riding gear on cold days

I wear a cheap electric vest, have electric grips, and have Teknic Cordura gear. (with armor) I also experimented with electric foot insoles but hated the wires. I go to around freezing point until the streets are too slippery.

 

I like being able to talk about riding <in the present tense> in January! Hasn't been below 0 degrees in the daytime here for more than a day at a time, and seems to stick around +5 to +10C most days. Who needs an ozone layer when we can have global warming!

I ride to work, and in the morning it's a few degrees above zero. My AlpinStars jacket has a cold weather liner that takes care of everything from my hips to my chin. My gloves are Thinsulate, and work just as good in Summer as in Winter. Boots are leather Daytonas. I don't have riding pants, but a pair of thermals under my jeans are fine for the 20 min ride. My route is almost entirely on roads posted 70 km/h and 80 km/h, and my skinny @$$ stays pretty warm the whole way.

GG

 

Electric vests are great - I've got a friend building a controller for me which will mount next to the key.

He has made several vests from walmart 9$ heated car seat pads. ( make a cut in along the bottom of the L for the neck - elastic the top and bottom together to hold it in... attach to controller - it was designed for 12v power from a cigerette lighter)

The trick is to layer, and block the wind.

Hand gators are also really nice. With a good pair of boots you'll be alright so long as you keep your core warm.

As soon as your core gets a tiny bit cool the blood flow to the rest of your body gets cut off... meaning your hands and toes will freeze. Heating your core with a vest means hot blood is being pumped out to your hands and feet to keep you cool - meaning not getting cold feet/hands.

 

Instead of hand gaiters, I use homemade handlebar muffs. Between a full helmet, a windproof jacket, the handlebar muffs, and frog tog pants over my regular pants, I stay pretty warm to below freezing.

 

You might also want to look in to some Carharts. They make some lovely blue jeans that are insulated and lined. It hit 20 here today and I just did notice the cold. I bought in Illinois before moving down here for hunting. Forgot I had them until I unpacked for the season.These and a pair of chaps may be all you need. Can't help you with the chest area though, all I need is a sweat shirt a t shirt and my leather so far. It was 29 this morning,worst I have to deal with.