Zero degrees, neither hot nor cold, as the classic would say. Outside a mist begins to lift after the first hours of sunshine. It's cold, but I still feel like cycling for a while, maybe shorter, maybe less hard, but just as pleasant.
Cycling and winter are no longer two concepts that repel each other, on the contrary, the cold season can be a good time to enjoy cycling in a different way and even an ideal period to recover the hunger for cycling and build fitness for the next season.
It is true that many cyclists all year round take the opportunity to do other things, such as gym or walking, but also within cycling you can find modalities that are more appealing in winter, such as gravel or MTB, in more sheltered environments and at calmer rhythms.
From Gobik we have put ourselves in the situation and thought of all kinds of solutions and garments for each of the circumstances that the cyclist can find in the unpredictable winter.
If you live in the Spanish Levante, Mediterranean or southern Italy...
The winter here, except for a few days, tends to be milder, with many hours of sunshine and temperatures that vary quite a lot between early morning and midday. For this scenario, we recommend to use a first layer with the Limber T-shirt if the temperature is cooler.
On top of that, the main armor, a jersey, between the Pacer and the Hyder, if it is really cool in the early morning or if we foresee that the day is not going to go up and the clouds prevail. With the first one we can combine it with one of the vests, the Plus, a timeless classic, or the new Vector, very aerodynamic and with an elegant waist adjustment.
If you do not want to wear a vest in your pocket, the Super Hyder jersey offers perfect protection.
Underneath, complete with merino socks, to take care of your health and keep your feet protected, and consider the option of wearing a jacket if we expect some cold or wind. Both the new Element, Mist and Envy are good partners.
If the outing is on gravel, the comfort of the jacket is appreciated. Selkie has a loose fit and is super easy to fold. In gloves, the new Bora gloves are the middle ground in everything you are looking for in not too cold environments.
If you live in the center of Spain and France or northern Italy...
We go one step further in protection. We are talking about places where the temperature starts at the bottom of the thermometer and does not rise as easily as on the shores of the Mediterranean.
As a first layer, the Winter Merino which is also available in short sleeves. It is a base layer that fits very well and provides good thermal balance. On top, the Hyder seems to be a good option, always with the upgrade of the Super Hyder upgrade.
Here we would already use more powerful vests for cold, such as the Eminent the vest version of Armour cold jacket, with great protection thanks to its Polartec® membrane.© Neoshell© membrane and Polartec© Alpha©insulation, excellent breathability.
For the feet, a little more protection with the Winter Merino socks and neoprene toe caps like Defender.
In jackets for these places, it is better to go for the Skimo Pro (for slower paces) or directly to the Armour (demanding rhythms). For gloves, Nuuk with Primaloft©, and if it is very cold, Zero. As you know, the thicker the padding, the more protection, but at the same time, the less touch with the handlebars.
If you go gravel riding, consider neoprene rain gloves. Tundra in case it rains, and the Exo jacket, aerodynamic and foldable, ideal for epic routes.
If you live in the Basque Country, Great Britain or rainy environments...
Here it is necessary to go with good equipment with first layer and socks of Winter Merino although in this case to value some shoe covers are indispensable, especially the Kamik for some rain and cold, or directly the Velotoze, 100% silicone, perfect for rain.
In this scenario, the long jersey can also function as an inner layer, and there both the Pacer as well as the Hyder work wonders. If the temperature does not drop below five degrees, we have two perfect jackets, the Exo and the Envy, both respond in this context as they also have a rear skirt. If rain is expected to be more extreme, the Exo is the one of choice.
If the mercury drops below five degrees Celsius, the Armour jacket is the choice in combination with Bora gloves, or one step further, with the Tundra neoprene gloves.
If you live in or near high mountain areas...
The combinations go to the most powerful garments against the cold, being common element the deep winter merino in the first layers, while in the jackets two options: if the route is going to be at high pace, the Armour jacket, whose protection with Polartec© fabrics and its and its double zipper, make it easier to breathe better when it is convenient, and if it is a quieter ride or ebike, the Skimo Pro, less breathable but very warm.
Bibs for Winter
In all cases, we have not talked about long culottes. Here we have 4 models:
- Artic Stride: short, but with winter lycra and sealed seams, ideal for use with leggings in autumn or spring, where occasional showers may occur.
- Limited: long version of this famous model, with very warm winter lycra.
- Absolute: the real reference, with protection against wind and light rain and many colors to match.
- Subzero: the most extreme model, for very low temperatures with Polartec® Power Shield™ Pro membrane.
Cold weather accessories
And finally, some of those complements that can be played with to improve our comfort: the bandana merino and two new additions, the Frontline thermal tape and the Brigade cap.
