What to Wear Cycling in Spring: A Temperature Guide (and What Goes Under Your Jersey)
Spring rides usually start cool and finish warm, so dress in layers you can take off. For most spring days wear a short sleeve jersey, bib shorts or knicks, arm warmers and a packable vest, and add sunscreen. Under the jersey wear a thin wicking base layer or nothing, and under padded knicks or bibs wear nothing at all. The bands below cover every temperature, from hot summer days to frosty winter mornings.
In short
- Spring: short sleeves and knicks, plus arm warmers and a vest for the cool start. Sunscreen on every ride.
- Above 18°C wear short sleeves. From 13 to 18°C add arm warmers and a vest.
- From 7 to 13°C go to long sleeves and cover your legs. Below 7°C wear thermal layers and bib tights.
- Under a jersey: a thin wicking base layer or nothing. Knicks or bibs: nothing underneath.
What should you wear cycling in spring?
Spring is the hardest season to dress for. A ride that starts at 10°C before work can finish above 20°C by mid-morning, and a sunny afternoon can turn windy and showery in an hour. The answer is a summer kit with removable layers on top.
- Start: a short sleeve jersey and bib shorts or knicks, with arm warmers and a vest for the first part of the ride.
- As it warms up: roll the arm warmers down, take the vest off and put both in your back pockets.
- For a cold start below about 10°C: add leg warmers and light full-finger gloves.
- Every ride: sunscreen on your arms, legs, neck and face. The sun is strong in spring even on mild days, so a cap under the helmet helps too.
Dress so you feel slightly cool for the first ten minutes. You warm up fast once you are moving, and it is easier to take a layer off than to wish you had one.
What should you wear cycling at each temperature?
Use this table as a starting point. In spring you will often use two rows on the same ride: the cooler row at the start and the warmer one by the end.
| Temperature | Top | Bottom | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above 24°C | Short sleeve or sleeveless jersey, mesh base layer optional | Bib shorts or knicks | Cap, sunscreen, extra water |
| 18 to 24°C | Short sleeve jersey, mesh base layer | Bib shorts or knicks | Light vest for early starts |
| 13 to 18°C | Short sleeve jersey, base layer, arm warmers | Bib shorts | Packable vest for descents |
| 7 to 13°C | Long sleeve jersey, or short sleeve plus arm warmers, base layer | Bib shorts with leg warmers, or bib tights | Vest, light full-finger gloves |
| 2 to 7°C | Long sleeve jersey with thermal fleece, base layer | Bib tights with thermal fleece | Windproof vest or jacket, full gloves, shoe covers |
| Below 2°C | Long sleeve jersey with thermal fleece, base layer, cycling jacket | Thermal bib tights | Winter gloves, shoe covers, head and neck cover |
Wind, rain, sun and how hard you ride can shift these bands by 3 to 5 degrees. A windy, cloudy 13°C with long descents feels colder than a calm, sunny 10°C with steady climbing.
What should you wear cycling as it heats up towards summer?
Above about 27°C, airflow matters more than anything. 80vette on BikeForums recommends full-zip jerseys for hot climates, and the advice holds on any hot summer ride. Look for mesh side panels, a full-length zip you can open on climbs, and a light-coloured or lightweight jersey. Our jerseys pair a 140 GSM moisture-wicking polyester body with 110 GSM mesh side panels and a full-length hidden zip for this reason. A sleeveless jersey is another option on the hottest days.
A thin mesh base layer can help in the heat too, since it moves sweat off your skin. Add a cap under the helmet, sunscreen on exposed skin and more water than you think you need, and start early on very hot days.
What should you wear under a cycling jersey?
A thin, moisture-wicking base layer, or nothing. The base layer's job is to move sweat off your skin so it can evaporate, which keeps you drier on warm days and warmer on cold descents. A cotton undershirt does the opposite. It soaks up sweat and holds it against you, and wet cotton gets cold fast once you stop pedalling. Cheap synthetic fabric is not much better. pelotonracer on BikeForums described it well: "cheap jerseys feel plastic and get damp quickly, while expensive ones feel better."
Our cycling base layers are a lightweight sleeveless mesh in polyester and elastane. They are most often worn under a summer jersey to help with cooling, or under a winter jersey as a light extra layer.
Women usually wear a sports bra under the jersey, with or without a base layer on top of it. If you wear bib shorts, the base layer goes on first and the bib straps sit over it.
Do you wear underwear under knicks?
No. Padded knicks and bibs are made to be worn against bare skin. Underwear adds seams right where the saddle presses and traps moisture, two of the main causes of chafing and saddle sores. The chamois is the underwear.
If you want padding under regular shorts or pants, for example on a commute, choose padded cycling underwear. Our padded cycling underwear has a thin 3D gel pad made to disappear under everyday clothes.
How do arm warmers, leg warmers and vests help in spring?
They turn one summer kit into a kit for every spring day. A cool morning that warms into a mild afternoon is exactly what spring brings: too cold for a jersey alone at the start, too warm for long sleeves by mid-ride. With removable pieces you adjust on the move.
- Arm warmers pull on under the jersey sleeves and roll down or come off in seconds. Ours have a silicone gripper so they do not slide down. Shop arm and leg warmers.
- Leg warmers do the same for your legs with bib shorts.
- A vest blocks wind on your chest for descents and early starts. Pick a windproof one that folds small enough to fit in a back pocket.
A good order to build in: arm warmers and a vest first, since they extend your summer kit right away, then leg warmers for the coldest spring mornings.
Spring riding layers
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Shop NowWhat should you wear cycling at 10 degrees?
At 10°C, a common spring dawn, most riders wear a base layer, a short sleeve jersey with arm warmers (or a long sleeve jersey), bib shorts with leg warmers, light full-finger gloves and a vest in the back pocket. If the day will warm up, the short sleeve and warmers option is better, since warmers come off and fit in a pocket.
What should you wear cycling at 5 degrees or below?
In spring you mostly meet 5°C on early starts in the hills, at altitude or inland. Winter makes it a normal morning. Cover everything: a base layer, a long sleeve jersey with thermal fleece, bib tights (fleece-lined if you feel the cold), full winter gloves, shoe covers and something over your ears. Add a windproof vest or jacket for descents, because wind chill at 40 km/h is far below the air temperature.
When do you need a warmer jersey instead of layers?
Below about 10°C for the whole ride, a standard summer jersey starts to struggle. It is built to push sweat out as fast as possible, and on a cold descent that damp outer surface chills you. A brushed fleece lining holds a thin layer of warm air against your body while sweat still moves outward.
Our long sleeve cycling jerseys come in the same wicking fabric as the summer range by default. The thermal fleece is an add-on, so you select the fleece lining in the customisation panel on the jersey's product page. Our cycling bib tights have the same option. Fleece adds a little bulk, so if you are between sizes or plan to wear a base layer underneath, size up.
Quotes from riders are reproduced exactly as they were posted, typos and all.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear cycling in spring in Australia?
A short sleeve jersey, bib shorts or knicks, arm warmers and a packable vest cover most spring rides. Start with the warmers on for a cool morning, take them off as it warms up, and wear sunscreen even when it feels mild.
Do you wear a base layer under a cycling jersey in summer?
Many riders do. A thin mesh base layer moves sweat off your skin and can feel cooler than a jersey alone. It is optional, so try a ride with and without it.
What do you wear under bib shorts?
Nothing. The chamois sits against bare skin. A base layer can go under the straps on your upper body, and women usually wear a sports bra under the straps.
What temperature is too cold for knicks?
Most riders switch from shorts to leg warmers or bib tights somewhere between 10 and 13°C. Knees are the first thing to feel the cold.
Should I wear a jacket or a vest?
A vest is enough for wind on the chest from about 7 to 18°C. Below that, or in rain, a jacket covers your arms too.
Can I wear a cotton t-shirt under my jersey?
It is better not to. Cotton holds sweat, gets heavy and turns cold on descents. A polyester or mesh base layer does the job properly.
How do I dress for a spring ride that starts cold and warms up?
Wear a short sleeve jersey with arm warmers and carry a packable vest. Take the pieces off as the day warms up and keep them in your back pockets.