Originally Posted by
SalsaShark
Trust me, wind makes a difference. Say I am comfortable at 15°f wearing similar head attire as your photo, ie: glasses, skull cap, helmet, fleece gaiter. I am fine with this attire if the wind is not blowing hard. Take the same exact riding conditions, and factor in a steady 20-25 mph wind and now life is miserable from the neck up. In these windy conditions, I now need a full balaclava head covering and goggles to keep my eyelashes from freezing shut, where as at the same temp and calm conditions, I was perfectly happy with exposed skin.
Drop the temp further, say -10°f. I can usually make my daily commute in these temps using my standard layering of mittens. Throw in a 20 mph headwind at these temps, and now we have to add chemical warmers to keep my fingers and thumbs from losing too much heat before my commute is finished. I would not necessarily want these adjustments without the wind, however, as it would be too easy to start sweating when my hands get too warm, and sweaty mittens can be a recipe for severe discomfort.
I will agree that for some, a windbreaker can solve issues on the torso and legs in windy conditions (although in my experience, this area never gets all that cold anyway, even in windy conditions - with the exception of the crotch), but the extremities will still need to be addressed accordingly to compensate for wind at lower temps.
We need to dress for our unique body needs.
That said, wind is a very low priority when dressing for my daily winter rides. After air temp, it's sky conditions that are the next priority, sun versus cloudy or night. Snow plays a role too, but that's more an issue of how "fast" I can get where I'm going ... Unless temps are near freezing and I could end up getting wet. The wind, like snow, slows me down and taking longer to get where I'm going, but no real change in my clothing.
45NRTH Naughtvind shell pant are great alone at warmer temps and layered over wool bibs for colder temps. On the top I love my
Podiumwear Arrowhead jacket and for the the wind and colder temps, I layer their
wind vest under the jacket
To the point of a mechanical, working with bare hands ... that's exposed skin, and that's when wind chill is a factor. My winter tools include chemical hand warmers and light gloves. Trust me, 10+ years of winter riding, I've had my mechanical issues and know how to manage them.