thermals or windstopper?

[dilligaf]

I've been wearing coolmax top and bottoms under my suit when its warm but now its cold I've been thinking about the windblocker or windstopper undersuits rather than thermals. has anyone tried these?
this sort of thing
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... 9-2152046-

[aardvark]

The best way to keep warm is to dress in layers.

Start with a good merino wool or polypropylene thermal base layer (I highly recommend the IceBreaker range of thermals). Both of these products will help to maintain your core temperature and help to whick away moisture from the skin. Thermals made out of polyester or cotton will only make you colder if your skin or the product becomes damp.

The mid layer should be something that will keep your warm. I find a nice polarfleece always does the trick.

Your outer layer should provide some form of wind blocking, as well as the ability to keep you dry. The pocket of stagnant air that will build up between your base layer and the outer layer will also help to keep you warm.

Bare skin will increase the rate of heat loss. The more bare skin you have, the higher the level of heat loss. Research has shown that you are better off wearing a thinner layer of thermal clothing, covering more of the body, than one big puffy jacket.

[dilligaf]

cheers. trying to keep the bulk down though (donut effect)

[gpxpunk]

sub 10 degree mornings, i wear a my work shirt, then a jumper, thermas on jacket and the jacket. i might invest in some thermals depends how bad this winter is going to be. i bought some nice winter rjays gloaves very thick but very warm, cant even feel the wind, cold, or rain. pants i just wear my work pants then fleecy pants over them. if too cold then rjays winter pants with thermals in them yummy toasty and warm,

[triway]

Get this stuff, UA gear ROCKS!! Light, thin, and warm.
http://www.playersedgesports.com.au/Und ... id583.aspx
Can recommend this supplier to. A friend of mine.I also find a cycling wind vest over the top of the leathers stops the wind chill immensely.

[Phil]

I just wear my Dainese Dawson jacket and a t shirt

Tested to minus 3 at Dead Horse Gap. I slipped on the L/S t shirt fir the minus 11 night ride

[Gosling1]

same here - I regularly ride to work in temps that range from 0deg to -5 or -6.....and generally with just a polo-neck T-shirt under the Rivet Highlander II jacket. The thermal lining in it works *really well*.......

good thermal socks, and a good balalclava/neck warmer do a lot to keep your temperature up as well.......most body heat loss is through the head, then the feet.....

[6maniac]

http://home.iprimus.com.au/foo7/windchill.html

[Strika]

In winter on a long ride I wear a merino wool thermal top, a poly pair of long pants and then A top which a mate took when he climbed to Mira Peak on Mt Everest...I shit you not! I then wear the winter bike jacket and pants over the top with a neck warmer and snowboarding socks (They have a padded front which works well in bike boots too) But.... in constant single figures I really think heated grips are a must. (yeah I know HTFU) I've done loads of klms in min -1 or lower, to a max 7 degrees and no matter what you wear, after about 20 klms, you can start to feel the core temperature dropping. It's OK if it's dry and twisty, but if wet, or on straighter roads were you are not working hard, it's hard to maintain the heat. I've resorted to laying on the tank out of the wind with one hand off the bars to warm back up so I don't have to stop, or placing my hands on the engine for short periods!

[aardvark]

after about 20 klms, you can start to feel the core temperature dropping.

Try 8 hours in the middle of winter, with pissing rain, in the middle of nowhere!! Have been on that same stretch of road in the middle of summer and I'm not sure which is worse.

[Nosferatu]

For the winter commute I usually wear thermals, t-shirt, tracksuit, wool socks all covered by a Dririder Rallycross suit. I usually wear an open faced balaclava as well, and on really cold mornings I go with the neck warmer as well. My hands are the ones that suffer though, I haven't gotten around to getting a decent pair of winter gloves

[JetPilot]

I just wear a vented 2 piece race suit and a T shirt all year round. Sometimes I even get my thermals out.
This year its going to be different.

[Strika]

after about 20 klms, you can start to feel the core temperature dropping.

Try 8 hours in the middle of winter, with pissing rain, in the middle of nowhere!! Have been on that same stretch of road in the middle of summer and I'm not sure which is worse.

You poor thing......not many people have to put up with those sorts of conditions in order to earn a living. It must be terrible having to hop onto your BMW on those cold winter mornings, knowing all you have to keep you warm all day is your safety Jodpurs, blue leather jacket, boots, gloves and those useless BMW heated grips.

I can handle the heat...even oppressively hot and dry...but the cold....that I struggle with. Maybe I need to increase my fat layer for better self insulation!!! Probably the coldest I've been, was two winters ago when I was doing all that riding on the Beemer and the 9! There were some days which started in the minus's and didn't rise above 5 degrees all day. On days like that, I used two thermal tops, then two fleecies over the top and was still cold!! All I can say is...heated grips...heated grips!!!

[aardvark]

It must be terrible having to hop onto your BMW on those cold winter mornings, knowing all you have to keep you warm all day is your safety Jodpurs, blue leather jacket, boots, gloves and those useless BMW heated grips.

It is, it is.... I've finally found someone who understands.

[Strika]

I just wear a vented 2 piece race suit and a T shirt all year round. Sometimes I even get my thermals out.
This year its going to be different.

You're so tough Rod! Will you marry me....oooooh you're such a manly man!!!!!