Winter is certainly a difficult season for all cycling and bike touring enthusiasts: the short days, low temperatures and uncertain weather are far from the ideal conditions for taking the bike out and about.

Fortunately, with the right technical clothing, these difficulties can be overcome. That's why we decided to ask the crucial question “How to dress for cycling in winter?” to experts in the field.

The 100% Italian brand, Threeface, which has been producing cycling clothing since 1977, gave us some useful technical advice on how to protect against the cold, as well as telling us about how they design their winter clothing to help us make the right choice.

A fundamental premise is that everyone has a different perception of the cold and that it’s necessary to experiment in order to find the solution that best suits each person's needs.

The advice is to start well dressed, perhaps in layers, so that you can remove some if you feel too hot. Furthermore, it usually takes about 15 minutes from when you start pedaling to when your body starts to warm up.

But let's take a look at how to protect ourselves from the cold in 4 simple steps and how the main winter cycling clothing items are designed.

1. Protecting from rain and wind

Winter cycling jackets are extremely technical products made with a coupled fabric, where inside there is a soft fleece layer and outside a breathable polyester one. Between these two layers a special windproof and water-repellent membrane is applied, which also allows high breathability to keep the body dry.

These jackets are designed to be worn solely with a long-sleeved thermal underwear underneath, or short-sleeved when temperatures are a bit higher. If you feel the cold a lot then you can add intermediate layers between the underwear shirt and the jacket.

Generally, the winter thermal cycling jacket provides good protection with temperatures below zero, from -2° to 10°.

2. Protecting the legs

Winter cycling trousers are made with a special thermal fabric, soft to the touch and very stretchy, which thanks to its properties offers a high sense of comfort when worn, leaving a pleasant soft and warm feeling.

Long cycling trousers are used in winter, but also in mid-season depending on your sensitivity to cold: the recommended temperature range is from 0° to 15°.

Another possibility is to combine a winter cycling bib with a thermal leg warmer, a versatile and comfortable solution that allows you to remove the leg warmer when the body heats up.

3. The intermediate layers

Long-sleeved cycling jerseys are made in a fabric with slight internal fleece layer, they are usable with thermal underwear in mid-seasons, or as an additional layer between the jacket and underwear for the coldest in winter.

The jerseys are ideal both as a long-sleeved mtb jersey and for road bikes.

They are recommended for temperature ranges from 10° to 18°.

4. Protecting the extremities

Winter cycling gloves are an essential accessory for cycling with the right protection in winter, in fact the hands are a very sensitive point of the body and it is therefore important to cover them well. The gloves are made using the same membrane as the winter jackets and offer high protection against the cold, while remaining very light and not bulky. For those who are particularly sensitive to cold hands, it is also recommended to combine with a half-season glove.

Another very sensitive point in winter are the feet and it is for this reason that overshoes are recommended, made with a windproof and water-repellent membrane, in order to insulate the foot and keep it warm thanks to the soft fleece layer inside. Another fundamental detail are the reflex details on the back to increase visibility in low light hours. When the temperatures are colder, the use of a winter sock is recommended.

Also the head is a very exposed part to the cold and for this it is important to cover it well. To properly protect the neck area, a thermal neck warmer can be used, combined with a thermal under helmet, or switch directly to a thermal balaclava.

With this mini guide on how to dress for cycling in winter, we hope to have resolved any doubts and maybe even encouraged you to keep cycling even in the winter. In fact, it is a very important season not to lose the training gained so far, and to fully enjoy the upcoming spring adventures.

On the Threeface.it website we are sure you will find great deals and interesting products for your winter rides, while if you need some route idea, remember that on Cyclando.com you can find more than 800 throughout Europe!