how to decide on what to wear wen going for a ride

[alicat]

If you're not sure, ride round the block and decide if it's okay and adjust accordingly. Then pack another layer just in case. Then set off in earnest.

 

[presta]

My problem is my location is quite sheltered, so if I wear what feels right when I step out of the door I'll freeze a mile down the road.

 

[Peter Salt]

I just try to make my clothes as universal as possible. Wear bib shorts and leg warmers rather than bib tights, same for the torso - short sleeve and arm warmers and not long sleeve. You can always undress.

 

[FrankCrank]

 

[PaulSB]

Dress for temperature when you're leaving. Use layers and remove as needed. Always carry a rain jacket - if you get cold put it on, you'll soon warm up.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Jeans and jumper if its cool. Jeans and shirt if its warm. No complications, job done...

Im not that type of cyclist though....

 

[Drago]

View attachment 693685

Accy in his best Catalogue Man pose.

 

[vickster]

Hi, how do you all decide on what to wear when going for a ride? Here in Birmingham temperature seemingly change from day to day and each day im either to hot or to cold. My colleague recommended using www.shalliride.com which helps but Im curious as to what you people recommend to wear at what temperature? At what temperature do you switch to short sleeves en shorts?

What sort of cycling are you doing? Utility? Commute (how far?), recreational bimble, all day endurance? Club ride? Chain gang? How far? How long? Etc etc

All of those will impact what you wear, how much you want to carry. Personally I rarely ride without some sort of bag on the bike, so taking a top off, having a light rain jacket or carrying a spare pair of gloves isn’t an issue. If you’re chain ganging with just a tiny saddle bag it’s different. I also hate having anything in jersey pockets, I’ll just about tolerate arm warmers or a buff!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

View attachment 693685

Looks like you could do with a bit more sun, looking pasty there.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Hello. I'm in Birmingham too. Relatively inexperienced. My OH started off with this spreadsheet from Stolen Goat. Can still take ages to decide. We are very different. She micro adjusts and often hates starting cold and removes layers within 5km. I hate faffing so will often just wear the same thing for the whole ride and put up with temperature fluctuations. If you Google it you'll find a wide range of opinions (see the posts from Sallar in Spain where they seem to wear bib tights up to 25 deg C)
View attachment 693671

They have a gilet for 15C and sunny. Just shows how individual this is as I’d just be shorts and t shirt in those conditions. My wife often wears extra layers compared to myself. This is why no one can say what another rider should wear for conditions, one might be in shorts whilst the other longs etc.

 

[recrider]

Hello. I'm in Birmingham too. Relatively inexperienced. My OH started off with this spreadsheet from Stolen Goat. Can still take ages to decide. We are very different. She micro adjusts and often hates starting cold and removes layers within 5km. I hate faffing so will often just wear the same thing for the whole ride and put up with temperature fluctuations. If you Google it you'll find a wide range of opinions (see the posts from Sallar in Spain where they seem to wear bib tights up to 25 deg C)
View attachment 693671

Cool thanks. I also find these overviews very useful. The www.shalliride.com app my colleague suggested also seems be pretty usefull as it gives some baseline on what I should wear. I dont have a gilet though, might consider one as I see many people riding with it.

 

[recrider]

I'm a bit north of Birmingham. I don't work by temperature per se. I stick my head out of the door and decide if it's warmer or colder than the last ride and adjust accordingly. I carry an extra layer just in case. Armwarmers, legwarmers, buff, lightweight long-sleeved jersey to put on top of short-sleeve jersey etc.

Yeah from what I hear from experienced cyclists layers seem to be the magic word.

 

[Alex321]

Individuals vary a lot in what they need to feel comfortable at any given temperature.

I am lucky, in that I don't feel the cold as much as many people do. I tend to wear bib shorts all the time when cycling, with the addition of leg warmers when temperature is below about 8C.

Above the waist it will be a long sleeved jersey if the temperature is below about 8C, short sleeves and arm warmers between that and about 12C, just short sleeved jersey above that.

And if it rains, I get wet. I don't even possess a cycling rain jacket that doesn't get me wetter from the inside than the rain would.

 

[fossyant]

Takes a bit of experience. You generally want to be a little cold on setting off as you'll warm up. I generally wear just two tops. Always a thin base layer and a jersey or soft shell. Warmer days it's either a short sleeve or long sleeve thin top, cooler days it's a soft shell that has some wind protection. Very cold days it's a thermal top.

I'd advise just taking something you can pack away. Last few weeks it's been shorts and a top - bit cool some days, but I warm up ! Won't be much different for this weekend when it's supposed to be hot.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Joking aside, I think it's pretty simple.

Look out of the window, dress accordingly, take one extra layer with you in case it's colder than you think and also have enough pockets/bags to take off a layer if it's hotter than you think.

If rain is forecast also bring a waterproof and gloves.

That's about it.