Braving the Cold Cycle Do you need the latest high-tech
winter biking apparel? By REED ALBERGOTTI
November 24, 2007
Why buy a $600 cycling jacket when a 25-cent newspaper will do the trick?

Cyclists in the Tour de France still use papers, handed out by fans at the top of chilly mountains, under their jerseys as thermal insulators for the way down. It's partly tradition, but newspaper is good at trapping body heat, and it keeps riders surprisingly warm.

Spend five minutes on a cycling-apparel Web site like Competitivecyclist.com, however, and you might be convinced otherwise. There, an array of the latest made-for-cycling coats, pants and gloves can quickly add up to $2,000, which is more than some people spend on a bicycle.

If you have an open-ended cycling budget, some of the pricier gear can be worth it, especially for protecting vulnerable areas like the feet. A $300 pair of winter cycling shoes from a brand like Sidi or Lake will block cold air far better than a pair of regular cycling shoes, which have vents for breathability.

But if you're just commuting to work, it probably isn't necessary to spend $500 or $600 on a jacket, though cyclists do praise the $595 Fugujack jacket by Swiss maker Assos for thoughtful details like a longer flap in the back to stop wind and water-spray from the back wheel. A less expensive covering, like Nashbar's $89 Gore-Tex women's cycling jacket, will do the job when paired with a warm base layer.

WINTER CYCLING GUIDE
  Tactics and equipment for feeling the burn, not the chill Base Layer
Some cyclists find wool to be just as effective as new synthetics for staying warm. Canadian company Sugoi has a new merino-wool line. Water Bottle
Put your water bottle in your back pocket so your body heat keeps your water from freezing. Polar's insulated water bottle ($8.99-$9.99) will help prevent your water from turning to ice. Lights
If you ride in winter, chances are you'll be in the dark part of the time. Princeton Tec's Switchback 1 ($199.99) has an LED bright enough to light up the road. Footwear
Make sure winter biking shoes are big enough for at least one pair of thick wool socks. Sidi makes electrically heated insoles called Toasters ($299.99), which change temperature based on readings from a built-in thermometer. Tires
Studded or spiked tires can help for navigating snowy or icy patches of road. This year, Canadian maker Schwalbe put snow-gripping metal spikes on one of its popular commuter-tire treads ($69.95 ). BUDGET SOLUTIONS
  Winter cycling apparel that won't break the bank Nashbar Women's Gore-Tex Cycling Jacket, $89.99
This waterproof jacket is lined with polyester mesh to increase breathability and has elasticized cuffs that cinch over the tops of gloves. Terramar Microlight EC2 Quik-Dri Crew, $19.99
Made from polyester with an antimicrobial treatment to stop odor, this base layer wicks moisture away from the skin. Growing numbers of weekend triathletes and bike racers have created a market for high-end clothing. Nashbar.com, an online cycling retailer, says cold-weather gear sales were up 10% last winter from the year before. Italian cycling-shoe maker Sidi says U.S. sales of its winter cycling boots more than doubled last winter over the previous year, and it predicts orders will be up 25% this winter. The company says the jump in sales is partly a result of its new design incorporating a Gore-Tex bootie.

Hard-core winter gear is really necessary only for cyclists training hard for endurance sports in the cold. These athletes sometimes ride seven hours or more in the cold and wind and wearing the wrong gear can lead to hypothermia and other illnesses. Temperatures in the 40s can feel like they're below freezing when you're cruising at 20 mph, and going downhill at 35 or 40 mph can be downright painful, even when not pedaling.

It's possible to stay warm and stay out of bankruptcy. Charles Townsend, a 54-year-old business consultant and bike racer in St. Paul, Minn., has been riding through Midwest winters for more than 30 years. He stopped using newspapers in the 1980s and now uses polyesters and other synthetics to keep warm, and he has developed some cost-saving tricks. He cycles against the wind at the beginning of a ride and with the wind at the end so he doesn't have to fight the wind as well as damp clothes and fatigue late in the workout. To keep warm, he sometimes sticks on a few ThermaCare heat wraps, normally used for back pain, under his gear. He buys them for $1 apiece.

Fabric technology usually develops first for sports with larger markets, like skiing, then trickles down to cycling apparel. Manufactures have figured out how to adapt items like ski jackets, which are too bulky for cycling, to the needs of bikers. That means putting wind-stopping fabric on the front of clothes and fabric that allows heat and moisture to escape in the rear.

Manufacturers have also found new materials and technologies for cycling apparel. Some are experimenting with fibers that heat up when exposed to sunlight or moisture. Increasingly, clothiers are weaving silver into fabrics, which has been shown to cut down on odor-causing bacteria.

CHILL CUTTERS
  For those prepared to spend a little more, this apparel offers extra protection for winter rides. Pearl Izumi Octane Jacket
Price: $179.99
This jacket's removable hood will fit over a cycling helmet. The exterior features reflective tape designed to get super-bright under headlights. Lake CXZ302 Winter Road Shoe
Price: $259.99
Lake's heavy-duty road-bike shoe got an update this year with an inner cover that straps around the lower part of the foot and an outer cover that Velcroes around the ankle, for a warmer and snugger fit. Rudy Project Ekynox Mask Tactical
Price: $187.50
In cold temperatures, some cyclists say their glasses fog up or their eyes water. These glasses function like ski goggles to protect eyes but are closer to the size of sunglasses. Textile researchers are developing fabrics that become more porous when warm, letting out heat, and close up to trap heat when the temperature drops. There also is cycling gear with reflective properties built into the fabric.

Adding electronics is another innovation. Sports-apparel maker Descente is working on a glove that uses battery-powered heating technology. The company expects to release a product in the $60-to-$70 range for the 2009 season. Last season, Sidi began selling an electronically heated insole for cycling boots.

Some changes in winter cycling gear are decidedly less high-tech. Descente has a soft material on its winter gloves that cuts down on chafing when wiping runny noses, a common problem on winter rides. Pearl Izumi's winter jacket has a removable hood big enough to cover a cycling helmet.

Craft's winter jacket has a "smart cuff" system: One cuff goes around the wrist and a second goes over the glove to keep out wind. Some companies are looking to old-fashioned solutions such as selling wool base layers, which they say are less itchy and more moisture wicking than some synthetics.

One unintended side effect of all this winter gear: If one arrives late to a group ride, all the extras take time to put on. "It takes me a half hour to get ready," Mr. Townsend says.

THE BOTTOM LINE

For keeping warm on a bike, traditional, low-tech solutions are often just as effective as the latest pricey gear. An inexpensive base layer from a sporting-goods store covered by a thin, windproof cycling jacket will achieve pretty much the same result as an expensive multilayered cycling jacket.

Two places it might be worth spending more: hands and feet, which are typically the most difficult parts of the body to keep warm. Consider investing in windproof booties and gloves.

Some Athletic Men May Risk Low Bone Density ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2007) — According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis affects more than 2 million men in the United States and nearly 12 million more have osteopenia—clinically significant low bone density that is less severe than osteoporosis. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri-Columbia has found that men engaging predominantly in low-impact forms of exercise have an increased incidence of osteopenia—a condition resulting in two times the risk of bone fracture.

"Unfortunately, some individuals who believe they are doing everything right in terms of their health might be surprised and upset by our finding," said Pamela Hinton, an associate professor of nutritional sciences in MU's College of Human Environmental Sciences, who co-authored the study. "We believe, however, that these results will ultimately serve as education and motivation for these people."

Hinton said the effects of osteopenia can be mitigated by integration of weight-bearing activities into the lifestyle of active individuals. Studies in pre- and post-menopausal women suggest that bone mineral density will increase 2 percent to 3 percent after six months of resistance training three times per week. Small changes in bone density translate into much larger changes in bone strength—a 1 percent increase in bone density reduces the risk of fracture by up to 5 percent.

"Regular, non-weight-bearing activities, such as swimming and cycling are effective measures for preventing the leading risk factors for death and disability in our society,” Hinton said. “But the results of this study suggest that regular weight-bearing activities, such as running, jogging, or rope jumping, are important for the maintenance of healthy bones."

The researchers measured bone mineral density in 43 competitive male cyclists and runners ages 20 to 59. Findings of the study included:

The cyclists had significantly lower bone mineral density of the whole body, especially of the lumbar spine, compared to runners.
63 percent of the cyclists had osteopenia of the spine or hip compared with 19 percent of the runners.
Cyclists were seven-times more likely to have osteopenia of the spine than the runners.
Background facts:

The risk of fracture is increased approximately two-fold in osteopenic individuals and five-fold in people with osteopenia.
Low bone density in males often remains undiagnosed and inadequately treated and, after suffering a fracture, men are less likely to receive follow-up care than women.
Risk factors for osteoporosis in men are similar to those identified in women: family history, age, low body weight, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, inadequate calcium or vitamin D intake, low reproductive hormone levels, physical inactivity, and disease or medication affecting bone metabolism.
The study, "Participation in road cycling versus running is associated with lower bone mineral density in men," will be published in Metabolism, and is authored by MU researchers R.S. Rector, R. Rogers, M. Ruebel and P.S. Hinton, in the Department of Nutritional Sciences.