Guide: Cycling clothing for the winter | BMO Bike Mailorder

The right cycling clothing makes a real difference in the saddle in winter! While it’s fine in summer to hop on the bike in a fashion T-shirt and streetwear shorts, in winter it quickly becomes uncomfortable without proper cycling functional clothing. Wet, clammy or ice-cold. Brrrr! With our tips, you’ll never have to freeze on the bike again.

Whether you commute to work, do road bike training, or even in January don’t want to skip your MTB ride, it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that you wear cycling clothing adapted for winter, because that not only makes you more comfortable, it also makes life on two wheels safer.

Why it’s especially worth choosing your bike outfit smartly in winter

With other sports, you don’t have to think so carefully about how to keep warm in winter. Why?

➔ Very simple – unlike other sports, when training on a bike there’s plenty of headwind that makes your life difficult (or better: cold).

Cycling clothing for winter – the best tips on video

Which items of clothing should you have for winter when riding a bike?

The best strategy is to stock up on different functional clothing items specifically for cyclists . Long sleeves, short sleeves, light thermal underwear, thicker trousers, different materials – a bit of everything. That way you can mix what you need and put together a comfortable outfit with lots of “onion layers”.

Our tip: If you want to do longer tours or training rides, it’s also a good idea to have a bike bag where you can pack spare clothing, for example a windproof jacket for cooling off or descents. A waterproof, medium-sized saddle bag with around 7 litres of capacity is perfect for that; you can mount it on any bike.

How to combine cycling clothing optimally in winter

Which layers should cyclists wear in winter? Here’s a guide for the layers Look.

A good base for your winter bike outfit: underwear

At the bottom, on especially cold days, you wear a cycling thermal vest. On properly cold days, garments with a wool content are particularly pleasant and warming.
Arm warmers and leg warmers or leg warmers are a good additional warming layer that doesn’t restrict you in the seat area or at the shoulders.
Warm socks are important. If you don’t have waterproof winter cycling shoes , you can try waterproof socks instead.

Our tip: Many cyclists get cold especially at the knees. If that’s the case for you too, you can wear warming knee pads (don’t confuse them with knee protectors!)

❄️ Cycling underwear for winter ❄️

Radunterhemden | Radunterhosen | Armlinge | Beinlinge & Kniewärmer | Fahrradsocken

Rider with warming base layer under the bib for the winter

Close-fitting thermal underwear with a cycling cut is a good base for winter cycling clothing. Image © Maap

The middle layer makes winter training comfortable

A cycling jersey with short or long sleeves provides comfort depending on temperature and your personal need for warmth. You may also need multiple jerseys and shirts layered.
Although fleece jumpers or jackets aren’t necessarily recommended for cycling (they’re too wind-permeable), in winter they can still be a very light, warming and quick-drying base layer under a windproof jacket.
If your legs cool down despite the effort, you can wear long underwear. Like all cycling shorts, it should be cut for the cycling position.
Functional fibres that dry quickly are particularly important!
Normal sweatshirts aren’t really recommended for cycling; they’re made from cotton and if they get damp from sweat, they stay damp.

Our tip: The middle layer of your cycling clothing should be breathable and dry quickly.

❄️ A cosy warming layer ❄️

Fahrrad Trikots | Longsleeves | Pullover & Hoodies

The outer layer is waterproof & windproof

Softshell with a brushed inner surface is soft, warming and stretchable – and therefore ideal for winter trousers for cyclists.
For bad weather days there are both MTB trousers and road bike bibs with water-repellent surface. Then you don’t need an extra overtrouser.

A waterproof and windproof overtrouser helps in really grim winter weather.
If you have a good windproof cycling softshell jacket , you can wear it with the corresponding base layers (almost) all year, even in winter. But you do need a few layers underneath, otherwise it gets too cold. Softshell is also usually water-repellent.
If it rains or snows, you need a really waterproof cycling jacket . If you get cold quickly, you can also wear a padded thermal jacket.
Over the jacket you can also wear a windproof cycling gilet if you notice you cool down quickly in the chest area. For night rides, a reflective gilet is highly recommended.
In really bad weather you may need a rain suit that keeps you dry from head to toe.
When it comes to outer clothing, make sure reflective elements aren’t worn out, so you’re not overlooked in winter weather.

Our tip: Make sure the top layer of your winter cycling clothing is windproof .

❄️ Insulating cycling clothing for winter ❄️

Fahrradhosen | Regenhosen | Fahrradjacken | Regenanzüge

Windproof or waterproof? Depends on the winter weather on your bike tours! Image © Vaude

Is this cycling clothing for winter available for men?

Finding the right cycling clothing for men isn’t difficult; there are a huge selection of men’s winter clothing for all cycling disciplines! You can find road bike clothing, tour bike clothing and also mountain bike outfits in all kinds of sizes and fits; your personal style is also taken into account. Many men’s garments are designed simply and very functionally. But especially in the MTB section there’s plenty of variety, and the clothing is absolutely suitable as streetwear and can be worn off the trail too.

↪ Men’s cycling clothing for winter↩

Fahrradhosen Herren | Fahrradjacken Herren | Fahrrad-Trikots Herren

Cycling clothing in winter for women

It may sound like a prejudice, but it’s actually proven that women get cold faster than men. That’s why in winter, the rule “men +1” often works well for women’s bike outfits. As a woman, you can wear the same garments in layers as men, but you should always plan an extra layer.

The cut is also always adapted to the figure in cycling clothing, so for women it isn’t the same as for men. Especially when it’s cold, a good fit is important so the cycling clothing sits well on the body and the wind from riding can’t get in. Even if women wear multiple layers on top of each other, a sporty, figure-hugging outfit can still be created.

↪ Women’s cycling clothing for winter↩

Fahrradhosen Damen | Fahrradjacken Damen | Fahrrad-Trikots Damen

What size should winter cycling clothing be?

For cycling sports in winter, it’s recommended to wear several thin layers on top of each other.

Your winter cycling clothing should therefore fit well in parts.
But you should also have a few slightly larger tops and trousers ; this clothing then fits over the lower layers.
In general, many thin layers are better than a few thick ones – the well-known onion-Look effect. It has many advantages. On the one hand, if you get warm after a while, you can take off individual layers. That helps prevent overheating. In addition, the air between the layers warms up and forms an extra insulating layer.
For this reason, the lower layers of your winter outfit should fit close to the body. The upper layers may fit loosely over them, but not too big , because then air would circulate and the constantly new cold air quickly cools the body.

Cycling clothing for winter – FAQs

Waterproof, windproof, breathable – what properties do you need?

It’s cold. Which cycling clothing is right for that?

A: If your cycling clothing is breathable and dries quickly, that’s a big advantage, because then the skin always feels dry and you don’t cool down. That’s why in cold weather in winter you should wear functional clothing that transports moisture to the outside and away from the body.

Does winter cycling clothing have to be waterproof?

A: For your cycling clothing for wet winter weather, waterproofness is the absolute deal-breaker criterion ! Nothing is worse than getting wet down to the skin in winter. That’s why a waterproof membrane or coating is always a good idea if you ride outside in any weather.

On cold but dry days you should go for more breathable clothing, because then their advantages outweigh the rest.

Waterproof and breathable – can you have both?

Breathable or waterproof – it is possible to have both, but usually one of the two properties is always dominant.

Windproof winter cycling clothing

Winter + riding wind is a nasty mix, so a windproof membrane is a good thing for winter cycling clothing. If your cycling jacket only has a windproof membrane, it’s probably not fully waterproof, but at least water-repellent (for example, that’s often the case with softshell).

How do you care for winter cycling clothing?

Base layers like vests and jerseys, and also cycling trousers, generally tolerate many washes. But with waterproof outer clothing it’s different; many wash cycles can gradually reduce the coatings.

You can also reproof winter cycling clothing yourself. Especially good are wash-in reproofing agents, which you put into the washing machine and which distribute optimally. After a few washes, it’s recommended to restore waterproofness.

Does it really have to be cycling clothing?

A: Let’s say you want to ride through the winter forest on your MTB. A snow suit would also be an option, wouldn’t it?! But it would be a bad idea! Especially if you wear many layers on top of each other, and particularly if those layers are made from thicker fabrics, you should definitely use special cycling clothing !

Only tops and trousers that are really designed for cyclists are adapted to the riding position. Other clothes, even sportswear, would pinch in some places, form creases in others and chafe.
Winter cycling clothing has not only a special cut, but also a special construction. For example, seams in the seat area are avoided so they don’t disturb or chafe.
If you wear multiple layers on top of each other, that’s very important, because many seams in the wrong place can lead to skin getting rubbed raw!
Winter cycling jackets also have an interesting feature: they’re particularly dense on the front and sleeves and especially breathable on the back, to keep the riding wind under control.
The materials are adapted to the requirements of cyclists. They’re elastic, quick-drying, easy to care for and often odour-inhibiting.
Membranes and coatings are responsible for the functionality; they make the outer skin waterproof, windproof or particularly heat-insulating.

Conclusion: The longer and more intense your winter bike rides are, the more it’s worth investing in good bike clothing.

Winter clothing for different cycling disciplines – our best tips

Which clothing is right in winter also depends on what you plan to do. Of course you need different equipment for commuting to work than for intensive road bike training.

Cycling clothing for winter in the city

If you also like to do smaller bike tours in winter, handle Christmas shopping or ride to work every day, we have a few more tips for you:

The warming base layers will probably make you sweat quickly at work; indoors they’re simply too much. Here, a fairly thick jacket is probably the better choice. A winter bike jacket is also particularly comfortable on the bike. But you can wear it even when you’re not riding.
Cycling jackets should have reflectors on the sleeves, if you’re riding in dense city traffic. They stand out especially when you give hand signals while turning. That way you won’t be overlooked in city traffic.
If you commute to work, you can’t really take the weather into account. That’s why you should have a rain trouser ready that protects you from rain and snow. If it’s a bit looser, it will fit over your work clothes. A bit warmer and seamlessly windproof is a onesie, a rain suit. If you buy it slightly bigger, you can wear it over your clothes on the go and take it off in the office.
Here’s our pro tip for commuters: cycling clothing is usually cut so that the lower back stays covered. That’s not necessarily the case with everyday clothing and especially not with business clothing. In winter, a kidney belt like roller riders or motorcyclists wear can help. These belly belts are simply worn over your clothes and under your jacket to keep the belly and kidney area warm.
If you’re riding with the E-Bike in winter, you should dress especially warmly. On the E-Bike you ride faster. That means the wind from riding is stronger. But because the motor helps you, you don’t have to work as hard, so you sweat less. Warmer cycling clothing is particularly important here.

Cycling clothing for winter on a road bike

black, close-fitting winter jacket for cycling, men

Cycling clothing for road cyclists is tight to the skin; keep that in mind if you want to put together an onion outfit. It’s quite possible that under the jacket, which fits perfectly in summer, there won’t be enough space for a vest, a long-sleeve and a jersey. Then you should invest in a slightly larger winter jacket.
For winter you can buy long bibs with and without braces, which have warm padding. But brace trousers are recommended, because they prevent a freezing gap forming at the back.
When buying road bike clothing for winter, make sure it has well-fitting cuffs. Often there are silicone coatings that prevent the tight clothing from slipping. Jacket hems or sleeves that wander around are really annoying in summer. In winter it gets horribly cold when gaps appear.
In winter, road bike clothing often differs between front and back. Arms and chest area are windproof and warming, while on the back the garments can breathe well. If you get cold in the back , you need a jacket that warms you all over!
If wind chill on descents bothers you, you can try a trick from pro road cyclists from back in the day : maybe it’s a legend, but apparently road cyclists used to tuck a thick layer of newspaper under their jersey when going downhill. It protected the chest from the wind while riding. Once you got to the bottom, the newspaper would simply go to recycling.
If you’re doing your training rides on country roads, you should definitely make sure as much of your clothing is lit up and reflective. That way drivers won’t miss you.

MTB clothing for winter

Winter jackets for mountain bikers don’t just work on the bike. You can actually wear them all the time. Image © Platzangst

Winter presents off-road riders with particularly tough conditions. It’s not just cold, it’s also especially dirty and slippery. Under mud and snow, some obstacles stay hidden until you roll over them. So you’ll probably have to dismount more often than in summer. That means, on the one hand: don’t forget protectors! On the other hand, it gets especially wet!

MTB winter clothing should be particularly easy to wash; that’s the A&O.
Because the risk of crashing increases, you need particularly robust and tear-resistant clothing .
When buying clothes, you should also think about your protectors ! They must fit under the cycling clothing or be worn over it without restricting your arms and legs.
To give you enough freedom of movement, mountain bike clothing is usually cut much roomier than road bike clothing. That makes it especially easy to combine a few extra layers.
Gilets over a light jacket give your arms more room.
Mountain bike clothing is close-fitting all around; it protects the body from wind and moisture. From the front, the riding wind should stay outside; on the back, the part of the trail that your tyres throw up shouldn’t soak you through.
Especially practical and warm is an overall or onesie, i.e. a suit that wraps you from head to toe.
Winter jackets for mountain bikers often have hoods. If that doesn’t work with your helmet, or if the neck brace gets in the way, you need a jacket without a hood or with a removable hood.

The right accessories for winter

In fact, it’s the small stuff that makes winter riding on a bike really enjoyable. Because the small parts and accessories are genuinely important for your comfort.

Our tip: buy a few multifunction cloths. These clever tubular scarves work as a headband, a beanie under the helmet, or as a nose warmer. If needed, you can even wrap them over your gloves. For transport, you can simply loop them around the handlebar or your wrists, so you always have a supply with you.

❄️ Accessories for winter cycling ❄️

Fahrradhandschuhe | Helmmützen | Multifunktionstücher | Überschuhe

Everything you need to know if you want to ride in winter – the blog series:

Bicycle clothing for winter – the best frost protection