Essential cycling kit

I’d get a baselayer, it
I’d get a baselayer, it lengthens the duration in which you can get away with the jersey & armwarmer approach. These needn’t be expensive.

As far as longsleeve’s concerned, I usually have a soft longsleeve so I can layer up for super cold days (base, jersey, armwarmers, soft longsleeve) – always handy, and you can always ditch one of those layers for the in-between.

I don’t actually own a softshell. I have a hardshell high vis for when it’s REALLY bad/night time winter riding. Instead, I find a windblock covers better ground, in that while you’re always inevitably going to get wet if it’s raining – it’s better to keep the cold wind out to stop said water freezing you. Windblocks generally keep out a spot of rain anyway.

Winter socks – you only need a couple of pairs of merino badboys, defeet or sportful do really nice and relatively cheap ones.

Don’t get me started on oversocks though, I have an addiction, I have lycra for the summer, wool/belgian for early autumn/late spring, neoprene for greasy days and then full on industrial scale weatherproof ones for winter.

It is really confusing, I did my first winter on a bike last year and probably definitely didn’t have enough on. Saying that I got by quite well this season without spending much.

OOH if you can afford do try some of the sportful or castelli “anti rain” leg and arm warmers. again a good mixer for most seasonal change. I’ve got through a northern winter this year with JUST shorts and legwarmers (it helps to use hot balm underneath!)