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. There’s loads of gear and winter cycling clothing out there, but much of it was made to appeal to the spandex crowds. Thermal bib tights, winter cycling jackets, funky neoprene shoe covers, leg warmers, and arm warmers; there’s no end to how outfitted a weekend warrior can be for facing the lowest mercury forecasts.
If you’re one of our regular readers, it’s unlikely that you’re trying to go the winter road bike ninja suit route at all. 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, all while looking pretty good within our own standard of style and design.
But before we dive in, it’s worth noting that at the end of the day a proper pair of low-tech rain pants—like these from Showers Pass,on sale for $39 and recommended by our rain or shine bike homie Ryan—paired with a waterproof poncho will beat most any combination of fancy kit when it comes to keeping dry. But as with everything we do, we're suckers for a better balance of form and function. And so, we present the following, selected with higher design in mind.
