How to keep warm?

[MikeyBikey]

I second the recommended Merino wool base layer, look for sale in dept stores.
TK Maxx is good for cheap ski wear, which is warm , waterproof & has zip vents.
Ski jackets come in hi-viz colors & look more stylish than bike plastic ones.
Ski pants are waterproof, and have mesh vents down side of leg. ( looks like fishnet stocking underneath! No-one has said anything yet )
Aldi, had fishing hat with ear cover and led light in brim, don't know how I'm going to wash it tho'!
good bargains, but can't count on them.
cheers, Mike

 

[funkylyn]

Close body contact to share heat is always a good un though.

Maybe hatti should get a tandem then......and sit behind snuggling up to the back of whoever is doing all the hard work....that should generate plenty of close heated bodily contact......at least thats the only way I can think of for doing it on a bike lol


Lynda

 

[103Alex1]

I have a pair of Sealskinz socks and they are much warmer than ordinary 'thermal' socks.

However, they are not magic and neither are they cheap at about £30.

Agreed - Might send Hatti mine to try - worn 3 times then gave up on them in fear of contracting trenchfoot. 2 pairs of ankle-length Embers merino socks cost me half what the Sealskinz ones did, were breatheable and warmer as my feet don't go clammy inside them. No more sweaty feet and toasty in -5 degrees. They don't smell either. Hate to say it but you can get away with washing them about once every 10 days if you really have to.

Throwing money at it doesn't make you any warmer. The trick is to have thick and loose. No point in putting on lots of layers if your top layer is tight.

Not necessarily, d8veh - unless you ain't pedalling enough to generate any heat My Agattu-wear is usually tight fitting ... which is rather incongruous ... but much more effective as I'm always pedalling that and have some internal moisture to exchange with the outside world as a result

Alternatively, you could get a Samsung Galaxy 2 and use it as a hand or body warmer. Mine just got the update to Android 4.1.2 and now it gets red hot and the battery goes flat in half an hour rendering it useless. Anybody know the fix? It seems to be something to do with media.

Check the powersave function settings ? My S3 on Android 4.X did that at the beginning and battery was flat in 2-3 hours. I played about with it a bit and got a spare battery from Saner - since alternating the batteries I get 1.5 days on average or about 8 hours if I've been using SatNav and media player continuously for ages. Unfortunately I've no recollection of what I did to fix the power drain but it was something on the settings.

I was fine in the snow this morning.

Nike base layer
Merino wool top
Dare2b fleece
Marmot Zion neoshell jacket

Bloomin' eck - how cold was it ? I thought you could happily go topless under those Zions

 

[anniegirl]

Well, I've now got a long shopping list...

Sealskin socks
Silk longjohns and vest
Merino jumper and maybe a pair of merino socks under the sealskin ones
DEFinitely a pair of those electric gauntlet thingies from Maplin (although LOVED Flecc's suggestion)
..and beanie

Thanks everyone. I am seriously going to buy most of this stuff.

Anyone coming to Redbridge who sees someone resembling a Yeti will know who it is (unless its sunny by then. Who knows?)

Hatti

Whatever you end up wearing Hatti, I am sure you will be more safety conscious than the woman in this photo. She might as well not be wearing a helmet!

 

[johnc461165]

Give it up as a bad job Hatti until spring has finally sprung.

But regarding silk thermals, yes they are good, and, as we women know, there is nothing quite like the feel

of pure silk underwear gently sliding across our smooth soft skin......and if it keeps us warm as well....job

done

Lynda

pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeew and another good point about silk it doesn't crease when it's been thrown on the floor, where did I put those tablets??? ?? ? mmmmmm ahhh memories

 

[funkylyn]

pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeew and another good point about silk it doesn't crease when it's been thrown on the floor, where did I put those tablets??? ?? ? mmmmmm

Honestly, John.....trust you ....fancy throwing good silk underwear on the floor.......men ! lol

Mind you.......I suppose, as you say.......it doesnt crease

Seriously though, silk is a great heat retainer and obviously very lightweight , fine layers are always best to keep warm

Lynda

 

[amigafan2003]

Bloomin' eck - how cold was it ? I thought you could happily go topless under those Zions

-4c and about -12c in the windchill - which feels even colder @ 25mph ;-)

 

[Woosh]

Cor, what a lot of info. I bet you all look really cool (or should I say warm?)

D8ve is right about layers - I tend to wear lots of thinnish tight things so maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

Lynda's persuaded me to get some silk undies and yes, I DO want a balaclava please Lynda, can you do one in pink Merino plus gloves to match?

I reckon I should be OK from now on.

Hatti

 

[funkylyn]

Decided against snuggling on the back of a tandem then Hatti ?

Lynda

 

[Cakey]

I go out every day
Winter rides if really cold , thermic heated gloves or warmthru gloves 1st like 1 bar fire 2nd like an oven.
Also wear a heated beanie thermic .,
Also heated insoles that keep my toes toasty . Ridden at -15 still warm . If its colder than this Oxford heated gilet .
All adjustable settings so after 10 miles turn them down

 

[103Alex1]

where did I put those tablets??? ?? ? mmmmmm ahhh memories

The little blue ones ?

-4c and about -12c in the windchill - which feels even colder @ 25mph ;-)

I guess it's forgiven then .. it's the windchill that gets you at speed. Got a Craft baselayer in the sale with windproof panel on the front which is really thin and light as a feather but works a treat.

Wiggle | Craft Zero Extreme WindStopper Base Layer AW10 | Base Layers

It's only short-sleeved and when it came I thought it'd never be of any help. But tested on a downhill sprint into icy blast and the only bit I could feel cold through my jersey was the area round the top of my arms the baselayer panel didn't stretch to and the On-One cheapo merino arm warmers didn't reach up to.

 

[Cyclezee]

I am really surprised that no one has come up with the obvious solution to keeping warm.

Simply emigrate to a warmer climate, e.g. Cyprus, Greece or the Iberian Peninsula, Iceland

 

[dmcgoldrick]

the boys in glasgow are still waiting for it to get cold so they can wear their long-sleeved football tops.......far too warm yet to change from a short sleeve t shirt......its spring now anyway........

regards

 

[Cakey]

I lived in kotka for 3 years -40c

 

[dmcgoldrick]

I lived in kotka for 3 years -40c

3 years at -40c must have done wonders for your complexion...........

not just that cold at the moment there ........... Kotka Weather Forecast (Finland)

 

[Cyclezee]

I lived in kotka for 3 years -40c

That's
When I lived in St. Johns, Newfoundland, we got down to -50c with wind chill

 

[Cakey]

Kotka is now coming into their summer all of 6 weeks .

 

[Woosh]

Decided against snuggling on the back of a tandem then Hatti ?

Lynda

Depends who with.......

Hatti

 

[anniegirl]

I am really surprised that no one has come up with the obvious solution to keeping warm.

Simply emigrate to a warmer climate, e.g. Cyprus, Greece or the Iberian Peninsula, Iceland

Or only cycle during the summer months...................assuming we get some decent summer weather this year in the UK!

 

[D8ve]

We often get decent summer weather and sometimes it lasts a whole day.