It was 11 degrees (C) the other night when I was going down to the servo for some fuel. It looks like our extended summer is finally coming to an end. Mind you, given that there is only one more month left before autumn finishes and winter begins, it would be churlish to complain about how “bad” the weather has been. However, that first cool feeling around the fingertips did remind me that winter IS on the way so I thought it would be pertinent to have a look at how to best survive te cold months and still enjoy our riding.
First up, the bike. How much your bike helps you to stay warm is pretty much set by the design of the bike. If you have a full-tourer BMW, for example, you’ll have the benefit of an adjustable fairing, possibly a heated seat and handgrips and an electrical take-off to power your heated riding gear. Lesser mortals will have to “make do” with the amount of protection your particular bike’s fairing can provide. The one thing that you CAN do to your bike to significantly aid winter comfort is to fit heated handgrips (if you haven’t done so already). We lose a considerable amount of heat from our hands as we ride, exposed as they are to the wind in most cases. And, since our fingers are thin and not covered with much meat and fatty tissue, this heat loss can be significant. It is obvious that trying to control a motorcycle when one’s hands are near-frozen is an untenable position. Cold hands transfer inevitably to shivering and the body trying to retain heat that is rapidly being lost. Not good.
I have used Oxford heated handgrips for many years. I know there are other brands, but, for price and performance, most riders I know use them as well.
Fitting them is relatively easy and the design has been constantly improved over the years to increase ease of use and longevity. Bear in mind, however, that the heated grip only warms the palms of your hands and the insides of the fingers, so good winter gloves are still needed. On my list, Highly Recommended.
Now, what about you, what can you do to make your winter riding comfortable, safe and relatively enjoyable? Let’s start from the inside out.
1. Thermals. Thermal underwear, the sort with all the little holes in it, might seem to be a crazy idea when you are trying to stay warm, but the design is devilishly clever. Some boffin at some stage found out that, if you wrap your body in this perforated material and then go out in the cold and ski or something like that, it will actually keep you warm. The concept is that the heat that is being radiated by the body as you exercise is trapped in the thousands of little holes and is retained there, close to your body. Sweating is ameliorated while heat is retained. So, whenever I ride in winter, I wear my thermals. HOWEVER, they are only part of the solution and they work only when used in conjunction with other heat-retaining measures. This is because, while you are sitting on the bike riding, you are not exercising and the amount of heat that is radiated off your body is much smaller. Hence the little holes do not have a lot of heat to trap and so the effectiveness of the thermal idea is considerably reduced.
BUT, do not reject thermals because they are the basic, foundational step in staying warm while riding and that is LAYERING. Wearing multiple layers of clothes under your riding gear is the answer to staying warm. Multiple layers do for an inert body what a single layer of thermals do for an exercising one.
Now, you will have noticed that I have not mentioned “skins”. This is because I have not ridden with skins in winter to be able to evaluate them for this purpose. They are almost mandatory in racing as racers seek whatever edge they can find to improve their own performance and comfort. The ability of the fabric to “wick” the perspiration away from the body while holding it firm and aiding muscle performance is well known. Whether this “wicking” is of benefit in cold weather is something to which I will have to give more thought. However, many riders I know do use skins in winter and report that they seem to work in conjunction with their riding gear, so I certainly will be trying them out.
2. So, in relation to layering, it is better to wear lots of layers of lighter material than it is to wear thick and bulky things under your riding gear. I remember back in my very early riding days that a woolly jumper was seen as a great asset. In a primitive “thermal” sort of way, it may have been, but knitted fabrics have too many holes to let the cold air IN and jumpers don’t really cut it. So, go for a number of layers of close-fitting clothes and you will do better. Remember, achieving warmth by adding BULK isn’t what you are after.
3. A silk balaclava. Since the head receives a disproportionate amount of blood as part of the circulatory system, it is also a fact that head radiates the largest amount of heat AWAY from the body as well. So, there is a need to TRAP that heat and reduce radiation of it away into the atmosphere. Since the brain is the organ that is directing how we ride, it pays to keep it at operating temperature and working efficiently. A thin, silk balaclava under your helmet may seem useless but it works on the same principle as skins. It keeps the heat that is radiated from the head close to the skin and reduces both the volume of heat loss as well as the speed at which it is lost. “Well, why not a woolly one?” somebody is asking. Two reasons. Firstly, if your helmet is loose enough for you to accommodate a thick, wooly balaclava under it, then you shouldn’t be wearing it, it’s too loose. Secondly, in the same way as a woolly jumper allows the cold air in through the holes, a wool balaclava will not keep you as warm as a close-fitting silk one will.
4. Neck roll. A polo fleece collar that fits around your neck helps to seal the area between your helmet and your jacket. Since there is a considerable amount of free space in that area to allow for free movement, there will always be some exposure, but a neck roll will cover most of it. Again, when I was younger and stupider, I thought up the idea of a neck roll but figured that connecting it to the helmet and tucking it into the collar of the jacket would be great idea. It certainly worked and made riding wonderfully warm. But it led to terminal fogging up of the visor as expired air had nowhere to escape. Good thing, too, since trapping large quantities of expired air in your helmet is a recipe for carbon dioxide over-supply and the subsequent “dopiness” that it induces. Didn’t really think that one through at the time, did I? I mention it in case you might consider extra sealing of the neck roll. If it doesn’t allow expired air to escape easily, don’t do it.
5. A good winter jacket. A good jacket will have a quilted, removable lining, velcro or press stud flaps that seal at the wrists and a flap that can be secured over the full length of the zipper once the zipper has been done up. Better quality winter jackets will have two zippers, one to secure the quilted lining and another for the outside layer. It will be guaranteed waterproof and should have a Hypora tag somewhere. Pay as much as you are able for a good quality jacket and you won’t be sorry. Removeable, CE-approved armour of the thickest type you can find is also essential. Remember when you try on your jacket to assume the riding position while doings so so that you ensure the arms are long enough. 🙂 My preference has always been for the longer-style of winter jacket, too, not the one that finishes at your waist. These longer jackets overlap the waist where draughts and breezes can get in. For MCN’s take on the best buys here, follow the link below.
MCN rates the best 5 winter jackets.
6. Good winter pants. Again, a plethora of types and designs are available. Make sure that they are comfortable and long enough when you are in the sitting position. That means that they can often be a bit TOO long while you are standing and walking and so look less than stylish, but comfort is what is important here, not style. Go for a pair that is also guaranteed waterproof and that has a zip-out liner in case they get TOO warm. Many good quality pants now have removeable armour for your knees and hips as well. Well worth the extra expense. Make sure the pants have velcro straps that allow you to tailor them to your leg thickness, few things are more annoying than having your clothing flapping in the wind while you’re riding (this advice applies to jacket sleeves, too)
7. Winter socks. Again, layering can help here too. I usually wear a pair of thin socks inside a thicker woolen pair when it gets really cold. Experiment until you find what suits best. There are some really good quality socks available these days. Holeproof “Explorer” socks have been my favourites for many years now. And try to get the longer versions that will come up past the top of your boot, if you can. NOTE: In normal riding I wear my “Draggins” outside of my boots but I prefer to be warm than stylish when riding in winter so I fold them back and tuck them INTO my boots and so stop wind getting in past the cuffs (this is when I am not riding with over-pants on)
8. Winter boots. Again, buy the best quality you can afford. Make sure they are rated “waterproof” and have the Hypora tag. This will mean that your feet stay dry if it rains but also warm since the Hypora is an insulating as well as waterproofing layer that is sandwiched between the leather of the boot and its lining. While “shorty” boots are becoming very popular, I prefer full-length boots for the winter.
9. Gloves. Again, a bewildering array is available. Make sure they are as long as possible, have a Hypora lining and seal well around your cuffs. Read up on the reviews and choose the highest rated ones you can afford. For reference, I use the MotoDry “Black Ice” gloves. Not the most expensive but they get my vote.
10. Rain suit. This article is not specifically about riding in the rain, though it is likely that you will encounter it while riding in winter. But anything that can protect you from the rain will probably protect you from the cold as well so the final weapon in your arsenal in the war against the cold is a one-piece rain suit. These will usually be able to be rolled up and stored under your seat, to be brought out when needed. WARNING: Buy a BIG suit. Remember that you are probably going to be wearing it OVER your existing riding gear so it needs to be able to accommodate that. Also bear in mind that it is possible (probable?) that you will be putting it on by the side of the road at some stage and there is nothing more frustrating than trying to struggle into a one-piece suit, by yourself, when it is too small to fit over your existing gear.
Winter riding is no longer the chore that it used to be. There is no need to put the bike away until the warmer months return. Modern riding gear is so sophisticated and effective that riding should continue unabated. So, layer up and get out there and enjoy it.