Riding between fields of snow can be magical if you dress right, but some of you might wondering how anyone can handle a ride at 25F. To help out, I offer my year-round guide for the lycra-perplexed. We go by temperature zone, and it’s all about layers. Layers and layers of layers.
Your zones may vary. Call me a wuss, but I’ve listed the temperatures that I use to determine my clothing choices. If you’re a heat engine you might want to recalibrate, but there has to be some point at which you really will need a good winter jacket, gloves, and bootees. I’ll adjust my zones 5 degrees cooler if it’s sunny. If it’s rainy, all bets are off. The coldest I think I have ever been on a bicycle was going down a French mountain pass at 40F in the rain.