Temperature charts for riding

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ajmit3
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:36 am

by ajmit3

Hi guys

I know I write a lot of crap here but I was wondering whether anyone has any temperature charts in terms of their cycling clothing .

For example, it's 18 degrees Celsius and wet - wear XYZ . I live in Melbourne Australia and its tricky to get right ...
Last edited by ajmit3 on Wed Nov 02, 2016 2:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

llhh
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by llhh

In addition to just temperature, few things you need to consider:

* Body Mass Index (fat does keep you warm)
* Wind(chill) factor
* Avg BPM / session intensity
* Sun / overcast

etc.

It would be a pretty complex chart... or pretty useless one :wink:
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ajmit3
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by ajmit3

Really ? Didn't realise it had to be that complex ? :D

Just wanted a rough idea ...

mattr
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by mattr

Not really. It's far too dependent on your own personal physiology. My wife consistently wears a layer more than me as i run hot.
She also used to buy much cheaper/lower quality gear. (not anymore) So that added another layer.
And the weather is also not as simple as it needs to be.

Only "rules" i have are:-
keep your knees covered below 15 degrees C.
Roubaix tights below 10.
Mudguards if it rains.

Everything else depends on what i'm doing, where i'm going and whats clean and dry.

kode54
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by kode54

my clothing varies from my riding buddies. age is a factor that needs to be considered as well...and i suppose that's where blood circulation comes into play. since my HR is lower...it takes some time to get the blood moving into my toes and fingertips. i have to climb a lot just for that to happen. also, the degree of temp spikes may determine what i start out with. if i know it'll get above 50F and the sun will be out, i'll wear something different if i get back when its overcast out. wetter or damp with humidity? different shell or heavier shell over everything.

that said, what i do is go out more often at all temps. this helps to decide how many layers and what to wear. if i'm a little colder in the core...i put on a wind vest...etc.

i know that probably doesn't help, but you need to establish your own baseline and then go from there.
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by xena

if your cold add a layer if your hot take one off. If none of these work see a Dr.
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AJS914
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by AJS914

I've seen these kinds of charts in the likes of Bicycling Magazine in the past. They are aimed at newbies. Really, you just need to experiment, with what clothes you have, and see what works for yourself in what temp. I run cool and always wear more than my mates.

Here is the way I dress for progressively colder temps starting with warm weather cycling:

1) basic shorts/bibs and short sleeve jersey

2) add arm warmers and a second short sleeve jersey.

(I've used a mesh base layer and it works nice but I only have one and hardly ever can find it since it is so small. :-))

(I also bought some Craft base layers but I usually find them a bit warm. I like a full zipp short sleeve jersey as a base layer so I can unzipp it and regulate temperature.) I prefer arm warmers over a long sleeve jersey because you can roll them down on climbs. If it's a flat ride, I may go for a long sleeve jersey over arm warmers.

3) Add a wind vest to the above #2

3a) Wear bib knickers instead of regular bibs

At this point I start adding jackets, gloves, booties, and tights to the mix.

4) Castelli Transparente Due jacket + short sleeve jersey as base layer + knickers + lighter weight gloves. This jacket is a light weight windstopper jacket. One warmer up might be a long sleeve base layer underneath if it's a flat ride. On a flat ride I know I won't overheat.

5) Add lighter weight tights to the above

6) for a little bit colder I may wear a base layer + short sleeve jersey + all of 4 & 5

7) After that we are getting towards full winter jacket, base layer, heavier/warmer tights warmer winter gloves, sock liners and booties.

You can also search the internet and find lots of guides like this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cycling ... 8&oe=utf-8

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tymon_tm
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by tymon_tm

lol what

unless it's your first season you should just "know" how to dress. if you haven't learned how your body reacts to different weather conditions and temperatures by now, drawing a chart won't help I'm affraid. there are no golden rules, besides for instance 15C in march is very different from 15C in may. but as I said - you just learn that by experience, and since everyone's different... yeah, back to point a).
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ajmit3
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by ajmit3

Ok, thanks guys for your opinions.

Part of the reason I asked is to see how many leg and arm warmers I need to buy for a year as well as just generally what I need.

Thanks

nickcube
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by nickcube

I live in melbourne too and it's a pretty hard thing to get right, i also ride up in the otways a lot which is even more changeable. Personally I don't really get out when it's pouring outside, but my go to even in winter is a merino base layer, jersey and then a gilet plus nano flex arm warmers. I haven't brought any yet but i'm also considering some knee warmers. Key to getting in it all right is just to layer what you have, merino works pretty good in a wide temp range too I've found. I still ride pretty basic but I'd add a nice pair of gloves for the morning booties and a proper long sleeve jersey too. It's interesting though because I usually run rather than ride in the winter and most mornings I'll just wear shorts and a singlet, anything else is too hot for me

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tymon_tm
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by tymon_tm

what you need to is to try things out. you can of course get all sorts of gear (where do you live btw?) but that's counter productive IMHO. as for colder days, like below 10C, securing palms and feet, as well as the head (well, ears and neck mainly) seems like a way to go, although how thick or thin the material should be is totally up to you.

you'll probably need different stuff if you're riding hard or do some climbing, different if you're just pacing yourself on a flat-ish road. so like I said, no general rules apply and I'd argue it's better to get yourself cold at the beginning because wearing too much layers and getting overheated is your worst enemy during off season, and can really put you off - at least that's what I've found out to be true for me personally.
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AJS914
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by AJS914

He said Melbourne Australia. That should be pretty easy to get right since your average temperature range is only 50 to 70 degrees. That is very similar to California (SF Bay Area) where I'm from.


ajmit3 wrote:Ok, thanks guys for your opinions.

Part of the reason I asked is to see how many leg and arm warmers I need to buy for a year as well as just generally what I need.



I would get one set of leg warmers and one set of arm warmers. I bought some knee warmers but I hardly ever use them. I do like bib knickers. Even bib kickers + lighter weight booties can be nice when it's not too cold.

For your temperature range you can probably wear two jerseys or a base layer and a jersey plus a wind vest on the coldest days. A light weight jacket is nice. You can practically make it a heavy weight jacket by using the wind vest on top.

Agreed - you just need to experiment.

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Asteroid
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by Asteroid

This about covers it. I just cannot imagine keeping some sort of chart. Although, nowadays you can be like me and watch the weather & temp predictions by the hour. This enables you to determine what to wear starting out, with enough pocket storage room to stow as you peel the layers. It's never fun to underdress and take forever/never to warm up.

Some of my rides allow me to drive to my ride starting point. It works out well in foul weather, because I can often swing by my vehicle midride to shed clothing or pick up more. My favorite is when it rains the first hour, but ceases enough to swap for dry clothing. I got it down to a science.

tymon_tm wrote:unless it's your first season you should just "know" how to dress. if you haven't learned how your body reacts to different weather conditions and temperatures by now, drawing a chart won't help I'm affraid. there are no golden rules, besides for instance 15C in march is very different from 15C in may. but as I said - you just learn that by experience, and since everyone's different... yeah, back to point a).
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ajmit3
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by ajmit3

Thanks guys food for thought !

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