Cheap cold weather cycling gear is hard to find… and usually, if it’s cheap and it’s cycling-specific, it’s probably not great quality and won’t last long (or really keep you warm). As the weather worsens and mud, rain, sleet and freezing temperatures become the norm, don’t hang up your bike just because you haven’t invested in thousands of dollars of winter gear. You can still get through quite a few rides just by layering on the clothing you already have in your closet and following a few of these super cheap, super simple DIYs for cycling comfort in the chilliest of temps.
Layer Everything
Most people assume that winter riding means needing a warm cycling jacket, but if you’re not planning to ride a lot in the winter, a raincoat might be all you need. You may not have a perfect winter coat or fleece-lined tights, but you probably have a long sleeved baselayer or two, a windbreaker and a raincoat, plus a pair of running tights and bib shorts. You may not have the best cycling gloves, but you probably have a thin pair of knit gloves plus a bigger pair of mittens. Add all of that together and layer up, and you suddenly have a winter-proof cycling outfit. (Just make sure you can still move your arms freely as you add layers.
Windproof Your Jersey
If it’s gusting wind outside, you don’t have to cancel your morning work commute, or call for a pickup instead of riding home. To block wind without a windbreaker, just grab a newspaper and stick it down your shirtfront. Cheap, light, and shocking effective — this trick has actually become one that we use even when we have windbreakers on hand because it just works better than most of the options on the market, and doesn’t cover your jersey, so you don’t lose pocket access. Plus, if it warms up, just recycle!
Keep Hands Comfy
Bricklayer gloves save muddy rides for only a couple bucks per pair. The best weatherproof shoulder season gloves you can buy are hella cheap: Gloves designed for bricklayers and other close-up manual labor are designed to be breathable on one side, latex for better grip on the other, and relatively waterproof all-around. The gloves are a cyclocrossers best friend, because they allow plenty of dexterity while the latex coating on the palms makes them grip the bars or the brakes better than a soaked standard cycling glove. Finally, because they’re slightly breathable, you won’t end up with sweaty hands during a hard effort. They’re also small enough to stuff in a saddle bag so you always have a pair in a pinch, and they come in packs for only a couple dollars per pair, so you can leave spares in every bag.
Stay Dry
Shower caps are amazing for waterproofing. There are a few mountain bikers in Colorado who’ve discovered a Dollar Store secret for the rapidly changing weather they encounter on some rides. Stick a clear plastic shower cap (50 for only $6!) in your saddle bag, and when the temperatures drop and the going gets rough, pull it out and pop it over your helmet. Voila! Your normally breathable helmet becomes windproofed and you’re able to retain more heat in your head. Helmet covers are great, but they’re often pricey and won’t fit your next helmet, but a plastic shower can can be pulled over any normal vented road helmet. The shower cap can also work on your feet: It’s not always the cold that gets your feet—more often, the wet weather is the culprit for frozen toes, when water seeps into your socks and soaks your feet. When it’s chilly out, slip shower caps over your socks and under your shoes can keep socks dry, and since it’s cold, you won’t be trapping much sweat in your socks. Dry feet means more time before you’re frozen, and much more pleasant stops for coffee along your route. (You can also use them if you need to walk inside in muddy shoes.)
Windproof Your Gloves
Support Local Business and cut wind in your gloves. Out on a ride that suddenly turned chilly and gusty? If you’re stuck in a coffee shop dreading heading back into the cold, do yourself a favor and snag two business cards from the counter before you go. (This trick is similar to the newspaper, but more hand-specific.) Then, slide the cards into your gloves onto the tops of your hands. It’s not perfect, but the cards serve as a wind shield for gloves that aren’t wind-resistant, cutting down on the breeze blowing through. No business cards to be found? Use your credit card and driver’s license!
Use XC Ski Gear
Use your XC gear to its full potential! This isn’t much of a hack, exactly, but a lot of cyclists fall into the trap of assuming that only cycling gear will work for cycling. But really, a lot of your winter gear for other sports can be repurposed for the bike. Cross-country ski tights can be pulled over bib shorts for makeshift riding tights, and skiing baselayers work just as well under a jersey. Even your ski goggles can come in handy if you’re planning to ride on a particularly chilly or nasty day (this author has, on occasion, biked in swim goggles when the weather took a turn for the worse).
Keep gear working when temps drop
Handwarmers are great here, but not for your hands It’s tempting to stick handwarmers into your gloves, but that isn’t their only use on a chilly bike ride. In fact, unless you have a thin pair of gloves to layer between your skin and a handwarmer, you actually shouldn’t stick one into your glove: You may burn your skin. But the best use for one is to keep a handwarmer stashed in your jersey pocket. It helps prevent your gels and bars from freezing and becoming impossible to eat, or can be stashed next to your phone so the battery doesn’t drain in sub-zero temps!
Safety first
Pet tags make cheap on-bike ID versus buying the human-oriented Road ID. Everyone’s nightmare: crashing, and being knocked out and unable to provide important contact info and medical data. Bad weather can bring on more cycling accidents, so it does pay to be prepared. Channel your inner golden retriever with an $8 dog tag that you can personalize with your medical info and emergency contact. (You can also give yourself a fun nickname for the front like ‘Killer’ … Or not.)
You can also upgrade to an AirTag if you want a simple tracker in your bike or, if you’re a runner, in your hydration pack — just share its location with a friend/spouse so they can watch you on trail. (You can also just share your location on Find My Friends, but if you only want them tracking you while you’re out training, an AirTag is a great way to make that happen!)
