Next, I spoke with Bivo’s ambassador Jody Wilson who is a total expert in cold weather riding and has some really useful layering advice.
He says cyclists need a solution that does all of the following: wicks the sweat away, dries your base layer, creates a pocket of warm air and blocks the external elements from getting in, all while allowing each layer to breathe.
The solution Jody swears by is the rule of three: wear a base layer, a mid-layer and a shell. Jody's advice:
Layer One: The Base Layer
Many cyclists wear merino base layers as their first layer. Merino wool is known for keeping you warm even when it gets wet and for its natural ability not to hold odors. When merino gets wet with sweat, the inside of the fiber holds the moisture while the outside is dry: this is the merino super power. 100% merino fibers can hold a lot of moisture if you are constantly sweating, so much so, that drying this layer can be more difficult than when merino is blended with other materials, which is why some cyclists turn to a highbred blend of polyester and merino. Polyester breathes well and doesn’t absorb moisture. With a merino/poly blend, you get a base that breathes well, wicks sweat and can be easily dried. All of us at Bivo prefer 100% merino fabrics, because they're natural!
Layer Two: The Mid Layer
This is the layer that creates the pocket of warm air. What you want to achieve in this middle section is a warm space, a pocket of warm air. This can be achieved by using many different materials depending on the temperatures. Fleece, down, synthetic downs, and polarTech are a few of the materials that many cyclists pick for a mid-layer. This layer also functions to provide warm air to dry your base layer.
Layer Three: The Outer Layer
This outer layer is there to protect your base and mid layers from the external elements. This layer keeps the wind, rain and snow off and also helps to hold some of that warm air in and keep the cold air out. This outer layer can be anything from a wind vest (gilet) or jacket to a soft shell, depending on the season.
Top layering mistakes people make:
- Not understanding how the layers work.
- Not understanding how the materials and fibers work together.
- Over-layering - too many layers in general.
- Wearing too many layers of the same material.
- Not wearing enough layers.
- Not wearing clothing made for winter cycling.
- Using cotton - it holds too much water and takes too much heat and energy to dry it.
Next, I spoke with Bivo’s ambassador Jody Wilson who is a total expert in cold weather riding and has some really useful layering advice.
He says cyclists need a solution that does all of the following: wicks the sweat away, dries your base layer, creates a pocket of warm air and blocks the external elements from getting in, all while allowing each layer to breathe.
The solution Jody swears by is the rule of three: wear a base layer, a mid-layer and a shell. Jody's advice:
Layer One: The Base Layer
Many cyclists wear merino base layers as their first layer. Merino wool is known for keeping you warm even when it gets wet and for its natural ability not to hold odors. When merino gets wet with sweat, the inside of the fiber holds the moisture while the outside is dry: this is the merino super power. 100% merino fibers can hold a lot of moisture if you are constantly sweating, so much so, that drying this layer can be more difficult than when merino is blended with other materials, which is why some cyclists turn to a highbred blend of polyester and merino. Polyester breathes well and doesn’t absorb moisture. With a merino/poly blend, you get a base that breathes well, wicks sweat and can be easily dried. All of us at Bivo prefer 100% merino fabrics, because they're natural!
Layer Two: The Mid Layer
This is the layer that creates the pocket of warm air. What you want to achieve in this middle section is a warm space, a pocket of warm air. This can be achieved by using many different materials depending on the temperatures. Fleece, down, synthetic downs, and polarTech are a few of the materials that many cyclists pick for a mid-layer. This layer also functions to provide warm air to dry your base layer.
Layer Three: The Outer Layer
This outer layer is there to protect your base and mid layers from the external elements. This layer keeps the wind, rain and snow off and also helps to hold some of that warm air in and keep the cold air out. This outer layer can be anything from a wind vest (gilet) or jacket to a soft shell, depending on the season.
Top layering mistakes people make:
- Not understanding how the layers work.
- Not understanding how the materials and fibers work together.
- Over-layering - too many layers in general.
- Wearing too many layers of the same material.
- Not wearing enough layers.
- Not wearing clothing made for winter cycling.
- Using cotton - it holds too much water and takes too much heat and energy to dry it.
Josh H
October 25, 2024
I’ve been fat biking the last couple of winters on my local trails and a few of things I’ve found that are important are:
1) Layers are a necessity, but so is having somewhere to put them when I get too hot. My typical rides have a lot of ascending and I’ll get really hot and I will shed my mid and outer layers down to a tech tee even in temperatures in the upper 20’s to low 30’s (fahrenheit). Of course, when I shed layers I have to have somewhere to put them and I prefer frame and handlebar bags since packs are inconvenient for frequent clothing changes. Before descending I can easily pull my extra layers back out to put them back on.
2) I’ll wear my normal riding glass for climbing, but goggles are an absolute must for descending to keep my eyes from watering in the cold air.
3) For my mid layer I prefer a garment with a hoodie that I can put over my head and under my helmet when descending to keep my head warm. When riding uphill I keep the hoodie off my head so that helmet vents can do their job.