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People who bicycle in the cold and rain aren’t nuts; they’re just dressed right. But how?

Protection & Venting in Wet Weather

If your clothes keep out rain they might also seal your sweat in. Wear a jacket or poncho that lets air in from the bottom, back, or sides. Use fenders to keep road grit and water from spraying up onto your feet, legs, and back.

Layers for Cold

You don’t need a whole new set of clothes to bike in the cold. Wear a sweatshirt or jacket and t-shirts, light sweaters, and tights or long johns in layers as weather gets colder. By wearing light layers you can also remove outer clothes if you warm up while cycling. (Overheating can make you sick.) And if you sweat a lot, the layer closest to your skin should be a nonabsorbent material (synthetic instead of cotton) that lets sweat evaporate as you ride.

Try different clothing to find what makes you comfortable at different temperatures and in the rain. In extreme cold or wind chill, cover your hands, feet, and ears well. Here are some other ideas:

Temperature		What to Wear
Cool		Light jacket or wind-breaker; long pants; light gloves.
Cold		Thicker socks (or a second pair); heavier gloves; hat.
Freezing		Sweater or another torso layer; glove liners under gloves; neck gaiter, turtleneck, or scarf; headband or ear-muffs; add knee socks; heavy shoes or shoe covers. Below Another torso or leg lay-er; Freezing: mitten shells instead of (or over) gloves; face mask.
Below Freezing		Another torso or leg layer; mitten shells instead of (or over) gloves; face mask.