What to wear for cooler weather ebiking
As September generally brings cooler weather, here is a bit of advice on what to wear when going ebiking. Doing any sport when you are cold can be bad for your body, and it is no longer fun! A bit of forethought can mean you continue cycling well into Autumn or even winter, depending on where you live.
Extremities
When it’s cooler outside, think about your extremities being covered up to avoid them getting cold. This will also avoid you from bringing your core temperature down. It’s a great feeling on a cool morning on your bike in the fresh air whilst still feeling warm.
Your head & neck
Your head is where you will lose most of your heat in cooler weather, so cover it up. I have a versatile buff that I use, like a skull cap underneath my helmet. If it’s really cold, I have a windproof skull cap that fits under my helmet and keeps my ears warm. Don’t go out and buy anything special; just use what you have in the house; a woolly hat will do. A scarf will always make your whole body feel warmer.
Top
I use arm warmers and a gilet when it is cooler. However, when the temperature dips low, I will wear a Windstopper jacket as well. The key to keeping warm is layers, so as long as you can do your jacket up and still move. Wear as many layers as you need.
Rain Jacket – mine is windproof, too, and it was the best buy I ever made. If you are buying a rain jacket, then check the material is breathable. Otherwise, when you start sweating, the inside of the jacket will become very damp will make you damp and cold.
Gloves – I have full-finger and fingerless gloves, so I can wear both to keep my hands nice a warm. If it is really cold, then I have hand warmers, too, just in case. You don’t need specific gloves; just make sure the material doesn’t slip on your handlebar.
Back – I worry about getting a cold back and that it could make me ill. So I bought a ‘kidney’ warmer, which goes around my waist and keeps my back nice a cosy. It can make me a little warm, so I tend to play around with the different combinations until I get the right temperature.
Bottom half
Legs – I always thought that if my top half and my head were warm, it didn’t matter so much about my legs. However, after a couple of trips, my legs got cold, and I got grumpy. I decided that leg warmers would be a great idea.
Feet – shoe covers are a great invention. I borrowed some recently as my feet were really cold after getting caught in a downpour. They didn’t dry my feet out, but they did stop them from freezing into solid blocks, which would have really ruined my day out. So, shoe covers will be my next investment.
Cool Weather
When we get into Autumn, it is often cold early in the morning, and the temperature drops quickly once the sun goes down. However, it can get very warm during the middle of the day. For this reason, it is good to be prepared for the varying temperatures. You can do this with layers. Play around with them until you find the right combination; this will mean stopping and starting a bit. However, it is better than pushing on and realising that you’re cold to the core.
All of the gear can cost quite a bit, so shop around. If you only have a limited budget, then make sure you get a windproof jacket and gloves as a minimum. You will have other layers at home you can use to go under your jacket, a hat or a scarf to go under your helmet and a pair of leggings that can go over your cycling shorts.
Ebiking is not just for warm months; by wrapping up, you can extend your cycling time by weeks.
