MnBicycleCommuter presents.........

da, da, da, daaaa......What I Wore Today! (This is where Paul Shaffer and the band play a corny theme song that ends with Paul screaming something like: "What I Wore Today YEEEAHH!!!")

One of the hardest parts about learning to bicycle in colder and less pleasant weather is knowing what to wear. It's taken me many years and many dollars experimenting with different clothing to find what works for me. Most of my clothing is not top dollar stuff, I can't afford the good stuff. Some of it is cycling specific, some of it is borrowed from my backpacking wardrobe. A large portion was bought via the internet at discounted prices and during the off-season. Some of it I paid full price because I didn't have anything that was working for me and I needed to try something new right away. The best thing is to figure what works for you and try to accumulate a bunch of choices and options to choose from depending on what the days weather looks like.

Since I became a full-time bicycle commuter I have ridden in temps ranging from 104F to -29F....that's a spread of 133 degrees!!! That's air temp, it doesn't include windchill or heat index. Factor in those and I'm looking at a temperature spread more like 160 degrees.

Today's What I Wore Today:

A.M. temp: 46F degrees
P.M. temp: 45 F degrees

Wind speed: 17-35 mph
Wind chill: 35F degrees

Conditions: A.M. steady rain and gusty winds; P.M. drizzle and gusty winds

A.M. miles: 8
P.M. miles: 24

Head: Pearl Izumi sweat band and helmet.

Torso: Patagonia Capilene Zip-Neck base layer,
Marmot DriClime Jacket

Bottoms: generic cycling shorts,
REI Novara Headwind pants

Hands: generic polypro liner gloves,
Cannondale Windfront gloves

Feet: Smartwool hiking socks,
Lake MXZ301 Winter MTB Boots

Just in case: Pearl Izumi Microsensor Headband, Headsweats Coolmax skullcap

Comments: I learned, after many rides, that I have a tendency to overdress. I now try to be closer to under dressing and carry a few extra layers or accessories. Always nice to have a layer to add if you have to stop and fix a flat. Today's clothing was dialed in just right for the conditions. I don't always wear "rain gear" for rain. For shorter trips in these temps I find I'm more comfortable in clothing that is weather resistant and breathes a bit more then rain gear. I make sure I have a good synthetic base layer that will insulate even once it's wet.

Keep in mind what works for me may or may not work for you. Each person is different and has different trouble spots. To find what works for you it's really trial and error.

On today's commute I bumped into Jeff. He has a good post about today's ride in the wind and rain. Sounds like he's having fun learning to ride in these conditions. Best of luck to him as he attempts his first winter bicycle commuting.

Tuesday: 32 mi
October: 583 mi
2007: 6,112 mi