Winter bike clothing for less

Step 2 Hot headed

The head:

On a motorbike this isn't much of an issue for me as my head is entirely encased in a windproof and insulating full face helmet, but cyclists need to consider their headwear carefully- a large proportion of the body's heat is lost through the head, but it is often the least clothed part. A simple beanie hat does wonders, with a scarf over the lower part of the face. If you tend toward black headwear like myself, the fact that you are riding a bicycle should allay any fears that you might be a terrorist.

Note: each of the clothing options described in this Instructable will be rated for cost, weather-resistance and looking stupid on a completely unscientific and wholly subjective 1-5 scale, with 5 being the preferred end of the scale (cheap, weatherproof and not stupid looking)

Motorbike helmet:
Cost: **
Weather resistance: *****
Looking stupid: *****

Hat:
Cost: *****
Weather resistance: **
Looking stupid: ****

Beanie hat and scarf:
Cost: ****
Weather resistance: ***
Looking stupid: ***

Comments

[rtwitchy]

just a few thoughts...1. scarf, not too bulky with extra length tucked in a jacket helps on the stupid points. 2. water repellant and wind resistence i tend to associate together and I wonder if you were to scotch gard a beanie making it water repellent if that would help wind resistance 3. now you got me try to calculate and see how you could do this but...take a shower cap, attatch it to the inside of a bicycle helmet with brads maybe (just sticking it into the hard foam material...or glue might be safer if you get in an accident. Then wear a beany under the helmet (optional - my head is so small it helps me for a tighter, safer fit anyhow) and the wind isn't rushing in the holes of the helmet. In the summer you can remove the shower cap for ventilation. just a couple thoughts this inspiried...any commments or insight to problems they may present?

[wschruba]

A decent balaclava does great, both as headgear and as a neck warmer, since many will drop all the way down to the shoulder. Don't splurge on the super fancy vented ones, but do get one without a mouth hole. It's more difficult to breath, but much less of your face will be exposed. My lips, and I'm sure others, are very prone to cracking in the winter, even with lots of lotion and care.

I rarely ride now without some sort of headgear under my helmet, even in sweltering weather. A simple cotton bandana works great for keeping sweat from pooling above your eyes, and doesn't add much more heat than a head of hair.

In my experience, even with driving, soaking rains, not too much comes down through the vents in the helmet (granted, my helmets have never had more than 20 vents, your mileage may vary) at least not more than the above balaclava/bandana/hat/other wicking headgear can handle. All that foam in the helmet keeps the top of my head pretty warm, toasty even with a base layer of some sort.