Choosing the right clothing to wear for the conditions is often hard. When you’re indoors getting ready for a ride, it can be difficult to gauge the conditions outside and it’s all too easy to end up underdressed or overdressed, both of which can be uncomfortable.
You’ll probably warm up once you get moving, so unless you’re seriously underdressed on a chilly day, after a few minutes of riding you may find that you need to shed layers. People vary in how hot they get too, so what is comfortable for one rider may not be for another.
Fortunately, if you get the basics right, you can usually adjust your temperature during a ride. That may be by unzipping or zipping up a jersey or jacket, but items like a buff, arm warmers or a cap are easy to remove during a ride and stash away in a jersey pocket if you don’t need them.
Here’s a guide to our recommended clothing for different seasons, from the heat of summer right through to the depths of winter.
Do I need special cycling clothing?
Why wear clothing specifically designed for cycling? It’s often expensive and fussy to wash and, with synthetic fabrics dominating, inclined to get smelly.
But cycling clothing is designed to fit closely. That has a few advantages. First, it’s made of highly technical fabrics. The inner layers help wick sweat away from your body and, in summer, promote evaporative cooling to keep you more comfortable. In winter, the wicking effect stops that clammy wet feeling and helps prevent you from getting a potentially dangerous chill.
The close fit also helps to prevent wind flap and chafing. This can be irritating as a minimum, plus loose clothing adds drag and therefore costs you speed.
Cycling shorts and tights usually come with a seat pad, otherwise known as a chammy or chamois, from the days when it really was made of a single layer of chamois leather. Modern seat pads are much more complex, with multiple layers of different density foam and a soft upper layer, which can make a hard saddle a lot more comfortable for a longer ride.
Outer layers for wet or cold weather have their own set of physical properties to help keep you more comfortable. Often, they’re insulated and have a fleece ‘Roubaix’ inner surface to keep you warmer. They may be windproof, which can help prevent windchill when the temperature drops.
Wet weather gear will be waterproof too. The most basic damp protection is a durable water repellent (DWR) coating on the outer surface of a garment. This tends to wet out if there’s persistent rain and also to wear off and become less effective with washing and use. It’s a good option for light protection though.
Heavier duty wind and/or rain protection usually comes from a membrane sandwiched between two layers of fabric. Some garments have a membrane designed to stop wind ingress, while others are also waterproof. Wind and waterproof garments may be ‘hard shell’, where there’s little stretch to the fabric and no insulation but good water resistance, or ‘softshell’, where the fabric is insulated and stretchy but may be less waterproof.
A fully waterproof garment will usually have taped seams to stop water from getting in through the stitching. This can make riding more comfortable in the rain, but a fully waterproof jacket will usually be less breathable than a softshell or unproofed jacket, and you may get sweaty.
What to wear cycling in summer
If you’re lucky enough to be heading out on a hot summer day, your main aim is to stay cool. That means lightweight clothing that can promote airflow over your body and wick sweat away to keep you cool.
It’s worth noting that, like summer cycling, indoor cycling can get very hot, so your clothing needs will be similar. You can buy indoor cycling kit that’s often even lighter weight than summer cycle clothing and specifically designed to be comfortable on an indoor trainer.
Top half clothing
The main component of top half clothing will be a lightweight, short sleeve summer jersey. These will almost always have three rear pockets for food and other ride essentials. It’s important to stay protected from the sun, so many jerseys will have a UPF rating, often around 30, although some like the Le Col Pro II jersey raise this to UPF 50. Road cyclists rarely wear sleeveless tops, more out of tradition than anything.
Lighter-weight mesh jerseys like the Castelli Superleggera may be cooler, but they will offer little sun protection, so you may need to apply sunscreen underneath to avoid sunburn.
There’s hot debate as to whether you should wear a base layer in the summer. The consensus is ‘maybe’. As discussed above, it may help with moisture transfer, but a technical jersey is made from fabrics that should achieve this in any case. With a really lightweight summer jersey, a base layer may help preserve your modesty. Women usually wear a sports bra under their jersey.
A base layer may also help if you’re setting off early or arriving home later and it’s cooler at the start or end of your ride. A pair of lightweight arm warmers is also useful for cool starts. These can be rolled down or removed if it warms up later.
Editor’s picks
- Le Col Pro Jersey II (£145) / Le Col Womens Pro Jersey II (£145)
- Castelli Climber’s 3.0 SL2 Jersey (£100) / Castelli Climber’s 2.0 Women’s Jersey (£100)
- Endura Pro SL Jersey (£95) / Endura Women’s Pro SL Jersey (£95)
Bottom half clothing
Summer cycling shorts, like summer jerseys, are made from lightweight fabrics to help keep you cooler. Black is the traditional colour, although there are alternatives. White shorts can quickly look dirty and can be revealing, particularly if it rains.
Some summer shorts have a ‘coldblack’ surface treatment that reflects infrared radiation and helps to keep you cooler. Others have mesh panels on the legs for extra cooling; as with mesh jerseys, you may need sunscreen. Other shorts have cargo pockets in the legs, which can be useful if you want to stash more food or a phone, or if you’re planning a bikepacking trip. Although initially designed for gravel riding, they’re gaining acceptance on the road as well.
Most cyclists usually prefer bib shorts to waist shorts. The bib straps help keep the shorts in place better than a waistband when you’re standing then sitting repeatedly and there’s no elastic to dig into your stomach while riding. The bibs also help to hold your seat pad in position better than a waistband.
The choice is a bit more nuanced for women riders, as a comfort break when wearing standard bib shorts may require stripping off almost completely. For this reason, some women may prefer waist shorts, although quality women’s bib shorts often come with features such as a halter neck or a release mechanism for the straps to make them easier to remove.
Cycling shorts are designed to be worn without underwear. The seat pad will have a top layer that’s smooth against the skin and helps to absorb sweat and avoid the dreaded saddle sores. Chamois cream can help here too. Underwear adds another layer that could chafe and retain moisture next to your skin, particularly if it’s made of cotton.
Some brands label their seat pad for the length of ride in hours for which they’re designed. Pads for longer rides may have more dense and thicker foam padding and include other features like gel inserts. Don’t assume that a pad aimed at longer rides will be more comfortable for you though, as on hot rides a thinner pad with more air circulation may work better.
Editor’s picks
- Rapha Men’s Core Bib Shorts (£110) / Rapha Women’s Core Bib Shorts (£110)
- Sportful Total Comfort Men’s Bib Shorts (£180) / Sportful Total Comfort Women’s Shorts (£135)
- 7mesh Men’s Mk3 Cargo Bib Shorts (£200) / 7mesh Women’s Wk3 Cargo Bib Shorts (£200)
Head
Most cyclists just wear a helmet in hot weather to ensure good airflow to keep their heads cool. You may find a lightweight cycling cap comfortable though, as the brim will keep the sun out of your eyes. It will also help to stop sweat from dripping into your eyes and afford some sun protection. Cycling sunglasses will keep the sun, bugs and dust out of your eyes.
Editor’s picks
- MET Vinci Mips Helmet (€120)
- Specialized S-Works Prevail III Helmet (£280)
- Giro Aries Spherical Helmet (£290)
- Lazer Strada KinetiCore Helmet (£90)
Hands
Many cyclists ride with bare hands in hot weather. Your palms can become sweaty and swollen though, so a pair of fingerless cycling mitts can help keep them more comfortable and will add some extra padding between them and the bars.
They can also help protect your hands if you fall off. Lightweight full-finger gloves like those favoured by mountain bikers can be useful to protect your fingers from bushes and brambles on gravel rides.
Editor’s picks
- Giro Monaco 2 Gel Road Cycling Mitts (£40)
- Castelli Arenberg Gel 2 Gloves (£44)
- Specialized Men’s Body Geometry Dual-Gel Short Finger Gloves (£30)
Feet
On longer rides, more serious riders will usually wear cycling shoes. These are specifically designed to work with your pedals, holding your feet in place more securely and improving pedalling efficiency.
Cycling shoes can get complex and expensive, although budget cycling shoes will probably be fine for many riders. But fundamentally, there are three types: flat sole cycling shoes are often preferred by mountain bikers and rely on pins on flat pedals to hold your feet in place.
Other cycling shoes have holes drilled into the sole to allow you to fix cleats, which engage with ‘clipless’ pedals to hold your feet in place.
Cycling shoes for clipless pedals may have two bolt holes in the sole or three. Two bolt cleats are small, metal and recessed into the sole, making walking easier. Three bolt cleats are large, plastic and protrude from the bottom of the shoe, resulting in the characteristic cyclist’s waddle when off the bike.
Two bolt cleats are favoured by gravel riders and some mountain bikers (who often ride flat pedals), while three bolt cleats are the preserve of road cyclists, who don’t expect to walk far off the bike.
All cycling shoes will have stiffer soles than a regular trainer, helping to keep your feet supported and comfortable and transfer your leg power more efficiently to the pedals. Often, road cycling shoes will have very stiff carbon soles, although these may make walking even more difficult.
Most cycling shoes are built to promote airflow and keep your feet cool. They’ll usually have punched venting or mesh panels in the uppers and vent holes in the sole.
In the summer, they can be paired with lightweight cycling socks. A short ankle cuff is preferred, as it helps to protect your ankles from the cranks and chain.
Editor’s picks
- Fizik Tempo Overcurve R4 Road Cycling Shoes (€219)
- Specialized Torch 1.0 Road Cycling Shoes (£100)
- Giro Cadet Shoes Road Cycling Shoes (£150)
Spring and autumn riding
With the cooler temperatures typical (at least in the UK) in the spring and autumn, you’re likely to need some extra warmth and the ability to regulate your temperature, so that you stay comfortable, becomes more important than on a hot summer ride. At temperatures between, say, 8°C and 15°C, there’s a fine line between feeling fine and getting cold, depending on what you’re wearing.
You’re also more likely to encounter wet weather. On a hot summer day, a downpour may be welcome and cooling, but if the weather is colder you’ll want to protect yourself from uncomfortable windchill if you get wet.
Top half clothing
If it’s not too cold, a summer jersey may be fine as your main upper body garment. When it’s cooler, a lighter-weight base layer comes into its own and can add some extra warmth. Supplement this with arm warmers for extra insulation.
The next option to add for extra warmth and windproofing is a lightweight gilet. These usually have a windproof front panel, often with a lighter weight mesh back to keep you comfortable. They’re very packable, so you can pop it in a jersey pocket if the weather warms up.
You can also buy heavier-weight, insulated gilets for cooler rides. They’ll keep your torso warmer, but you’ll usually have to wear them for the whole ride as they’re less packable. They won’t protect your arms, so these may get cold.
A lightweight windproof jacket is also a good option as it extends the windproofing to your arms, which can often feel the cold more than your torso. In the rain, a lightweight waterproof jacket will increase your protection without being too warm.
Long sleeve cycling jerseys are often fleeced on the inside to add warmth, although since they are not usually windproof they may not be as effective as a summer jersey/gilet/arm warmer combination on cooler rides. They’re not as versatile either.
Finally, a lightweight windproof jersey/jacket is a good option, particularly if there’s a risk of rain. The Castelli Gabba was the original, but almost every cycle clothing brand has an equivalent. The level of insulation, breathability and rainproofing varies and some can become uncomfortably damp inside if it’s not actually raining.
Editor’s picks
- Santini Adapt Wool LS Jersey (£130) / Santini Coral Bengal Women’s LS Jersey (£110)
- Le Col Pro Aqua Zero Men’s LS Jersey (£170) / Le Col Pro Aqua Zero Women’s LS Jersey (£170)
- Castelli Perfetto RoS Men’s LS Jacket (£220) / Castelli Perfetto RoS Women’s LS Jacket (£230)
Bottom half clothing
If you’ve got the top half sorted, you can often ride in summer cycling shorts in the cusp seasons. Windchill may become uncomfortable but Gore, for example, adds a windproof front cup to its pad in its C5 Opti Bib Shorts+ to keep chilly winds away from your groin.
It’s important to keep your thigh muscles warm, as they’re doing the lion’s share of the work when you’re cycling. Add knee warmers to your summer shorts and you’ll provide them with more insulation. You can also buy three-quarter length bib knickers which have the same effect, but are less versatile.
Many brands offer insulated bib shorts for cooler rides. These are made of thicker fabric than summer shorts and usually have a fleeced roubaix inner face. Some like the Sportful Fiandre Norain bib shorts are DWR coated to help keep you drier if the roads are damp.
Editor’s picks
- dhb Classic Thermal Bib Shorts (£70)
- Le Col Sport Cargo Thermal Men’s Bib Shorts (£165) / Le Col Sport Cargo Thermal Women’s Bib Shorts (£165)
- Sportful Fiandre NoRain 2 Men’s Bib Shorts (£120) / Sportful Fiandre NoRain 2 Women’s Bib Shorts (£120)
Head
Once you’ve warmed up, you may be fine with just your helmet. If not, a cycling cap can add insulation, while a skull cap can also be useful and may help keep your ears warmer. Both are easily removed and stored if you find they’re not needed later on your ride.
Editor’s picks
Hands
Again, whether you need insulation depends on how cold the weather is and how much you feel it. Bare hands or mitts may be fine on warmer days, but a lightweight pair of windproof or knitted gloves can be more comfortable if it’s cooler.
Editor’s picks
- Rapha Pro Team Gloves (£75)
- Gore Gore-Tex Infinium Stretch Gloves (£45)
- GripGrab Insulator 2 Spring-Autumn Gloves (€40)
Feet
On milder, dry days you may be fine in your summer cycling shoes, although a slightly thicker pair of socks inside may be more comfortable. Look for wool content for extra warmth.
But the venting in cycling shoes may be your enemy if it’s cooler or the roads are wet. A pair of oversocks, also called Belgian booties, can help keep your feet a little warmer. On colder rides or if it’s wet, a pair of cycling overshoes will close off their airflow through your shoes and keep your feet warmer and drier. Some are more insulated than others, and so may be more suitable for full-on winter rides.
Editor’s picks
- Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Cycling Oversock (£38)
- Assos Spring Fall Booties (£55)
- Sportful Speed Skin Silicone Booties (£55)
Winter riding
Once it gets properly cold, below 5°C, say, the temptation is to put the bike away until spring. But riding in winter can be just as enjoyable as at any other time of year, if you get your clothing choices right. Winter cycling is a great antidote to the winter blues and will help keep your fitness level up, so you’re better prepared for warmer summer rides.
The key to comfort in winter is layering, so that you’re adequately protected and can add or remove clothing as the conditions dictate.
Top half clothing
Starting from the inside and working out, a long-sleeved base layer is essential. It will be a lot thicker than a summer base layer to add insulation, but will still wick sweat away from your skin to avoid windchill. Winter base layers may be synthetic, but Merino wool or part-Merino is a great option that stays warm even if it gets wet.
You may want to wear a summer jersey over the base layer to add extra warmth if it’s really cold out, or even add a dedicated thermal midlayer.
But the mainstay of a winter top half outfit is an insulated, windproof thermal cycling jacket. Softshells work well here, as they offer some waterproofing as well. Make sure that the collar, cuffs and hem fit well to keep out draughts and look for a windproof zip or a storm flap behind the zip to keep out the wind.
There are fully waterproof cycling jackets too, but these are often too warm for all but the chilliest conditions and not sufficiently breathable to avoid condensation forming on their inner surface. A more versatile option is to stick with the windproof option and carry a lightweight packable waterproof jacket in your pocket in case it rains.
Basic boil-in-the-bag rain shells are useful, but more sophisticated (and much more expensive) jackets such as those using Gore-Tex fabrics are the gold standard, as these combine waterproofing with some breathability.
Editor’s picks
- Endura Men’s Pro SL Primaloft Jacket II (£165) / Endura Women’s Pro SL Primaloft Jacket (£165)
- Rapha Men’s Pro Team Insulated Jacket (£230) / Rapha Women’s Pro Team Winter Jacket (£220)
- Assos Equipe Habu Men’s Winter Jacket S9 (£310) / Assos Uma GT Ultraz Winter Jacket Evo (£300)
Bottom half clothing
In the winter, cycling bib tights and women’s bib tights are the go-to choice. They’ll usually be insulated and may also be windproof and water-resistant. Some may include a membrane, but since they need to move with your legs, a DWR-coated fleeced fabric may be more comfortable as the fabric will be less stiff.
Most bib tights include a seat pad, but you can also wear unpadded tights over bib shorts, which should work out a little cheaper if you’ve invested in a good pair of summer shorts.
If you have a pair of thermal bib shorts, you can pair them with leg warmers for a similar result, which will also give you a double layer of fabric over your hard-working thighs.
Editor’s picks
- Castelli Sorpasso RoS Men’s Bib Tights (£200) / Castelli Sorpasso RoS Women’s Tights (£175)
- Endura FS260 Pro Thermo Men’s Bib Tights II (£115) / Endura FS260-Pro Thermo Women’s Tights (£105)
- dhb Aeron Lab Men’s Winter Bib Tights (£180) / dhb Aeron Lab Women’s Winter Bib Tights (£180)
Head
Keeping your extremities warm is vital when it’s cold out. A skull cap or cycling cap that covers your ears will add comfort without bulk and fit under your helmet. A buff (or ‘neck tube’) is a versatile accessory, as you can wear it on your head or around your neck as a snood to keep it warmer.
Editor’s picks
- Gore C3 Windstopper Helmet Cap (£30)
- Castelli Pro Thermal Skully (£24)
- dhb Windslam Cycling Skull Cap (£14)
Hands
Keep your hands warm for a comfortable cold weather ride. That means a pair of winter gloves, which are insulated, windproof and usually rain-resistant as well. The best winter cycling gloves have their padding placed so that it won’t interfere with your bar feel and grip.
Editor’s picks
- Castelli Estremo Gloves (£100)
- GripGrab Ride Windproof Winter Gloves (€45)
- Gore Windstopper Thermo Gloves (£65)
Feet
For those that can wear the material, a good quality pair of wool socks will go a long way to keeping your feet and toes warm. As with your base layer, Merino wool is your friend, as it’s warm even if your feet get wet and not too bulky. Otherwise, look for proper insulating synthetic socks.
Make sure that your socks don’t make your feet too tight in your cycling shoes though, as this can reduce blood circulation and actually make your feet feel colder.
For really terrible conditions, waterproof socks from the likes of Sealskinz and Dexshell are well worth considering, as there’s nothing worse than wet feet on a long ride.
Over your cycling shoes, you’ll want to wear thicker overshoes to add insulation and some water resistance, although since their base is open, overshoes are never completely waterproof.
If you’re a committed winter cyclist, it might be worth investing in a pair of winter cycling shoes. These are completely enclosed, without vents, and have a breathable membrane to keep your feet dry.
Editor’s picks
That’s a long list, but get it right and you’ll be comfortable riding whatever the elements throw at you. Check out our full range of posts on cycle clothing for more buyer’s guides and clothing news and reviews.