winter cycling gear?

CamperMan

It's still cold outside.. I wear what I think is suitable clothing for cycling.. but it's uncomfortable due to the sweat, I wear moisture wicking base layer with marino wool mid layer followed by a lightweight breathable windproof jacket, yet after each ride I am soaked with sweat and every item of clothing is drenched... any suggestions?.. what is the idea clothing?

07Lapierre

I'd loose the Marino wool layer. Trial and error as everyone is different.

CamperMan

I did try that a while back ditching the wool layer, still got soaked through, tried various items of clothing.. even my socks will be soaked..

07Lapierre

But we're you cold? Winter gear is supposed to keep u warm, not dry.

CamperMan

I am warm when cycling :-)

darkvalley

I prefer to be warm and sweating than cold and not sweating. I think it is probably very hard to get a clothing set up at this time of year that will not involve sweating. If you are working hard on the bike then sweating is going to be part of that!
If you have a good wicking layer next to the skin then you shouldn't notice the sweat too much, or be uncomfortable until you get off the bike.

07Lapierre

CamperMan wrote: »

I am warm when cycling :-)

Then u got it right so.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I'm the same but I only realise it after I've arrived home and undressed. I was out yesterday for a 50km spin and it was 2 degrees out with a 28km wind and bloody freezing yet i was warm and sweated bucketloads so the clothing done its job.

petethedrummer

Either start with less clothes on and endure the bit of cold until you warm up. Or take a layers off as you start to heat up.

it's most likely the "breathable" windproof jacket that is trapping the excess moisture. get yourself a gilet instead.

CamperMan

Thanks for the help...

CJC999 mentioned the wind, that is what I encounter almost on every ride, and it makes the workout more intense so I sweat harder...

Raam

You sweat cos you are too hot, you are too hot cos you have too much on. Merino wool layer + windproof jacket is too much. I always find the windproof stuff makes me too hot.

thebouldwhacker

You should be a little cold starting off. If you were playing football you wouldn't start off with full length wind proof, waterproof, gore etc etc. you warm up on the bike so dress for how hot you will be 20 min down the road.

Also please see velo rule five, write it on tape and stick it on your bars.

C3PO

In my experience "windproof/waterproof" and "breathable" are mutually exclusive unless you pay big money! I have a few jackets that I find always give the "boil in the bag" effect and I try to avoid them unless it's absolutely lashing rain!
For me, my faithful Assos 851 jacket is perfect for 8 months of the year - I just add/remove base layers as needed. Nearly 20 years old and still basically as new - I know they're not cheap but you gets what you pay for and if you keep an eye out you can pick one up in a sale!

dragratchet

having spent a small fortune on different types of sports attire over my lifetime im yet to find a garment or combination that can handle the level of sweat im putting out..ive tried every type of base layer going so ive just accepted (unless its a very sedate spin) that i go out dry, come back soaked.. always frozen for the first few minutes on the bike after the coffee stop. in which case i get my cadence nice and high to get the blood pumping/defrosting

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I'm using an underarmor base layer at the moment which seems to be working for me. I keep nice and warm and don't sweat too much. I don't sweat much in general anyway unless its one of those rare summer days in Ireland where the temperature gets above 15 degrees.

Pinch Flat

Lidl base layer and a Polaris Windproof jacket has worked well for me on weekend / long spins. Commuting, same base layer with a Craft Windstopper jacket. I don't find I sweat to much with any of these combinations.The winter has been so mild this year it has hardly justified a merino as a base layer. I would only use this if it was hovering around freezing for prolonged periods.

As the weather improves I'll lose the windproof and use a Gore jersey (non-wind stopper kind).

CamperMan

Raam wrote: »

You sweat cos you are too hot, you are too hot cos you have too much on. Merino wool layer + windproof jacket is too much. I always find the windproof stuff makes me too hot.

I did try a lightweight cycling jacket during the cold spell, it wasn't windproof, but it was very windy out and cold, the faster I cycled the more my chest started to feel cold to the point it was so bad I thought my nipples were frozen... so I use the windproof jacket..

alaimacerc

dragratchet wrote: »

having spent a small fortune on different types of sports attire over my lifetime im yet to find a garment or combination that can handle the level of sweat im putting out..ive tried every type of base layer going so ive just accepted (unless its a very sedate spin) that i go out dry, come back soaked.. always frozen for the first few minutes on the bike after the coffee stop. in which case i get my cadence nice and high to get the blood pumping/defrosting

Sounds to me like the key tech you're missing here is what's known as a "zip". i.e., take some layers off after you're warmed up!