_ForceD_

I was going to add…what works well for one rider might not work for another rider in the same conditions. There have been occasions when I’ll have amply layers on for me…rather lite IMO…but my hands get cold (sometimes even in the low 60s°F). So I’ll have few, lite layers on my body…but wearing big thick gloves/mittens. Then, I’ll pass other riders who are all bundled up on top, and they’re bare-handed. — Dan

jadmt

trial and error for sure. this was a longer ride (70 miles) I don't think it ever got above 32°F. feet got cold rest was fine. consisted of a $20 jacket, a smartwool base layer, pair of Pearl izumi lobster mitts, cheap costco tights. We were both dressed about the same and my buddy said only his toes were cold as well.

wolfchild

The type of clothing you choose to wear on a bike is a personal choice. Experiment by riding in different conditions and find out what you like and what makes you comfortable. Me personally I would never follow and take advice from other cyclists on how to dress for a bike ride. I have my own style which is a mixture of casual /athletic /outdoor clothing.

SpedFast

Yep, I got a pair of them that I wear for night rides when I know it's going to drop below 45° shortly after heading out. They're great and you don't need leg warmers or any of that other gear.

Homebrew01

I wear something like that in the 20 f-30 f range.
I have a variety of cheap, different thickness gloves for each temperature range..
Go for some rides. You'll figure out what you need. I prefer to slightly over-dress, and then unzip to let in air if i get too warm. Better than being cold with no way to warm up.

Frkl

wool layering. protect against insulation loss, not conductive or radiative heat loss. therefore, an emphasis on "wind breaking." Gloves make a disproportionate difference, given the concentration of nerve endings in the hands

Jay Turberville

I pretty much agree. Input from others can provide possible ideas for things to try. But that's about it. Just because you are riding a bicycle doesn't mean everything you wear needs to be made for the purpose.

Wildwood 

Wool, long sleeve for 50s. Jerseys in both a medium and a heartier weight. Bib knickers, maybe tall socks..

pepperbelly

I was wanting ideas from other riders to get some ideas. I will be trying different things.

CAT7RDR

I have always disliked knickers and tights due to the increased fabric resistance when pedaling.
In So Cal valleys, high 30's/low 40's is usually the coldest it gets for me. My preference now is just to wear MTB shorts over bib shorts for the wind block.

If needed, I will wear a pair of Woolie Boolie longer socks but that is rare.

Sy Reene

?? You're talking about wind resistance? Neither knickers or tights interfere with your pedals. Or are you referring the extra strength required to bend your knees while in the pedaling motion?

SoSmellyAir

I am in SoCal so our climates may be somewhat comparable?

For SoCal "winters" (i.e., from 50*F to about 65*F) Castelli Tutto Nano long sleeve jerseys and bibs work great for me. Although this fabric is fleece-lined and form-fitting, it is quite breathable, no overheating even if I am climbing in the high 60s. The compromise is that Tutto Nano is only moderately water repellent, which is more than sufficient for SoCal. Most winter cycling gear is much more water resistant but much less breathable.

If < 50*F I would wait until late morning or midday for the temperature to climb above 50*F.

You may want to reconsider the balance between water resistance and breathability for your climate.

Seems a little excessive for about 50*F. Save it for your next bank visit.

CAT7RDR

For me, it becomes more noticeable on longer rides that I'm working harder to overcome the resistance of the fabric as if it is an exercise band, albeit slight, it adds up.

cyclezen

It would be a given that any comments any of us made on ANY topic are our own opinion, experience, style and bias. So, I assume other's comments give a different perspective, as does yours, here.

so this would seem to be a good perspective. hearing/seeing others perpectives on anything provides a larger window on possibilities, an admirable way to consider things.
I agree. I've learned a lot, from perspectives I hadn't had and found new ways to do things.
Every comment, from every user has validity, certainly for themselves. Bits and pieces from the group offer things to try, to see if it works for any of us. A good thing, for me to avail myself of....
Thx
Ride On
Yuri

Sy Reene

Interesting take. OTOH, there's a whole thing about how compression clothing (eg lycra) can aid in training and blood flow.

2Mins2Midnight

I live near you (Dallas), and I'm not a fan of the cold either. My winter riding gear has slowly grown over the last decade, though, and I have enough high quality winter riding clothes ow nthat I can enjoy a lot of rides I formerly wouldn't have. The advice I was always given when I first started riding was you want to start out a little chilly on your winter rides. If you're warm from the start, you're going to overheat quickly and get sweaty, making things even worse. If you start a bit cold, you'll feel great in about 10 minutes. I always check the weather so I know the range of temps I'll have from the start to the end of my ride as rides this time of year often start cold and warm drastically by the end.

Last year I invested in a cycling specific warm base layer (Pactimo Thermoregulator) to replace my non-bike specific Under Armour type layers, and it's been incredible. I stay warm, but it regulates my temp enough to keep me from overheating. I'll usually wear a long sleeve jersey or light jacket over it.

Hands are always tricky for me. I have several glove options but haven't found a perfect pair for around 50 degrees yet, which is a common temp here this time of year. I have some lighter gloves that are great for 55+ and a few options of heavier gloves for anything around 45 and below.

A cheap hack for cold feet I see a lot of people doing this time of year is wrapping your toes in aluminum foil. It apparently works pretty well, but I've never tried it.

SoSmellyAir

Below 60*F I wear: HEAD Men’s Ultrafit Touchscreen Running Gloves | Costco

1. Available in 5 sizes so hopefully everyone can find a pair that fits.
2. Ultrafit 4 way stretch fleece keeps hands cozy.
3. Silicone dots on fingers and palms provide decent grip, better than bare hands, especially when damp.
4. Sensatec fingertips for index fingers and thumbs to fiddle with Strava and other apps on iPhone.
5. Can be machine washed in cold water with rest of cycling apparel.

But these gloves may not be grippy enough if you only brake with the tips of your index fingers; I use both my index and my middle fingers.

DangerousDanR

Down to freezing I wear thermal bibs from https://fatladattheback.com and Fizik shoe covers. Depending on how close to freezing I wear a FLAB jersey, with a wool base under and if it is below freezing but above 20 I add a poly fleece jacket. Gloves are dependent on temperature. Also, below 40 I add ear muffs.

But the thermal bibs are good for me down to 20F. Below that, I add heavy duty cargo pants, maybe switch to lined pants below 0F.

Also switch over to boots around 20 and to my cold weather boots (Kamik Green Bay) below 0F.

I also have pogies from 45Nrth for colder weather. Dragon Claws for below freezing and Cobra Fist for below 0F

bikingshearer 

This is exactly right. Also, keep in mind that it is unrealistic to be 100% at all times in chilly/cold weather. About the best you hope for is being a a bit warmer than you'd like on climbs, a bit colder than you'd like on descents, and about right on flat terrain. And the newspaper tip is a good one. It has gooten me down several long cold descents.

I see people where I live (SF Bay Area) who dress like they are going on a polar expedition in the winter. I know I would stew in my own juices on any climb and maybe on the flat if I did that, so I don't. I usually have a thin merino wool base layer except in hot weather, and I always have a cycling cap (backwards) on under my helmet. As the temps drop, I add wool jersey layers (all my jerseys are short sleeve), arm warmers, leg warmers, tights (thin merino wool), medium weight wool hiking socks, thin gloves and/or w ear-covering headband. 40 degrees is about as cold as I ride in. For that temp, I'll have three merino wool jerseys (and no thin base layer), arm warmers, bibs, tights (with suspenders), wool socks, hat and headband as an ear warmer, and fairly thin gloves. I do have a goodly amount of my own natural, er, insulation and I tend to run warm.

I very much prefer arm warmers to long sleeve jerseys for the flexibility. 40 degrees in the morning here can become anywhere from 45 to 65 degrees in the afternoon), plus I find arm warmers to be thicker and warmer than long jersey sleeves. I do have leg warmers and use them in the shoulder seasons for the flexibilty, but in the winter I am always in tights.

As others have said, YMMV.

Fredo76

I find my Pearl Izumi Quest AmFIB Jacket to be remarkably versatile. In a size one larger than my t-shirt size, to accommodate a bit of a tummy, the fabric has just the right combination of wind resistance and breathability that works for a wide range of temperatures, depending on what I wear under it, but also on how far I zip it up. I never get 'soaked in sweat' in it.

+1 on Patagonia 'Capilene' thin long-sleeve shirts. Wear them under a short-sleeve jersey for arm-warmers, or under a jacket.

+1 on Peral Izumi 'lobster gloves' - the ones with two fingers instead of four, which makes a real difference in warmth, almost like mittens, but you can still work controls.

Soaked cotton clothing has caused a lot of hypothermia. No cotton in winter for me.

pepperbelly

I have a long sleece jersey but I also have 2 long sleeve “fishing” pullover shirts.

fooferdoggie 

They flap around and move air so it can make you cooler.

pepperbelly

Are you ok?😎

fooferdoggie 

Autocorrect ate my message and spit out junk.

rm -rf

Yeah, a bit cold for the first 10 or 15 minutes is helpful. It takes 30 to 40 minutes before my hands and feet fully warm up -- I suppose my core is finally warm enough to allow the extra blood flow.
I was half serious about bringing a fluid trainer to the ride start, and warming up without the strong wind chill of riding at speed!

In Dallas, you don't have the advantage of starting a ride with a long uphill. Our local hills are about 250-300 feet high and around 1 mile long. That really helps.

I avoid really cold rides now, since I can ride on Zwift.

Shell gloves
I had some oversized unlined goretex shell gloves years ago. I can't find ones for sale now.
These were great with a selection of glove liners or thin fleece gloves -- windproof really helps. I could even wear them with no liners if the day warmed up. Easy to wash and/or dry out too.

Now, I have REI shell mittens. They are great for the first 40 minutes of a ride, so I have nice warm fingers. Easy to fold up and store in my pocket too. (I have Di2 shifters, so the mittens aren't a problem. I never tried this with mechanical shifters.)