You might find this site useful: http://www.icebike.com/. It has articles on clothing, equipment and bike handling for winter riding.

Chris

Get a shell layer of some sort. Something windproof that you can wear over whatever else you wear. That will be the biggest step.

Get something for your head. Descente makes excellent skull caps that will keep your ears and head warm.

Get some shoe covers, probably made of neoprene. They're cheap and warm.

Find some good gloves. They don't have to be cycling specific but it will help since they'll be cut a bit better and have terry cloth on the thumb.

Can you wear your tights as cycling clothing? I typically prefer to wear my regular cycling shorts under tights for some flexibility in my clothing. Dedicated tights with chamois means you have to wash them a lot or own 5 pair to get thru the week.

Finding sales will be hard as winter is coming up. Do you belong to a team of some sort? Many clothing companies (Verge, Voler, Champ-Sys) make winter clothing that you could order reasonably cheap or get cast offs from people ordering new clothing.

Pearl Izumi is a great brand to look at. It's hard to go wrong with the products on the whole. Assos is incredibly nice but expensive. Deals can be had on Ebay, though. Plus, winter clothing lasts a long time, since you don't wear it nearly as much. So, think about buying a piece and keeping it for 5 years and then think about the $$/ride value. As one of my friends puts it, you would pay a dollar a ride to be warmer, right?

Definitely need a hat under the helmet. I wear a super-warm base layer on top (I wear it also for running), then a fleece vest and a wind jacket on top. I sometimes put on another layer too if it's really cold. I wear gloves on my hands and booties over my shoes. On the bottom, I have winter running tights that I wear over cycling shorts.

I think Tom Demerley had a good article on this at some point. Check out Bike Sport Michigan website. IIRC, he broke it down layer by layer.

I have a great pair of wind blocking tights that I got at REI several years ago. I wear them over my bike shorts, they're nice for running too. I'm a big fan of Smartwool socks and I also put the little chemical toe warmers in my shoes. It's the only thing that keeps my tootsies from feeling like they are going to break off.

Ok. winter? I can only wish for cooler weather.

Anyhow, when it does get a bit nippy here in So CA (yeah, I know), I layer my top portion, so I can take whatever off (I get hot pretty easily). I also make sure I have some sorta wrap, or head covering under my helmet for my ears and head. Legs are usually tights or leg warmers, and I always have to have my bike shoes in booties. I hate cold feet. So I gues all in all, think layers, so you can strip off if you are on a long bike ride.

N~

Here's another good web site:

http://www.blayleys.com/...rTips/wintertips.htm

More info than you could possibly want.

BrokenSpoke

Toastie hands and toes. Stick 'em in your shoes and gloves, and you'll be golden.

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There is no justice, there is only me. -- Death

Good base layer is key. As an avid XC ski racer and winter biker, Craft is the BOMB. SierraTradingPost usually has their stuff on closeout. It's expensive but worth it. As I like to say, the Norwegians are pro's with the cold, and they know how to make the best gear.

After Craft, I wear a LS bike jersey and vest or a jacket if it's really cold. It's worse to be too hot and get too sweaty, then you'll chill for sure.

On the legs, it's bike shorts and insulated tights, with Goretex booties. I wear my Toko XC ski gloves with Windstopper. I have not found anything better. Sometimes a hat, sometimes an earwarmer.

If your gear does not work right for you, you are not going to be happy out there. I have no qualms about spending money of great gear, because I refuse to be uncomfortable in challenging conditions.

I usually wear a baselayer and a soft shell jacket - the jacket is windproof and water resistant, but still breathable.
I wear long finger gloves, and if it's really cold I will put on a pair of loose liners over them, then end up taking them off as my hands apparently sweat a lot.

I have a pair of the Pear Izumi AmFib tights and I wouldn't trade them in for the world. I wear them biking in the winter over bike shorts, and running in the winter if it's in the 20s or lower.

I have full neoprene booties and use the chemical toe heaters. I wish I had winter cycling shoes and those electric heaters from Sidi, but I don't bike THAT much in winter and they are PRICY!

I have a base layer from Craft that rocks - it's got a windproof front. Most of the time it's TOO warm for me, but it's amazing.

Most of my stuff does double duty. I wear my soft shell cycling jacket also as a winter running jacket too. I don't have any winter running jackets.

Definitely something warm on your head - either beanie or balaclava.
My husband prefers swix ear muffs. Like XC skiers might wear.

I like the jacket to have pit zips and a front zip so you can adjust for temp.