The cold is upon us. As I write the Sun has popped his head out for a few minutes, but the reality is… it isn’t going to be getting any warmer anytime soon. If you want to carry on cycling over the cold period then you have 3 choices:
- Get some decent clothing
- Get an indoor trainer / rollers
- Combine 1 & 2
Personally I plan to take option 3. I have some rollers and I quite enjoy them but I can’t see me doing that all Winter long without going a little bit crazy! So I need a decent jacket. Just like you I like to get value from my purchases…
Getting The Best Value
There are some rules to getting the best value out of your clothing. They are simple rules but often neglected, here they are:
- Buy something that is good quality. Cheap doesn’t necessarily equate to good value. Expensive doesn’t either. Value is defined as something that is very well priced for the function you need it to perform. It is valuable to you if it solves your problem, it is good value if it does so without costing you more than it should or it offers you some additional, beneficial features.
- The solution you require is likely to be different to the next man, so choose a product that best fits your needs. The bells and whistles approach will definitely work but it is often overkill and doesn’t represent value unless your unique set of problems is either very wide or likely to change often – e.g you are commuting every now and then but also regularly ride at weekends and do the occasional race.
- Buy early – OK I’m a retailer so I would say that. But the fact remains – the earlier you buy the more use you will get out of the item.
- Choose something that complements your existing wardrobe. If all you have right now is short sleeve jerseys – clearly you are going to need something mighty warm on top and a base layer. If you already have various long sleeve jerseys, base layers and such then you might get away with just adding something that is water and wind resistant. Adaptable items such as arm warmers and leg warmers are an exceptional way of adding year round value to your existing wardrobe.
Let’s look at certain use cases. I understand that we can’t really pigeon hole people like this but you get the idea…
The Commuter
The hardy commuter should probably have the biggest wardrobe or perhaps the most grit and determination. The problem with commuting to work by bike is that the conditions in the morning are quite often different to those in the afternoon / evening. So a flexible, easy to carry solution is required. The commuter is looking for something that just works rather than something that is the ultimate in performance.
The best solution for a hardy commuter is a packable jacket such as the Primal Windshell – it packs down into its own pocket so you needn’t worry about changing conditions and is resistant to the wind and rain. It is also relatively breathable so you won’t end up being soaked from the inside out.
Combine it with a lightweight base layer and perhaps some arm warmers and you have a very versatile combination.
The Weekend Warrior
The Weekend Warrior has the ability to be a little more selective about when he / she rides. If i’m being honest – it takes a lot to get me out on the bike when it’s raining hard. Getting caught in the rain isn’t that bad, but going out in the rain takes a certain mindset that I seem not to possess. I’m happy to run in the rain though.
But Winters are actually relatively dry in this country. Just cold and windy. So the best solution here is a decent thermal jacket that is breathable. Being breathable is key so that you can still push the limits on the bike without overheating so something like the Primal Fusion Thermal Jacket is an excellent choice.
Combine it with a moisture wicking cap, decent base layer and stow the windshell in your back pocket and you will feel hard as nails out on the roads!
The Racer
If you are going to be competitive come spring then you need to put the miles in over Winter, both on the indoor trainer and on the roads. For you – only the best will do – it needs to be warm but breathable and yet wind proof and water proof! A tricky combination.
But the Primal P3 Pradigm Thermal Jacket is the all singing all dancing bells & whistles approach. It is constructed from HXT-Hexathermal fabric that is windproof, waterproof and breathable and even has reflective piping so that cars can see you when you overtake them.
Again – the Iero2 Baselayer will work wonders for your performance and comfort and a cycling cap will make you look even more bad ass and help wick moisture from your aero head..