Lug & Carrie’s Favourite All-Weather Gear
When riding in those middle months of the year, gray skies, cool temps, and some sprinkles urge us to stay in bed, and to keep the bike in the shed.
But it’s all still there, all the good things about cycling: the fresh air, the exercise, a slower pace to things, and the better parking.
Luckily there’s a remedy for the weather, in the form of proper gear. The crew at Lug & Carrie does a lot of winter riding, we’ve even written a handy guide with some tips and tricks that we’ve picked up over the years.
There are plenty of options out there for cycling apparel but we thought that as you already trust us to tune your Tern, you might also trust our choices in winter gear.
Jordan’s Recommendations
Recent Lug & Carrie customers and anyone who has received a bike service recently would have met Jordo, who heads up our sales and service. He bikes a lot, mostly on solo trips either commuting or out on the trails, and he’s got a mix of gear that works for when the weather turns.
His overall recommendation? “Go for versatile gear. Don’t worry too much about getting fancy cycling specific gear, get good quality pieces that you can use for biking and for your other outdoor adventures.”
Here’s what Jordo uses to keep himself warm and dry:
– Rapha Commuter Jacket – Jordo’s attempt at looking pretty in pink, the Rapha Commuter jacket is highly visible and waterproof.
– Macpac Base & Mid layers – Jordo has a couple of Macpac shirts of varying warmth that he can layer as needed depending on the temps outside.
– Outdoor Research liner gloves – Jordo uses the Outdoor Research liners by themselves on his bike, and couples them with a thicker pair of gloves for trips to the snow.
– Giro Rumble shoes with thick socks – The Giro Rumbles look good enough to be worn casually, but have the ability to work with clipless cycling pedals.
For those weather days when you need a little something extra
– The Cleverhood Rain Cape – The longer length of this rain cape by Cleverhood works great at keeping your back and legs covered. It is also another great layer that packs up small, which makes it easy for Jordo to always have on hand for those times when a random storm rolls in out of nowhere.
– Patagonia Torrentshell Pants – The Patagonia Torrentshell are excellent quality waterproof pants that will keep your legs dry when it is bucketing.
Rachel’s Recommendations
Rachel and her two children Sam and Josie have loved getting around on their Tern GSD since becoming one of our favourite customers in February 2021. Rachel is also our newest (and new favourite) team member! Like Jordo, Rachel is big on layering, and with the kids she thinks it is important to be prepared.
“I find it best to invest in good base layers, such as Uniqlo Heattech Thermals and Merino socks and beanies. These keep you toasty, but are also breathable and ultra-comfy. And if either of the kids mention that they’re too cold, I always have extra layer options stashed in our trusty panniers.”
Here are more details on the gear that has kept Rachel and her kids riding during the middle months:
Rachel’s Gear
– Patagonia Fleece and Torrentshell Jacket – Rachel likes the Torrentshell jacket, which is just as excellent as the waterproof pants that Jordo uses.
– Rapha Brevet gloves – Insulated, breathable gloves by Rapha, with reflective material on the back of the hands to increase your visibility.
– Fleece lined leggings – Something to keep the legs warm, and super comfortable for riding.
– Merry People Gumboots and wool socks – Comfy, warm, dry and they look good. What’s not to love?
Sam & Josie’s Gear
– Uniqlo Heattech Thermals – Uniqlo makes good value, multi-use thermals.
– Sam’s Gorman Rainsuit & Josie’s Kuling fleece lined rain coverall – covering the kids tip to tail in rainsuits or coveralls is a good strategy for keeping them warm and dry.
– CryWolf gumboots – great boots from a cool New Zealand brand.
– Disana wool beanie – a little something extra under the helmet to keep out the wind never hurts.
There’s lots of other gear that we love, and we’ve tried a bunch that works and discarded the stuff that doesn’t. If you’d like any recommendations for yourself, get in touch!