Rob’s post on Barry-Roubaix which included a description of the clothing worn made me want to note the same thing. Not for any reason of style, but because I find dressing for longer cold weather rides to be a bit confusing for some (they sure were for me!), so I hope these notes can help others in a similar situation. (It’s also an excuse to post this photo of Roger, Nick, and I just after starting the race.)
Saturday’s weather in Hastings was right around freezing. My bike computer recorded an average temperature of 32.5°F during the race, and the temperature when I last checked the weather before leaving for the start was 28°F. There wasn’t much wind, but being a road race I had to be ready for 10-20 MPH headwinds throughout the day, plus more while riding down some hills.
Here’s what I wore, which is fairly typical for me in these conditions:
- Pearl Izumi Barrier GTX Shoes
- Generic Kirkland (Costco) Tall Wool Socks
- Voler Thermal Bib Knickers (Trail’s Edge logo from team order)
- Under Armor Thermal Base Layer (usually a generic Costco one, but this was a gift and is more form fitting)
- Voler Short Sleeve Jersey (Club-Cut, Full Zip, Big Ring Coffee from team order)
- Voler Wind Jacket (Trail’s Edge, also from team order)
- Descente Coldout Beanie
- Giro Xar Helmet
- Pearl Izumi Gavia Gloves
For other rides around this temperature or colder I’ll often use Trail’s Edge Moose Mitts with springtime-weight gloves. I really like these for keeping my hands warm and bike controls accessible, but on warmer days like this when I’ll be trying to push myself (such as a race) they can get too warm. Thus, just as during Iceman, I opted for simple gloves. Regardless of what I chose for keeping my hands warm they always seem to get painfully cold within the first 5 or 10 miles, then suddenly warm up and be fine for the rest of the ride. I guess that must when I warm up and my internal thermostat decides that there’s sufficient heat that some can be spent on warming extremities.
I’ll also tend to refrain from shaving my head or face for 4 or 5 days before an event like this. The bit of scruffy facial hair does a great job of keeping the cold away.