Riding through the winter can be pretty grim. It’s often
cold, wet and even snowing – and that’s just the weather! Roads and trails can
turn into sheet ice or complete mud baths, making it difficult to even stay
upright on your bike, let alone get up to a decent speed. While it might sound
more appealing to just grab the duvet and stay in bed, with the right cycle
clothing and equipment riding in can, believe it or not, be fun!
While there’s not much you can about conditions
underneath your tyres, you can get kitted out in the right cycling clothes that
laughs in the face of extreme winter weather. To help get you on the right
track, we’ve put together a guide on what to look for, as well a few personal
staff favourites to help get you out through the cold winter months.
Winter cycling jackets
A jacket
is an essential of any cyclist’s winter wardrobe. The best jackets for winter
will keep you warm and dry, but it should still be breathable enough that you
can push hard and not feel like you’re boiling in a bag.
Softshell style jackets are bit more substantial than
lightweight hard-shells and as such provide additional warmth yet still don’t
feel clammy when you start to push on. A firm favourite on the road is the Castelli
Mortirollo V Jacket. Made from a Gore Windstopper Softshell fabric,
the Mortirollo V combines brilliantly with a thermal base layer to keep you
covered through the winter months.
For mountain bikers Fox’s
Attack Fire Jacket is a firm favourite. Using a 3-layer wind and
water-resistant Ripstop softshell fabric, the Attack fire is perfect for
keeping cold and wet weather at bay. The Rider Attack Position patterning means
the jacket fits beautifully when riding and as ever with Fox
Clothing, it looks the business too; perfect for hitting those
slippery trails in style!
Winter cycling shorts, pants and bib jackets
Keeping your legs dry and warm is key to enjoying (or at
the very least, surviving) a cold winter ride. Depending on what or where you
ride you’ll have a huge range of legwear options to choose from.
For mountain bikers, waterproof shorts are a godsend in
the winter months, often featuring a slightly thicker, warmer fabric that is
waterproof or treated with a water-repellent finish. Our top value choice is
the Madison
Zenith 4-Season DWR Shorts with their rugged construction meaning
these shorts will last for years! For the ultimate in protection and
versatility, Madison also offer a fully
waterproof trouser version of the Zenith with zip-off lower legs, so
you get waterproof pants and shorts all in one!
The roadies among us love Altura’s
Repel Bibtights for winter use. With a mid-weight thermal fabric and
DWR finish, these will keep you warm and provide light rain resistance, keeping
you warm and comfortable all-ride long.