Interactive chart
Cycling clothing temperature chart
Slide to any temperature and see what to wear, from deep winter to a hot summer day. Change the effort, add wind or rain, and watch the kit change.
Updated
Feels like
10°C
50°F
Effort
Conditions
The forecast's feels-like temperature, adjusted for how hard you ride, how warm you naturally run and riding into the wind. Your hands and feet don't warm up as much from effort, so their kit is chosen a bit warmer.
When each piece of kit comes in
Every bar is the temperature range where you need it, for the effort and conditions above. Click the chart to jump to a temperature.
Reference
The full chart as a table
Every temperature in one table, at a moderate pace, in light wind and without rain. Optional items in grey.
Show the tableHide the table
| Feels like | Head | Upper body | Hands | Legs | Feet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -10°C14°F | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| -5°C23°F | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| -2°C28°F | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 0°C32°F | Cycling cap | Thermal base layerWinter jersey or softshell | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 2°C36°F | Cycling cap | Thermal base layerWinter jersey or softshell | Thermal winter gloves | Bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 4°C39°F | Cycling cap | Thermal base layerWinter jersey or softshell | Thermal winter gloves | Bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 6°C43°F | Cycling cap | Long-sleeve jerseyBase layer (optional) | Light cycling gloves | Bib tights | Light overshoes or toe covers |
| 8°C46°F | Light cap (optional) | Long-sleeve jerseyBase layer (optional) | Light cycling gloves | Bib shortsLeg warmers | Light overshoes or toe covers |
| 10°C50°F | Light cap (optional) | Long-sleeve jerseyBase layer (optional) | Light cycling gloves | Bib shortsLeg warmers | Light overshoes or toe covers |
| 12°C54°F | Light cap (optional) | JerseyArm warmers | Fingerless gloves or no glovesThin full-finger gloves (optional) | Bib shortsKnee warmers | Regular cycling socksToe covers (optional) |
| 14°C57°F | Light cap (optional) | JerseyArm warmers | Fingerless gloves or no glovesThin full-finger gloves (optional) | Bib shortsKnee warmers | Regular cycling socksToe covers (optional) |
| 16°C61°F | Helmet only | JerseyArm warmers (optional) | Fingerless gloves or no gloves (optional) | Bib shortsKnee warmers (optional) | Regular cycling socks |
| 18°C64°F | Helmet only | Summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 20°C68°F | Helmet only | Summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 22°C72°F | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 25°C77°F | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 30°C86°F | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| Feels like | Head | Upper body | Hands | Legs | Feet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15°F-9°C | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 20°F-7°C | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 25°F-4°C | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 30°F-1°C | Thermal skull cap | Thermal long-sleeve base layerWinter jerseyInsulated jacket | Thermal winter gloves | Thermal bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 35°F2°C | Cycling cap | Thermal base layerWinter jersey or softshell | Thermal winter gloves | Bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 40°F4°C | Cycling cap | Thermal base layerWinter jersey or softshell | Thermal winter gloves | Bib tights | Thermal overshoesThermal socks |
| 45°F7°C | Cycling cap | Long-sleeve jerseyBase layer (optional) | Light cycling gloves | Bib tights | Light overshoes or toe covers |
| 50°F10°C | Light cap (optional) | Long-sleeve jerseyBase layer (optional) | Light cycling gloves | Bib shortsLeg warmers | Light overshoes or toe covers |
| 55°F13°C | Light cap (optional) | JerseyArm warmers | Fingerless gloves or no glovesThin full-finger gloves (optional) | Bib shortsKnee warmers | Regular cycling socksToe covers (optional) |
| 60°F16°C | Helmet only | JerseyArm warmers (optional) | Fingerless gloves or no gloves (optional) | Bib shortsKnee warmers (optional) | Regular cycling socks |
| 65°F18°C | Helmet only | Summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 70°F21°C | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 75°F24°C | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 80°F27°C | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 85°F29°C | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
| 90°F32°C | Helmet only | Lightweight summer jersey | No gloves or fingerless gloves | Bib shorts | Regular cycling socks |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How to read the chart, and how effort and the feels-like temperature change it.
What should I wear cycling at each temperature?
At a moderate pace in light wind: below about 0°C (32°F) full winter kit with an insulated jacket, thermal bib tights and thermal winter gloves and overshoes (waterproof when it's wet). Around 5°C (41°F) a thermal base layer, winter jersey and bib tights. Around 10°C (50°F) a long-sleeve jersey, bib shorts with leg warmers and light gloves. Around 15°C (59°F) a short-sleeve jersey with optional arm and knee warmers. From 20°C (68°F) summer jersey and bib shorts.
Should I use the actual temperature or the feels-like temperature?
The feels-like temperature from the forecast. It includes wind chill and humidity, and is closer to what you will feel on the bike. kitcheck.cc uses the feels-like temperature and then adjusts it for your effort, how warm you run and riding into the wind.
How does effort change what I should wear?
Riding hard makes it feel much warmer on the bike. With a forecast of 10°C (50°F), it feels like about 9°C at easy pace, 10°C at moderate pace, 13°C at hard pace, 15°C at race pace. Hands and feet benefit much less, so keep your gloves and overshoes even when you ride hard.
Your ride is never one temperature
The calculator reads the hourly forecast for your location and ride window, and tells you what to wear for the whole ride.