Long distance commuter (+20miles round trip)

[Yorkman]

Hello looking for insights and wisdom from other fellow long distance ebike commuters. I live in Maine and commute 25 miles round trip as many times a week as possible even though the winter if possible. What is your favorite must have cold weather riding gear? I love these electric gloves!

 

[HumanPerson]

Hello looking for insights and wisdom from other fellow long distance ebike commuters. I live in Maine and commute 25 miles round trip as many times a week as possible even though the winter if possible. What is your favorite must have cold weather riding gear? I love these electric gloves!

Welcome to the forums!

 

[BiggKidd]

Hello looking for insights and wisdom from other fellow long distance ebike commuters. I live in Maine and commute 25 miles round trip as many times a week as possible even though the winter if possible. What is your favorite must have cold weather riding gear? I love these electric gloves!

Got a link for them?

 

[Annieolnie]

Hello looking for insights and wisdom from other fellow long distance ebike commuters. I live in Maine and commute 25 miles round trip as many times a week as possible even though the winter if possible. What is your favorite must have cold weather riding gear? I love these electric gloves!

I carry a smartwool buff with me most of the year. It folds into nothing but protects you from the wind running down your jacket or if your hat gets soaked, you put 1/2 of this on, twist it and then put the other half on and it becomes a thin warm ski cap. It's a great thing to have, when what you are suppose to have, has somehow failed.

 

[Colin1230]

Not a commuter but this lets me take a couple of laps around the block when it's chilly.

Amazon.com

 

[Smaug]

• Ski helmet to replace the bike helmet
• Ski goggles or Wynd glasses from Amazon. Work too hard and it gets hot though; so it's more appropriate on eBikes than bikes.
• For my road bike, when it's not snowy, the Rockbros neoprene booties to go over my clip-in road shoes
• Baleaf cycling pants; I wear (un-insulated) cycling leggings inside them. Today, (mid 40s) that was too warm on my gravel bike, but when it gets 10° colder, it'll be just the ticket.
• Baleaf cycling jacket. It has wind-blocking fabric in the right places and spandex in the right places to not get too hot.
• Gloves, I don't need anything too special unless I'm being lazy. I've been fine with regular ski gloves when it gets really cold

What kind of bike are you riding in the snow? I think you guys get a lot more snow in Maine than we do in Wisconsin. I think I'd probably want fat studded tires for my winter commuter if I lived there.

Oh, I have to admit that I'm not a long-distance commuter, but I ride long distances for sport. I ride all year round; it fends off the Winter Blues, I find. In the winter I only get maybe 10-20 miles a week. In the other seasons, it's 70-120 miles/week, sometimes up to 200. (mostly on an acoustic bike) My commute is only 4 miles/day, so I can get by with not too much. One can deal with a lot for a 10-15 minute 2 mile ride.

 

[Yorkman]

Thanks for the detailed list, always helpful. I am surprised you don’t get much snow in your part of WI. Due to climate change in Maine, particularly on the coast, our winters are a small fraction of what they used to be. 25 years ago we would get snow up to the kitchen windows, which our dog at the time loved to sit on and watch what we were doing. Sadly now, if we get a season total of 10” we think that is a big deal. So my winter rides are largely snowless. I don’t bother with studded tires, if we have a cold snap I give the ebike a rest till the snap passes, (I maybe nuts but I am not insane). January can be very cold, but I layer up to 5 layers and I am good to go. The key is flexibly in what you wear since the morning commute at 6 am can be 10, 20, or 30 degrees colder than the afternoon commute at 3 pm. One of my best commuting investments was a highly flexible “trunk”bag, that has multiple expandable compartments and side bags that fold up. So on way home I can stow a layer or two with ease.

 

[Smaug]

Thanks for the detailed list, always helpful. I am surprised you don’t get much snow in your part of WI. Due to climate change in Maine, particularly on the coast, our winters are a small fraction of what they used to be. 25 years ago we would get snow up to the kitchen windows, which our dog at the time loved to sit on and watch what we were doing. Sadly now, if we get a season total of 10” we think that is a big deal. So my winter rides are largely snowless.

You still get the occasional Nor'easter though. I guess that's part of the cold snap you wait out.

I don’t bother with studded tires, if we have a cold snap I give the ebike a rest till the snap passes, (I maybe nuts but I am not insane). January can be very cold, but I layer up to 5 layers and I am good to go. The key is flexibly in what you wear since the morning commute at 6 am can be 10, 20, or 30 degrees colder than the afternoon commute at 3 pm. One of my best commuting investments was a highly flexible “trunk”bag, that has multiple expandable compartments and side bags that fold up. So on way home I can stow a layer or two with ease.

I have one of those trunk bags too. (Topeak MTX with the fold-down panniers) Layer-wise, I'm usually fine with 3: golf shirt for work, under a sweatshirt, under a cycling jacket:

Amazon.com

This jacket is amazing, because it breathes in just the right places: the black panels are breathable spandex or something and the green are wind-blocking with fleece on the back. The zips on the chest are more vents that can be opened when it gets steamy inside.

For the legs, I'm usually fine with cheap rain overpants on top of my work pants, but that's a short commute.

Now that I got these nice fleece insulated Baleaf ones, those can be used for the really cold days. These are not as flexible, as they don't have vents. They're strictly for cold weather use, below 40 °F. I wore them for Saturday's ride (mid-40s) on top of padded cycling leggings and they were a bit too hot, but that was an acoustic bike, not an eBike; I was working harder.

 

[Yorkman]

Yes we still get Nor’easters, but like the two we had last year within 2 weeks of each other, they were both mainly rain events on the coast. Still they inflicted some severe damage to low lying communities. We have a very similar weather setups. I have a jacket that I really like because the sleeves zip on or off depending on need for cooling in the summer. The other thing I have are water proof hiking boots, and I wear Darn Tough heavy hiking socks, love them because they are warm and if they wear out, the company replaces them for free! https://darntough.com They are a Vermont based company. For glasses I have a pair that change from clear for the ride in, then they tint for the ride home.
KAPVOE Cycling Glasses Men... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZJGDXRL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share These glasses do a pretty good job of preventing wind from blowing in your eyes, as due the cold temps I find my eyes water more in the winter than other seasons, plus my nose runs like a pipe in the winter. I tend to dress for 10 degrees colder than outside temps because on the 25 mph wind chill from my ebike. It really only takes 10 minutes longer to ebike to work than it takes to drive because the ebike route is more direct and I can avoid any traffic if needed. The big upside is the smiles per miles from being outdoors, and exercising instead of sitting in a car and driving. On they way home, I arrive at home fully decompressed and ready to be human again and that makes it all worthwhile!

 

[Smaug]

Those are some pretty cool glasses; and I like the photochromic feature. How is the peripheral vision affected?

These Wynd glasses have a "gasket" with small gaps that seals up again the eyes. They let enough air through to prevent fogging when in motion, but keep enough of it out to keep the eyes from watering up when its colder. However, they completely block peripheral vision, so if I don't have a mirror on the bike or helmet, they make it tricky to check my six.

Yours look like they'll be better for peripheral vision, but worse in terms of blocking cold or high speed air that would cause eyes to water and dry up.

I have some DarnTough socks too and love them. I too wear them inside my waterproof hiking boots. I have a few other pair of generic wool socks of the same style. When they wear out, I'll replace them with more DarnTough.

 

[Yorkman]

Yes the peripheral vision is excellent. For me they work well considering I have a good size edifice they have to sit on. How they perform for other people is a personal preference. I wanted to but a pair for my wife but likes the cycling glasses with interchangeable lenses which is her choice de jour. I guess they make her feel like she is a pro racing cyclist on her 2 mile commute to work?

 

[RoostChucker]

I commute about 15 miles round trip in Idaho most days. Temps will be in 20's and 30's in the morning. I also run a Class 3 so I'm usually moving at about 25 mph. The wind chill can be brutal but this is what I do:

• Gloves that cover the cuffs of your jacket. I haven't used electric but the gloves I use are for skiing so there is that. My hands stay warm.
• Using a Buff as others have also pointed out. Keeping the wind chill off your neck makes a huge difference and it keeps cold air from getting under your jacket.
• Helmet choice is very important to keep from fogging. I wear glasses so fogging in winter can be a battle. In the winter I wear my full face dirt bike helmet with my riding goggles. I never fog up.
• I also wear my armored street riding motorcycle jacket instead of a typical winter coat. May as well armor up, it will help a lot when you crash on the ice. You want the kind that has a built in back protector with forearm, shoulder and elbow protection.

Not the one I rock but like this one:

 

[m@Robertson]

• A fleece beanie along the lines of what @Colin1230 posted up. Mine has the ear protection but the glasses go under the flap without issue.
• An Underarmour balaclava is a thin under-layer for the face good down to the low 30's.
• When it gets below freezing, you cannot beat the USGI Nomex tanker balaclava, which is really a head-and-shoulders cover that goes under your jacket and maybe even under your shirt. This is a major league piece of head covering. Commonly found on Ebay in new surplus condition.
• A thin neck gaiter is a good supplement depending on what else is going on up top. It can be bunched up around my neck or pulled up over my face in a pinch.
• I wear wraparound sunglasses that do the same job as goggles would. They have the advantage of being my 'prescription' (I use ordinary reading glasses at all times) and the wraparound style and thick temple pieces keep my eyes from watering or freezing over.
• I wear the same helmet summer or winter. But I cover the forward-facing helmet vents with painters' tape to block the wind. So its a half-blue helmet part of the year. The balaclavas and beanies do warmth work under the helmet. A wool beanie does the trick for cold rain.
• Sealskinz gloves make for a waterproof liner. Ordinary deerskin garden gloves over that, or Wells-Lamont Hydra Hide gloves (sold in packs of 4 at Costco). Snowboarding gauntlets including their built in liners in the snow.
• You absolutely, positively cannot beat the Proviz 360 rain jacket as an outer cold weather layer. It is entirely retro-reflective, so its total outer surface is a giant reflector. Great for jumping out at approaching autos and search parties. It breathes like a garbage bag, so you wear it with just a t-shirt in merely cool weather with the pit zips open, or as a hardshell outer layer with stuff piled up underneath.
• Under the water/windproof jacket it can be anything... in layers. Base layer if I am doing two shirts-plus is usually the super thin thermal shirts Costco sells. Heat360 I think is the brand. Then maybe a waffle-weave long sleeve over that. A simple hoodie can be somewhere in the pile for 3 layers plus the jacket over my arms. I might throw in a t shirt under the hoodie for a 4th layer over the torso.
• An alternate jacket thats not so extreme is the Condor Summit Zero. A soft shell that is fine in rain or light snow. Breathes some and is not a beacon. Good on its own down to near-freezing with a hoodie underneath. More layers mean good for more cold.
• Duluth Trading Firehose Flex pants are expensive, but they are warm and more importantly flex with you easily during the ride. They also have the magic 'ballroom' crotch gusset whose utility speaks for itself when hunched over a bike saddle. I get them one inseam length longer than normal so they stay long in the riding position. And you can get them lined, too. But I use the same long underwear in the brand Costco sells with their super thin thermal shirts.
• For rain, 33,000ft brand rain pants are the best I have ever used. I can't tell I am wearing rain pants. They don't bunch up or pinch anywhere. They are lined and easily go over shorts or long pants.
• I do a variety of socks depending on conditions. Wool socks. Waterproof socks, or waterproof socks with wool over them. I used to use Sealskinz but they were sort of a v 1.0 for that company and were neoprene, which made my feet sweat monsters.
• My shoes are always the same since I cleat in. On the street, Giro Rumbles that use laces so I can loosen them up and wear 2 pairs of socks under them if needed. In the boonies its usually my Lowa T-Force high top boots, which are a glorified heavy tennis shoe with a durable sole and a gortex layer.

Thats it head to toe.

 

[Yorkman]

I commute about 15 miles round trip in Idaho most days. Temps will be in 20's and 30's in the morning. I also run a Class 3 so I'm usually moving at about 25 mph. The wind chill can be brutal but this is what I do:

• Gloves that cover the cuffs of your jacket. I haven't used electric but the gloves I use are for skiing so there is that. My hands stay warm.
• Using a Buff as others have also pointed out. Keeping the wind chill off your neck makes a huge difference and it keeps cold air from getting under your jacket.
• Helmet choice is very important to keep from fogging. I wear glasses so fogging in winter can be a battle. In the winter I wear my full face dirt bike helmet with my riding goggles. I never fog up.
• I also wear my armored street riding motorcycle jacket instead of a typical winter coat. May as well armor up, it will help a lot when you crash on the ice. You want the kind that has a built in back protector with forearm, shoulder and elbow protection.

Not the one I rock but like this one:

View attachment 17301

Yeah, the motorcycle helmet is key since there are no gaps for cold air to creep in. I have a nephew who is a policeman and heads the motorcycle unit, and they wear similar but a bit more sophisticated armor jackets. I suppose the snow banks in Idaho are not as soft and fluffy as they appear and all this protection is well needed to survive the ride.

 

[Yorkman]

• A fleece beanie along the lines of what @Colin1230 posted up. Mine has the ear protection but the glasses go under the flap without issue.
• An Underarmour balaclava is a thin under-layer for the face good down to the low 30's.
• When it gets below freezing, you cannot beat the USGI Nomex tanker balaclava, which is really a head-and-shoulders cover that goes under your jacket and maybe even under your shirt. This is a major league piece of head covering.
• A thin neck gaiter is a good supplement depending on what else is going on up top. It can be bunched up around my neck or pulled up over my face in a pinch.
• I wear wraparound sunglasses that do the same job as goggles would. They have the advantage of being my 'prescription' (I use ordinary reading glasses at all times) and the wraparound style and thick temple pieces keep my eyes from watering or freezing over.
• I wear the same helmet summer or winter. But I cover the forward-facing helmet vents with painters' tape to block the wind. So its a half-blue helmet part of the year. The balaclavas and beanies do my work under the helmet.
• Sealskinz gloves make for a waterproof liner. Ordinary deerskin garden gloves over that, or Wells-Lamont Hydra Hide gloves (sold in packs of 4 at Costco). Snowboarding gauntlets including their built in liners in the snow.
• You absolutely, positively cannot beat the Proviz 360 rain jacket as an outer cold weather layer. It is entirely retro-reflective, so its total outer surface is a giant reflector. Great for jumping out at approaching autos and search parties. It breathes like a garbage bag, so you wear it with just a t-shirt in merely cool weather with the pit zips open, or as a hardshell outer layer with stuff piled up underneath.
• Under the water/windproof jacket it can be anything... in layers. Base layer if I am doing two shirts-plus is usually the super thin thermal shirts Costco sells. Heat360 I think is the brand. Then maybe a waffle-weave long sleeve over that. A simple hoodie can be somewhere in the pile for 3 layers plus the jacket over my arms. I might throw in a t shirt under the hoodie for a 4th layer over the torso.
• An alternate jacket thats not so extreme is the Condor Summit Zero. A soft shell that is fine in rain or light snow. Breathes some and is not a beacon. Good on its own down to near-freezing with a hoodie underneath. More layers mean good for more cold.
• Duluth Trading Firehose Flex pants are expensive, but they are warm and more importantly flex with you easily during the ride. They also have the magic 'ballroom' crotch gusset whose utility speaks for itself when hunched over a bike saddle. I get them one inseam length longer than normal so they stay long in the riding position. And you can get them lined, too. But I use the same long underwear in the brand Costco sells with their super thin thermal shirts.
• For rain, 33,000ft brand rain pants are the best I have ever used. I can't tell I am wearing rain pants. They don't bunch up or pinch anywhere. They are lined and easily go over shorts or long pants.
• I do a variety of socks depending on conditions. Wool socks. Waterproof socks, or waterproof socks with wool over them. I used to use Sealskinz but they were sort of a v 1.0 for that company and were neoprene, which made my feet sweat monsters.
• My shoes are always the same since I cleat in. On the street, Giro Rumbles that use laces so I can loosen them up and wear 2 pairs of socks under them if needed. In the boonies its usually my Lowa T-Force high top boots, which are a glorified heavy tennis shoe with a durable sole and a gortex layer.

Thats it head to toe.

Chris Kringle! That is a heck of a list! I will explore the rain pants since I currently use a pair Columbia light weight wind pants that can a little slippery in the saddle and when it’s really cold my thighs get chilly. I haven’t resorted to lined ski pants yet, I just pedal harder and keep moving.

 

[Smaug]

Chris Kringle! That is a heck of a list! I will explore the rain pants since I currently use a pair Columbia light weight wind pants that can a little slippery in the saddle and when it’s really cold my thighs get chilly. I haven’t resorted to lined ski pants yet, I just pedal harder and keep moving.

Try the Baleaf pants. ↑ You'll never go back to non-cycling-specific cold weather pants again. They taper down, so you don't even need to gather the cuffs. If you can find some just like this but with vents that zip open, you could wear them in cool weather too. (rather than just cold)

I wore them last night (32°) over cycling leggings and was quite warm. (Warmer than I wanted to be, since I had to pedal the eBike home unpowered) With less exertion, they could be worn over business casual work slacks.

The jackets m@ mentions all sound good, but not breathable. If the jacket is not breathable, your choice is comfortable at the beginning of the ride or comfortable during the ride, but not both. That Baleaf one is just slightly cold at the beginning of the ride and then perfect afterwards. I wore mine on top of a short sleeve button-up shirt and 1/4 zip sweater this morning in 36 ° and it was perfect; I just unzipped the neck a bit as I started to warm up.

When I say "breathable" I don't mean GoreTex and similar: Those are not breathable for someone who is working hard enough to sweat. I mean with strategically-placed panels that the wind blows right through.

 

[RoostChucker]

I appear to have atypical opinions on some of these things since I dress for the destination not the ride. I'm not looking to sweat but rather than breathable clothing, I limit my exertion. I take it a lot of you guys do a lot of pedaling then? I should confess that I am more of a throttle man myself. I only really pedal to get my bike up to cruising speed and usually just to stay a little bit ahead of traffic off the line. Although I do like catching up to other ebike riders every now and then. I like to file in behind and check out their rigs.

 

[m@Robertson]

The jackets m@ mentions all sound good, but not breathable. If the jacket is not breathable, your choice is comfortable at the beginning of the ride or comfortable during the ride, but not both.

On paper, thats correct. But its easy to work around in practice. I already dress as a rule so I am kind of freezing for the first mile or so, and then body heat takes over from exertion. Net result of that is no sweat and adequate warmth. I worked for a couple years in a frozen food warehouse where it was a constant 13 below zero. So even though I live in California, I'm familiar with what true cold does and don't overdo it.

Throw on the jacket and you can regulate heat no problem with the pit zips, or overdo it and unzip at the front if its not raining.

BUT there was certainly a learning curve initially. At this point I carry it on the bike so it is always the jacket if I need one for cold/rain or if its just plain dark. Drivers have pulled up beside me at intersections to tell me how amazing it is in their headlights. I have had drivers turning in front of me stop dead and stare as I go past, so the safety of that reflective material, for urban cycling, makes it well worth the time to figure out.