Winter commuting gear recommendations.

I'm looking for some advice. I'm starting to commute to a new job next month. It's only 7 miles but the route is very hilly. The roads are fast country roads and unlit. I want to commute all weather's except when it snows. I'm after advice on good winter clothing/gear.

I'm already planning a helmet and a bar headlight both rated around 700 lumens. And a back light that is a big X across my back. But I'm now thinking about clothing and it's quite a wide range so advice would be awesome.

You gonna be changing/showering at work?

Yep. Shower and changing facilities available. And a locker to store my stuff too. Lights are usb charging jobbers so that's sorted.

Layers.

My minimal attire (for hot weather) is:-

• short sleeve jersey
  
• cycling shorts
  
• fingerless mitts
  
• defeet air-e-ator socks
  
• Spesh Comp MTB SPD shoes
  
  

For warm weather I don't bother with a rain jacket as the effort keeps me warm. Warm and wet is better than pretending you can keep dry but cold.

As the weather gets colder the following things get added (roughly in order):-

• Roubaix backed knee warmers
  
• Roubaix backed arm warmers
  
• long finger cycling gloves
  
• Gore Alp-X jacket (especially if it's going to be wet)
  
• arm warmers replaced by long sleeved jersey
  
• cotton inner gloves worn over long-finger cycling gloves
  
• roubaix backed full length leg warmers replace the knee warmers
  
• second pair of socks
  
• base layer
  
• Altura waterproof cycling gloves (for both really wet days and extreme cold)
  
  

Having a bit of spare lard I tend to run quite warm though and need less clothing that other people seem to.

I also have a spare wheelset with Schwalbe Marathon Winter spiked tyres for icy/snowy days. Great fun, they're slower than normal tyres but a lot faster than getting the train that's rammed with miserable cold people.

I have an under armor compression top I use as a base layer if I think it will be chilly and an altura jersey that I can remove the arms. That pretty much all year with cheap running leggings instead of combat shorts if it's brisk. But I'm thinking for those vicious cold mornings in the north east I'll have to invest on winter gloves (sealskin maybe) and a warm jacket. Until the cyclescheme kicks in I'm riding my old carrera kraken mtb with marathon tyres.

Might be worth investing in some winter boots - they won't keep you totally dry on very wet days because the water will seep in via your ankles, but they're pretty good in all conditions less damp. Far better and less faff than normal shoes/overshoes/many socks.

Oh, and mudguards. That'll help a lot.

Can you get clip in boots?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=winter+boots

Mudguards all the way. I also carry a small LED headtorch (tiny cheapo one) to help if I get a flat or have to faff around in my bag for stuff. If your country lanes are like the ones I use, then it is absolutely pitch black in deep winter. I dread a puncture when its like this!

+1 for boots, especially if you'll be using them every day.

A bit of an investment, but you can make do with non-cycling specific clothing elsewhere.

A 700 lumen head torch doesn't strike me as a great idea and make sure the bar mounted light is considerately angled, ditto the rear if it's powerful.

I have a set of these which will keep your hands toasty toasty warm - far warmer than I really need in London but they were a present so morally compelled to wear them. I can still operate the dinky inner lever of my 105 STIs with them too.

Get some ski gloves. Way cheaper than cycling specific ones, and will keep your hands toasty.

Worth having two sets of things like gloves, so if they get soaked one day you don't have to worry about drying them out. Maybe keep a set at the office in case you get soaked on the way in.

Sort your hands and feet out and the rest will look after itself.

On cold dry days a simple light wind proof jacket will be much better than a rain jacket.

Mudguards + Lights
Muddy Fox Waterproof Trousers
Rapha Hardshell jacket (or similar totally waterproof jacket)
SealSkinz Handlebar Mittens
Spare pair of socks in the bag incase your feet get too wet

Muddy Fox x Rapha

If you've got a shower at the office don't get a completely waterproof jacket, just get wet and manage your warmth.

I use a windproof jacket, long bibs, cheap baselayer, gloves, Belgian cap and sidi diablo boots. And a waterproof layer in the bag.

I swear by boots. Managed to get Spesh Defrosters for circa £95 in July after my diadoras didn't make it through last winter.

Sealskin socks are my friend....

Rose bikes winter boots are ace, and not too dear

I find I get given a much wider berth from cars passing from behind with a set of these > http://road.cc/content/review/48279-bikes-led-handlebar-end-safety-lights < bar end mounted LED lights

Yeah I got those GUB bar end lights for about £6 from aliexpress or something like that a couple of winters ago. They're great, still going strong!

Just realised there's a good chance of fog when I'm riding in. Has anyone done a commute is thick fog and can recommend a very good lighting system to prevent me becoming road kill.

Fibre flare on your rear stays, plus an LED on the seatpost. You could even get a cheapo Lunar R1 and clip it to your helmet.

Oh here's a good one - not much good for fog, granted, but good for nighttime - get some reflective tape and splang it all over your frame. Seatstays, front of forks, and downtube for when you're emerging from a side road.

Sealskin socks, Endura waterproof tights (just don't let your wife/significant other put them in the tumble drier), if it's really cold Specialized lobster gloves, they come with a separate fleecey inner glove, which I wear on their own for autumn/spring days. I seem to get hot in waterproof jackets, so a thin long sleeve and thin wp endura does the job for me through winter. If you have access to a radiator at work, all the better, dry stuff for the ride home. As said earlier, just manage your temp, don't worry so much about gettin wet.