Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Winter Cycling
Reload this Page >

Ladies Base Layer Question

Notices
Winter Cycling Don't let snow and ice discourage you this winter. The key element to year-round cycling is proper attire! Check out this winter cycling forum to chat with other ice bike fanatics.

Ladies Base Layer Question

Old 01-11-19, 12:12 PM
  #1  
Craptacular8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Craptacular8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 643
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 182 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 31 Posts
Ladies Base Layer Question

I think I have an ok winter cycling clothing scheme, but always room for improvement. Perhaps due to my smaller size relative to prior years, my arse is frequently cold when riding in the low 20's and below, particularly with wind.

I have been using either thermal bicycling tights with Craft cross country ski pants over them, or bike shorts/UA cold gear tights/Craft ski pants, and done fairly well in prior years. This year, I can' seem to stay warm longer than an hour in that layering. I tried my equestrian thermal wind pants over my previous mentioned bike tights, and it's better, but still my behind gets cold. Legs stay better though.

Then, there is the damp upper body. Sports bra, base layer top (assorted, none of them wool), mid layer wool sweater, sometimes zippered running jacket with my good breathable cycling jacket over it. I stay warm enough, but when I stop moving, I can tell that I'm sweating, and going to be feeling cold if I don't get back moving again real quick. Would merino wool bra and base layer help that? With the merino bras running $60 on average, would be nice to know if they would really be the bomb.

I picked up another set of softshell cycling pants that many reviewers seem to find warm enough to just wear their shorts under....I wish, the same will be true for me, but suspect i will still need something.else. as they feel no heavier than my softshell Crafts.
Craptacular8 is offline  
Old 01-11-19, 12:20 PM
  #2  
GadgetGirlIL
Full Member
 
GadgetGirlIL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Lisle, IL
Posts: 407

Bikes: 2003 Litespeed Vortex, 2017 All-City Mr. Pink, ~1997 Trek Multitrack 700

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 139 Post(s)
Liked 93 Times in 56 Posts
I've ridden in 18 degrees with wind this year. Regular cycling shorts with Athleta Polartec Power Stretch tights, and REI wind blocking pants on the bottom. Never any cold butt moments with that combination. That same combination has worked well down to zero with running or hiking or snowshoeing.

I can't address the upper body as it is rare that I ever start sweating much unless it is a ride where it started at 18 degrees and got to the upper 30s with full sun. I always make sure nearly all my layers have zippers as I can vent a lot of heat by just unzipping around my neck.
GadgetGirlIL is offline  
Old 01-11-19, 12:46 PM
  #3  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,825

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4742 Post(s)
Liked 3,860 Times in 2,509 Posts
Can't help you on the bra but my first thought re: cooling when you stop - yes, this happens. A really warm hat you can stuff in a pocket helps a lot. Also, I do my best to dress so that I do not have a windbreaker layer over my torso once I am warmed up. That light jacket gets stuffed in my jersey pocket and will be a real help if I have to stop. Also, with no wind barrier, I sweat less and stay a lot drier. My cold weather rides usually start off wearing the hat (I buy my helmets big enough to just manage a hat with the headband expanded) and the windshell. Early on, when I am warmed up, I stop and pull off one or both. I also nearly always wear armwarmers that come off as needed or just pushed up and down as fine tuning.

One of my best purchases ever was an early Showers Pass light rain jacket. It got pulled off and on while riding many times, tied around my waist and otherwise abused and it started flunking the rain test, It has lived on another decade + as my preferred cold and dry weather riding jacket, used as described above. (I have two more newer waterproof Showers Passes that I treat well. I live in Portland. Cold and dry isn't always.)

Before you go out and buy stuff, experiment with what you've got. We are all quite different and we can spend a lot of money chasing solutions that work for other people but not so well for us. Sometimes we find a piece of clothing we have on hand that isn't even cycling is just the ticket. (My old, tired sailing thermal underwear has found new life as riding gear. Leather mittens made for handling an ax, aka "chopper mitts" work really well as riding mitts in cold weather with wool inner mittens inside. Silk next to your skin is wonderful and on feet - REI boot socks.)

Ben
79pmooney is online now  
Old 01-11-19, 05:27 PM
  #4  
wipekitty
vespertine member
 
wipekitty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Land of Angora, Turkey
Posts: 2,476

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 687 Post(s)
Liked 220 Times in 163 Posts
I wear a normal sports bra (synthetic) and thin wool baselayer, followed by other wool layers (as needed) and a windstopper jacket with pit zips. This is my standard setup for temperatures ranging from around 40F to -5F.

I don't know that a wool bra would be worth the money. It's a pretty small area of the upper body. For me, it's the wool layer and pit zips that make a huge difference: when I get hot, I can just pull a few strings and viola! instant relief. I like to do a bit of hill training in the winter, so sweat happens.

The lower body is less of a problem for me, but I tend to go with rain pants, just because I already have them and they seem to do a fair job at blocking wind on the coldest days.
wipekitty is offline  
Old 01-13-19, 07:05 PM
  #5  
Craptacular8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Craptacular8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 643
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 182 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 31 Posts
Originally Posted by wipekitty
I wear a normal sports bra (synthetic) and thin wool baselayer, followed by other wool layers (as needed) and a windstopper jacket with pit zips. This is my standard setup for temperatures ranging from around 40F to -5F.

I don't know that a wool bra would be worth the money. It's a pretty small area of the upper body. For me, it's the wool layer and pit zips that make a huge difference: when I get hot, I can just pull a few strings and viola! instant relief. I like to do a bit of hill training in the winter, so sweat happens.

The lower body is less of a problem for me, but I tend to go with rain pants, just because I already have them and they seem to do a fair job at blocking wind on the coldest days.
i suspect you’re right. It isn’t much real estate. I think I’ll go with the wool base layer instead.

I cant say that I get hot, just that I sweat regardless of how cold the weather is. I sweat plenty in -2 the other night, lol. Thanks.
Craptacular8 is offline  
Old 01-13-19, 11:05 PM
  #6  
wipekitty
vespertine member
 
wipekitty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Land of Angora, Turkey
Posts: 2,476

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 687 Post(s)
Liked 220 Times in 163 Posts
I did find something interesting and not horrifically expensive while searching around: https://www.icebreaker.com/en/womens...__WS_color=401

Interestingly, the Icebreaker tops seem to be only 50% merino. I'm really tempted to give this one a shot, as it might actually work well for summer riding, especially with bibs!
wipekitty is offline  
Old 01-14-19, 12:12 PM
  #7  
Craptacular8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Craptacular8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 643
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 182 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 31 Posts
@wipekitty, thanks for the link.

For anyone that is still shopping for the next "these are the winter pants for me" I can say that I've tried out the 4ucycling pants that seemed to be popping up on every search I did for my solution to a cold behind. Unlike my premium Craft winter riders, they don't actually allow the vapor to go anywhere....plus side, all your body heat stays trapped inside too. So, my bike shorts were soaked at the end of a 70-90 minute ride, but I didn't really notice it until I took them off? First test was 26 degrees with little wind. I only had the short on under the pants. I was comfortable, and surprised at all the moisture when I peeled them off. Second ride was 24 with wind, was a real feel of 11. I added a pair of running tights over the bike shorts under the softshell pants. Again, I was comfortable, just pretty darn damp at the end of the ride. I suspect I might not love them if I was riding for over 2 hours, but for 1 1/2 hours, they seem perfectly acceptable.

I just ordered some ski bibs to help me hopefully still get out and fatbike next weekend when our highs are projected to still be well below 0. I'm hoping they are the ticket to a warmer behind when I'm challenging the cold gods, lol.
Craptacular8 is offline  
Old 01-14-19, 12:43 PM
  #8  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
You mean Pantyhose, ? or the more popular, As Outerwear, leggings/yoga pants?..
fietsbob is offline  
Old 01-14-19, 01:05 PM
  #9  
GrainBrain
Senior Member
 
GrainBrain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Central Io-way
Posts: 2,655

Bikes: LeMond Zurich, Giant Talon 29er

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1218 Post(s)
Liked 609 Times in 458 Posts
I'll wear my UA tights, then my summer padded shorts, then a UA wind pants. The summer padded shorts help keep the rear warm.
GrainBrain is offline  
Old 01-14-19, 02:49 PM
  #10  
Craptacular8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Craptacular8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 643
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 182 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 31 Posts
Base Layer

Originally Posted by fietsbob
You mean Pantyhose, ? or the more popular, As Outerwear, leggings/yoga pants?..
Um no. I meant base layer. No way would pantyhose do a thing for me on rides where actual temp is below 0 F. Merino "leggings" or base layer, maybe under my winter cycling over pants.
Craptacular8 is offline  
Old 01-16-19, 11:15 AM
  #11  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,362 Times in 1,381 Posts
When I keep cotton off my skin, then my sweat doesn't make me cold. See if you have any cotton in the garments you're wearing. Is it possible the synthetic sports bra keeps your sweat on. Crazy idea from a guy who's never worn a bra (except once while in drag), can you wear a merino shirt under the bra? At least as an experiment?

I bought a pair of those 4ucycling pants. I wore them over my pants. They were way too hot. I might use them for extreme cold, the kind we don't normally get here. Sweat wasn't a problem, and I guess it would be dumb to wear them against my skin.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 01-23-19, 11:21 AM
  #12  
Craptacular8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Craptacular8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 643
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 182 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 31 Posts
winter base layers

Originally Posted by noglider
When I keep cotton off my skin, then my sweat doesn't make me cold. See if you have any cotton in the garments you're wearing. Is it possible the synthetic sports bra keeps your sweat on. Crazy idea from a guy who's never worn a bra (except once while in drag), can you wear a merino shirt under the bra? At least as an experiment?

I bought a pair of those 4ucycling pants. I wore them over my pants. They were way too hot. I might use them for extreme cold, the kind we don't normally get here. Sweat wasn't a problem, and I guess it would be dumb to wear them against my skin.
No cotton garments. Was wearing synthetic only. They wick for me, but I can still feel the damp. Was in Costco last weekend. Don't normally look at their clothing offerings, but low and behold, they had ladies 100% merino wool long sleeved tshirts for $16. Picked one up as a test. Already had scored some merino wool base layer leggings. So, went out in -9 actual (-27 windchill) as an hour long test ride when I got home. No damp feeling at all....success!

Last night's fat bike group ride, again, with the wool base layers. I did layer a UA cold gear top over the wool one, and that seemed to work fine as well. Apparently, wool next to the skin works better for me...synthetics over it seems to work fine. I also coincidentally used the 4ucycling pants on each of these rides, and when paired with the wool layer in between the bike shorts, and the 4ucycling top layer...no issues. Like them just fine now. They zip over the Lake boots nicely, so that's a nice touch too. Will probably need to get some lighter weight wool leggings to account for warmer weather soon...though I see highs of below 0 for several more days.....
Craptacular8 is offline  
Old 01-23-19, 10:35 PM
  #13  
Archwhorides 
Senior Member
 
Archwhorides's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Boston
Posts: 927

Bikes: Death machines all

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 297 Post(s)
Liked 85 Times in 63 Posts
Merino is so fine that moths want to gobble it down. My wool undies are totally riddled, but I don’t care.
Archwhorides is offline  
Old 01-25-19, 09:47 PM
  #14  
wipekitty
vespertine member
 
wipekitty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Land of Angora, Turkey
Posts: 2,476

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 687 Post(s)
Liked 220 Times in 163 Posts
Originally Posted by Craptacular8
Was in Costco last weekend. Don't normally look at their clothing offerings, but low and behold, they had ladies 100% merino wool long sleeved tshirts for $16. Picked one up as a test. Already had scored some merino wool base layer leggings. So, went out in -9 actual (-27 windchill) as an hour long test ride when I got home. No damp feeling at all....success!
Awesome - glad that merino worked for ya! I wish we had Costco

I actually ended up buying that Icebreaker merino bra, lol, though I'm really more interested to see how it does in the summer.
wipekitty is offline  
Old 01-26-19, 11:31 AM
  #15  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
Patagonia base layer long underwear has worked for me ... their thicker poly fleece, Cool Weather tights under my rain gear
worked on my February to November Tour of the British Isles..

Ireland then late may crossing over to Scotland..





In addition to felting if too hot, There is larvae that eat wool none for polyester..
...

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-26-19 at 11:36 AM.
fietsbob is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Fly2High
Road Cycling
41
02-02-15 07:22 PM
chefisaac
Winter Cycling
27
01-21-13 03:53 PM
rushbikes
Road Cycling
31
09-26-12 01:23 PM
hobkirk
Winter Cycling
27
01-17-11 06:59 AM
hobkirk
Winter Cycling
8
12-14-10 04:28 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.