Perhaps the key element to year-round cycling in Chicago is proper attire. Numerous bicycle commuters are lost to caging every year when the temperature dips and the weather closes in on arctic. The obvious solution is to be prepared for any weather, no matter how inclement.

One response might be to get oneself down to the nearest outdoor outfitter(Uncle Dan's, Erehwon), ask their expert advice (good luck, most outfitters or for that matter bike shops really don't know much about how to advise would-be arctic riders), and ready your credit card/bank account for serious damage at the hands of overpriced GoreTex and polypropelene garments (all the rage with the weekend warrior crowd). But what if your bank account won't hold up to any thrashing and/or you have eschewed the use of credit cards altogether? The following are some illustrated tips for affordable and warm winter gear.

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This shot shows a properly outfitted cyclist, ready for just about any winter conditions. The pants pictured are two layers, the under comprising sweat pants (Kmart, $4.99 if you don't already own a pair), and the outer military surplus "desicant" pants (Belmont Army Surplus, $9.99), designed as an outer layer for chemical warfare applications. The fabric of the outer layer is designed to be impregnated, and takes waterproofing treatments such as Scothguarding rather well. Add an inner layer of long underwear for added warmth. The jacket is merely a nylon shell (Woolrich, $14.99, though Kmart sells a nice shell jacket in the men's department for around $10.00) covering a long-sleeve t-shirt, flannel shirt, and if needed a long underwear top. Layers in the upper body generally vary based on your level of comfort,level of exertion, and weather conditions. As a winter commuter,I've never been terribly fond of heavy layers like coats, polypro pull-overs,or sweaters. They're just too warm, too bulky to ride in and not removeable- - like thinner layers--when you get too hot riding).

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The three most important areas to consider when dressing for cold-weather riding are the feet, the hands, and the head.

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If you live in Chicago, you must own a solid pair of warm, waterproof boots. Wear 'em when you ride, and your feet will stay warm and dry. The boots pictured were picked up at a clothing discounter (TJMaxx or Marshall's) and cost $19.99. They're made of rubber and rubberized leather, are not too clunky and actually fit in toe clips, which is something to shop for when investigating boots. Think Thinsulate, an excellent and not-too-expensive boot insulator.

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The hands are a little trickier. Several factors play into the selection of gloves. First, the gloves must be either very, very inexpensive,or very tough. The reason for this is that, should you be involved in an accident in which you come off your cycle, the first thing to hit the ground will probably be your hands, and pavement is rather unforgiving to gloves. Second, one should ideally be able to maintenance a bike without fully removing the gloves. One option (the tough outer shell Woption) is to pick up a leather outer shell and wear some kind of liner. Most military surplus stores carry leather glove shells for under $5.00a pair. Any outfitter should be able to sell you a liner for said gloves for NO MORE than $6.00- $8.00. I tried the military wool liners and quickly switched over to a warmer synthetic. Another option is to layer inexpensive gloves. The glove setup pictured here uses liners made of thin polypro that cost around $5.00 at Uncle Dan's on Lincoln. The next layer is a pair of brown cotton work gloves that have the tips of the fingers cut off. The outer layer is another pair of brown cotton work gloves. This setup allows you to take off the outer layer and get back some dexterity for road maintenance, while not fully exposing your hands to the elements. Wash the fingerless pair in hot water to shrink them so they fit comfortably under the outer pair. If you get in a wreck and the outer layer shreds...c’est la vie, baby, ’cause six pairs of these work gloves will cost you $4.99 at Ace Hardware. For those of you who do not normally skimp on gloves, there is a rather nice pair of thinsulate-lined wool mittens out there that have a pull-back mitten end that exposes fingerless glove-ends underneath. They work great,cost over $20.00/pair (at least), and will insta-shred in any accident wherein you bail from your vehicle. Caveat Emptor.

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For my money, the real trick is keeping your head and neck (especially the neck!) warm but not hot. Usually a couple of thin layers will suffice for the head, as long a you wear your helmet. Pictured here is an inner layer composed of a polyester ninja-style hood from an old halloween costume combined with a stump cover (yup, you guessed it!) purchased at American Science Surplus for $1.00. The stump cover works nicely because it is thin enough to fit under a helmet, won’t cause you to overheat,and doubles over on itself to cover the ears twice (a key area).

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The outer layer for the head is pictured here and consists of your helmet, a pair of goggles (antique/thrift store, $8.00, Home Depot $5.00),and a huge polypro scrap perfectly sized for a large scarf (purchased as a bag item at Creative ReUse Warehouse and costing approximately $0.25). The scarf is essential, and darn warm! Not everyone will want the goggle option, though it does save the eyes a lot of pain in cases where tear smight otherwise have begun to freeze up.

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At maximum layering, this get-up will cost you about $38.25, or possibly $58.25 if you insist on (or do not already own!) a new pair of boots. You can't buy even one piece of GoreTex or polypro gear for that cost!

A note on office wear: Your inner layer could simply be your office clothes (strap on the tie in the men's room). An undershirt is recommended for such applications, so as not to soil fresh shirts while riding. Keep your nice shoes under you desk and hang up the outer layers in the coat closet to dry while you work.

Happy riding!!
—Eric "BigHorn" Anderson