On Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 2:18 PM, CycloFiend <cyclofi...@earthlink.net> wrote: > on 12/8/09 9:45 AM, shawn at calamari6...@gmail.com wrote: > >> It seems based on the thread thus far, wool is ideal. One thing I am >> not clear on is, if a wool base layer is worn with cotton over it, >> will the base layer still wick away the sweat, or will the cotton soak >> it up? Or is wearing multiple layers of wool the only option to stay >> warm and dry? >> Coming from a cost perspective, it seems if one can afford just one >> wool base layer and then wear regular clothes (i.e.-cotton) over it >> then it might be a little easier to "swallow" the cost of the wool. > > Now, the _last_ person I'd take cold weather advice from is someone who > lives in California, but... > > Cotton ain't the thing in cold weather. Generally, it will absorb moisture > faster than it can ever evaporate it. The evaporative cooling is a great > thing during the hot months, but what you want to do is stay dry. > > The reason wool (and the better synthetics) work is that they get the > moisture away from your skin. In the case of using a cotton outer layer, > you basically are wearing a thin sponge which will hold moisture. This may > freeze which actually will help you stay warm, but the evaporative process > will generally drop your temp faster than another wool (or wool blend, or > even synthetic). > > If you are trying to minimize expense, I'd recommend finding a smooth, comfy > 100% merino layer for next-to-skin (and you won't have to wash it that > often, so you can get away with one), then look for blends or less-comfy > (i.e cheaper) 100% wool pieces for additional insulation. The "scratchy" > (shorter) fibers of the cheaper wool isn't as noticeable on an outer layer.
I agree with this - even more than in the summer, winter riding is about moisture management. If it's a short ride, you can wear anything and be fine. If it's a longer ride, and especially if it's long with periodic stops, you'll get deeply chilled if your clothes are at all damp from sweat. Winter riding always surprises non-cyclists with how little clothing is required for a cold-weather ride. I need warm gloves and shoes and my ears covered, but other than that, just 2-3 thin layers and my torso and legs are fine. It's miserable being sweaty on a cold day. Like Patrick said, thrift stores are a great source of thin wool sweaters that make great middle layers. I've ridden a lot of winter days with a wool t-shirt, thin $3 wool sweater (thinner than a sweatshirt), and a light windbreaker jacket. On the bottom, my best winter clothing are some standard Nashbar brand tights. They're very warm, especially under a pair of pants, and were actually made in the US (bought maybe 5 years ago, not sure of the current stock). More windproof and less bulky than my otherwise nicer part-wool Patagonia tights. I do often wear cotton pants over tights in the winter, but my legs aren't really sweating like i am on top. I rarely wear cotton on top on cold rides. -- Bill Connell St. Paul, MN -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
