So after a very cold ride on Saturday at B2B, I’m left wondering what is the appropriate clothing for windy and drizzling with air temps in the 50s. Last year, air temps were colder, but it was sunny and dry, and I did fine with a throwaway nylon windbreaker that I dumped at the second aid station, and trisuit, gloves, arm warmers and toe covers.
This year added a space blanket wrapped around my torso under the windbreaker,and was still shaking from the cold. Wet clothes in the wind were just sucking the heat/energy right out of me. I’m not a strong enough cyclist to go hard/fast enough to stay warm.
I saw folks in tights, leg warmers and jackets, but don’t those end up getting wet, then cold, too? Any recommendations?
I did B2B in a onesy…I froze my ass off but still PRed the swim (current) and the bike! the run was a different story with frozen feet!
Do you ride outside in the winter, and sometimes in light rain? You may not be biking as far but it should give you a good idea of what it takes for you to be comfortable.
Avoid it like the plague. That’s what a trainer is for. But I guess I’m gonna have to experiment some, 'cause I nearly went down for good from the cold at B2B.
I posed the question because I’m not sure where to start in terms of clothing. Are wind blocking fabrics sufficient? or to protect from evaporative cooling from wet clothes do you have to go with waterproof? Are there leg warmers that are waterproof–stuff that you can easily take off mid-race?
So Saturday I had a pair of tights I could have put on, but it seemed to me that they would just get wet, then the wind would suck the heat out.
Try some embrocation, such as Mad Alchemy, which makes your legs feel warmer. Use this and regular short bibs. I have been fine in 45-50* rain.