Essential winter clothing?

So the decent weather seems to be leaving us for another year and I could do with a few new bits of clothing to ensure I don't finish recreational rides a shaking, soggy mess.

Just wondering which particular items people wouldn't want to be without during the British winter? Particularly interested in recommendations for jerseys, gilets, and bib tights.

Wouldn't know anything about a british winter but when it hits below -15°c in Finland I'll probably enjoy my riding in a merino baselayer, winter jersey(brand of your choice) and a soft shell jacket.

also will be wearing a wool hat, lake 303's, deep winter bibs made by a certain nice, but pricey brand. As gloves I'll be using merino liners under the leather 5 Bling keirin glove with the carbon fiber knuckle shield( you know, for fighting the occasional polar bear roaming the streets of Hellsinki or for punching the side view mirror of a car that bothering you).

Dickies shorts are a well known choice of a finnish fixie fiend, also acceptable is camouflage cargo shorts.

hope this helps

Overshoes and decent gloves are a must when it's really cold. I like the Cheapo Planet X neoprene overshoes and Dafeet gloves. A Belgian hat or beanie is also good.

I'd say a good merino base layer is an investment, just whack any old jersey over the top as it'll get covered in road grime in no time anyway.

Oh, and gaffa tape up the ventilation holes in the soles of your shoes for less drafts/drier feet!

^^ AFAIK Finnish/English winters are essentially the same apart from the polar bears. Oh and the -15 bit.

^ Yeah overshoes are one thing I do have. So good. I've heard the defeet gloves are nice, I think I might give them a go. And I have some HH merino that doubles as pyjamas when the house is cold.

also a neoprene mask is useful when it gets really cold.

Hot/warm: mitts (Spesh BG but any really), cycling shorts, short sleeve jersey, socks, Spesh MTB SPD shoes, casquette

Cooler (where I am as of this morning):

• Add a windstopper gilet
  
• Next add roubaix backed arm warmers (still wearing short sleeve jersey)
  
• Swap mitts for full finger gloves (Spesh BG are the ones I have)
  
• Next add roubaix knee warmers
  
  

Cold:

• Buff to cover mouth/ears (especially as first part of my commute is downhill)
  
• Cotton inner gloves over the full finger gloves (not waterproof but opting for warm+wet option)
  
• Skins leggings (still with Knee warmers on top)
  
  

Even colder:

• Long sleeve jersey instead of s/s jersey + arm warmers
  
• Swap windstopper gilet for Gore Alp-X jacket (had it for 10 years, thin but lovely)
  
• Swap to Altura Waterproof gloves if really rainy
  
• Woolly hat or Gore thermal cap instead of casquette
  
• Short sleeve skins top under jersey
  
• Swap Skins leggings for full length roubaix backed leg warmers
  
• Second pair of socks (never really suffered from cold feet to bother with anything else)
  
  

Freezing:

• Extra base layer (or long sleeve Skins) under jersey
  
• Skins leggings added under the leg warmers
  
• Softshell jacket (cheap eVent thing from Evans)
  
• Schwalbe Marathon Winter spiked tyres
  
  

I've never bothered with overshoes, even on really long rainy rides (30 hours+ of Welsh "sunshine" on the Bryan Chapman 600). I opt for the "warm and wet" strategy rather than trying to avoid getting various bits wet.

Aye warm and wet, I gather that's one of the reasons the Gabba is proving so popular.

Worry about your hands and feet- the rest is just a matter of layers

Stay indoors and turn the heating up

I just found a £100 Glided Snow Jacket by Animal for £8 in my local charity shop, it was like new. although it's for snowboarders I am gonna use it with non-cycling base layers from highstreet.

so before you spend big try too look around in charity shops.

Much better idea

Gabba would be the best investment ever for British cycling I imagine.

cooler, cold, even colder - shorts and a t shirt

freezing - add a jumper and some windproof trousers

Gym shorts and rugby socks. You should make sure your knees are never covered, so the socks should be folded back down just below the knee.

That full hi viz jacket you wore for summer and sweltered in should be replaced with a cotton t shirt and day glo Sam Browne.

Endura Stealth soft-shell is the best winter riding jacket I've ever had. It was pretty pricy, but it's lasted for years.

castelli nano flex is my favorite thing

What nanoflex shiz do you have? I'm thinking of getting some water-resistant arm warmers but have read mixed opinions on the leg warmers/bibs.

Rapha winter cap, and sealskins gloves. two things i couldnt live without when it gets real cold.

^^ Rorain/nanoflex arm warmers are decent. Other arm warmers are also fine, but yeah... arm warmers.

Other good things? All the usual really. I ride with a cap and a buff pretty much throughout the winter.

Merino baselayers - boring and obvious answer, but I'd hate to be without those. Baselayers with windproof fronts are great too, they extend the use of summer jerseys through the UK winter.

+1 Sealskin Gloves, reckon I'll be breaking them out soon.

Tldr
Planetx

Castelli Gabba jersey, single greatest item of clothing I've bought for winter riding in the U.K. I literally cannot recommend it enough. It's warm and water resistant enough to keep to comfortable but at the same time if you are doing training rides in the winter you don't end up in a boil in the bag situation drenched in your own sweat.

Unfortunately I seem to be between sizes in the Gabba - neck/chest is loose on the XL but the L is a bit short. An ongoing quandry for a lanky man.

shorts with pad +

Can anyone reccomend some good knee warmers? I'm recovering from an injury and the recent cold weather is making them stiff and crunchy. Also, reccomendations for good value arm warmers would be great!