Staying warm...

[spiritdream]

What do wear to stay warm when you ride? For those without heated gear, that is.

[Lucky]

Slightly cool=flannel shirt-vest-gloves
Real cold =everything I can get on and still move.
RIDE SAFE

[1550vt]

If you can get into a size small (closer to a real medium)....you need to go over to the classifieds and take a look at my add for the heated suit. If you want an electric blanket to ride in....I have a $1100 heated suit that I am trying to give away. It's listed as a ladies suit, but it is ambidextrous and bi-sexual.....(I hope all that means it works for boys or girls).

If you got 12V....I got the suit and all you need under it is jeans and a light shirt and you can leave all the other junk at home.

[spiritdream]

1550vt, wish I could but I left small/medium behind many years ago! LOL I'm trying to do this without modifying the bike at all, OR spending a lot of money on "specialized" riding gear.

[Bikerbozo]

Layers, layers annd more layers. If it drops into the teens I switch to heavy duty mittins. an aquired skill to ride with. I also have some lighter weight "rifle mitten" covers to put over light gloves to block the wind. And then there is the Duct Tape layer I have put in my chaps for mid winter long distance riding (over 1000 miles). Yes, electric would be easier. But as the wife always says, I never do anything the easy way. Did I mention bandana over face?

[spiritdream]

Fleece or flannel? Leather or textile?

[Blondie Gal]

Cheri, in order: bra, tee shirt, cotton or silk turtleneck, sweatshirt, leather jacket. Underwear, pantyhose, jeans (lined if you got 'em), chaps. Heating pads in palms, light wooly gloves, leather gauntlets. Wooly knit hat, full face helmet. Knit scarf wound around twice, bandana if very windy. Two heavy pairs of socks on top of your pantyhose, boots big enough to accommodate sox without pinching toes. This will keep you comfy down to about 25 degrees. Any colder and you will need electric. Or duct tape. Make sure you pee first before you put on your stuff - you'll feel and look like the Michelin Man, but you'll be okay!

[harvey]

I agree with Blondie Gal. Except the bra, my wife dosn't agree. Basically thin layers close to the body including long underware. Then thick layer on top. Ski pants and coat works well. The main thing is do not let in any wind. strap down your cuffs both pants and sleeves, scarf on the inside of the top layer to make a fat collar tight knit or wool if you can stand it. I don't have electric gear for a personal reason too long to go into here. I have ridden in 10 degree weather this way.

[1550vt]

Understood spirit.

It was the wife's and she could slip into this thing and forget about being cold or wet.The part I liked was that I could get her dressed in less that 5 minutes and out the door.

BTW....I am with harvey....I don't like to wear a bra either.

[Calman]

GF no longer let me wear her clothing so I have to settle for:
a. Heavy soxes which I wear under battery powered heated soxes.
b. Heavy duty denim trousers and full leather pants (with snap-in quilted liner). Chaps do not protect the crotch area and also allow wind to go up the bottom of your coat.
c. Long sleeve silk pullover, a long sleeve flannel shirt and a leather coat with liner.
d. Heavy duty gloves that will fit up and over the sleeves of your coat are a must. In extreme cold I use battery powered gloves with a rubber rain glove over them.
e. Even though I have a full helmet I still wear either a dickie or a scraf to keep the wind off my neck.
f. My boot tops are about 3 inches higher than the norm so I have no problems with wind blowing up my leather/trouser legs.

And if it's really, really cold I turn up the heat on the coffee pot and enjoy a good TV movie or a book.

[Ironhorsepilot]

Helmet with shield and pull over the head face mask. Helps ears, head, face and neck. Tank top, the ribbed kind that men wear( keeps your core warmer) long underwear, turtle neck sweater, with sweat shirt with snow suit gear on top. I usually wear silk type undergloves, called Back on Track, with my regular leather gloves on top, but I also have heated grips. Knee socks and boots and I stay pretty darn warm.
Also, you can go to Wal Mart and get the athletic shirts that are stretchy with cool max material and they cut out the wind. I put two of those on with my coat for days in the 40's and low 50's and they block the wind pretty darn good.

The Back on Track gloves are made to warm you by your own body heat. http://www.backontrackproducts.com/Gloves-c32/

[1550vt]

Or....purchase VT's heated suit....put it on over your underwear (if you wear any)....plug it in and RIDE!


Can't blame a guy for trying.

[GARYD]

Before I went electric, I wore UnderArmour heatgear tops and bottoms, turtlenect sweater, leather jacket with liner. I use those chemical heating pads for my toes and knees. Chaps, gauntlet gloves with silk glove liners. Hunters rabit fur cap with ear flaps(nothing is warmer). Balaclava for my face either silk or micro fiber. Authentic English knickers(what we call leg warmers) to hold the heat pads in place.
All that was good for the Chicago Toys 4 Tots parade - usually 8 to 9 hours in 20/30* temps.

Now - electric jacket liner and gloves, fur cap, balaclava, chaps and toe heat pads. Good to go for the above toy run. So much more convienient and less time comsuming + a lot easier to go to the bathroom to discharge all that hot chocolate.

[GARYD]

Before I went electric, I wore UnderArmour heatgear tops and bottoms, turtlenect sweater, leather jacket with liner. I use those chemical heating pads for my toes and knees. Chaps, gauntlet gloves with silk glove liners. Hunters rabit fur cap with ear flaps(nothing is warmer). Balaclava for my face either silk or micro fiber. Authentic English knickers(what we call leg warmers) to hold the heat pads in place.
All that was good for the Chicago Toys 4 Tots parade - usually 8 to 9 hours in 20/30* temps.

Now - electric jacket liner and gloves, fur cap, balaclava, chaps and toe heat pads. Good to go for the above toy run. So much more convienient and less time comsuming + a lot easier to go to the bathroom to discharge all that hot chocolate.