It’s not Indian Summer in Texas yet — we haven’t had our first frost, although we’ve come close. But it’s in the low 60s now when I start my morning weekend rides, and it will warm up to the 80s for the rest of the week.
This is the beginning of the time of year when dressing for my rides becomes a guessing game. It starts cool, then warms up. This morning, I wore a long sleeved jersey and a base layer, along with my bibs. A stiff breeze from the southeast made going south difficult. The part of the route that heads east is mostly downhill, so it’s not too bad.
Usually, on a cool morning that promises to warm up, I’ll wear arm warmers, which I like a lot. They give you a lot more adjustability as conditions change than a long-sleeved jersey.
I have a rule of thumb for dressing, which I violate with frequency. If it’s above 65 degrees, I just wear a short sleeved jersey and shorts. If 55-65, I wear arm warmers, or maybe a long-sleeved jersey. Below 55, I’ll wear the long-sleeved jersey, and add tights. Below 50, I add a windbreaker with zip-off arms. I don’t bike when temperatures are below 45 degrees (Hey, this is the South!).
My clothing today erred on the warm side. I really worked up a sweat, but still remained comfortable throughout the ride. The wind countered the warming temperatures. Still, if I had thought about it more, I probably would have gone with just the arm warmers.
Do you have a formula for dressing for the weather?