Summer's End
So it's the end of the season. The leaves are all down and it's starting to get nippy. But the sun's still shining! And the roads and bike paths are still open (and less crowded now). Did you know that late fall is really a great time to bike through the Metroparks? With the leaves down, you can see for a hundred yards back into the park and you're a lot more likely to see wild life (which is coming out earlier now that the human traffic has subsided).
Don't let cooler weather be the end of the season for you. With a little adjustment in your clothing, you can ride for at least another month (unless you just can't wait to start winter spinning classes at the health club). If you're into utility biking or commuting you'll want to keep riding anyway. On this page we'll give you a little advice on how you can extend your riding season and still enjoy every minute. No, we won't make you ride in the snow - but if you'd like to, TAB has local rides scheduled weekends through the winter. Check out the dates and departure points on their website.
Equipment & Gear
Winter Tires
If you do decide to ride in the ice and snow, change to winter tires. The handling will be significantly better and safer.
Lighting
As we move into late fall, the day gets dark sooner. You'll definitely need a good lighting system. Two superbright LED blinkies each for front and back, one set on steady, one set on blink, will make you visible to cars. If you actually want to see the road in front of you, you'll need a good headlight with rechargeable battery. Reflectors, while no substitute for active lighting, can be very helpful in marking your presense for cars. So can bits of reflective tape on your helmet and bike.
Pedals
Some riders claim that clipless pedals may "freeze" your shoes to your pedals in really bad weather. I don't know this, but it's something to consider.
Clothing
Cold weather clothing is the most important issue to address, of course. The basic problem in outdoor cold weather exercise is the creation of sweat on the skin which soaks into clothing. This wet material then cools due to evaporation of the moisture. If the wet, cooling material remains in direct contact with the skin, it causes rapid loss of body heat and could lead to hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition. And while hypothermia is extreme and highly unlikely, you'll certainly find yourself seriously cold and uncomfortable.
Dress in Layers
The first part of the solution is to provide an inner layer of non-absorbent material which prevents wet clothing from making direct contact with the skin, thereby preventing the rapid loss of body heat. The fibers of this material wick sweat away from your skin into the next layer of clothing, which absorbs the moisture but does not contact your skin. In the second part of the solution, the moisture is released by this layer through evaporation and allowed to escape through a windproof but breatheable outer layer garment. It is most important to protect the torso from heat loss, since this is where most body heat is generated and where vital heat-sensitive organs are located.
Inner Wicking Layer   You probably already use wicking (aka technical) fabrics for your riding shirts to stay dry in summer. For colder weather, you'll need both shirt and pants. The fabrics used most often are polyester, polypropylene and wool, although manufacturers are touting a new generation of engineered fabrics. Wool is actually an excellent material for either inner layer, as it is non-absorbent yet retains body heat even when it is wet. However, most people don't like the feel of wool next to their skin. Brand names with good wicking properties include Coolmax, UnderArmour, Polartec, Polar Fleece, Capilene, Smartwool and Thermolite. A short- or long-sleeve shirt (or two) and long pants of these materials (worn over your cycling shorts or long tights) should suffice. These are the same base layer garments you would wear for skiing, hiking, running, camping or other outdoor cold weather sports.
Middle Insulating Layer   This layer insulates you from the cold outside. Wool is superior, but fleece and other synthetic materials are fine (even cotton sweat shirts are OK as long as it isn't too cold). Insulated vests are a good option. Fleece or cotton sweatpants work well as an insulating layer for legs. For lighter weather, leg and arm warmers are available. You'll have to adjust this layer to the temperature - start out wearing too much and pare down as you overheat - eventually you'll get a feel for how much you need in the insulating layer on any given day.
Outer Breatheable Layer   The best solution for this layer is a windproof but breatheable jacket or parks shell with full zippered under arm vents. This combination will keep the wind from sucking the heat out of your insulating layer but still allow moisture to escape through vents and the material itself. If the moisture inside your outer shell gets too great, as it might if your outer shell is totally waterproof, it will condense back onto your skin and cause unpleasant chilling. Gore-tex is a typically good material for an outer layer. A Gore-tex jacket or parka shell can be an excellent general rain coat, too. A good ski jacket and ski pants meets just about all these requirements, as well. A good solution for legs is a pair of lightweight breathable riding rain pants - you'll definitely want something windproof. Just make sure thepants are not so tight you can't get an insulating layer in when you need it.
     Protecting the torso and legs is fairly easy and straightforward. Protecting the extremities is a bit more complicated, as they are more subject to heat loss and have different shapes. You'll also feel the cold here long before your torso starts to chill.
Hands
When the weather starts to get nippy, it's time to go to full fingered gloves. Use gloves with insulation such as Thinsulate with a windproof shell. Two-layer fleece gloves with a windproof layer are good for milder days. When it gets colder, use silk glove liners as well and take a look at the lobster gloves, a two fingered model highly regarded by cold weather bikers. Ski gloves with liners are also pretty good for heavy-duty cold.
Head protection
Eyes get cold quickly; goggles will help, although they may fog up. Full face clear plastic shields which clip to your helmet are also available.
     A silk, polypropylene, or polyester (or fleece, for colder weather) balaclava works very well to keep most of your head warm. A neck gaiter which can be pulled up over the nose is another good tool and can be used in conjunction with a helmet liner and/or and ear band. A helmet rain cover works to keep the wind out of the vents and is nearly as good as a windproof helmet liner for cold weather.
Feet
Feet need layering, too. Use a thin wool or technical fabric liner with heavy wool or Smartwool sock over. Waterproof socks provide a windproof as well as waterproof shield, and the moisture retained inside the shell keeps your feet warmer (some riders use small garbage bags). Use shoes with

no mesh (even hiking boots work). You can get winter booties to cover your normal riding shoes if you don't use clipless pedals. You can even get rechargeable electric socks!
Too Much?
If all this sounds a bit extreme for weather that's just a little colder, remember that you'll be riding 10 to 15 miles per hour - that's the equivalent of a 10-15 mph wind with the accompanying wind chill factor. Here's a comprehensive description of exactly what one cold weather biker wears - by degrees!
     Don't let cold weather cut you off from the joys of riding. With the right clothing and gear adjustments, you can get at least another two months (fall and spring) of cycling pleasure, commuting or utility riding from your bike!

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