John's All Year System

I got into a wee chat with someone I follow on Twitter today. We were discussing how in late November we were still wearing summer gloves and she hasn't yet fitted the liner to her jacket. I never fit my liner and not because I'm some well hardened ice cold biker hero. I'm happiest all warm and comfortable with a tendency avoid any unnecessary 'character building.' The liner just isn't party of my system.

I imagine all of us have systems which vary wildly depending on where, how, what, when and why we ride. Experience and funds will also be a factor. Here's mine.

The base layer, worth getting right!

I through a rural Yorkshire Dales year, mostly on a well faired bike. Part of that fast roads on high ground and some technical valley stuff. Recreational riding is similar but further. Budget? Well, pretty tight. Experience? Hard earned with more to be gained. My main riding cloths are the same all year round. I just add or remove layers, open or close vents and keep a whole lot of gloves handy.

BASE LAYER

First up, the base layer. I used to think these were an expensive myth. Not so! I've learned having cotton next to skin is a schoolboy error. I now use the same base layer all year. It's not meant to keep heat in. It controls moisture and that's all. Synthetics are good value and effective but tend to get stinky and don't feel particularly nice. Merino wool is everything synthetics aren't at only 5 times the price. However, you can wear more often between washes if so inclined. It's now my preferred option.

MID LAYERS

In practice, many mid layers become one pullover. 

In steadily cooler weather, the mid-layers steadily added. Most of these are fleece or cotton synthetic blends. In cold weather they really build up so the trick is to leave them all together when you take them off and then just pull it back on the following morning. Having a genuinely waterproof outer is important there. I also leave one fleece in the back box of my bike.

EXPOSURE LAYER

My outer layers are where the real money is. Probably £700 or so. Mine are both man made fibre, well waterproofed with good vents and usable pockets inside and out. They also carry all the armour I wear at the minute. Though I don't use the jacket liner, the trousers liner stays in all the time but has clever temperature control so it's fine until it gets crazy hot. The only real disadvantage here is when the outers get waterlogged they get heavy and unpleasant. One day I'll get round to purchasing a rain suit for use when persistent rain is forecast.

FEET

My extremities are a little different. I've one pair of fantastic boots I wear all year. They're a little warm in the summer and too tight for really thick socks on the coldest days but I'm pretty cold proof in the feet. Quitting smoking really helped with that. Also staying well hydrated. Anything that helps with circulation. 

HANDS

Gloves for every weather and spares as well. 

Guards are better than good gloves. 

What sucks isn't really cold hands but cold wet hands. I have three glove types, summer, cool 5 fingered and cold 3 fingered. Even the best thermal gloves become waterlogged easily so basically, I just own more of them. Some live in my back box with the spare fleece layer, some at work and some at home. That way I'm never starting out in wet gloves. I've heated grips I rarely use but the most useful hand protection is the guards which keep off most of the wind and rain.

HEAD and NECK

I never wear anything except sunglasses under my helmet. I just don't get cold in the head. I do wear a Buff to seal between my jacket and helmet because I really do feel the cold on my neck. 

What system do you use when other have parked their bikes up? Perhaps you live somewhere it's just to hot to use something similar. Perhaps you ride a colder winter and have to use a more effective system.