Author Topic: Fleece in July?  (Read 7325 times)

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Offline bikeguy54

Fleece in July?
« on: July 09, 2011, 07:39:39 am »
I pulled the trigger (but not w/o a serious case of the hee bee gee bees first) and next week I'm starting the TransAm ride West to East, at least half of it.

I did a round trip, 700 mile, warm up. ride from Atlanta to Nashville this Spring where I rode in 50 degree rain and saw temps from the high 30's to the low 80's. (That was an unusual swing of weather down here.)

I'm basing my clothing selection on that experience, planning for temperatures anywhere from the high 30's up. I definitely don't want to be cold, but the extra layer of cloths seems over the top for July and August.

Any thoughts or comments on the subject would be appreciated?

Thanks in advance.

Mike






Offline staehpj1

Re: Fleece in July?
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2011, 10:15:34 am »
I find that I can go pretty light on the clothing if I have a windproof shell to put on.  For that I use rain jacket and pants, the light weight kind that pack in a little stuff sack.  I would probably still take either tights or leg warmers and a thin pile shirt though, because it can get cold on the passes any time of year.

Offline tsteven4

Re: Fleece in July?
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2011, 01:07:06 pm »
Go for it!  The hee bee gee bees will be gone once you are on the road.  I don't think much about the gear anymore, but I usually get worked up about some minor perceived injury before the trip.  Once I am rolling I don't even think about it anymore.  Part of the joy of bicycle touring is realizing that all that $hit doesn't matter.  I think you will be fine based on your experience, but since you asked

My records for JULY cycle touring in the USA are 26 degrees F near Chemult, OR, and 115 degrees F at Hite, UT.  I stop short of fleece, but I would recommend light weight long underwear (top+bottom).  I also bring a heavier weight shirt.  On the coast I find I ride in my leg warmers and long sleeve riding jersey a lot.  The long sleeve riding jersey and the heavier weight shirt are a bit redundant, but whatever I ride in stinks and I like to have an alternative for passive activities.  In the mountains I like to be prepared for 30 degree F summer mornings.  Although not as extreme, it also can be surprisingly cold on the coast in the fog.

Here is a list I work from when packing.  I don't necessarily take every item on every trip.
   
1   T shirt
1   Nylon long pants
1   Wallet (money, credit cards, id)
1   short sleeve riding jersey
1      long sleeve riding jersey
2   Riding shorts
1   Nylon shorts (camp, swim)
1   Leg warmers
1   Light polypro top (or lightweight smartwool)
2   Bike socks
1   Polypro balaclava (or smartwool)
1   Polypro gloves
1   Sun hat
1   Thick polypro shirt
1   Polypro long underwear bottom (or lightweight smartwool)
1   Small Towel
1   Flip flops or crocs
1   Bike shoes
1   rain coat
1   rain pants
1   Helmet
1   Bike gloves
1   Headband
   Passport (international travel)
   Passport wallet (international travel)
1   Waterproof socks (very nice in wet places like Russia, I would not bring these in the USA)
   Glasses
   
   Mosquito repellent
   Sun screen 50
   Sun screen 15
   Aloe vera gel (for sunburn or chapped skin)
   Chap stick w sunscreen
   Aspirin (anti inflammatory)
   TP
   Kleenex
   Hand wipes
   Sewing kit
   Tooth brush, paste
   Shampoo
   Body Soap
   Visine
   Antacid
   Neosporin
   Gauze pads
   Adhesive tape
   Prepackaged sterile scrub brush
   
   Sleeping bag and stuff sack
   Tent w/o ground cloth, w/ poles, stakes, fly, stuff sack
   Blue foam pad
   Straps to tie tent, sleeping bag pad to rack
   
   Rear bike light
   Front bike light
   Patch kit and tire levers
   Spare tube
   Chain lube
   Spare spokes w nipples
3   Bike bottles
   Ink pen, also good for marking holes in tubes
   Bike tools (allen wrenches, open end wrenches, small screw driver, short combo headset/pedal wrench, spoke wrench, adjustable wrench, chain tool)
   Spare bolts, nuts, master link, kevlar spokes
   Lock tite
   Bike lock and key on loop to put around neck
   String
   Pump
   Maps
   Camera
   
   Swiss army Knife (corkscrew, bottle opener, can opener, blade)
   Pot w lid
   Cup
   Spoon
   Fork
   Water purifier w/  fresh chlorine drops
   Rope to hang food or use as clothes line
   Garbage bags to keep stuff dry
   Zip lock bags
   Stove w/ lighters
   Pot pliers
≤4   1L Collapsible water bottles (depends on climate, camping facilities)
   Camelback (desert only)
   Power bars or other anti-bonk food
   Dish soap
   Dish scrubby
« Last Edit: July 09, 2011, 01:11:46 pm by tsteven4 »

Offline jamawani

Re: Fleece in July?
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2011, 01:28:07 pm »
Mike -

You should expect low temps in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado to be in the 40s - sometimes high 30s in August.  You could always mail the cool weather stuff via "General Delivery" to some place like Missoula that you are sure to visit and that you'll be there on a weekday (or Sat a.m.).  Then you can mail the stuff home from Pueblo.

Depending on your skin melanin, long sleeves and long pants can also be very nice in intense sun.  Also saves on the sunscreen bill and reduces the number of bugs that get stuck on your skin.  In cooler weather, three tiny things are of tremendous help - lightweight poly gloves, a lightweight earband or balaclava, and a quality pair of hiking socks (wool blend).  Yes, you should have a windbreaker, poly top, and long pants/tights - but these three small items probably account for 50% of body heat loss while riding.

indyfabz

  • Guest
Re: Fleece in July?
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2011, 02:02:11 pm »
Mike -

You should expect low temps in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado to be in the 40s - sometimes high 30s in August.  You could always mail the cool weather stuff via "General Delivery" to some place like Missoula that you are sure to visit and that you'll be there on a weekday (or Sat a.m.).  Then you can mail the stuff home from Pueblo.

Depending on your skin melanin, long sleeves and long pants can also be very nice in intense sun.  Also saves on the sunscreen bill and reduces the number of bugs that get stuck on your skin.

All good advice.
Just got back from riding the portion of the Trans Am between Missoula and the bottom of the east side of Big Hole Pass.  Was also in Twin Bridges.  Hit a warm patch and we still had two nights where it got down to 40 degrees.  In ’00 I had frost on my tent in Yellowstone in early July.  A flece could come in very handy.
Intense sun can also be a factor. I have an olive complexion and never use anything above 30 SPF back home in the east.  For this trip, I used my GF’s 90 SPF and still got a lot of color.

Hopefully, the skeeters will be gone when you get where we were.  Wisdom and Twin Bridges (as well as several other places we rode through in the state) were infested.  You have to climb a little lip several miles west of Wisdom before reaching town.  Forced us to hit “mosquito speed.” I looked at my GF’s butt and there had to be a dozen of them on her.  And they do bite through spandex.  Got to the grocery store in town.  Before I could get my money out of my pannier they were on my legs and arms.

Offline geegee

Re: Fleece in July?
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2011, 12:36:41 am »
I always take a mid-weight fleece jacket with me on every tour. Why? Because stuffed into my sleeping pad stuff sack, it also functions as my pillow.

Offline Jambi

Re: Fleece in July?
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2011, 07:41:03 pm »
A fleece is quite usefull, in Colorado it gets really cold on the evening, It is averaging 100 in the afternoons on my tour and I am currently on the TransAm. Even if you never wear it it makes a nice pillow and comfortable seat cover. I picked one up for a dollar at a thrift shop, I can throw it away without any regrets if I need to but it seems to be pulling it's weight.