Winter bike clothing for less

Step 4 Body

The upper body is probably the most important part to clothe well, but also the part where you are most likely to already own suitable clothing. As a biker, I splashed out for an armoured waterproof winter jacket and inherited a hiking jacket for cycling which between them take care of the problem, but there are cheaper options.

Almost anyone who lives outside the tropics will probably already own a warm top layer, and if you don't they aren't difficult to obtain. For an outer layer, a leather jacket is traditional and works very well, but with a suitably warm layer underneath it a simple waterproof anorak/cagoule will do- this provides the windproof layer to keep the cold out of your nice warm insulating layer. Simple.

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

Leather jacket:
Cost: **
Weather resistance: ****
Looking stupid: ****

Anorak:
Cost: ****
Weather resistance: ****
Looking stupid: **