Winter 2015

The first below-zero ride this morning (-8˚ F). Last year, when I rode in such cold, my goggles iced over, making it impossible to see. New goggles have solved that problem. They didn't even start to fog by the end of my 25 min ride.

I was wearing a thin Smartwool shirt, a microweight Melanzana polartec shirt, a Duofold shirt, a fleece vest, and a windbreaker. I was a smidge hot, but with all that wool and polartec, I never got sweaty cold. My giant snowmobile mittens did a good job keeping my hands warm, and my fleece neck gaiter kept my face and neck warm. Rivendell nylon pants over old fashioned waffled long underwear kept my legs warm.

The only cold part of me by the end of the ride were my feet. My insulated boots, thin socks and thick wool socks were fine for about half the ride. Then it started getting a bit chilly. Not too bad, though.

I think I won't ride tomorrow morning, when it's supposed to be -15˚ F. Twice as cold! (I know, not really.)

Note to self. What to wear in winter:
 Below zero-10: Smartwool base layer, Duofold shirt, vest, windbreaker.
10-20˚: Smartwool + Melanzana microweight shirt, vest, windbreaker
20-30: Duofold + vest + windbreaker
30-40: Smartwool + vest + windbreaker.

More results.
Temp: -9˚ F
Base layer = smartwool lightweight
mid layer1 = mid weight poly
mid layer 2 = melanzana microweight polartec
Fleece vest
Windbreaker

When I pulled the socks away from my toes a bit to make more air space, my feet were completely warm

Temp: 6˚, windy.
base layer = melanzana microweight shirt
mid-layer = melanzana lightweight crew.
Fleece vest
Windbreaker

Perfect combination. The polyester shirts wicked all the moisture away. I sort of missed the lightweight wool base layer, though. I'll try it tomorrow.

Temp: -10˚ F
Base layer: wool thin shirt
Mid layer: Melanzana thin polartec
Mid layer 2: Melanzana lightweight crew
Vest
Windbreaker.

Too warm. I probably could have worn just the wool and the crew under the vest.

Yesterday when it was 10˚F, I wore the wool and lightweight crew with vest and windbreaker. Almost too warm.

Perhaps the last addition to this list.
March 6. Temp: 2˚. (Normal low = 22˚).
Thin wool base layer.
Melanzana crew mid-layer.
Vest, wind-breaker.
Quite nice. I wore this same combination for the ride home at 17˚ (normal high = 40˚). Unzipping the vest a little, I was comfortable. I decided that I'd rather be a little warm, but dry, with two layers under the vest, than cool and clammy with a single layer.

Spring break is next week. When I resume biking to work, perhaps I will have no more near-zero rides.