Cold Cycling Re-entry

As you may or may not know, this is the first time in like six years that I haven’t had a year round summer.  Although the Comox Valley is one of the few places in Canada where you’re usually able to road bike all year, it still gets quite cold.  Plus this winter the West coast of Canada is experience uncommon snow.

I’ve always been a cold weather cycling wimp, but thanks to companies like Sealskinz…..cycling through the cold weather is much more manageable.  Like anything, having the right equipment always makes things easier.

Last fall, the guys from Sealskinz sent me some products to help this cycling wimp out.  They gave me as skull cap to keep my head warm, shoe covers to toast my toes, and two different kinds of thermal gloves.

If you can keep your head, fingers, and toes warm…..it goes a long way in keeping the rest of you warm as well.

Here’s what I like best about the stuff they sent me.

Skull Cap – I like have the design extends down by my ears allowing the cap to ride up higher, and still warming all of the ear.  Some other caps I’ve had in the past are equally circular and it makes it difficult to keep your ears and head warm at the same time.

Shoe Covers – I’ve never owned a pair of shoe covers before, and I’ve definitely had rides where my toes are freezing.  I think it’s difficult to totally keep toes warm seeing as they don’t move at all while cycling.  But the covers do help partially warm them up.

Gloves – I don’t ride with gloves when it’s warm, but when it’s cold outside my fingers are the first thing to get chilly.  Sealskinz sent me two different kinds of gloves….one for cool weather, and one for much colder weather.  Of course the thinner gloves are more manageable, but the cold weather gloves do a much better job at keeping my fingers warm.

As many cyclists around the world get off their trainers and back on the road, cool weather products like these help get you out there sooner…..or at least keep you warmer.

Get the right equipment for the conditions.  How do you stay warm in cold weather riding?