Dress for Success
What should I wear? Early in my career, I would stand in front of my dresser trying to answer that question, then head out on a ride and frequently either freeze or fry. After lots of trial and error, I’m much better at picking training and racing clothes. Here are my suggestions.
First, get good information. Glancing out the window doesn’t cut it. I use www.accuweather.com, and pay particular attention to the RealFeelä. This is similar to windchill, but I’ve found it to be a much better tool. Also, pay attention to not just the current weather, but what’s to come. It’s not uncommon for the weather to change during a long training ride or run, and you don’t want to be caught by surprise.
Key: LW – lightweight SS; MW – midweights; HW – heavyweight; SL – sleeveless; short sleeve; LS – long sleeve
70° and Up
- SS Jersey (if it’s really warm maybe sleeveless)
- Shorts
60-70°
- SS jersey with arm warmers or LW LS jersey
- LW, SL baselayer
- Shorts
50-60°
- LW or MW baselayer, SL or SS
- SS jersey with arm warmers or MW LS jersey
- Wind vest
- Shorts
- Knee Warmers
40-50°
- MW, SS baselayer
- MW, LS jersey
- Vest or LW jacket
- Shorts
- Knee Warmers
- Cycling Cap
- Toe Covers
40° and Under
- LS baselayer
- MW LS jersey with jacket or HW LS jersey with vest
- Shorts
- Tights
- Skull cap (should cover ears)
- Shoe Covers
Contingency Planning
If it is supposed to get colder, or rain, pack a vest or a light jacket in a jersey pocket. If it is forecast to get warmer, dress in layers and leave room in your pockets. Of course arm warmers can just be rolled down. Remember that the weather can fool the forecasters, so stay on the safe side and figure they are off by a couple of hours, just in case.
Caveats
How to dress is an individual thing, and you will have to experiment to find exactly what works for you. Some people, especially women and smaller guys, get cold easily and will need to dress more warmly. Others are impervious to cold and will want to wear less.
For women, consider your sports bra as a lightweight base layer.
Helpful Hint
If you’re new or unsure, pay attention to what others are wearing. If you’re the only one in tights, you may want to reconsider. Generally going along with the more experienced riders is not a bad place to start.
Common Sense
Always wear a helmet, gloves, glasses, and sunscreen.
Steen Rose is the owner and Head Coach of Athletes On Track and an Elite Coach for Training Bible Coaching. He has been competing in cycling and multisport events for 16 years with 13 state titles and 3 national medals to his name. He has been coaching since 2003 and works with all ages and abilities of athletes locally, nationally, and abroad. He can be reached at srose@trainingbible.com
I like to use the Jens Factor to help my winter riding clothing choices. It is a simple, yet fairy accurate means of determining how much of a hard man you really are. The faster you ride, the colder the temps, the higher the Jens Factor, the better the bragging rights. I usually start to brag about my winter rides at JF 3 to 4. Not sure you get past JF 2 whilst riding in Texas though.