How to Ride in Cold Weather
by BoxerGrrlie

My cold weather riding started on a September 2003 Iron Butt Association Saddlesore (1000 miles in 24 hours or less) ride that I did on my 1975 BMW R90/6. I did the ride late in the year as a birthday present to myself, and I thought that I was prepared for the weather in a set of heavy leathers, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. After the sun went down, I got cold fast.

It was a good lesson albeit an uncomfortable one. Now when the weather turns cold I bring out an arsenal of warm layers and even some bike modifications. The following are some of my cold weather strategies that can be used with almost anyone’s riding gear. I wear an Aerostich Darien jacket and Joe Rocket Ballistic Pants – both are waterproof. The jacket is just a shell, but the pants are fairly warm by themselves. I encourage you to find out what works best for you and to share them with everyone on the forum. Just because I can’t live without my Gerbing liner doesn’t mean that you can’t ride without one – El Dookey Himself rides a naked bike with no electrics year-round. I guess that he’s just more of a bad-ass than I am.

1. The Basics – these are the basics of my cold riding gear. I hate to feel overdressed and stiff on the bike, so rather than pile on a bunch of clothes, I try to dress smart.
1. Heated jacket – the most basic element of my cold weather gear is my long sleeve, heated Gerbing liner. I keep it on the bike all year, and put it on if it gets chilly when the sun goes down. In the winter I crank it up and add layers to insulate the heat.
2. Base layer – Any good, synthetic long underwear is a great first layer. I prefer a synthetic material because it transfers moisture away from the skin. Cotton absorbs and retains moisture and eventually it will make me chilled. I wear REI lightweight performance long underwear even in the summer but for cold weather, I choose a heavier weight, especially under my riding pants.
3. Full face helmet – it sounds simple, but my full face helmet is great for  trapping warm air and it blocking the wind.  
4. Warm gloves – I hate to feel too bulky in my winter gear, and gloves that are too thick are just not fun to ride in. I use a modestly insulated pair of Joe Rocket gloves.
2. Mid-Range Gear – when The Basics by themselves are just not keeping me comfortable, I dig deeper into my closet and break out my mid-range gear:
1. Lightweight wool – adding a thin, lightweight wool sweater like Merino wool can be a good option over your base layer and under your heated liner. It will help trap the heat next to your skin.  
2. Windproof layer – A windproof jacket over your heated jacket serves two purposes – it insulates the heat of the jacket, and it (duh) blocks the wind.   It is a good combination. 
3. Neck and wrist gaiters – These little items are my secret weapon. Cold air always found its way in at the wrists and neck of my Darien jacket until I discovered neck and wrist gaiters. Basically they are tubes of fleece worn around your neck and wrists. I sewed my own, but Whitehorse Press sells a similar product called “Wristies” and REI has neck gaiters. The neck gaiter can be pulled up high - I fasten my helmet chin-strap over it to keep it in place. The wrist gaiters provide insulation in the gap between my gloves and my sleeve.
4. Wool socks – the big heavy kind. ‘Nuff said.
3. The Heavy Artillery – in the most extreme conditions, this is what I put on:
1. Halo Helmax Weather Guard – The Helmax is a Halo reflective band with a skirt on it. It attaches to the bottom of my helmet and extends down to my shoulders and it totally blocks the wind from reaching my neck and up into my helmet. This is a great product, but it can cause your helmet to fog. 
2. Balaclava – a balaclava is a close fitting hood that you wear under your helmet. It adds some serious insulation. Make sure to get one without seams or with flat seams! Take your helmet to REI or another outdoor outfitter and try some on under it.
3. Rain gear – it sounds weird, but my rain gloves over my regular gloves block wind and insulate. They make a big difference and don’t add bulk. Rain jackets and pants will have the same effect.
4. Jeans – if I am really cold or if I am on a long trip in the cold I will put on a pair of jeans over my heavy long underwear and under my riding pants. More layers mean more trapped heat. They feel too bulky for me though, so I will wear them only as a last resort. 
4. Bike modifications:
1. Last fall I added heated grips to my bike and they are wonderful. There are lots of aftermarket heated grip kits available if they do not come stock on your bike. In my experience they take a minimum of electrical knowledge and about 4 hours of time to install.
2. In the fall when the weather starts to get cold I put a pair of BMW GS hand guards on my bike. I had to cut away some plastic to slightly modify them, but they do a great job of blocking the wind.

That’s it in a nutshell! It’s not a lot of expensive gear with the exception of the heated jacket, which many riders do without. There are other options such as Hippo Hands which are like mittens for your handlebars. I’m sure that many of you have other tricks and tips that I don’t know about – please share them with everyone on the forum!