Author
Bob Myaing
You've heard it before because it's generally true: there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. Cycling through the winter months—whether commuting or adventuring—is an exemplary situation where the adage is right on the money.
To get your kit in order and looking good, we've rounded up a collection of our favorite winter-specific cycling pieces designed to keep you comfortable in the cold and happily pedaling all season long.
Gotta haul some gear during your ride or commute? Check out our roundup of the 10 Best Waterproof Roll Top Backpacks to keep your cargo safe and dry!
Kitsbow Icon Shirt Signature Fit
Casual rides call for casual apparel, and Kitbow’s Icon Shirt is up for the ride that ends at happy hour. The brand took the standard flannel shirt and perfected a fit that’s comfortable on the bike with features like articulated shoulder vents. Then it added Schoeller patches to key points where wear and tear would otherwise take place overtime for additional durability. Snap buttons are located throughout the shirt, which are easier to use with gloved hands than regular buttons. For a more layer-friendly option, Kitsbow also produces the Icon Shirt in a Relaxed Athletic fit with all the same features.
Price: $235
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Ornot Long Sleeve Trail Shirt
In moderately cool weather, say 50ºF or so, this long sleeve from Ornot is a perfect riding top or part of a layering system in colder temps. It earns points for trading an overly sporty look for a casual vibe that transitions well into everyday wear. A milled-in-USA Polartec Power Dry fabric pulls excess moisture from the body, so even if you forgo a proper base layer, you don’t need to worry about sweating the shirt out. The Polartec fabric also employs a tiny percentage of silver thread to mitigate body order.
Price: $66
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Velocio Merino 160 LS Base Layer
A base layer is where any good layering system starts, and merino is often the preferred material due to its natural ability to wick excess moisture and keep creating warmth, even when damp. Velocio’s merino base layer uses a poly-blended fabric that weighs in at 160 grams per square meter, placing it firmly in the middleweight category, so it’s perfect for layering with a jacket or warm jersey in cool-to-cold temperatures. Though not 100% wool, it should resist body odor buildup allowing for several wears before laundry day and in turn use less water than other garments over time.
Price: $99
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Rapha Explore Hooded GORE-TEX Pullover
Our favorite cycling gear functions as well on the street as it does on the bike, and Rapha is an expert at hitting that mark. The oversized chest pocket on this anorak is handy for on-the-go access to small items and doubles as a stuff sack. A relaxed fit avoids restriction of movement, while GORE-TEX Active—the latest and greatest waterproof-yet-breathable fabric from the technical fabric powerhouse—easily takes care of inclement weather challenges.
Price: $345
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Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest
Montbell didn't design this 89-gram, 1000-fill down vest with cycling in mind, but it’s definitely an easy piece to justify tossing into a handlebar or saddle bag for unexpected situations, or when your day will see fluctuations in temps due to sunlight and elevation. The vest’s slim cut is intended for layering but is dually convenient for a close on-bike fit. A super-thin, seven-denier shell helps make the ultralight vest land below the 100-gram mark, but isn't ultra-durable, so take care in making sure you don’t rip it on brush.
Price: $229
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Swrve Softshell Trousers
It's easy to use techy long underwear to convert any pair of pants into winter commuter pants. Though an effective (and thrifty) tactic, the combination doesn't do a great job of dumping excess heat, and sometimes requires removing said long underwear once at the office. It's not an elegant solution. These California-sewn pants from Swrve however, are.
Lined with a low-bulk, high-warmth fleece to help keep the heat while the exterior blocks both wind and water, the pants are perfect for daily commuting and more adventurous use, too. Pattern details like articulated knees, a diamond crotch gusset, and a raised rear waist spotlight how considered the pant is for the task at hand: riding.
Price: $150
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PEdAlED Winter Shoes
Believe it or not, this straightforward product name is a bit of an understatement. Tokyo-based PEdAlED took its design to celebrated Italian bootmaker Diemme to craft a classic hiking-style boot suitable for winter pedaling. The end result features reflective hits, a breathable lining, and a low-cut heel to account for the foot's movement while pedaling. And while the yellow laces aren't a technical feature, they look pretty great on the grey suede.
Price: $289
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Five Ten Trailcross GORE-TEX Mountain Bike Shoes
Leave it to the kings of grip, Five Ten, to create the ultimate winter mountain biking shoe for flat pedal riding. Generally, winter mountain bike shoes are an underserved category, and when you put flat pedal requirements in that mix, hardly any options exist. That makes the Trailcross a bit of a unicorn—its warm, waterproof, GORE-TEX-equipped upper is cut high with a neoprene cuff to keep the muck out. A modified, dual-compound version of the brand’s legendary Stealth rubber sole makes for traction on the pedals, and off them as well. If you’re still trying to knock frozen mud out of your cleats, then give flats a try this season. Who knows, you might not even go back to your SPD’s when spring comes around.
Price: $200
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Defeet Wooleator 5” Socks
Regardless of the season, you should never underestimate the value of a good pair of socks. Defeet makes some of the best cycling socks around, (and in the USA no less), with the Wooleator being the brand's cycling-specific merino sock that’s good for year-round wear. The sock is knitted at the brand's North Carolina facility from 61% of merino that's blended to include 37% nylon and 2% Spandex for stretch and strength. We've worn some of our test pairs for over five years and they're still going strong, so they're worth the investment. For colder feet and colder weather, opt for the brand’s Woolie Boolie socks.
Price: $19
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Giro Microfleece Balaclava
Sub-zero wind against the face have got to be one of the worst sensations in the world. A good balaclava is a highly effective and often affordable piece of gear that defends against it. Giro's microfleece design makes on-the-fly adjustment of facial coverage supremely easy, even when your fingers are swathed in thick gloves.
Price: $25
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Café Du Cycliste Cycling Gloves
If you've gotten this far, you likely already know the virtues of keeping your hands warm while riding a bicycle in the cold. Minimal bulk is what makes this pair of gloves from French brand Café Du Cycle so appealing. With a general-use winter (or ski) glove, finger dexterity is often sacrificed for warmth. Here though, a fleece lining and quilted exterior trap heat just like your favorite puffy jacket, keeping your digits warm and fully functioning, which tends to be useful for things like operating brake and shift levers.
Price: $90
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Published 11-11-2021
