Winter cycling is always cold. In the good old days, when I was cycling on a "proper" bike and generated my own heat it was less so than now. Now means using an ebike as a stroke has left me with a weak left leg. Easier to ride, but less extra heat is generated so more clothing layers are needed to keep the winter at bay.
Recently, reaching my 80th birthday, I decided to treat myself to some new cold weather cycling kit from the top down. I have an odd shaped skull (narrow front to back) so the usual head measurements work wrongly for cycle helmets, which seem to assume everyone has a round head. Although I have experimented in the past I have never found a comfortable one. So in 65 years of club/touring cycling I have always gone bare headed or with a baseball cap. However, whilst "present" buying I decided to try another helmet which is "one size - adjustable". I deemed it wise to get one so other road users might see me coming, so opted for a fluorescent yellow Centro Commuter Cycling Helmet
Helmets have cutaways for ventilation - not a good idea during the winter, but useful in hot weather, also my ears are in danger of frostbite at this time of year, so a Mavic
Winter Underhelmet seemed desirable. This particular make provides side slots for specs, thus saving them being pushed between the underhelmet and skull and creating draughts,
Now the main man needed addressing (or dressing). I needed a warm base layer so opted for a Thermal
Long Sleeve Fleece Lined Base Layer
A thick shirt of some kind will go over this but I decided to get a roomy, thermal top layer in the form of a Funkier Tornado TPU Thermal Jacket
There was a time, long, long ago when the lads in my cycling club eschewed long leg protection in winter and continued in shorts (although we did succumb to knee length socks when it got really cold). These days my 80 year old arthritic knees (probably contributed to by that youthful machismo) demand long cycling trousers in winter and even then, when it's coldest, thermal "long john" pants go underneath. So a new pair of Tenn Waterproof Breathable Cycling
Trousers were added to the order
Finally, I have always found mitts are warmer in winter than gloves and I raided the local golf club's shop for a new pair of Nike Cold Weather Golf Mitts since my old ones needed renewal.
Some might say "why bother" when the weather is cold and inclement, but I find it gets me out, gives me exercise (albeit less than "real" cycling) as the legs need to revolve to keep the ebike going. I can view the countryside up close and interact with people along the way or when "coffee stopping" . Better, by far, than vegetating in an armchair! Some lines from one of my favourite poems, A. E. Housman's "A Shropshire Lad" come to mind:
Clay lies still, but blood's a rover;
Breath's a ware that will not keep.
Up, lad: when the journey's over
There'll be time enough to sleep.
9 comments:
I like the under helmet with specs slots. Good for you for keeping on riding.. just avoid ice!!
We are just glad we are in New Zealand at the moment... still wet but rather warmer.. although last night was down to 10C... we are near Christchurch.
I long to vegetate in an armchair.
I also like the idea of spec. slots. When watching TV or listening to music on CDs I need to use headphones. Attempting to wear spectacles plays minor havoc with my hearing aids. Good to see you kitted out with appropriate garments.
Some good pieces of kit you've bought. Do you wear overshoes?, I use them but prefer some Sealskin waterproof socks worn over ordinary socks, keeps my feet toastie warm. I also use a neck tube which is stretchy enough to go over my head and ears if necessary. I like to keep cycling in winter as much as possible but its the heavy rain and ice / snow that stops me. I like it when the leave cover has gone as there's more to see. Lets hope the heavy rain fall eases up soon. Enjoy your Christmas and I hope you get a chance to try the new kit out.
gz:
I am following your NZ travels with nostalgia, having been twice to that wonderful country
Tom S:
But I am sure your "day job" as a sculptor makes you deserving of a rest!
Tom:
Having tried other underhelmets with my (essential) specs and found them draughty I latched onto this one. Will see if it works
Dave:
Yes, I have overshoes, but do find them a bit clumsy (I still use traditional toeclips but without the straps). I must look out for the sealskin socks though. I find a neck tube essential in cold weather.
Let's hope we both manage some Christmas rides in clement weather.
Looks like you spent something in the region of £300 at the very least. Is there anything in the kitty for a prezzie for Mrs Avus? You could up the ante with silk long johns, and I could go into detail about their "feel". Except it would no doubt trigger a laddish re-comment.
Never mind. Ski-ing taught me it's important to stay warm and to forget all that ancient nonsense about leaving windows wide open in winter; unless, that is, you furtively examine your hankie after each sneeze. But then death from TB - once an essential career move for youthful poets who drank more than they ate - seems to be less fashionable these days.
Just re-examined the cut-out pic of the breathing trousers and it looks as though they're styled for performing an intimate act, usually behind closed doors. Well, that will be a relief. Whoops, there's the germ of wordplay in that.
As to the Housman no doubt you're aware of Kingsmill's parody:
What, still alive at twenty-two,
A clean upstanding chap like you?
Why, if your throat is hard to slit,
Slit your girl's and swing for it!
Like enough you won't be glad
When they come to hang you, lad,
But bacon's not the only thing
That's cured by hanging from a string.
When the blotting pad of night
Sucks the latest drop of light,
Lads whose job is still to do
Shall whet their knives and think of you.
Have a good one, Avus.
RR:
I can always rely on an informed, witty comment from you and this one doesn't disappoint. As an ex skier are silk long johns better for warmth?
I was aware of and enjoy Kingsmill's witty parody - what Housman fan is not, I think?
£300 clothing bill?
My pension won't run to that. The lot came to £170, which left plenty over for Mrs Avus' nice new wrist watch for Christmas.
All the Best.
I never owned any silk underwear other than a pair of underpants bought for me in a Debenham's sale by my late mother-in-law. It's so long ago that I've forgotten whether they kept me warm or not, only that they reacted badly to being washed by machine, went all crinkly. My knowledge about silk's ski-ing application must have been secondhand. Out of curiosity I looked up the present price, and a onepiece long johns and vest costs £57.
However I can speak authoritatively about a rather similar material. When it was truly cold at altitude I used to switch from conventional ski-ing gloves to down-filled mittens in super-soft leather (the problem being that they made my fingers less agile for such tasks as zipping up my anorak). And when it was abominably cold the mittens' thermal efficiency was enormously enhanced by wearing - underneath - skin-tight, almost surgical-looking gloves in polyester. Despite their thinness their resistance, in combination with the mittens, was almost magical. But again at the expense of cumbersome fingers.
It's conceivable we've had this exchange before.
PS: all that specialist tackle for £170 sounds like a bargain. The addition of an adjective usually jacks up the price substantially. Ordinary leather gloves may cost, say, £5. Call them driving gloves and they rise ineluctably to £7.25. Even worse if we're talking about golfing gloves where you only get one glove anyway.
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