legstrongv

Hi,

I live in upstate New York in USA. It's gets about single digits and dark early in the winter around here.
What do you recommend wearing to protect the head during the cold weather?

FYI: I have a large head, I wear a size 53+ helmet and I wear big prescription eyeglasses. Not thick lens though.
Many of the goggles don't fit my eyeglasses unfortunately.
The one goggle that I do have, barely fit over my glasses, it's a good thing it's clear for the night-time commute rides.
Though I wish it was much wider so I can see cars on the sides.

Thanks,

rumrunn6

this past winter I used all these things (but not at the same time)

- thin poly beanie, which takes up virtually no room under the helmet
- thin knit hat, which is warmer than the beanie, but takes up more room, but not bad. depending on the temps & exertion level it can get soaked to the point of having to wring it out. that's why I got the thinner beanie
- $6 Carhardt balaclava, surprisingly got a lot of use this winter even tho it does not cover the bridge of my nose
- older, modified (w larger mouth breathing hole) black balaclava with cover over nose bridge
(I like to carry a change, in case one becomes too hot or too wet)
- I wore googles one time this winter. mostly I wore just safety glasses, & actually ditched eye covers for most of the 2nd half of the winter
- in the fall, before it got really cold, I tried a suggestion from another member here to use a hoodie sweatshirt. it wound up being really useful. when I got hot I just pulled the hood back, when I got cold I just put it back up. got a good thin orange model from Walmart. it has no zipper but I wound up liking it anyway
- depending on precipitation I add a cheap clear motel style shower cap to the helmet
- fyi, not a winter commuter anymore, just a joy rider

keep poking around the winter forum & the commuter forum there are a ton of threads on exactly this topic

legstrongv

Oh yeah, my eyes ( eg. eyeballs ) gets cold in very cold temperatures. Such as mid 20s degrees or lower... Never thought of using safety eyewear.. Might try it next time.. ;>

fietsbob

Id look into Bike-Ski helmets, they have earmuff, insulated liners.

Guanto Hilario

SmartWool makes a really nice thin beanie that fits perfectly under a bike helmet. It's good down to freezing. The more hair I lose, the more I appreciate that thin layer of wool.

Wilbur Bud

Helmet cover is very helpful for keeping the heat in.

Balacava, but search for thin and stretchy, too many of them now are very tight and narrow down at the neck which can be quite uncomfortable. Better if you can try in store instead of just selecting on-line. I prefer wool to synthetics due to wet behavior and lack of skunking smell. Especially with a big head (me too), you have to find something loose or it will be bothersome.

In my experience (commuter, nominal 1 hour exposure time down to zero degrees F not including wind chill) keeping your head warm isn't nearly as difficult as keeping your feet and hands comfortable, so a helmet cover and thin stretchy wool balacava should be OK for most configurations.

ecnewell 

I live in Syracuse... I feel your pain. Here's what kept me going this winter.

- Balaclava if it's really cold (sub 10F) and/or there's weather.
- An assortment of hooded jackets, with the hood worn under the helmet, for the rest of the days. Usually I wore my Outdoor Research Transcendent Hoody (down). I found hoods work better than hats--they keep your head and ears warm, and also provide additional protection for much of your face when fully zipped. On "wintry mix" days, a waterproof hood under the helmet keeps your head and neck dry.

johnnyspaghetti

Scarfs, a good one fully only allowing the eyes to be exposed to the kill the chill factor. On the other end keeping your feet warm is as simple as not standing them on the ground. There is no bad weather just improper dress. Keep your head & feet warm. It is easy to over dress your core. Hoods tend to restrict vision.