Tip of the Day

What is the secret to keeping warm, dry and not sweating on the colder days during the winter months?.... MULTIPLE BASE LAYERS

I have more base layers than anything else in my cycling closet. These are the clothes that don't make you look good. These are the clothes that make you feel good, giving you the ability to ride with comfort and power. These base layers may not win you a race, but they sure can lose you one!!!

THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT CYCLING CLOTHES YOU OWN.

At the end of the World Championship Road Race in Switzerland this year Fabian Cancellara was seen sitting down at the finish line chewing on his undershirt, distraught over the fact that he lost the race. In an interview later on, he blamed the loss on his undershirt being too warm, causing him to overheat. We all know that it was not the undershirts fault that he lost the race. It was his fault for making a bad decision on what undershirt to wear. It just reaffirms the importance of this key item of clothing.

Outside my door this morning it is -7 degrees Celsius and sunny, a day most people wouldn't even consider going for a ride. However riding in these temperatures can still be fun and good training.

So... how do we dress on a day like today. Four base layers, yes you read correctly FOUR

The first base layer you should put on is the lightest sleeveless open weave layer that you own. This would be the one that you would wear under your jersey on a hot summer day. this will ensure that moisture is wicked away from your body as effectively as possible. Putting heavy layers next to the skin in the winter is a common mistake and quickly leads to sweating and total discomfort

The second base layer should be a warmth layer. Again this should be a sleeveless layer if possible and preferably made from merino wool. This natural material is about as good as it gets at regulating body temperature and breathability.

The third layer should be a long sleeve winter weight layer. I find the Defeet regular long sleeve shirt ideal for this purpose. This adds more warmth to the body and the first layer of warmth to the arms. Your arms are a good place to shed excess heat on cold days. This is why we go sleeveless on the first two layers.

The fourth and final base layer will be what I call your discretionary layer. This is the layer that you will peel off if the outside temperature goes up to any measurable degree. It can be either sleeveless or long sleeve depending on you. I wear a regular Defeet sleeveless layer for this.

This may seem like allot of clothes, but its not and when you put them on you will notice that there is very little weight and more importantly bulk associated with what you are wearing.

Now you add a winter jacket with a windproof layer in the front and a breathable layer in the back.

The rest is easy, full length winter bibs or tights with a windtex layer in front and breathable material at the back of the leg, lined over booties, breathable skull cap (this is also very important to prevent overheating). Gloves that your hands feel slightly cold in when you start ( they will heat up and there is nothing worse than sweaty hands that you can do nothing about).

Now don't forget to wear something over your mouth, I use a light weight balaclava for this instead of a skull cap. It gives some extra protection to my neck and can be worn over the mouth or under the chin as desired. This will keep that cold dry air out of your lungs and prevent respiratory distress. Try as much as possible to breath in through your nose instead of your mouth, this will help heat and moisturize the air before it hits your lungs.

So that's it, get out there and enjoy a crisp winter day and take a well deserved break from the indoor trainer.


Hey, don't forget that all these cycling base layers can be used all the time to keep you comfortable, no matter what you are doing.


Ride Hard
Ride Strong
Ride Safe