I listen to Andrew Huberman’s podcast. There is one episode about deliberate cold exposure. The short of it: if you do it the right way, cold baths / showers could prepare your body to withstand the cold weather. It’s not pleasant, but can make things easier later…
This is definitely not confirmation of this, but as I was riding to my 49F ride start. The AC in my car was blowing a little cool, maybe set at 68 or something cooler than my garage and I thought for a minute about turning the heat up and decided the cool air would make it easier to adjust to the temp outside. In the past I have blasted the heat all the way to my cold rides and I do think it makes it worse when you leave the car.
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Oh, and it is usually better to feel a little cold when you start out. That’s because you should dress so that you are comfortable during the ride. Your body produces a lot of heat during exercise, and you will need that to balance the cold. If you start out too warm, your warm clothes might get damp from sweat and you’ll be colder in the end.
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I feel that I get way colder when doing steady roadbike rides. Even when I feel fine in the beginning I get colder and colder during the ride because of the static movement. That is why I prefer CX and MTB in the wintertime. 2hours on the cx bike at 0 degrees feel better than 2hours on the roadbike at 5 degrees.
I’m also a “cold person” - largely in part to my propensity to train and follow a better diet consistently in the winter and the relative weight loss that comes with those things. While not practical, and admittedly a HUGE luxury, my Jacuzzi is a life saver. When I’m at home, freezing my arse off, I just hop into the hot water for a bit. Instantly warmed for the rest of the day.
I realize not everyone has the luxury of a hot tub, but most, if not all of us have tubs/showers for a similar effect. I can spend the remainder of the day wearing shorts/t shirt after a nice soak.
Holy hell, I’d be dying….that would only be knee and arm warmers added to my usual kit. 45* this AM and I wore knee warmers, thin LS baselayer and a med weight LS jersey, plus a wind vest.
Can’t beat those baselayers for the price!! And was the baselayer I wore today.
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you gotta keep reading what I wrote! Expanding the paragraph into bullets:
- Under 60F it’s bib tights and a thermal long sleeve jersey
- Under 50F add a wicking base layer (cheap Costco 32 degree brand)
- If it’s windy I’ll add a vest
- Under 40F it’s my jacket and base layer
- I’ve got 3 different gloves depending on temps
I’d still be dying…
Forgot to mention that I’m part polar bear, and always wool socks and shoe covers (ones for 40-70F, and ones 25-40F). Cold weather always seems to generate more gains, easier weight loss, etc. Embrace the heat in summer, and embrace the cold in winter!!!
I’m glad I had a recovery ride tonight; I barely sweated in the bib longs and softshell tonight. It was needed this morning when it was a Garmin 2deg C. It actually rose to 16deg C just but standing waiting for the train earlier tonight would have been freezing it was 11degC and falling fast under a clear sky.
Did you make some decisions and buy stuff? Thought of you because yesterday was my first day switching from summer to winter kit. It was 58 degrees and I wore long sleeve jersey, bib tights, lightweight wool blend socks, and some old and wearing a bit thin long finger lightweight gloves. And some old Pearl Izumi thermal toe covers that are worn out and didn’t cover the shoe’s bottom toe vents - time to replace.
For 58*?!?!?!?
Holy schnikes, I’d be melting! I’d just use arm warmers and thin, long-finger gloves. 
Just illustrates how differently we respond to cold weather, both individually and regionally. People in warmer climates tend to throw on more clothes much earlier than folks in colder climates.
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What a crazy turn around in temperature the UK has had, the biblongs hadn’t been on since my OP until last night. In the morning the were way to warm but at night I knew I was probably in for a soaking and whilst they were probably still too warm standing on a train wet for an hour probably would have seen me freeze to death when I got off.
@WindWarrior thanks for asking. I have a long sleeve tech shirt that works well as a base layer. I also already had some long finger Head gloves from Costco. I bought some Black Bibs leg warmers and used all of them on my three hour ride on Sunday. Temps were in the high 50s / low 60s and i was very comfortable. I’m still looking for an affordable vest and jacket, and maybe thermal tights. Baby steps …
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Wow, I’ve just done the conversion at 0.56 deg warmer I am wearing shorts and short sleeves. At 58deg F (14.4deg C) I’ll wear arm and knee warmers to ditch when it does get half a deg warmer. I do wear long finger and have my toe vents closed all the time, even in 30deg C (86deg F)+ as they still haven’t recovered from chemo induced nerve damage but the rest of me is back to normal than goodness.
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LOL 40 minutes into a 20mph headwind, finished after sunset at 51F / 11C. Then jumped in the 60F/16C pool for a Wim Hoff moment 
But yeah, last week it was 70s and the week before it was 80s. First day of ‘winter’ in NorCal.
I dunno about you guys but knee warmers are irritating and move around, temps in the upper 50s and dropping its easier to just put on bib tights and a light thermal jersey with no base layer. Minimal clothing items - jersey, bib tights, socks, and gloves. No base layer or vest. Zipper to regulate core temp!
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I’ve ordered electrical insoles in a final attempt to battle cold feet. Am very curious to see how that will work.
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Last year I picked up the Pearl Izumi PRO Barrier WxB Shoe Cover, and pair with wool socks. If I keep core warm that will work down to freezing 0C / 32F although my feet are always cold.
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How do you guys go about keeping your nuts warm? I have thermal bibs but I still get very cold down there.
Sometimes I worry it may cause damage with how cold it gets.
I have Pearl Izumi thermal tights that I wear below 45°F, the front panel also has wind blocking materials, being able to block the wind makes a huge difference in keeping legs and everything warmer
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