Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Super duper cold weather riding gear

Cyclists have a lot of downtime in winter.  I'm on a few mailing lists (racing club, Bay Area cyclocross, etc) and there's much more email traffic on rainy days.  One topic that get's beat to death - cold weather riding gear.  Maybe it's preparedness, maybe it's wishful thinking, but everybody wants that magic pair of gloves or socks that will make a cold commute or Sunday morning ride seem like summer again.  To that point, here's a picture I snapped with my cell phone cam at the recent San Francisco bike swap.  

These are Bar Mits that look like they might have been inspired by similar products meant for people who ride their snowmobiles to the bar in Fargo, or by kayaker's pogies.   I'm sure they really cut the wind and let you ride in thin, dextrous gloves, but they pretty much lock you in to riding on the bar hoods.   There are some other similar products out there.  For example, AMF Threadworks Moose Mitts:
These gigantic mickey mouse ears of warmth look like they'd let you ride with your paws protected in the drops, on the tops and on the hoods.  I've got to believe that they'd flap like a dog's ears in the wind.

To those die hards who are riding their bike with enormous forearm cozies, we solute you, that's hard core.

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