What I wear to bike/run in various temperatures.

It was unseasonably cold on my ride this morning–55 degrees and overcast (I’m in Indiana for a few weeks).  I had to dig out my armwarmers, knee warmers and baselayers for the first time in a few months!  The cool weather was a nice change of pace from the normal warm conditions of summer.

Here in Gainesville, we usually don’t have to think too much about what we’re going to wear on our workouts–9 months out of the year it’s room temperature or higher for the vast majority of our workouts–but we don’t always race and train in the warm climate of Central Florida.  So, it’s important to have a list of what clothes are comfortable in what temperatures, for both cycling and running.

Here’s my cycling list.  If the temperature (in degrees Farenheit) at the start of the ride is:

• 95 or higher: cool-max l/s white jersey, wicking baselayer, bibs or tri shorts, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 65-95: s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 60-65: arm-warmers, s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 55-60: arm-warmers, insulating wicking baselayer, s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, knee warmers, half-finger gloves, thin socks
• 50-55: arm-warmers, thicker baselayer, s/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, knee warmers, half-finger gloves, thick socks, toe covers
• 45-50: l/s baselayer, l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, knee warmers, half-finger gloves with liner, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 40-45: ear covers, thermal l/s baselayer, l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, leg warmers, full-finger gloves, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 35-40: balaclava, thermal l/s baselayer, thermal l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, thermal tights, full-finger gloves, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 30-35: balaclava, two thermal l/s baselayers, thermal l/s jersey, bibs or tri shorts, leg warmers + thermal tights, full-finger gloves, thick socks, insulating shoe covers
• 30 or lower: Too cold for training rides (for me).  If I had to, I’d wear all of the above, plus an additional core layer and leg layer.

Additionally, most rides where the starting temperature is 60 or lower, I start with a thin “racing cape” (aka wind/rain jacket) which I peel off once I get warmed up on my ride.  The jacket also comes in handy during extended stops when my core temperature plummets.

Here’s my running list.  If the temperature (in degrees Farenheit) at the start of the run is:

• 90 or higher: cool-max l/s white cycling jersey, hat, shorts, socks
• 60-90: no top, visor, shorts, socks (aka “look at my pecs” outfit)
• 50-60: thin, wicking s/s shirt, visor,shorts, socks
• 40-50: l/s thin baselayer, visor,shorts, socks
• 32-40: l/s baselayer,  earmuffs, thin gloves, hat, shorts, socks
• 25-32: l/s baselayer, light jacket, warm hat, earmuffs, thin gloves, tights, socks
• 15-25: l/s baselayer, heavy jacket, warm hat, earmuffs, thicker gloves, tights, thicker socks
• 15 or lower: Depends.  I’ll usually add a balaclava, another base layer, perhaps another layer of tights and maybe even ski goggles.  I don’t recall the last time I ran in temperatures below 0 Farenheit.