Ultracycling

No such top exists that is packable or light.

I have a roubaix fleece jersey that I cut the long arms to short arms for this type of weather.

A gabba works okay, but isn't so breathable. I don't really rate it.

Could try something like; https://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Assos/IJ-tiburu-4-Long-Sleeve-Jersey/YCW

https://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Assos/iJ-haBu5-Jacket/36H

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/classic-winter-jacket/product/SJK08XX

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/pro-team-softshell-jacket/product/PST02XXBLK

http://polartec.com/product/polartec-power-shield-pro

I could get a different gilet but I figured getting something with sleeves would be warmer/better.

I'll have a look at windblock jerseys.

Gabba are too bulky for what I want.

I only have one roubaix fleece jersey and I'm not cutting its arms off but finding another one might be an option.

I think a softshell might be overkill. If it's that cold I can just throw on the rain jacket and/or down jacket. Then again, if I find a warm gilet replacement perhaps I could get away without taking the down jacket?

Rear is the same tyre I used for the divide (continental x-king 2.4) and front is Maxxis Ardent 2.4 (great in mud)

Rapha insulated brevet gilet is worth a look.

Must just be the build up of mud making them look bigger. :)

Cheers, added to my list to look at tonight.

That's the thing. Nothing that's warm and wind cutting will be packaged.

It's another layer though which makes a fair difference. If it's -2 in the mountains I will have my RAB rain jacket on too so maybe: undershirt, jersey, warm/windblock layer, rain layer and hope for the best.

I can't remember if I used an undershirt on TCR or not. I normally wear one but I'm really not sure now so I might lose the undershirt in the heat or get a lighter one than I currently have, like one of those Craft string ones.

The other thing is, I've been debating taking my down jacket - it got little use on TCR but the USA might be colder and I will likely be outside in a lighter bivvy more often.

I thought you were taking general training. Not taking on the race.

You should start using your down jacket. I couldn't be without mine.

Good rain jacket; cuts the wind. Good down jacket; keeps you warm.

Are you taking the rab jacket we have again? Think I'm goign to get something different. It is great, but I don't feel the material cuts the wind enough. It's a bit too good. I want somethign a bit thicker. But when I am fatigued I really feel the cold.

I carried the down jacket with me on the weekend but I didn't unpack it - it wasn't that cold. I've never used it on the bike, only while sleeping. Probably scared of getting it damp. That's why I was thinking about ditching it in favour of something I use mostly on the bike. If I get too cold when sleeping, I will just have to find a hotel or carry on after a shivery nap.

Yeah, I really like that RAB rain jacket. It totally proved its worth during that fucking storm in Montenacedoniawhereverthefuckitwas. Interesting, I was cold and then put that on and was massively warmer. I really like it. I could probably do without the hood, which I rarely use but I normally tuck it in to the back and go.

Yeah, it's 100% waterproof. I like the hood. Horses for courses. I really like it too.

You were cold and didn't get the down jacket out? Right. Why not just try using it first. Before sacking it off. I use mine a lot, used it and it's got wet and had no isse.

maybe merino base layer? My rapha one is good at keeping me warm.

Could try; http://www.arcteryx.com/product.aspx?country=gb&language=en&gender=Mens&category=Insulated_Jackets&model=Atom-LT-Vest
It's primaloft, so won't bitch if it gets wet, I have the jacket and is the business. It won't keep your shoulders warm, but put rain jacket on if you need. It's not quite as warm as the PHD down is the only issue. But does keep your body heat in. I will ride in my jacket version with a merino T shirt in -5 and be warm.

My point is I wasn't super cold, not cold enough to stop and fiddle around with getting jacket out, I was already wet from the rain, etc. Once I put the rain jacket on I got warmer but I don't want to wear the rain jacket all the time, which was why I was thinking about a gilet alternative - a windstopper or winterish jersey to go over a superlight jersey.
In hindsight I probably should've put down on when I grabbed food but I'm not clever when it comes to clothing. I just suffer and then realise I can't move body parts any more and it's not getting warmer and by then I'm probably looking for a hotel or something anyway :)

Maybe that's your issue. You need to be on it, and think ahead.

If you were already wet, no wonder you were cold.

I know what you mean though, but with riding minimally, you can't have the right thing for every occasion, so you have to compromise on what you're wearing. I will often wear my rain jacket, when normally I wouldn't, but I don't have anything else.
So basically. Quit bitching, you've enough stuff, just compromise. Or take a pannier full of your wardrobe.

I have a merino base layer, though I was using a lighter polypro one that I like.

Thing with that is, in the US during the day it's going to be 40+ and a baselayer that's thicker than my jersey is going to suck. That's another reason I was going with 'over' layers and not undershirt/baselayer stuff.

That archteryx thing doesn't look very long at the back. It needs to be quite long to go over jersey contents when I'm in a tuck.

Well, it was supposed to be a short-lived shower... seemed to follow it though so it wasn't so short-lived. By that stage too late. I don't dive for the rain jacket every time I get spots of rain on me.

I wear the rain jacket when I'm cold not necessarily when it's raining.

I'm not bitching, I'm trying to find a more useful set of clothes than what I currently use.

This is what testing is for - finding niggles and then resolving them.

Just stick with your PHD. And wear the rain jacket.
And you don't need to wear the merino all the time, can just take summer jersy off at night and put merino on, then down jacket and rain jacket if cold wind.

You have a really useful set of clothes though. You can't do much better, without taking more stuff, which you don't really want to do.

Last option is something like; http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear-oxygen-windstopper-active-shell-light-vest/

Well, yes, but I was trying to take less stuff but stuff that I thought more useful :)

Because I'm environmentally stupid I like to wear one set of clothes and not change anything, so the closer I can get to one set for all conditions the better.

Next time I will ditch the gilet and try to get more use out of the PHD down jacket and see what happens. No doubt the weather will be 24degC and fine...

I have a gilet from doing PBP and a Rapha summer gilet I'd could take to add less bulky windstopper layer and a bit of high-viz. But normally in this situation I'd just put the rain jacket on and be done with it.

Congratulations on a good ride. Mrs. TSK proudly became the first woman finisher although is now come down ill with a stomach bug. Possibly from drinking river water.

Nasty.
You can get good filters and pills to sterilise. Would recommend.
But congrats to her!

Congrats to Mrs TSK.

Never drink water where there's livestock upstream (everywhere on Exmoor). Sheep and cattle dump a lot of Cryptosporidium into the water course. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptosporidium

Get a Sawyer filter, or some tablets next time.

Chlorine isn't effective against Cryptosporidium and iodine tablets aren't super effective against Giardia or Cryptosporidium.

"We demonstrated that iodine was not effective against Cryptosporidium even after 4 hours of contact with two tablets"
from: PDF study: http://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(97)70019-X/pdf

I carried tablets during TCR just in case but I don't even know what type they are - think iodine. Seems like a filter is better idea for this kind of thing.

Yeah, I've used a sawyer filter for years, and been fine so far.

I've got the worst sickness from not cleaning my camelbak bladder!

Ooops... I've never cleaned any of my camelbaks. :S

I only use water in them though. This will likely change during TABR - ALL the colas!

57g for one of those mini filters. I remember looking at them before but thinking they were a bit overkill given that I'm on the road and not out in the bush like you guys.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Camping-Water-Filters/Sawyer-Products-SP128-Water-Filtration-System-Single/B00FA2RLX2