Friday Frivolity: when the mercury drops, what first for you? Longer pants, long sleeve shirt...jacket?

So happy to hear I am not alone singing out loud while riding my bike. Yesterday morning and again today, something funny happened on the commute. I was colder than I like, but MTFU or whatnot and did my ride. I am a year round commuter but tend to fare better with acclimating to temp changes then this sudden drop. Whine whine. BUT here's the question: I am a shorts, t shirt commuter right now. So I am faced with the quandary of what layer first, which seems to beg the question which layer pyramid schematic do you follow. I am sticking with shorts and adding a vest. My legs usually generate plenty of BTUs perhaps from the cycling while my top half seems to shiver. Of course this assumes some sort of teleological nature of shorts then pants then long sleeve shirt then jacket...etc

TL/dr when the weather gets colder, which layer do you add on first? And do you follow any order of "building up" the layers.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on September 18, 2014 at 4:13pm

It is all about figuring out what layers work for you. I have cycling specific jackets, and a winter helmet for when it gets below 20 degrees, but everything else is, as Gene says, wicking layers and wool that I have picked up from various sources. Legs--the most important thing is an insulating layer and a windbreaking layer when it gets colder. If you have access to Costco, they have some pretty inexpensive insulating layers available right now.

Chris said:

In the past I've never been much of a cold weather rider but this year I'm going to try to commute even in the cold. Can anyone recommend some pants or other cold weather gear? Or a store / website? I'm not big on tights or spandex. Lately I've just been rolling up the pants leg on my wranglers but that's not going to work for long.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on September 18, 2014 at 4:55pm

Longer shirts (or arm warmers). But tights are not far behind.

grayn8 (5.3 - 36) said:

It's funny to me, I was really curious which came first for people: longer pants or longer shirts. I don't think we have a clear victor.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 18, 2014 at 6:28pm

I believe there is a victor , grayn8, the long sleeve shirt type cover-up to keep the body core warm, long pants are down the list because of the leg circulation from the pedaling cadence.