I’ve always headed in for the trainer when the temps dropped into the 50s, but I hate the trainer with a passion. Last weekend, I did my long ride and it averaged 61° with 20+mph winds. I wore my usual summer outfit (shorts, sleeveless jersey and no socks) and I was pretty comfortable. After about 2 hours my feet were a little cold but that was about it.
What do you guys wear between 50° and 60°? I’m thinking a short sleeve jersey instead of sleeveless, my summer cycling shorts and wear socks (I’m usually sock-less on the bike).
I am scarred from too much indoor riding many years ago . . . I go outside in most conditions. From 50 - 55 I wear a long sleeve sleeve tech shirt under my cycling jersey, toe warmers (still don’t wear socks), knee warmers, light gloves, and a light ear band. As I have gotten older I have learned that if I can keep my ears, toes, and hands warm I am usually ok.
60 degrees isn’t too cold for me. But I’d add a long sleeve base layer mock turtleneck shirt to my regular kit.
50 degrees is definitely chilly, if not cold. Bib knickers, base layer shirt, long sleeve base layer mock turtleneck shirt, and toe covers. I’d also start out with a neck gaiter, full fingered gloves, and a headband over my ears. The gaiter, gloves, and headband will come off and end up in a jersey pocket if I start to overheat.
50-60 with sun, you can wear your normal summer kit and be fine, if a bit on the chilly side.
Sub50, or if you’re dropping into shaded canyons where it’s sub50, long sleeve base+windproof vest and thermal long bike bibs + toe warmers work great.
Sub 40, you’ll need to worry about ice in spots, and need even more stuff, that’s when I start firing up Zwift
I ride outside down to about 40 degrees, maybe 35, provided it’s dry and the roads aren’t wet or icy. Anything colder than that and I’m indoors because I have asthma and the cold affects my breathing enough that it’s just not worth it. My typical attire for different temperature ranges is:
65 plus - bibs and short sleeve jersey
60 to 65 - add some light arm warmers
55 to 60 - add a light wind vest
50 to 55 - replace ss jersey/arm warmers with a long sleeve jersey, add knee warmers/knickers, add lightweight gloves and light hat
45 to 50 - add base layer top, replace wind vest with thermal vest, knickers with tights, add light overshoes
40 to 45 - replace jersey and vest with thermal jacket, tights with insulated tights, overshoes with thermal booties, light hat with heavier hat that covers ears, and lightweight gloves with thermal gloves
35 to 40 - replace base layer with heavier base layer and add neck gaiter
This is just a rough guide, but seems to work pretty well for me.
When we did ride outside doing 5-6 hr training rides, many times we would start between 5-6am on Saturdays. Sometimes it was in the low to mid 50sF when we started. Usually, we would start with knee and arm warmers and a vest, then take it off mid-morning and stuff in back pockets. I once forgot my vest and found a plastic bag in the back seat and stuck that in my jersey which helped. (we had to drive off a mountain dirt road down to pavement).
If it was going to be very windy and 50F or just below, I might wear a light jacket instead of the vest.
The only thing I would add is that the arm warmers can be found pretty inexpensively on Amazon and don’t need to be cycling specific. I buy a pack of 5 for a fraction of the price of a single pair of cyclic specific arm warmers.
I also use a compression shirt as a base layer. Those also don’t need to be cycling specific. They just need to fit snug underneath your jersey.
50 to 60 is a tricky range. 59 with sun and no wind can feel quite comfortable, but 50 with no sun and wind can be downright cold.
Within that temp range I go with any of the following, going from warmest set up to coolest, and I’ll pick based on exact temp plus wind/sun conditions:
Thermal long sleeve jersey and knee warmers, light gloves. Mayyyybe toe covers.
Castelli Perfetto short sleeve jersey with arm warmers, light gloves, knee warmers. I often end up shedding the arm warmers after a bit.
Summer kit with arm warmers, gloves in back pocket just in case
I don’t feel a need for tights unless it’s firmly in the 40s. 50 and above I always wear regular bibs, just with knee warmers if I need. Ride intensity can also play a factor in keeping you warm! YMMV.
I tend to do a lot of riding in that temp range here in Tucson in the umm let’s just call it “winter”
If sunny that is usually a sleeveless undershirt, and arm warmers, maybe a vest and maybe knee warmers. Depends what the start temp is and the predicted finish temp.
If it’s going to stay in the low 50s and or no sun or chance of drizzle then I add knee warmers, maybe some booties/overshoes that block wind but aren’t insulated. Maybe a heavier or water proof vest and maybe some light gloves.
Vest, arm warmers, knickers. I wear wool jerseys always and thin wool socks. You can always remove the vest if you wish. Layer on top of that outfit for all the way into sub freezing, just keep adding clothes.
The climate where you live matters too, if it’s damp and dreary, more clothes, more wool.
I’ve always headed in for the trainer when the temps dropped into the 50s, but I hate the trainer with a passion. Last weekend, I did my long ride and it averaged 61° with 20+mph winds. I wore my usual summer outfit (shorts, sleeveless jersey and no socks) and I was pretty comfortable. After about 2 hours my feet were a little cold but that was about it.
What do you guys wear between 50° and 60°? I’m thinking a short sleeve jersey instead of sleeveless, my summer cycling shorts and wear socks (I’m usually sock-less on the bike).
There’s a very big difference between 10°C and 15.5°C! (sorry I refuse to use °F on account of it being 2021).
At the lower end of that range I’d probably wear full length bibs and a softshell jersey for a long ride, and perhaps 3/4 bibs, a standard jersey and a wind jacket for higher intensity rides.
At the upper end, bib shorts and short sleeve jersey would suffice, but I’d typically wear 3/4 length bibs and standard jersey with a light wind jacket in my pocket in case I felt the need.
In both cases other weather factors and terrain are also factors to take into account. For a given air temperature, your clothing requirements will always vary depending on solar gain, rain, and ventilation. A cold day (cold air) with bright direct sunlight, no wind, and steep climbs is very different proposition than a cold day (cold air) that’s overcast, wet, and windy, on a flat route. It’s not just about temperature.
Thin neoprene Castelli shoe covers if going longer than 3 hrs at those temps or if there is cloud cover / humidity. I thank myself every time I wear them.
Gloves of some kind.
If sunny and dry, like in Tucson right now, I’ll go bib shorts and normal jersey like summer, and maybe opt for a darker color to soak up some of the radiant heat.
If overcast and damp/humid, like in western WA in shoulder seasons, I’ll opt for long sleeves like the Castelli blue jacket neoprene thingy I can never remember the name of. If I have to put on long pants, I’m getting on the trainer or going for a gravel/MTB ride, or I’m leaving the state.
this is our winter temps most days here in SoCal. can start in the high 40s and make it up to low 60s, so a good portion of ride is in that 50-60. in the temp it can vary quite a bit. if sunny it can be warm but if cloudy and windy, then colder. for this reason, i tend to try to layer. short sleeve base layer, wool socks, standard jersey and bibs, arm warmers that can be removed or rolled down during climbs, lined vest that usually stays on and just open if needed. only have to take off if gets low 60s. if ride starts in the 45-50 range, i’ll add knee warmers. again, the whole goal is to have options if it changes. will use full finger gloves if i know it’s going to stay below 60.
I have a remanufactured knee that gets covered when under 65.
What you wear depends a lot on how hard you are riding. I can race cross for 1 hour with not much on in below freezing weather.
A casual road ride at 50 is going to be a thermal jersey + wind vest, thermal bibs with knee warmers, a step heavier in socks and gloves, maybe something over the ears. Humidity at those lower temps can really change things, a damp 50 can be miserable.
I wear dri fit type long sleeves and jersey on top. Or a vest on top of long sleeves.
I always wear a light beanie because I have a bald head and wear it for sun protection and for bug protection.
I wear pearl izumi running tights over tri or bike shorts. They are thin but work great from high 30s to mid 50s. I never overheat in them.
I also wear toe covers, I have poor circulation in hands and feet. I do take gloves to wear, but typically don’t wear them. I’d rather have them than not have them.
50 degrees sunny and 50 cloudy are totally different too.
In the fifites I have superwarm zip gloves from castelli, arm warmers, a goretex vest, Leg warmers, toe covers, and a skull cap which i choose to shed first if too warm. Staying warm isnt a problem for the first 2hrs. Once reaching 3hrs on a ride I find the problem is sweat and garments getting wet and stops for fluids or food need to be quick.
Depends on the wind, but mostly 3/4 pants, long sleeves, vest and thin gloves. I tend to get cold easy.
Below 50: This year I invested in some 45Nrth Ragnarok shoes and they are perfect for the shoulder season. I also saw 45Nrth now makes a drop bar pogie. I might need to get those as well. Once the temps are solid below 40 degrees I turn to the mtn bike or fat bike and start riding at 5-10mph. Its just too cold to go any faster.