Hot Gear for Winter Riding
- Stay warm, dry, safe--and happy--during cold weather rides.
- Read our Holiday Gift Guide and Winter Bicycling Gear Roundup for tips on handlebar mittens, waterproof pants, rain booties, and booty packs.
Paul Tolmé
Winter bicycling can be summed up in two words: fingers and toes. Keep them warm and dry, and you can bike through the coldest months.
To keep you pedaling through the cold and soggy season, we rounded up some of our favorite winter and rainy weather cycling gear--plus some gift ideas to keep your loved ones in the saddle.
Cascade’s Winter Gear and Holiday Gift Guide
People who ride through the winter in Alaska are familiar with Bar Mitts. These thick neoprene mittens fit over your handlebars. Wear them with a thin pair of gloves underneath on the coldest days, or bare-handed when its just chilly and damp. $75-$125, barmitts.com.
Bar Mitts offers a variety of shapes and styles to fit different handlebars--including the Mini Road Mitts, $54.95. The Minis, shown below, are perfect for road bikes where big mittens are too cumbersome.
Winter Cycling Pants
Rain pants are essential if you're commuting to work in Seattle. We love the Women's Transit Pants from Showers Pass.
If you don't want to look like you just stepped off your bike when arriving to work, get a pair of casual athletic pants.
The Recon Stealth Pants from Veloccio, above right, $269, are stretchy, breathable, and they fit in at the office or pub. Wear a merino base layer beneath all your winter pants for added warmth.
Jackets
Stay dry with an Elements rain jacket from Showers Pass. This is the same jacket that Cascade staff members wear. And Showers Pass offers Cascade members up to 40 percent off. The women’s Elements jacket was on sale for $175 when we last checked. showerspass.com
Being seen at night by cars is no problem with the Fully Reflective Enhanced Waterproof Jacket from ProViz. “It's covered in reflective material so I feel like a disco ball when I'm out in the dark,” says Rachel Longest, Cascade's youth development partnership manager. $166.50, provizsports.com
Feet and Toes
Cold and wet feet can ruin a ride. Waterproof socks will keeping your toes dry and toasty. Wear them under your cycling shoes on rainy days. Cascade supporter REI offers multiple options.
Waterproof shoe covers are like raincoats for your feet. We like the Club Shoe Covers, $44, from Showers Pass. Zip them on over whatever casual shoes you wear to work.
For a more streamlined, performance fit, neoprene shoe covers fit snuggly over cycling shoes with click-in pedals. We bought a pair of Endura waterproof overshoes for half price at the Seattle Bike Swap and E-Bike Expo last February. Get a pair for Chilly Hilly 2024.
Packs and Panniers
Once considered dorky, “fanny packs” or “hip packs” are back. These booty bags are highly useful for recreational rides when you can't fit all of your tools or clothing layers in the back pockets of a cycling jersey. We got a 174 Hudson waist pack, $49.99, shown above, from Priority Bicycles at the finish line celebration of the Woodinville Wine Ride. It holds two water bottles and converts to a handlebar bag.
A waterproof backpack is great for commuting in Seattle, especially if carrying a laptop or precious cargo that must remain dry. Cascade staff members use the Velocity backpacks from Ortlieb. They have a simple and secure roll-top closure, and Ortlieb will replace the velcro closure if it wears out.
For bigger loads, a rack and panniers turn any bike into a pack mule. My wife and I do the majority of our grocery shopping by bike with panniers. Why drive when you can ride?
The Velo-Shopper, $165, from Ortlieb, has a magnetic closure that snaps shut for easy opening and closing. ortliebusa.com
Lights and Rear Cameras
GoPros and bike-mounted cameras aren’t just for filming fun videos. Video evidence can be crucial in winning convictions against reckless drivers who pass you unsafely--or worse.
CyclistVideoEvidence.com compiles footage of unsafe passing and three-foot-law violations to identify reckless drivers--and push police to prosecute. The founder recommends the Akaso Brave 7 LE camera, $169, as a reliable and affordable option.
The Cycliq Fly 6, $239, is a rear-facing camera (most car crashes come from behind) with an integrated red light.
We urge everyone riding on roads to always use front and rear lights. REI offers many options at a range of prices.
The Arclight pedals, $139, from Redshift are one of my favorite safety accessories for winter night riding because the spinning motion of lighted pedals makes you visible to drivers. They are heavy, however, which is why I only use them on my commuter e-bike where extra weight is not a factor.
Give a Cascade Membership
Give the gift of bicycling with a Cascade Bicycle Club Gift Membership. Individual memberships are $60, family memberships $90. Or, gift an STP registration or entry fee for any of our paid rides. And check out the discounts available to Cascade members.
Check our Youtube channel for more bike and gear reviews. Happy riding this winter!
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