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Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 4:22 pm
by Deadpool2
My commuting days are over and usually I don't tend to ride over winter but needs must and I have to do a trip to Basingstoke (60 miles each way for me). I have an old heated vest and a fleece, but I still struggle with the cold. Anything I can really do to stay warm other than take the train.
other gear includes a winter jacket, motorcycle jeans and short boots. Obviously winter gloves with the petrol station liners, various scarfs etc
cheers
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 4:41 pm
by Cousin Jack
Long johns under the jeans if you have them. Or the wife's tights at a push. And/or waterproof overtrousers.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 4:45 pm
by Skub
Get the heated vest as close to you as possible,don't put layers between you and the heat.
Handlebar muffs for the win on keeping your jazz bands warm.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 4:56 pm
by gremlin
Thermal layers. Lidl actually do decent sets for not much money from time to time.
And a big furry muff is always welcome.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:00 pm
by Count Steer
As above, base layer.
If you aren't in a rush, plan a stop for a coffee and a thaw out en route.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:11 pm
by Horse
A touring fairing?
Or a handlebar fairing. Or even a higher screen if the bike already has a vestigial screen.
Keeping wind blast off not only keeps you warmer, it's less tiring too. And if the screen is the correct height (just see over it) it will keep your visor cleaner too.
However, not the easiest / cheapest solution!
Layering for heat, with a heated vest.
Waterproof and insulated gloves x2 pairs (for when one set is sodden)
Waterproof boots
A good set of bike gear, waterproof, with insulation depending on how much you feel the cold
Consider a thin oversuit over that on very wet days to stop your suit getting sodden
If you're not used to long, wet, cold, journeys, don't underestimate how horrible they can be.
Will you have somewhere to hang wet gear?
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:15 pm
by Noggin
I know everyone says about base layers etc - they are right
But I pretty much Always used one of those hi-viz motorway worker jackets over everything. It protected from wind chill as well as adding the prevention of the warmth leaving through the layers!!
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:17 pm
by Horse
PS how many journeys? One or two, a few dozen? And how close is your destination to the station?
For the price of all that ^ , take the train and taxis if it's just a few.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:44 pm
by Rockburner
Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.
Also - what Horse mentioned - is there somewhere to hang your gear? "Wetted-out" bike gear will drip at least a litre or 2 of water over the course of the day, and still be damp and horrible to wear on the way home. If your gear isn't laminate, get the water-proofs on ASAP if it starts raining on your way in.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:46 pm
by Noggin
Rockburner wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:44 pm
Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.
If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:47 pm
by Rockburner
Noggin wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:46 pm
Rockburner wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:44 pm
Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.
If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?
That's why I asked.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:20 pm
by Buckaroo
Newspaper is very good as a base layer when placed across the front of the body.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:24 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Use a car or catch the train, or better yet, don't go, it's Basingstoke
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:28 pm
by Horse
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:24 pm
Use a car or catch the train, or better yet, don't go, it's Basingstoke
Apart from being a great place to be a learner, because it has so many roundabouts
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:41 pm
by Horse
Rockburner wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:47 pm
Noggin wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:46 pm
Rockburner wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:44 pm
Pretty much everything has been suggested I think. Re the jeans though - denim is NOT the warmest of materials, and it might be worth investing in some proper winter bike trousers if it's going to be a regular trip.
If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?
That's why I asked.
And why I asked about number of journeys and general wussness
Another point is sealing the joins:
- good neck seal, you don't want water seeping in
- neck tube / buff, for warmth (but, see above, can wick)
- wrists, no 'short' gloves
- wrists; depends on angle of forearms. If sloping down to bars, you need jacket over gloves to stop rain running in. And vice versa.
- wrists; cold dry day? You want gloves cuff over the jacket sleeve, to stop wind
- wrists #4! ... Ideally, if getting new kit, get a jacket with 'storm cuffs' which have an inner that goes inside the glove cuff and outer sleeve that goes over the glove
- ankles, wind blast up your trousers leg will get old very quickly
- I am a wuss - I've noticed the difference when a jacket storm flap wasn't poppered down and was letting wind in to the zip!
PS I was told once that I think about things too much. eg left glove on first. Can work out why?
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:44 pm
by Dodgy69
Might be a nice day.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 7:04 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Dodgy69 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:44 pm
Might be a nice day.
Have you been to Basingstoke, it could be beautiful weather but it would still be Basingstoke, though anywhere with Swingle Swangle Lane can't be all bad
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 7:35 pm
by Rockburner
Horse wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:41 pm
Rockburner wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:47 pm
Noggin wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:46 pm
If it's a one off, would a set of normal waterproofs over the jeans work? Not ideal but saves investing in gear if it's a one off trip?
That's why I asked.
And why I asked about number of journeys and general wussness
Another point is sealing the joins:
- good neck seal, you don't want water seeping in
- neck tube / buff, for warmth (but, see above, can wick)
- wrists, no 'short' gloves
- wrists; depends on angle of forearms. If sloping down to bars, you need jacket over gloves to stop rain running in. And vice versa.
- wrists; cold dry day? You want gloves cuff over the jacket sleeve, to stop wind
- wrists #4! ... Ideally, if getting new kit, get a jacket with 'storm cuffs' which have an inner that goes inside the glove cuff and outer sleeve that goes over the glove
- ankles, wind blast up your trousers leg will get old very quickly
- I am a wuss - I've noticed the difference when a jacket storm flap wasn't poppered down and was letting wind in to the zip!
PS I was told once that I think about things too much. eg left glove on first. Can work out why?
Are you left handed?
I always do right glove first because I'm more dexterous with my right so I can do up the left with a gloved right hand more easily than the other way round.
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:47 pm
by Horse
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 7:04 pm
Dodgy69 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:44 pm
Might be a nice day.
Have you been to Basingstoke, it could be beautiful weather but it would still be Basingstoke, though anywhere with Swingle Swangle Lane can't be all bad
Swing Swang
.
- Screenshot_20260212-204526.png (548.19 KiB) Viewed 439 times
.
And where Rodney from Only Fools went to college
Re: Staying warm and dry on a motorway one
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2026 9:03 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Horse wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 8:47 pm
Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 7:04 pm
Dodgy69 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 6:44 pm
Might be a nice day.
Have you been to Basingstoke, it could be beautiful weather but it would still be Basingstoke, though anywhere with Swingle Swangle Lane can't be all bad
Swing Swang
.Screenshot_20260212-204526.png
.
And where Rodney from Only Fools went to college
It's probably 20 years ago that I saw it, it put a smile on my face
