Having experienced hypothermia due to rain and sleet soaking me through in freezing conditions I'll be ensuring I have some silicone gloves packed in future. Cold I can generally cope with but being cold with soaking wet clothes was one of the worst and most painful experiences I've ever had. My hands were in absolute agony and I started hyperventilating and shaking uncontrollably.
Layering - for feet in the coldest weather/longest ride this goes as far as thin sock, stick on disposable feet warmer pads, Heat Holder 2 tog socks (warmest by far but only last a winter, luckilly quite cheap), shoe, thick overshoe. Take the point about maintaining circulation but loosening the shoe off does the trick for me and that setup keeps me toasty down to freezing point and for hours on end, despite my dreadful circulation.
Windproof skullcap, Gore makes a great one that covers ears as well. Amazing how putting it on warms arms and hands. And if I get too hot once I get going, it's the first thing I take off - super convenient for regulating my temperature.
I’m 16years old, started cycling exactly 6 months and 4 days ago and I think since then, I have watched almost every single one of your videos! I love the “how to” videos the most but still love them all! You guys truly inspired me and I’ve listened to all your advice! So far I’ve joined a club and have only taken part in 1 event! I came 7th in my category, I was only 15 at the time so I was one of the oldest in my category but I’m still proud! I’m super excited for more races and events all thanks to you guys!
Nath Jones no fun in this mate. When I was younger you either asked someone old for advice or you learnt the hard way. The internet is making folks mind numb. Nobody thinks for themselves anymore.🤷🏼♂️ I’m I guilty of watching UA-cam for tips on other things?Yes. But cycling,just ride your bike 👌🏻👍🏻🏴
Simon Rano Agree! And downhill skiing also happens at high speeds and with much wind, often enhanced by the open landscape. For all intensive purposes I'd use those. Of course, I'm sure pro cyclists find it useful to by the best winter kit, but I'd rather invest the saved money into expendable items, such as innertubes, better and wider tires, or some bike cleaning equipment. Fall and winter equals criminally dirty bikes, at least where I live. And maybe a little for an extra coffee break. Just for that extra motivation.
Yeah. High perf winter gloves are like 50 $/£/€. I almost don't use fancy cold gear, I prefer to stack cheaper layers the right way for better flexibility. Neoprene gloves are also more expensive that their actual diving suits counter parts and I can still use my garmin touch screen. With the saved money the good idea is to get proper winter shoes, best expense you can make for cold rides
Brand-wise, I've found Glacier Gloves to be amazing when it's cold and wet. Completely waterproof. Kayakers use them. That should tell you something. I like the perfect curve glove.
This is like the only channel where I can watch EVERY video posted. Even if the topic is not 100% relevant to my situation - it's still an entertaining watch. THANK YOU GCN!
When it gets below -10C I could not find a glove that worked to keep my hands warm, and I tried many. So I eventually bought battery powered glove liners with an adjustable thermostat. Perfect for all winter with a thin water proof over glove to hold the heat in. Been using them for 4 years now. I will admit they are pricey, but I commute to work 5 days a week via bike and it was the cost of 4 tanks of gas, so i could justify the purchase.
Snowboarding glovessssss! I ride down to -25C with my 'mid-weight' snowboarding glove though ski gloves would be just as good. After -25c I drive my car.
I tried them and all gloves. Seriously. I have cold hands and grabbing onto a bike handle bar and riding in the winter just does't work for me. With my heated gloves I've gone well towards -30C on a couple of days.
I have been working as a courier here in Toronto Canada the last few years and I have ridden in some pretty cold weather. I strongly recommend winter cycling shoes to keep the feet warm and dry. Booties/overshooes are fine when it's dry but below -10c winter shoes work best and for wet snowy mess days. As for gloves I like ski and snow board gloves for the really cold days and neoprene kayaking gloves for most others.. I have found that more important that what gloves you wear keeping your core extra warm helps to keep you extremities warm in the worst weather.Last year we had a few days below -20 that I enjoyed working
After 38 years of riding & racing in the Pacific NW, I found toe warmers like skiers & hunters use. I put them on TOP of my foot and sock. Good for about 3 hours if they stay dry. I use booties as well. No trouble with Raynauds syndrome since that change.
You forgot to mention that to keep hands and feet warm you first have to make sure that your head is warm. We have a saying here in Sweden that if your feet are cold you must put on a hat.
Personal information : I have raynauds which is lack of circulation to hands and or feet . I find that good gloves are a must so are overshoes if your feet are bad but hand warmer sachets work in gloves and I you ever get the chance to swap gloves keep a pair in your base layer pocket that way they will be warm when you put them on and swap with the old pair.
Robert Tracey Robert, you have named my problem exactly! I also have Raynaud’s Syndrome which affects my feet the worst. Pocket hand warmer packets work well enough in my ski gloves, both on the roadie and the fat bike. The feet are a different problem, and in addition to the outer wraps over my road shoes, I am going to search for the “electric socks” some have told of. Don’t want the weather to keep me off my bikes!
I've had good experience with woollen soles in my cycling shoes. My shoes have vents underneath and caused a lot of heat to escape. I don't know whether they are ideal in terms of fit or power transfer, but for me with shoes half a Euro-size to large, they gave a perfect fit and I don't feel the need for an overshoe under dry conditions until 7°C. Under that, or when wet, I suggest an overshoe for the life of your feet and shoes.
I do as another comment stated, foot warmers on top of the shoe, then the shoe cover. Also don't forget to put duct tape over the vent holes on the bottom of your shoes, if they have them.
Winter specific boots are not for Canadian winters,last year spent $200 for the specialized road defrosters thinking it would be a worthy investment if it kept me riding longer but they are not any warmer than a good quality bootie over your summer shoe, they just save you the hassle of putting the booties on and off.I was so disappointed,they should put temperature zones when selling these boots, a Euro winter and Canadian winter totally 2 different animals
How you actually talk that normal when you are climbing a road of at least 10%😂😂😂 Good job, I'm a catalan cyclist that is learning a lot of you guys, thanks 😘😘
You funny Swedes. Try cycling in Siberia mid-January, it is -50 degrees C in the day, and at that temperature vodka starts to freeze. I will show you real coldy!
Agreed, I live where its averages below 0° and snow higher than my hips by January. I have to pick days it's even possible to ride. Yet alone worry about traction or froze. Hands and feet. I just wish I could find a proper overshoe for this type of winter.
Won't debate whether better than foil or not but I have many times used plastic sandwich bags over my socks. Seems to work very well without having to bother with the forming process. Just slip the toes into the corner of the bag and slip your foot into the shoe. I've never had a bag tear but I'm guessing foil might.
Great video. I rode through the winter last year for the first time. It doesn't get brutally cold in the Washington, DC area, but it dropped to the teens (Fahrenheit) in January and February. By trial an error, I found that the best combination for me were wool socks, and fleece-lined shoe covers. I might invest in an insulated ride boot this year. I never quite got things right with the gloves and would often suffer from really cold fingers toward the end of my 9-mile commute to work. It was much tougher on 30-40 mile rides on the weekends. I added BarMitts handlebar covers to provide wind protection for my hands. That helped, but I still need to make sure I focus more on the gloves to keep my hands warm. I am going to take the tip of layering the gloves this winter. I hope that does the trick. I'll give that foil tip a try, too.
For me, keeping warm in any kind of cold for shorter is possible, but, just like you said, the only one I have not solved is keeping hands & toes warm in very cold weather long rides. When I am out for many hours, even with wicking, layering, adjusting compression, etc...enough moisture always builds up to dramatically steal lots of energy out of the toe/hand systems! But, I have never tried the aluminum foil idea! Winter is coming & I am looking forward to trying it!
I've Raynauds syndrome also, it means fingers are extremely cold when everything else work well. Eg.: I can ride with thin layer on the legs and baselayer+winter jersey on the upper body but no any gloves + liner gloves could help under 5Celsius.This year I found affordable handlebar mittens. I use it with autumn gloves and works much better than any winter cycling/skiing gloves combination. For the feet I use winter cycling shoes (expensive) + inner boot + double socks and newspaper or rockwool insulation on the front, but 2 hours long course is a nightmare, so I recently purchased an electric heated sole for the shoes and will tailor it to my needs, make it waterproof etc. Under 0 celsius I use indoor training, as liquid in the joint, especially in the knees are getting thicker and in the cold you can slowly kill your knees without any sign that you would notice. This is well known among older motorbikers and cyclists also ;)
I get cold hands no matter what gloves I wear. But I often wonder why a lot of winter jackets are black. I recently saw a guy in a yellow jacket followed by a guy in a black jacket. Visibility of the yellow fabric was worlds better than the black one. So why all the black things apart from fashion reasons?
+1, wearing black suit is so dangerous on road, either in winter or summer, in many conditions you are invisible. But most riders still perfer to ride in black than increasing their safety ...
ya kinda got three options whenever buying. get white stuff: turns grey-brown from constant use in the field. get colorful stuff: surprisingly hard to color coordinate (even among the "same" colors - two different brands, two different shades of yellow), so you end up looking like a total goof. get black stuff: simple, eliminates one extra purchasing decision. i'm not saying it's sensible, it just seems to be the paradigm (which i admit to often following).
I have toe clips (old school) and in the colder months I use poly liners, wool socks, a plastic baggie over the toes and high top leather basketball sneakers. Kepes me nice and warm.
When using foil over your feet, have the reflective surface facing inwards (unlike in the video), it will work much more effectively as the reflective surface will radiate a higher proportion of energy than the matte surface.
The foil is better than nothing but disintergrates over a few hours i use one of those emergengy blankets cut up cost five bucks and lasts 5 hours and is way warmer than the foil trick just make two pieces to envelope your toes no more knumb toes .
Ok, related to keeping warm during winter rides, should a baselayer top get tucked into bib shorts, or leave it untucked. My white baselayer shirt is longer that my jersey.
Glove in glove is actually what I do in winter times. I just got the outer insulated glove on size bigger than it would fit me to make the air between the gloves an additional insulating layer. However this still keeps me warm only for about 2 hours when temperature is in the lower single digits °C.
Tried out the tin foil trick in my son's hockey skates, game changer! Prior to this we were putting the hand warmers inside the skate, and that works.... But was costing $3 per game. Thanks!
Silver mylar emergency 'blanket' may be more hard wearing and a good option instead of aluminium foil, they're cheap to buy, just cut one up into the right size pieces.
As an ex motocross/enduro rider. Mx gloves are thin and in winter when riding a 3hr enduro i used to use surgical latex gloves. Put them on and give a gentle blow between the latex glove and skin to inflate a little. The key is to make sure it's tight around the wrist to keep the air in. You can then try and draw the air into the fingers for a insulation. Finally put your main glove on. For feet i found bubble wrap and tin foil very good, and if you have the room you can of course try a small piece of foam on the solesof your feet and the shoe HTH
Thanks for the tips guys. I’ve used various different cycling specific gloves and still find my hands take a long time to warm up. I either need to ride at 85% max HR to warm up quickly by that I mean 20 mins and put up with a sweaty body or they take 45 min to warm up at normal 70% max HR until then my fingers are painful. Any further tips welcome. And my current gloves are the gore with primaloft and even at +3-5 C my fingers hurt
Snowboarding gloves, I use a MTB so you work harder, drive in snow and use hotpacks in between layers of socks. Finish it off with a hat under your helmet, warm the head, to warm the extremities. Also I use a full face mask and boots. Winter does not stop the rides, they just take more calories to go the same distance. Love GCN!
In actual cold weather, I just stay indoors because Raynauds. But when I’ve had to go ride in the cold a pair of heavy gloves with liners and small thermal heat packs helps a lot.
Ramon Thompson same here. I have a pair of shoes that are slightly oversized and I put toe warmers over my sock in the shoe, then a neoprene overshoe. For hands I use Bar Mits, gloves, and chemical warmers on the backs of my hands. The bar mits look kinda funny and they limit you to riding on just the hoods, but I find that they do the trick quite nicely.
Rather than tin foil, I use sandwich bags. If you ride fixed gear or an older bike with downtube shifters in the winter then you can use mittens and just like your feet, you can wear sandwich bags between the layers on your hands like over your glove liners and under the over-mittens.
It might be in another video but since you were in a mountain and mentioned of the issues when going down, I would have like some pro tips on how to dress for long climbs and then long descents. I put arm warmers, coat, cap etc in back pockets and in the pockets of the coat during climbs then dress up like a madman before the descent... and am usually still chilled on the way down. Pros seem to only put on a jacket and maybe some newspaper before a descent. I wonder how they cope. For example in some Giro events when it's near or sub zero.
Just buy some cheaper winter tights without a pad. You can pull them over your summer bibs, so you still have the same contact points as in summer, just with one extra layer on the outside. And they can be used for running or cross-country skiing also.
road shoes have ventilation holes, when in wet conditions no matter how good your overshoes feet still get wet and cold, on my winter bike I use my MTB shoes which have no ventilation holes with a well lined pair of overshoes and provided my feet don't get submerged in water they stay dry and warm
In really cold weather I wear wool socks, then shoes. I then put small plastic bags over shoes with shoe covers over that. I have ridden in snow and single digit temps with this technique.
silk glove liners under thermal gloves. MTB shoes with less ventilation. Thin socks with plastic baggy over toes. toe warmers above toes (not wedged in front of toes). shoe covers (otherwise toe warmers will burn too hot/quickly). keep shoes dry.
The warmer you can keep your feet, hands, and head, the warmer you will feel, regardless of inadequate jacket or pants you wear. Keeping the wind off you is also more important in feeling warmer than the insulation of clothing.
I ride my atv in the wet and cold, cheap handlebar mitts from amazon or the like have been the hot ticket for me and don't need thick gloves.Give them a try
For really cold weather I place a chemical toe warmer pack on top of the toe area of my shoe, and then pull the insulated bootie/ shoe cover over the top.
Hotronics footwarmers - good down to -20C as long as you don't use neoprene overshoes but only windstopper, so sweat doesn't build up and use the heat to evaporate water. Hands can get used to cold temperatures by developing a better capillary network of blood vessels. If you tough out cold mornings for a few months, you'll start to find that you have fewer problems with cold hands, and less frequent 'cold burn' (when the blood circulation comes back). Well tested by trawler fishermen working in wet, sub-zero conditions in the Arctic, where wearing gloves (e.g. while cleaning fish) is a recipe for knife injuries. These guys have been found to have a density of capillary blood vessels second to none. Oddly, the effect doesn't seem to work so well with feet - but it could just be a lack of barefoot ice-walkers to test.
Bar Mitts, at least the ones I have on my fat bike, are absolutely wonderful. I can't attest to how well the road bike versions work, but I have to open the vents on the fat bike in temperatures above about 15F and only carry gloves (inside my jacket) in case I have to fix something. Also never, ever wear base layers that don't wick moisture! They might be ok when you are active, but if you have to stop the rest of your ride is going to suck. No cotton!
I live in Canada and ride in temps well below 0 Celsius. My tips: windproof tights and jacket, lobster claw gloves, wool socks and LOOSE shoes with booties. Loose shoes is the most important thing, doesn't matter how warm your socks are if your shoes are tight...and ride hard to stay warm.
Try washing and drying feet thoroughly then spraying with antiperspirant letting dry thoroughly then putting on socks, if your feet don't perspire your socks don't get damp and your feet shouldn't get cold, you'll find your feet or socks don't get smelly either. Very important to polish shoes especially stitching to keep warm and dry too.
Haha, what you called "a really really cold weather" for lobster gloves, is a normal winter weather here in Finland, from -5 to -20 degrees. ;) So it's quite a relative: I bought pair of Mavik thermal gloves that should have been designed for "real cold weather". I used them riding in in plus 5 degrees, and got my hands cold. So someones cold is some others warm...
In real cold 🥶-10 c° and riding ( adding wind ) = real risky ride . If not dressed right for these conditions body heat lose will deplete your energy. Good insulated gloves and something to cover your feet , and legs are essential… Carrying a hot drink is helpful, stopping in for a hot coco is nice , sometimes snow covers the road and can’t see potholes .
After an hour or so my feet always get cold, despite neoprene overshoes. I think it's because there is often little insulation between the metal cleat receptacle inside a clip-on shoe and the foot. The crank and pedal remain cold on a cold day and are a constant heat sink, drawing heat from the shoe via the metal-metal connection between cleat and pedal. I think that bigger shoes that will accommodate a thicker insole might be my only choice, but I'd be happy to hear of other solutions.
FYI! Ok first , I don’t see any snow ❄️, I did try that trick with foil and it was a disaster, foil tends to break inside shoe and when taking them out make a big mess .! If it is -° outside that means ice and I had bad experience with black ice on bridge , can’t see it but will slide down sideway! Wearing a regular winter boot and wool 🧦 is the best …. Not more than 90 min in sub zero ( -7°c)
Keep wrists covered, you can get wrist gaiters, or use old sock, cut toe off and cut hole in heel for thumb to go through, blood is close to surface on inside of wrist, keep this bit warm. I find neoprene OK for an hour, after that it goes cold, proper outdoor/bike gloves are better for longer rides. Feet, keep your shoes on the radiator overnight, the soles then have extra heat stored, you can now get battery heated footbeds and gloves. Buff or proper helmet liner to keep head warm... if your hands are cold try putting on a hat
Let us know how you keep your hands and feet warm when out riding👇
Not hands or feet, but a neck BUFF. Cheap and superb for keeping wind off your neck and lower face.
Having experienced hypothermia due to rain and sleet soaking me through in freezing conditions I'll be ensuring I have some silicone gloves packed in future. Cold I can generally cope with but being cold with soaking wet clothes was one of the worst and most painful experiences I've ever had. My hands were in absolute agony and I started hyperventilating and shaking uncontrollably.
Layering - for feet in the coldest weather/longest ride this goes as far as thin sock, stick on disposable feet warmer pads, Heat Holder 2 tog socks (warmest by far but only last a winter, luckilly quite cheap), shoe, thick overshoe. Take the point about maintaining circulation but loosening the shoe off does the trick for me and that setup keeps me toasty down to freezing point and for hours on end, despite my dreadful circulation.
Windproof skullcap, Gore makes a great one that covers ears as well. Amazing how putting it on warms arms and hands. And if I get too hot once I get going, it's the first thing I take off - super convenient for regulating my temperature.
Global Cycling Network just wear cycling gloves and keep cycling
I’m 16years old, started cycling exactly 6 months and 4 days ago and I think since then, I have watched almost every single one of your videos! I love the “how to” videos the most but still love them all! You guys truly inspired me and I’ve listened to all your advice! So far I’ve joined a club and have only taken part in 1 event! I came 7th in my category, I was only 15 at the time so I was one of the oldest in my category but I’m still proud! I’m super excited for more races and events all thanks to you guys!
Nath Jones no fun in this mate.
When I was younger you either asked someone old for advice or you learnt the hard way.
The internet is making folks mind numb.
Nobody thinks for themselves anymore.🤷🏼♂️
I’m I guilty of watching UA-cam for tips on other things?Yes.
But cycling,just ride your bike 👌🏻👍🏻🏴
Carry on watching, learning and riding! Well done
Very well done to Simon on being able to speak as well as riding up that mega hill climb
Best gloves I ever found were Ski ones. Half the price of cycling gloves and insulation suffices for below 0°C. No issues with handling
Simon Rano Agree! And downhill skiing also happens at high speeds and with much wind, often enhanced by the open landscape. For all intensive purposes I'd use those. Of course, I'm sure pro cyclists find it useful to by the best winter kit, but I'd rather invest the saved money into expendable items, such as innertubes, better and wider tires, or some bike cleaning equipment. Fall and winter equals criminally dirty bikes, at least where I live. And maybe a little for an extra coffee break. Just for that extra motivation.
Yeah. High perf winter gloves are like 50 $/£/€. I almost don't use fancy cold gear, I prefer to stack cheaper layers the right way for better flexibility. Neoprene gloves are also more expensive that their actual diving suits counter parts and I can still use my garmin touch screen. With the saved money the good idea is to get proper winter shoes, best expense you can make for cold rides
What brand specifically?
Brand-wise, I've found Glacier Gloves to be amazing when it's cold and wet. Completely waterproof. Kayakers use them. That should tell you something. I like the perfect curve glove.
This is like the only channel where I can watch EVERY video posted. Even if the topic is not 100% relevant to my situation - it's still an entertaining watch. THANK YOU GCN!
When it gets below -10C I could not find a glove that worked to keep my hands warm, and I tried many. So I eventually bought battery powered glove liners with an adjustable thermostat. Perfect for all winter with a thin water proof over glove to hold the heat in. Been using them for 4 years now. I will admit they are pricey, but I commute to work 5 days a week via bike and it was the cost of 4 tanks of gas, so i could justify the purchase.
Snowboarding glovessssss! I ride down to -25C with my 'mid-weight' snowboarding glove though ski gloves would be just as good. After -25c I drive my car.
I tried them and all gloves. Seriously. I have cold hands and grabbing onto a bike handle bar and riding in the winter just does't work for me. With my heated gloves I've gone well towards -30C on a couple of days.
wool gloves and plastic bags, the bags on the outside
Amputation works wonders!
TheLionEric o
I have been working as a courier here in Toronto Canada the last few years and I have ridden in some pretty cold weather. I strongly recommend winter cycling shoes to keep the feet warm and dry. Booties/overshooes are fine when it's dry but below -10c winter shoes work best and for wet snowy mess days. As for gloves I like ski and snow board gloves for the really cold days and neoprene kayaking gloves for most others.. I have found that more important that what gloves you wear keeping your core extra warm helps to keep you extremities warm in the worst weather.Last year we had a few days below -20 that I enjoyed working
We need more hacks like Matt's with the foil
Also thin poly socks + plastic wrap + wool sock. The plastic wrap contains the moisture, turning the poly into a wetsuit of sorts.
I have put plastic grocery bags over my socks for the last few years and it works really well.
Matt needs a matching helmet;)
DANEX7799 newspaper in your jacket ;)
"easier, inexpensive wins..." (4:31) means Assos overshoes. Ha ha. Thank goodness for Matt and his bacofoil!
disposable rubber gloves under normal full finger gloves is also a cheap way instead of the big thick fancy glove.
This. I do this when racing karts and it's unreal how warm they keep your hands
After 38 years of riding & racing in the Pacific NW, I found toe warmers like skiers & hunters use. I put them on TOP of my foot and sock. Good for about 3 hours if they stay dry. I use booties as well. No trouble with Raynauds syndrome since that change.
You forgot to mention that to keep hands and feet warm you first have to make sure that your head is warm. We have a saying here in Sweden that if your feet are cold you must put on a hat.
Personal information : I have raynauds which is lack of circulation to hands and or feet . I find that good gloves are a must so are overshoes if your feet are bad but hand warmer sachets work in gloves and I you ever get the chance to swap gloves keep a pair in your base layer pocket that way they will be warm when you put them on and swap with the old pair.
Robert Tracey Robert, you have named my problem exactly! I also have Raynaud’s Syndrome which affects my feet the worst. Pocket hand warmer packets work well enough in my ski gloves, both on the roadie and the fat bike. The feet are a different problem, and in addition to the outer wraps over my road shoes, I am going to search for the “electric socks” some have told of. Don’t want the weather to keep me off my bikes!
When is is especially cold I have put foot warmers (like the hand warmers you keep in your gloves) under the shoe cover on the top of the shoe.
I'm always impressed by his ability to manage breathing and still speak clearly and concisely.
Thank you for the tips. I also use Hothands, handwarmers placing around my core to maintain that core temperature
I've had good experience with woollen soles in my cycling shoes. My shoes have vents underneath and caused a lot of heat to escape. I don't know whether they are ideal in terms of fit or power transfer, but for me with shoes half a Euro-size to large, they gave a perfect fit and I don't feel the need for an overshoe under dry conditions until 7°C. Under that, or when wet, I suggest an overshoe for the life of your feet and shoes.
I do as another comment stated, foot warmers on top of the shoe, then the shoe cover. Also don't forget to put duct tape over the vent holes on the bottom of your shoes, if they have them.
Tin foil under your helmet so aliens 👽 don’t hear your thoughts 💭
It works. They haven’t kidnapped me yet!
Gloves huh. Never would have thought. I've been using socks on my hands, mate.
Its genious!
Winter specific boots are not for Canadian winters,last year spent $200 for the specialized road defrosters thinking it would be a worthy investment if it kept me riding longer but they are not any warmer than a good quality bootie over your summer shoe, they just save you the hassle of putting the booties on and off.I was so disappointed,they should put temperature zones when selling these boots, a Euro winter and Canadian winter totally 2 different animals
How you actually talk that normal when you are climbing a road of at least 10%😂😂😂
Good job, I'm a catalan cyclist that is learning a lot of you guys, thanks 😘😘
For very cold weather, I use SPD pedals, Specialized winter boots and two pairs of thin socks
They are so cute when they Do this kind of videos from middle europe. Welcome to northern sweden in january. I Will show you winter cycling
You funny Swedes. Try cycling in Siberia mid-January, it is -50 degrees C in the day, and at that temperature vodka starts to freeze. I will show you real coldy!
Agreed, I live where its averages below 0° and snow higher than my hips by January. I have to pick days it's even possible to ride. Yet alone worry about traction or froze. Hands and feet. I just wish I could find a proper overshoe for this type of winter.
Won't debate whether better than foil or not but I have many times used plastic sandwich bags over my socks. Seems to work very well without having to bother with the forming process. Just slip the toes into the corner of the bag and slip your foot into the shoe. I've never had a bag tear but I'm guessing foil might.
I tried the tin foil on the toes hack last weekend. It works!
It's a great hack!
Instead of tin foil i use an old silver heat blanket that was given to me after a winter running race.. works a dream
Great video. I rode through the winter last year for the first time. It doesn't get brutally cold in the Washington, DC area, but it dropped to the teens (Fahrenheit) in January and February. By trial an error, I found that the best combination for me were wool socks, and fleece-lined shoe covers. I might invest in an insulated ride boot this year.
I never quite got things right with the gloves and would often suffer from really cold fingers toward the end of my 9-mile commute to work. It was much tougher on 30-40 mile rides on the weekends. I added BarMitts handlebar covers to provide wind protection for my hands. That helped, but I still need to make sure I focus more on the gloves to keep my hands warm. I am going to take the tip of layering the gloves this winter. I hope that does the trick. I'll give that foil tip a try, too.
For me, keeping warm in any kind of cold for shorter is possible, but, just like you said, the only one I have not solved is keeping hands & toes warm in very cold weather long rides. When I am out for many hours, even with wicking, layering, adjusting compression, etc...enough moisture always builds up to dramatically steal lots of energy out of the toe/hand systems! But, I have never tried the aluminum foil idea! Winter is coming & I am looking forward to trying it!
Next on gcn: how to fill up your drink bottle like a pro
Don't forget the EPO
You don’t wanna know
I appreciated this
I've Raynauds syndrome also, it means fingers are extremely cold when everything else work well. Eg.: I can ride with thin layer on the legs and baselayer+winter jersey on the upper body but no any gloves + liner gloves could help under 5Celsius.This year I found affordable handlebar mittens. I use it with autumn gloves and works much better than any winter cycling/skiing gloves combination.
For the feet I use winter cycling shoes (expensive) + inner boot + double socks and newspaper or rockwool insulation on the front, but 2 hours long course is a nightmare, so I recently purchased an electric heated sole for the shoes and will tailor it to my needs, make it waterproof etc.
Under 0 celsius I use indoor training, as liquid in the joint, especially in the knees are getting thicker and in the cold you can slowly kill your knees without any sign that you would notice. This is well known among older motorbikers and cyclists also ;)
Hi Simon - I use Pearly's Possum Socks, they keep my feet warm and comfortable. They are expensive and worth it. Love them.
Lycra overshoes are great for around 10c. Tenn do some brilliant flouro efforts 👍 and neoprene versions are pretty warm... they're what i use.
I get cold hands no matter what gloves I wear. But I often wonder why a lot of winter jackets are black. I recently saw a guy in a yellow jacket followed by a guy in a black jacket. Visibility of the yellow fabric was worlds better than the black one. So why all the black things apart from fashion reasons?
+1, wearing black suit is so dangerous on road, either in winter or summer, in many conditions you are invisible. But most riders still perfer to ride in black than increasing their safety ...
As they say once you go black you never go back🤣🤣🤣
ya kinda got three options whenever buying. get white stuff: turns grey-brown from constant use in the field. get colorful stuff: surprisingly hard to color coordinate (even among the "same" colors - two different brands, two different shades of yellow), so you end up looking like a total goof. get black stuff: simple, eliminates one extra purchasing decision. i'm not saying it's sensible, it just seems to be the paradigm (which i admit to often following).
Any tips on making a pair of overshoes last more than one winter season, mine always rip around the cleats?
That is a sick bike m8
Warm feet:
New Zealand says... put on a woolly sock. Slip a small plastic bag over it. Put shoe on. Job done.
More comfortable than foil. And cheaper.
love the look of that jacket Si.
That winter GCN kit 👌👌👌👌
The ol' jacket potato trick never fails!
Totally. Foil is your friend!
I even wear it as head insulation. Turns out it suits me well, or so I’m told.
That way you'll stop the GCN Illuminati broadcasting messages into your head about buying Fan-kit in the GCN shop
A single layer of foil under your insole acts like a space blanket. Use as thick a foil as you can find.
Shiny side in or out?
Wrist gaiters work great. They give you more movement in the fingers and thumb but also putting a second glove on top won't restrict movement.
I have toe clips (old school) and in the colder months I use poly liners, wool socks, a plastic baggie over the toes and high top leather basketball sneakers. Kepes me nice and warm.
When using foil over your feet, have the reflective surface facing inwards (unlike in the video), it will work much more effectively as the reflective surface will radiate a higher proportion of energy than the matte surface.
Shiny or dull side makes zero difference. The appearance of the sides is a manufacturing side effect and nothing more.
I think that's only for emergency blankets, but for baking foil
The foil is better than nothing but disintergrates over a few hours i use one of those emergengy blankets cut up cost five bucks and lasts 5 hours and is way warmer than the foil trick just make two pieces to envelope your toes no more knumb toes .
In order to prevent cold hands and feet, I train indoors in most of winter. So, how do I keep myself cold during that?
Open the Windows.
Ok, related to keeping warm during winter rides, should a baselayer top get tucked into bib shorts, or leave it untucked. My white baselayer shirt is longer that my jersey.
Glove in glove is actually what I do in winter times. I just got the outer insulated glove on size bigger than it would fit me to make the air between the gloves an additional insulating layer. However this still keeps me warm only for about 2 hours when temperature is in the lower single digits °C.
Should I forget about thick materials and multiple layers and focus on thin windproof garments in the cold?
Tried out the tin foil trick in my son's hockey skates, game changer! Prior to this we were putting the hand warmers inside the skate, and that works.... But was costing $3 per game. Thanks!
Well!! I did heard your tips about keeping my foot warm but my eyes were behind u all the time😂 it's a great view
Love the foil idea - gonna give it a buzz!
Silver mylar emergency 'blanket' may be more hard wearing and a good option instead of aluminium foil, they're cheap to buy, just cut one up into the right size pieces.
As an ex motocross/enduro rider.
Mx gloves are thin and in winter when riding a 3hr enduro i used to use surgical latex gloves.
Put them on and give a gentle blow between the latex glove and skin to inflate a little. The key is to make sure it's tight around the wrist to keep the air in. You can then try and draw the air into the fingers for a insulation. Finally put your main glove on.
For feet i found bubble wrap and tin foil very good, and if you have the room you can of course try a small piece of foam on the solesof your feet and the shoe HTH
Thanks for the tips guys. I’ve used various different cycling specific gloves and still find my hands take a long time to warm up. I either need to ride at 85% max HR to warm up quickly by that I mean 20 mins and put up with a sweaty body or they take 45 min to warm up at normal 70% max HR until then my fingers are painful. Any further tips welcome. And my current gloves are the gore with primaloft and even at +3-5 C my fingers hurt
Snowboarding gloves, I use a MTB so you work harder, drive in snow and use hotpacks in between layers of socks. Finish it off with a hat under your helmet, warm the head, to warm the extremities. Also I use a full face mask and boots. Winter does not stop the rides, they just take more calories to go the same distance. Love GCN!
Question, what about a pair of walking or hiking gaters instead?
I didn't know about the foot stuff. Thanks!
In actual cold weather, I just stay indoors because Raynauds. But when I’ve had to go ride in the cold a pair of heavy gloves with liners and small thermal heat packs helps a lot.
Ramon Thompson same here. I have a pair of shoes that are slightly oversized and I put toe warmers over my sock in the shoe, then a neoprene overshoe. For hands I use Bar Mits, gloves, and chemical warmers on the backs of my hands. The bar mits look kinda funny and they limit you to riding on just the hoods, but I find that they do the trick quite nicely.
Muck. Luck's socks 🧦 from QVC
Rather than tin foil, I use sandwich bags. If you ride fixed gear or an older bike with downtube shifters in the winter then you can use mittens and just like your feet, you can wear sandwich bags between the layers on your hands like over your glove liners and under the over-mittens.
Can you show us how much of a difference there is between a deep section front wheel and shallow rear set up, versus, a shallow front and deep rear
Where was this filmed? Great looking road.
Newspaper under the jersey. 😂
I would also suggest stuffing something in your vents on the helmet or getting a helmet specific cover.
'make like a jacket patato' next time I ride then I'm leaving the house dripping in butter with a side of baked beans 😁
Wow! Impressive information. Thanks.
Can you do a gcn does science video about the benefit of disc brakes for bigger, heavier riders?
It might be in another video but since you were in a mountain and mentioned of the issues when going down, I would have like some pro tips on how to dress for long climbs and then long descents. I put arm warmers, coat, cap etc in back pockets and in the pockets of the coat during climbs then dress up like a madman before the descent... and am usually still chilled on the way down. Pros seem to only put on a jacket and maybe some newspaper before a descent. I wonder how they cope. For example in some Giro events when it's near or sub zero.
Is it acceptable to wear a base layer underneath cycling bibs?
Car Guy yes it is
Just buy some cheaper winter tights without a pad. You can pull them over your summer bibs, so you still have the same contact points as in summer, just with one extra layer on the outside. And they can be used for running or cross-country skiing also.
road shoes have ventilation holes, when in wet conditions no matter how good your overshoes feet still get wet and cold, on my winter bike I use my MTB shoes which have no ventilation holes with a well lined pair of overshoes and provided my feet don't get submerged in water they stay dry and warm
In really cold weather I wear wool socks, then shoes. I then put small plastic bags over shoes with shoe covers over that. I have ridden in snow and single digit temps with this technique.
Have you got any cyclocross videos coming soon? Maybe how to ride off cambers?
silk glove liners under thermal gloves. MTB shoes with less ventilation. Thin socks with plastic baggy over toes. toe warmers above toes (not wedged in front of toes). shoe covers (otherwise toe warmers will burn too hot/quickly). keep shoes dry.
The warmer you can keep your feet, hands, and head, the warmer you will feel, regardless of inadequate jacket or pants you wear. Keeping the wind off you is also more important in feeling warmer than the insulation of clothing.
Thank you so much for the advice!
My feet want to thank you as well 😜
finally a video without product placement :-)
beautiful back drop
I ride my atv in the wet and cold, cheap handlebar mitts from amazon or the like have been the hot ticket for me and don't need thick gloves.Give them a try
For really cold weather I place a chemical toe warmer pack on top of the toe area of my shoe, and then pull the insulated bootie/ shoe cover over the top.
Love the tinfoil hack hahaha
I find riding in Spain during the winter helps !
The jacket pota-toe is a very good way to keep feet warm indeed!
Overshoes for platform mountain bike shoes, I don’t use those “CLIPED” pedals. Is there any option for this on the market..?
Hotronics footwarmers - good down to -20C as long as you don't use neoprene overshoes but only windstopper, so sweat doesn't build up and use the heat to evaporate water.
Hands can get used to cold temperatures by developing a better capillary network of blood vessels. If you tough out cold mornings for a few months, you'll start to find that you have fewer problems with cold hands, and less frequent 'cold burn' (when the blood circulation comes back). Well tested by trawler fishermen working in wet, sub-zero conditions in the Arctic, where wearing gloves (e.g. while cleaning fish) is a recipe for knife injuries. These guys have been found to have a density of capillary blood vessels second to none. Oddly, the effect doesn't seem to work so well with feet - but it could just be a lack of barefoot ice-walkers to test.
Used all sorts of gloves over the years now use Bar Mitts on my road and mountain bike
Si really is handy at climbing loads of feet in a short period of time ;)
He practices in his yard ;) (It's the metre we all measure by; Sorry, give me an inch and I'll take a mile when it comes to puns....)
Foil - as recommended use *quality* foil. I tried cheap thin stuff and it actually broke down into tiny pieces in my sock during my ride.
Bar Mitts, at least the ones I have on my fat bike, are absolutely wonderful. I can't attest to how well the road bike versions work, but I have to open the vents on the fat bike in temperatures above about 15F and only carry gloves (inside my jacket) in case I have to fix something.
Also never, ever wear base layers that don't wick moisture! They might be ok when you are active, but if you have to stop the rest of your ride is going to suck. No cotton!
So what is the difference between an "overshoe" and a "dedicated winter bootie"? I am confused?
Great advice but man what a ride I mean come on I think I saw one car pass you and it's spectacular!
Its 1C outside, i rode 52 km true ice cold puddles whiteout extra protection. 3 hours after, they still hurt. I need something warm.
I live in Canada and ride in temps well below 0 Celsius. My tips: windproof tights and jacket, lobster claw gloves, wool socks and LOOSE shoes with booties. Loose shoes is the most important thing, doesn't matter how warm your socks are if your shoes are tight...and ride hard to stay warm.
Barmitts with mid season gloves keep my hands very toasty on long winter rides at around freezing level or below.
Try washing and drying feet thoroughly then spraying with antiperspirant letting dry thoroughly then putting on socks, if your feet don't perspire your socks don't get damp and your feet shouldn't get cold, you'll find your feet or socks don't get smelly either. Very important to polish shoes especially stitching to keep warm and dry too.
Damn, those are some nice views. The views alone would be motivation for me to make it up those hills.
Haha, what you called "a really really cold weather" for lobster gloves, is a normal winter weather here in Finland, from -5 to -20 degrees. ;) So it's quite a relative: I bought pair of Mavik thermal gloves that should have been designed for "real cold weather". I used them riding in in plus 5 degrees, and got my hands cold. So someones cold is some others warm...
Surprised that nothing was mentioned about wool socks. The smart wool socks that are available these days are not bulky and certainly help.
In real cold 🥶-10 c° and riding ( adding wind ) = real risky ride .
If not dressed right for these conditions body heat lose will deplete your energy.
Good insulated gloves and something to cover your feet , and legs are essential…
Carrying a hot drink is helpful, stopping in for a hot coco is nice , sometimes snow covers the road and can’t see potholes .
Aluminum foil over your socks...why didn't I think of this before! You guys are great.
After an hour or so my feet always get cold, despite neoprene overshoes. I think it's because there is often little insulation between the metal cleat receptacle inside a clip-on shoe and the foot. The crank and pedal remain cold on a cold day and are a constant heat sink, drawing heat from the shoe via the metal-metal connection between cleat and pedal. I think that bigger shoes that will accommodate a thicker insole might be my only choice, but I'd be happy to hear of other solutions.
Make sure your cycling bibs are not too tight over the legs, as this may limit the blood circulation down to your feet.
Cool, I'm going with the potato foil wrap.
FYI!
Ok first , I don’t see any snow ❄️,
I did try that trick with foil and it was a disaster, foil tends to break inside shoe and when taking them out make a big mess .!
If it is -° outside that means ice and I had bad experience with black ice on bridge , can’t see it but will slide down sideway!
Wearing a regular winter boot and wool 🧦 is the best …. Not more than 90 min in sub zero ( -7°c)
Keep wrists covered, you can get wrist gaiters, or use old sock, cut toe off and cut hole in heel for thumb to go through, blood is close to surface on inside of wrist, keep this bit warm. I find neoprene OK for an hour, after that it goes cold, proper outdoor/bike gloves are better for longer rides. Feet, keep your shoes on the radiator overnight, the soles then have extra heat stored, you can now get battery heated footbeds and gloves. Buff or proper helmet liner to keep head warm... if your hands are cold try putting on a hat