steve-in-kville 

This morning was the first real test of the season. 27 degrees with a stiff north wind (headwind and/or crosswind all the way to work). I wore the old fashioned long underwear, both top and bottom. Thermal socks from Cabelas. My button-up uniform sheet and work trousers. Insulated hiking shoes. Topped it off with an insulated zip-up hoodie and heavy beanie.

I felt a chill every now and again but I was comfortable. The wind can just make things miserable if it gets through to the skin.

Its gonna snow a little tonight and I am planning to ride in the morning. I will be trying some heavier gear and I am anxious to see how it works. Just got a merino wool top that I am pretty pumped about after all I have read about merino wool.

So what's your layering agenda?

chefisaac

Same thing here and tomorrow morning snow too and a lot of wetness and wind. I commute in the dark to work too.

Top: jersey and heavier jacket.
Bottom: cycling bibs and wind breaker pants
Feet: Neoprene socks.
Booties: Fits over the show and breaks wind and keeps feet dry. Review is here

Head: Face mask, glasses, mirror and helmet.

Hands: Summer gloves and Bar Mitts which are awesome by the way.

joshuatrio

speedo and a helmet. no gloves.

steve-in-kville 

Pics or it never happened!!

steve-in-kville 

Forgot to mentioned gloves.... warm weather I just wore fingerless or none at all. It got cool and I switched to a pair of Underarmor's that I realled like. Lately I've been wearing an insulated pair of leather gloves I've had for years. I have a heavier pair of ski/winter gloves to wear but shifting gets clumsy, but doable.

chefisaac

Check out bar mitts. They work great!

DrakeSuperbus

31 degrees here.

undershirt, base layer, thermal, and fleece up top. Ear warmers and a helmet on my head. Jeans down below. Normal socks and chuck taylors on my feet. My gloves were way too light, but I can't find my winter ones, so I had to make do. My hands ached by the end of my 5 mile ride. I might take the bus until I find my gloves or buy a new pair.

When I get to work I take off everything up top except the undershirt, add a nicer shirt on top, and have at it.

dramiscram

I was afraid neopren would keep the humidity, sweat, inside and give cold feet. Is it?

chefisaac

Your feet will sweat but this works down to about 20 degrees. Below that I add wool over the neoprene.

krobinson103

For a 3am start I usually wear bike shorts, thermals (pants and shirt), spandex hiking pants over them, hiking shirt, Merino Socks calf length, Inner insulation jacket, hard shell/rain jacket. I have a beanie, open face ski mask, or baloclava depending on how cold it is. I wear either medium weighth bike gloves, fingerless motorcycle gloves, or thicker ski gloves depending on how cold my hands get.

tergal

an extra blanket and one fingered salute to those who try and get me out of bed

Not a morning person

pmartin4665

I usually commute in the dark (5am Chicago suburbs) 12-15 miles each way. The other morning it was 28F (20F w/windchill) and was comfortable in the following (head-to-toe): Giro Prolight Road Helmet, Castelli Thermo skully cap (doesn't look like much but works great!), Tifosi Fototec glasses w/ Bike Peddler Take a Look Cycling mirror, Craft Warm CK Wool Roundneck LS top, Capo Verona Thermal jacket, Castelli Nanoflex Bib Tights, Darn Tough Vermont Merino Wool 1/4 Cushion socks, Castelli Narcisista Shoe covers, Bontrager Solstice Multisport shoes (SPD). The bib tights are expensive but oh so worth it!!!! The Capo Verona jacket I picked up on sale for $50 via Competitive Cyclist - I was skeptical at first about the claims of their revolutionary fabrics but the stuff really works!!!!!. The Craft CK Wool baselayer isn't that thick but it keeps me warm in conjunction with the Capo Verona. As the temperature drops I also have L.L. Bean GoreTex gloves and a Castelli Viso Face mask. My commuter is a 2011 Trek Madone 4.7 whereas I used to commute on a Trek FX. I used to wear multiple layers (mostly SmartWool products) but ended up being bulky and drenched in sweat by the time I made it to work. I find that the combination of products I wear maintain sufficient warmth without the bulkiness and I never feel damp, although the base-layer is damp when I arrive. This may be more in-depth than what you wanted but I did quite a bit of trial and error (i.e. spent a lot of money experimenting) to derive these results. I admit that I'm a bit chilled when I ride but I actually prefer it to being overheated . . . it prompts me to pedal faster so I can get to a hot shower quicker!!!!! Hope this helps!

canyoneagle

25-30F my setup is a medium thermal top and my rain shell, thin (pearl izumi) hat beneath my Bern helmet, medium thickness gloves, medium thickness cycling tights <or> super thin thermals with my rain pants, hiking socks and my normal MTB shoes, plus clear lens glasses. Having a windproof outer layer allows you to wear MUCH less insulation. The idea is to start a little chilly - you'll heat up within the first mile.

I don't add much insulation until it drops below 19F

tsl

+1

There's a reason why I have a job that doesn't start until after lunch time.

Twenty-eight is my borderline between riding 'tween seasons wear and winter wear. If it was going to warm up, I might go with the 'tween seasons stuff. If it was going to stay 27 or drop, I'd go with the winter stuff.

In 'tween seasons wear at that 28, I'd have armwarmers, wicking long-sleeve t-shirt, Endura Luminite jacket on top. On bottom, I might go with kneewarmers and regular shorts under my Endura Thermolite Pro bib tights. I have a Sweatvac 40/60 beanie for under the helmet, Endura Full Monty gloves inside a larger pair of Endura Dexter windproof gloves. I'd use my Endura Road Overshoes over my three-season shoes.

If I went with my winter gear, it would be a long-sleeve wicking t-shirt and my Endura Gridlock jacket on top, regular shorts and Pearl Izumi AmFib bib tights on bottom. Sweatvac winter beanie under the helmet, probably inserting the winter liner into the helmet as well. Same glove combination, and my Lake winter cycling boots. That gets me down to the single-digits.

mickey85

I run a long-sleeved T-shirt and windbreaker on top. Bottom is a pair of athletic pants and long underwear. Wool blend socks and Adidas sambas. I also roll a beanie and work gloves. For gloves I have three pairs. Over 35, it's wool knit. 35-25 are unlined Wells-Lamont gloves. Under 25, and I'm rocking lined W-L gloves.

Trek_geek

I am lucky to have a shower at work so I go all bike cloths and then change. Ploy liner and mid weight hiking socks (I am going to buy toe covers as it get colder. Longest section of my ride is 35 min. My MTB shoes won't fit int my road shoe winter covers), summer weight bike shorts with chamois, Performance heavy fleece lined winter tights w/o chamois (good to 27 this past Monday). Poly t-shirt, long sleeve poly shirt, Heavy weight long sleeve, full zipper bike jersey and then wind breaker. I have long fingered MTB gloves good down to mid to upper 40s and then PEARL IZUMI Men's Elite Softshell Bike Gloves for anything colder. I have a thin fleece shirt and hvy long underwear top I am going to try replacing the long sleeve poly shirt as it gets colder. I wear a fleece beany under my helmet and just bought a Columbia fleece neck gator with Omni-Heat® thermal reflective technology.

scroca

Wool half zip shirt under full zip E Vap Plus coat (from Lou at Foxwear).
Long powershield pants (also from Lou at Foxwear).
Wool long johns along with me just in case the temperature drops while I'm at work.
Two pairs of wool socks with sandals.
Wind breaker booties are along with me just in case.
Glove liners and wool gloves go inside the bar mitts, outside if I get too warm along the way (e.g. it's a tailwind instead of a headwind).
Alpaca beanie covered by thin wool balaclava.
Wool chute neck gaitor is along with me just in case or takes the place of the balaclava if it's warmer after work.
Neoprene face mask is along with me just in case.

All wool above is merino except for the gloves which are ragwool.

My winter bike also has a frame bag containing rain suit and waterproof socks in case it warms while at work and starts to rain.

Trek_geek

What kind and where did you buy it? My fleece gator worked great this week at 27° but my nose was getting cold by the time my 35 minute ride ended.

Mark Stone

For me, a wool sweater with a wind-proof thin jacket on top keeps me comfortable to down around 10 degrees F. I wear my work pants and shoes but for some reason I don't get cold down there. I leave my helmet at home and wear a thick wool cap (I look like the guy from the Monkees) and Performance brand full finger gloves.

Also, I use a 1500 lumen NiteRider light and it warms the air, kind of like a heater. Well, just kidding on that last thing . . .

Juha

27F is what... -2 to -3 Celsius?

Base layer: baggy bike shorts, merino wool T-shirt with long sleeves, wool/cotton mix socks. I'd prefer pure wool socks, but they wear out like nobody's business.
On top: windproof pants (currently Haglöfs G1000 hiking pants), merino wool buff for neck, thin ear flaps. For jacket I have an old runner's jacket that's somewhat wind resistant, on top of that I'd put an ANSI reflector jacket with long sleeves.
Hands: a pair of Halti XC skiing gloves
Feet: insulated hiking boots, ankle high. I forget the brand.

In those temps any rain/sleet/snow is going to be wet. So, if there's a reasonable chance for rain, I'd replace the G1000 pants and both jackets with Goretex Active shell. Sweaty, but waterproof.

--J

chipcom 

27F?

head: wool or polypro cap
torso: poly/wool/blend base tee, wool sweater, J&G wind jacket
hands: windstopper gloves
legs: headwind pants
feet: wool socks (and shoes, of course)

tarwheel 

I layer the most when temps vary widely between my morning and afternoon commute, such as in the spring and fall. On a typical fall day with morning temps in the 30s-40s F and afternoon in 50s-60s, I wear bib shorts with knee warmers on my legs, and a wicking t-shirt, long-sleeve jersey and vest on top. I wear DeFeet wool socks and toe warmers during cool/cold weather in fall, winter and spring. On my head, I wear a skull cap that covers my ears under my helmet as well as a balacava on mornings with temps below 40.

Consistently old weather is actually easier to dress for than days when it's cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon. I have several winter-weight jackets and jerseys that will keep me warm down the teens and are still comfortable in temps up the low 50s. These include a Gore Phantom jacket, Craft rain jacket and Pearl Izumi Gavia jacket/jersey. I have several weights of wicking t-shirt base layers that I wear under my winter-weight jackets/jerseys depending on how cold it is. My warmest baselayer in an UnderArmor long-sleeve that I wear when temps are in the teens and low 20s, Craft base layers for the high teens, 20s and 30s and various poly t-shirts for temps in the 30s and warmer.

Tundra_Man 

It was 27F here yesterday when I rode to work. Here's what I wore:

Head: Balaclava
Torso: Short sleeve t-shirt with a sweatshirt over the top.
Hands: My winter gloves.
Legs: A pair of sweatpants over regular underwear.
Feet: My regular socks.

I should have replaced the balaclava with just my headband (that keeps my ears covered.) The balaclava is just too warm for anything above 20 degrees F. I usually accidentally overdress a few times at the beginning of the season until I remind myself surprisingly how little clothing is needed for cold weather riding when you're moving and generating heat.

Doohickie

I would say

Bottom: Jeans with either tights or long underwear.
Top: T-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt (or turtleneck), sweat shirt & light windbreaker.
Other: Heavier gloves (mine are fur-lined) or full-fingered cycling gloves for cold weather, plus balaclava. Toward the low end of the the temperature range a hat or hood may be needed with the balaclava.

ItsJustMe

27*F isn't layering time yet. At that temp I would wear probably just my normal long sleeve alertshirt, baggy shorts and put my rain jacket and pants over. Thicker wool socks, and a neck gaiter pulled up over my ears.

Down around 20*F I'll put underarmor under the shirt. Around 10*F I'll put on running tights under the shorts and do something about my feet. Somewhere around 0 to 5*F I'll lose the alertshirt and put on a poly sweat shirt.

Long underwear comes in at temps below zero.