Hi, I am searching about clothes for cold climates and I am thinking between BMW's Phase Change and Ullfrotte suit which Touratech offers. I have read that Phase Change has PCM material, which is very good to balance different climates but I am not interesting about this. I just want the hottest!
I have the Rallye II jacket and I prefer not to use heated vent.

So, which suit do you prefer for the cold climates?

Thanks, Helias

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Asia, 27 months, 73,000 km. - Africa, 3 years, 96,000 km. - Honda XR 250 - http://madnomad.gr

Personally, i prefer a Gerbings heated jacket, the full sleave version. I'ts much easier to adjust the heat of your jacket with changing temprature than to change clothing, adding or removing layers can be quite tedious! Also, if you overdress, then start sweating, you could have problems later. Underneath i wear tight-fitting long underwear. This way you also pack less clothing. Make sure your outer gear is windproof, only the slightest breeze through your gear will rob all the heat.

Like Mr Ron we have the Gerbings heated jackets and they are great.
We also have the BMW phase change (comfort-temp) underwear, they work fine down to around 5c - 40f. You do have to stop more often and warm up.

I don't want to use heated clothes, because I spent a lot of time away from my bike. I need some clothes to use them both for riding or climbing, trekking etc.

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Asia, 27 months, 73,000 km. - Africa, 3 years, 96,000 km. - Honda XR 250 - http://madnomad.gr

Then, phase change material will be useful. It performs best when your heat output is cyclical. In that case it acts as a buffer or mediator. So riding and tekking would be a good application. It is less ultimately effective if sitting still on a bike for prolonged periods of time. It can only absorb or give back so much.

Bruno
Montreal, Canada
Gerbing Heated PANT (Trouser) LINER Review
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides/p...ng/p-liner.htm
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[This message has been edited by Bruno Valeri (edited 11 December 2005).]

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Bruno
Montreal, Canada
CBR 929
http://pages.infinit.net/mcrides

Sounds like you are trying to do two entirely different things. Sitting still on a bike in cold weather and then trekking and climbing which can generate heat. I like the widder electric chaps, light, easy on and off and they cover my belly and legs which keeps the rest of my body functioning in the cold. They pack down to a small package when you take them off and cost a fraction of the high end riding jackets. Montana where only 25% of the roads are paved and the temp last night was -22C

hello,
i was using on my world tour the ullfrote underwear top and bottom (the 400 ones). excellent !
see http://ullfrotte.com/swe/index.asp for more details.
under, a thin patagonia underwear (top and bottom). excellent also !
on top of those 2 layers, i put my bike pants and jacket, no problem. then it s a pleasure to ride above 5000 m !
it keeps you warm, no sweat : in action (treekking ...) or in no action (sitting on the bike, sleeping ...).
if very cold, you can put a third layer under your bike clothes, like a polar fleece, but something that allows the whole layers to breathe, otherwise you sweat and get cold.
as written, the material (wool, cotton, nylon, new tech. like gore tex ...) you wear react differently if in action or not.
generally, the skiing/trekking stuff (the north face, patagonia ...) are good for biking.
remember that it is the extremities of your body (hands, feet) that will make you cold so you need special care for that (good gloves and boots in which you feel warm and confy).
also, excellent sleeping bags and more very warm clothes : http://valandre.com/
happy trails,

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--
Vincent Danna

* www.va-project.com
Sept 2008 - dec 2009 : Voyage et art contemporain en Amérique du sud.

* http://vincent.danna.free.fr/
2002 - 2004 : Un tour du monde en moto.

Hi Furious, there is so much written about keeping warm so its pretty hard to agree on anything. I myself use my experience of working outdoors in all weather in the Borders of england/scotland and apply this to the bike. I always wear natural fibres - they breathe properly and do not harbour bacteria so are simpler to care for. I use a base layer of silk, this is followed by a thin layer of fine wool undergarments then a much heavier knit trawlermans oiled wool jumper / and when its really freezing a mountain equipment down windproof puffer jacket (Packs up quite small when not in use and ultra light and comfortable) over this I wear gericke toureg armoured jacket with loads of zipped vents etc( not waterproof or windproop then a top layer of mountain equipment microlight waterproof/breathable jacket or a motorcycle oversuit. I have also used a rucca jacket and heated vest (Excellent) but if you need to combine both hiking and biking I find the first combination superb. This is what I wear alot of the time EG in Norway / Sweden etc as I also do alot of walking while there. For socks I use finnish wool and fox fur socks and these are the best socks I have ever tried I wear them all the time while working in the winter on the hills in Northumberland and never even think about my feet, on the bike I have never had freezing cold feet any where while wearing the socks - Next time I am in Finnland I will get a thin pair of gloves made from the same stuff its brilliant. I would also look at boots made by altburg (north yoykshire, Richmond, England) as these also are dual use and superb on the bike or on the fells. It has taken years of trying different combinations of gear for me to settle on this but it covers everything from hot weather to freezing or wet as well as great gear off the bike. Wool stuff is I believe about as warm as you can get its only downfall is if its wet its a killer to get dry again Go for oiled wool if you can.

You are looking at 2 widely opposing requirements if you intend to climb or trek in the cold and then ride.

When I do any amount of trekking, I generate quite a bit of heat. So staying warm while trekking or even walking is not an issue, even below 0C (32F). For climbing any distance, you will quickly be sweating even at 0C and much moreso at 8C (46F). So your challenge is not to stay warm but to get rid of as much heat as you can as quickly as you produce it so as to not overheat and sweat. This is your major enemy if you are to return to the bike.

How well phase change works in that setting will depend on how much you exert for how long as well as the temp involved. Ie, it's related to reaching its capacity. In trekking, I'd expect this capacity to be exceeded quickly.

Chances are you will get back to the bike sweaty. This is a serious liability if you need to then continue riding in the cold. If that is the case, heated clothing would be a good application.

Hope that helps,

Bruno
Montreal, Canada
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides

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Bruno
Montreal, Canada
CBR 929
http://pages.infinit.net/mcrides

Hey, very good but where did you find these socks? Who is the manufacturer?

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Asia, 27 months, 73,000 km. - Africa, 3 years, 96,000 km. - Honda XR 250 - http://madnomad.gr