# fall gear?



## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

Hi,

I retired about 5 weeks ago and have been 10-20 miles everyday on my road bike. I live in the northeast and it's turned colder this week, into the 50s. I rode yesterday in shorts and tee, was just fine but it's colder today so I started thinking about warmer clothing.

Saw an article that kids and older riders (I'm 60) should use knee warmers to prevent injury when the weather falls below 60, true? Anything wrong with using sweatpants or am I better off with something like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Izumi-...8&qid=1475171362&sr=8-1&keywords=knee+warmers

anything else I should consider?

tia!


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## ExChefinMA (May 9, 2012)

quietdesperation said:


> Hi,
> 
> I retired about 5 weeks ago and have been 10-20 miles everyday on my road bike. I live in the northeast and it's turned colder this week, into the 50s. I rode yesterday in shorts and tee, was just fine but it's colder today so I started thinking about warmer clothing.
> 
> ...


I don’t think it’s as much of an age issue as it is comfort. Wear what you feel most comfortable in. Keep in mind, with the arm/knee warmers as you get warm enough not to need them, they stash very quickly into a jersey pocket, can’t do that with sweats.

It’s really all about you being comfortable while out riding, wear what you want, it’s your ride not anyone else’s. Oh, where in the North East are you? I'm in MA, up near the NH border.

EEC


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

If your riding is such that sweatpants are good it's probably such that cold knees shouldn't be a problem as far an injury goes.

You know how it's not good the throw fastballs with a cold arm......but just a light playing catch isn't a problem?

Basically, don't put out a lot off stress on cold joints. Nothing unique to cycling or age here.


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## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

I don't have a jersey, so no place to stash the warmers. I'll try sweats first and see how that works out. I'm trying to take a common sense approach to riding gear (a la grant peterson) and appreciate your common sense reply! 

I live in northern westchester county, you'd probably find our current weather balmy 

best,


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## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

Jay Strongbow said:


> If your riding is such that sweatpants are good it's probably such that cold knees shouldn't be a problem as far an injury goes.


I hear what you're saying but my experience teaching tennis is that warming up helps prevent injury, regardless of level. But to your point, maybe shorts work through the fail and all I need is to ride slowly for 10 minutes before I start my HIIT.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

quietdesperation said:


> anything else I should consider?



Yes. If you don't already know, as it gets colder, it is important that you wear either synthetic or wool. NO COTTON. Cotton soaks up sweat like a sponge. Once that happens, you will catch cold. Synthetic or wool wicks sweat away from your body and dries out quickly. 

Much better than sweat pants is a pair of bike tights.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

Congrats on retirement at such a young age. You must have done something right. 

I know bike clothes look goofy, but they are very functional. A jersey not only has pockets to store stuff in, but it constructed of fabric that wicks away sweat and dries quickly. Shorts are tight so they don't bunch up and have a pad for sitting on. Baggy sweat pants can get caught in your drive train. That's why tights are, er, tight. It takes time to acquire a wardrobe of cycling clothing. But I don't know what you have already to suggest additions. 

Regarding riding in the cold -- when it gets much below 50, I wear tights. It just depends on how you deal with cold. Some people wear them in the 60's, others go bare legged in the 30's.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

I live in Connecticut, I'm 66, and I'm not retired. I commute to work most of the year. If you're going to keep riding as the weather gets colder, you will need to get more organized and systematic about dressing properly. It's definitely not been shorts and tee weather this week, at least in the morning. I wear tights or legwarmers if the temp is below the mid-60's (the old rule of thumb (rule of knee?) among European bike racers, at least for training, is to cover the knees below 20C, which is 68F). But some riders don't mind pare knees in cooler temps than that.

You need more layers for the top as well, including (at least for me) a windproof shell for the outer layer. A windvest is also very versatile.

If you're going to keep riding into the winter, at some point you'll need a cover for your helmet to slow airflow through the vents, and a head covering of some kind -- many wear a balaclava, which can cover as much or little of the face as you like. I commute in temps down to 15F or so, and I have balaclavas in several weights for different conditions. The lightest ones, of silk, I don when it gets to the mid-40s.

Also long-fingered gloves of various weights.

If you do a search in this forum you can find lots of threads discussing cold-weather clothing. You don't have to spend a lot of money on this stuff, either. I have bought inexpensive stuff, stuff on sale, and things from discounters like Sierra Trading Post, and have had them work well for years. Online retailers like Performance and Nashbar have great deals with their house-brand stuff.

Happy riding.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

JCavilia said:


> I live in Connecticut, I'm 66, and I'm not retired. I commute to work most of the year. If you're going to keep riding as the weather gets colder, you will need to get more organized and systematic about dressing properly. It's definitely not been shorts and tee weather this week, at least in the morning. I wear tights or legwarmers if the temp is below the mid-60's (the old rule of thumb (rule of knee?) among European bike racers, at least for training, is to cover the knees below 20C, which is 68F). But some riders don't mind pare knees in cooler temps than that.
> 
> You need more layers for the top as well, including (at least for me) a windproof shell for the outer layer. A windvest is also very versatile.
> 
> ...



This is a good list of items. Another thing you may want to look into are neoprene booties (shoe covers).


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

The Pearl Izumi "Thermal" leg, knee and arm warmers are really good for the price. If you can find them on sale, all the better. I'm inclined to wear knee or leg warmers when it's below 45f if it's still sunny. If it's cloudy, or especially if there is rain forecast, I'll put the at 55f or below.

I tend to wear a long sleeve under layer of some kind. Wool or synthetic is best for this. Definitely no cotton, as has already been stated. Pearl Izumi base layer shirts are also good, and affordable, but can be hard to find.

My biggest challenge is the extremities. When it's really cold, fingers, toes, feet, face, ears... those are always my biggest challenge. I find keeping my head and my core warm helps with this. Then it's just finding the right combination of gloves, socks, etc.... to keep the remote bits warm.


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## mackgoo (Mar 2, 2004)

Fall dress? I put on a shirt.


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## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

thanks all. At least for now, riding tights and a jersey are not for me but I take everyone's point that I need to protect my body.

I'm going to give the nashbar leg warmers at $12 a try (thanks JCavilia!). I have a thin wind shell for skiing that should work and I can stuff the warmers in there if I get too hot. As it gets colder, I'll look at something for the rest of my body. 

not entirely sure how far into winter I'll ride, when it stops being fun I'll move the bike to my trainer. Looking forward to trying zwift this year!


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

quietdesperation said:


> thanks all. At least for now, riding tights and a jersey are not for me but I take everyone's point that I need to protect my body.
> 
> I'm going to give the nashbar leg warmers at $12 a try (thanks JCavilia!). I have a thin wind shell for skiing that should work and I can stuff the warmers in there if I get too hot. As it gets colder, I'll look at something for the rest of my body.


I'm not sure if not using riding tights as you put it means you won't use spandex shorts but if so then you'll probably have difficulty using leg warmers. They generally don't stay in place by themselves and need to be under tight/elastic shorts.


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## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

hmmm, yes, I don't see myself on > 2-3 hour rides and at that distance, don't need cycling shorts.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

You can get yourself tights or knickers and wear a pair of whatever shorts you are now wearing over them. You get the over the knee warmth without the "stigma" of cycling shorts. Hell, you could probably wear a pair of dark colored long underwear beneath those same shorts.

And I agree with JCavilla about Men's Base Layer: Average savings of 51% at Sierra Trading Post , there are some good deals to be had.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

quietdesperation said:


> not entirely sure how far into winter I'll ride, when it stops being fun I'll move the bike to my trainer. Looking forward to trying zwift this year!


that's when it stops being fun.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

quietdesperation said:


> hmmm, yes, I don't see myself on > 2-3 hour rides and at that distance, don't need cycling shorts.


If you tried a pair of cycling shorts, I bet you'd never ride in gym shorts or sweat pants again. I wouldn't ride 10 minutes around the neighborhood in anything else.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

pmf said:


> that's when it stops being fun.


bingo!


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

pmf said:


> If you tried a pair of cycling shorts, I bet you'd never ride in gym shorts or sweat pants again. I wouldn't ride 10 minutes around the neighborhood in anything else.


This.

I retired a few years ago too, and that's when I took up cycling. First year I rode a flat bar hybrid to see if I would like it. I did half that summer in gym shorts and a Nike workout shirt, then I invested in some chamois shorts made to wear underneath clothing because I couldn't deal with the chafing and seam binding. Still, I insisted to my wife that I "wouldn't ever be one of those spandex guys." After riding for awhile with the shorts, and as my fitness improved (and thereby my expectations), I broke down the following year and bought bibs and a few jerseys.

Flash forward a few years, now I have a 3 road bikes, clipless shoes, and an entire cycling wardrobe that includes pretty much everything JCavilla touched upon, and then some. 

Make the transition now while you are still enjoying cycling. Doing so will set you up for success in enjoying this hobby/sport to its fullest. Just my experience, hope the OP finds it helpful.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Wetworks said:


> This.
> 
> I retired a few years ago too, and that's when I took up cycling. First year I rode a flat bar hybrid to see if I would like it. I did half that summer in gym shorts and a Nike workout shirt, then I invested in some chamois shorts made to wear underneath clothing because I couldn't deal with the chafing and seam binding. Still, I insisted to my wife that I "wouldn't ever be one of those spandex guys." After riding for awhile with the shorts, and as my fitness improved (and thereby my expectations), I broke down the following year and bought bibs and a few jerseys.
> 
> ...


This^^

Jump into the "rabbit hole", you won't be sorry.


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## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

thanks for all the replies! I spoke to nashbar about their knee warmers, they think they'll stay up on their own (no need for cycling shorts), for $13/pair and free ship, decided to give them a try, will report back.

I do appreciate everyone's passion for the sport but I'm very comfortable on the bike right now with my cotton shorts/tees and sneakers. Here's a conversation I had with a cyclist this week I'd never met, he walked up to me as I was taking my bike off the rack.

cyclist: "what do use to track your ride?"
me: "nothing"
cyclist: "take a look at strada and relive, they're great."
me: "I don't care about statistics."
cyclist: "you have to see relive." shoves phone in my hand and I see a line re-tracing the path he took.
me: "that's cool, but we're on bike path, why bother?"
cyclist: "but it also has all these stats. I rode 32 miles and my avg speed was 18mph"
me: "that's also cool, but why do you care? are you in training?"
cyclist: "well, it's useful if I go on long trips. I once rode from ny to philadelphia. that was before they had this clothing, I was in a cotton shirt and pants" he said in an incredulous tone.
me: didn't know what to say since I was in cotton shorts and shirt.
cyclist: "last week I was in tannersville, we did a 2200 foot ascent. that was tough"
me: annoyed now, "that's great"
cyclist: "I brought the bike into the shop afterwards to get a thingie ((i don't remember what he said) replaced to make my bike lighter. 
me: "why do you want it lighter"
cyclist: "to climb faster" as if explaining to the village idiot.
me: "why do you care?"
cyclist: looked at me like I was speaking in tongues and edged away.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

quietdesperation said:


> thanks for all the replies! I spoke to nashbar about their knee warmers, they think they'll stay up on their own (no need for cycling shorts), for $13/pair and free ship, decided to give them a try, will report back.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's passion for the sport but I'm very comfortable on the bike right now with my cotton shorts/tees and sneakers. Here's a conversation I had with a cyclist this week I'd never met, he walked up to me as I was taking my bike off the rack.
> 
> ...


I can appreciate what you are trying to say here. Cycling is different for just about everyone who is active in it. There is a lot of diversity, and that is one of the things I like about it.

That said, you are on a message board that is full of cycling enthusiasts.

You probably aren't going to get a lot of sympathy from a bunch of road cyclists posting stuff like that here.

Any one of us might be that guy in your conversation. I use Strava and occasionally "Relive.cc". I enjoy keeping track of my miles, and where I rode, and taking pictures of the fun places and posting them for others to see. I'm competitive with myself, and a few of my friends on various loops and segements in my area, just in a fun way. I don't race, but I like to see my improvement, and Strava help with that, and for me, it increases my motivation, and the fun factor.

I especially find my non-cyclists friends and family enjoy those relive.cc videos when I ride in places they will never see because they don't ride bikes.


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## quietdesperation (Jul 1, 2014)

Mignen, no insult intended and I understand/respect you and the denizens of this community. What I objected to was his complete lack of understanding of my pov. Perhaps he was just trying to share his love of the sport but there was a sense of "I have a bigger d*ck" that I found offputting. 

I suppose it happens in every sport, I've played competitive tennis for 45 years, guys walk out with $1000 worth of equipment and can't play.

in any case, thanks for your reply, best.


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