & chemical toe warmers	warmest wool socks	warmest wool socks	warm socks	good socks	good socks	good socks	feet
legs	2 layers: tights & outer-wear	2 layers	tights & windstopper underpants	tights	tights	tights	shorts & knee warmers	shorts & knee warmers	shorts	shorts	legs
torso	4 layers	4 layers	3 layers	3 layers	3 layers	2 layers	2 layers	2 layers	2 layers	1 layer	torso
arms	3 layers	2 or 3 layers	2 layers	2 layers	2 layers	1 layer	1 layer	optional			arms
wind breaker	jacket, outer shell, microfleece or ??	vest with mesh back	vest with mesh back	vest with mesh back	optional						wind breaker
hands	lobster mitts, liners & chemical warmers	lobster mitts, liners & chemical warmers	lobster mitts, liners & chemical warmers	lobster mitts	winter gloves	full fingered	full fingered	finger-less gloves	finger-less gloves	finger-less gloves	hands
head	2 balaclavas?	2 layers: balaclava & winter skull cap (beanie)	2 layers: balaclava & winter skull cap	balaclava	⇐either⇒	winter skull cap	⇐either⇒	light skull cap	light skull cap	summer skull cap for sweat	head
eyes	?	glasses (always)	glasses	glasses	glasses	glasses	glasses	glasses	glasses	glasses	eyes

ADJUSTMENTS for WIND, SUN, and CLOUDS:
This chart works equally well if riding at dark with little wind, or in the daytime with 5-10 MPH winds. If it's windier or cloudier than normal, I'll go with the extra warm options or I'll shift one column to the left.

WIND-CHILL:
Decide for yourself whether to take wind-chill into account. I used to when I was just learning to ride in the cold, then I stopped adjusting when I was in peak fitness. If you find that the prescription in the chart is a little too cold for you, a simple adjustment would be to use the forecast "feels like" temperature. I'm starting to use the "feels like" forecast more and more now that I'm a bit older (50s) and not as fit.

CLOTHING:
There's nothing really special here. I try to stay away from mentioning specific products, but I'm fond of really good, thick, wool socks such as Defeet Blaze. The idea is that you can ride in the winter with very little special gear. There is no need to go search out the product I use. With that said, let me give some explanation of some of the items in the table.

• My booties are just neoprene booties (shoe covers) with a fleece inner liner that you can get in many different brands. Winter cycling boots are better but more expensive.
• I mention two kinds of toe warmers. In the 30s and below, I'm talking about chemical toe warmers such as the Grabber brand. These are thin pads you stick in your shoe. They produce heat when you take them out of their wrapper. Simply wonderful. I don't care for two pairs of socks. Too thick. Use the chemical toe warmers. It's worth it.
• In the lower 60s, however, when I mention toe warmers, I'm talking about simple, light shoe covers. Maybe they cover just the toe. Maybe they cover the whole shoe. But I'm thinking of something lighter and cooler than booties.
• When I say "tights" I'm referring to what is probably a mid-weight tight. Mine is one of the Performance brand tights, but any brand will do.
• "Baselayers" are great if you have them. If you don't just wear multiple regular old jerseys. I did that for a while. But I now prefer using a product actually positioned as a base layer. They are often a little thicker, maybe more snugly fitting. I have a sleeveless crew and also a long sleeve base layer. I also have some shirts designed for jogging that work well as base layers. Anything will do as long as it's not cotton.
• My balaclava is old, plain, and thin. Nothing high-tech about it. That's why I double up with that and a Headsweat skull cap (beanie) when it is freezing. If it warms up while I'm riding, I can remove a layer. If you have something thick or high-tech, doubling up might not be necessary.
• In this table, I used to mention hunting gloves because that's what I had lying around. The fancy lobster mitts I subsequently bought are a little better. But try to use what you have before you spend money on more stuff. A variety of gloves are useful however because sweaty hands are bad when it's cold: fingerless, full-fingered, a little warmer (lightweight winger gloves), even warmer (thick winter gloves), and as warm as you can get (lobster mitts)! Layering in a pair of very thin glove liners is a really great idea. I think mine are Arc'teryx Rho Glove Liners.
• I found that my fingers were cold only when I didn't have the rest of me fairly well covered. If my toes are hurting, my fingers are going to have sympathy pains. If I take care of my head, my core, and my toes, my fingers will be fine. 
• I haven't found a jacket that breathes well enough. A jacket that traps any moisture at all is going to be a real problem for you. Anyway, I haven't found that I've needed a jacket, even when the temp is down in the 20s. Just layer on the other stuff. If you already have a vest with a mesh back, that would make a great windbreaker. By all means, use it. If you don't, then slip a couple sheets of newspaper up under your outermost jersey. That worked for me for a long time.
  

Disclaimers: For all of this I'm assuming the pavement is dry. Also, I'm mainly a roadie. This applies to mountain biking, but I generally dress 1 column to the right when mountain biking.