Patagonia Capilene 1 long-sleeve shirt. Size small; 142g
Patagonia Capilene 1 long-johns. Size large; 145g
WrightSock CoolMesh socks. Size large; 29g
ExOfficio Trip'r short-sleeve shirt. Size small; 138g
RainShield O2 rain pants. Size medium; 115g
RainShield O2 rain jacket. Size large; 141g
Sheila Moon insulated Dri-Fit cycling cap. Size medium; 37g
total: 747g
I had a basic daily costume: bicycle shorts, pocketed over-shorts, bicycle jersey, bicycle gloves, shoes and helmet. If it was cold, I added the Capilene 1 long-sleeve. If it was colder, I also wore the rain jacket.
Only if it was raining hard would I put on the rain jacket and rain pants and cycling cap. I never wore the socks, short-sleeve shirt, mittens or long johns except to keep warm at night.
The primary purpose of the ExOfficio shirt was to have something to relax in after cycling or on days off. It was breathable, light, and comfortable. In a pinch (see below), it added a welcome layer of insulation.
The Capilene 1 gear is very light, compact, comfortable and barely sufficient for staying warm. If you are prone to cold, get Capilene 2 or its equivalent.
The RainShield gear breathes better than any rain gear I've had and it kept me dry in several bouts of sustained, harsh wet weather. Its drawback is tear resistance, particularly at the seams. As with any tear, getting on top of it quickly goes a long way to minimizing damage. A little duct tape did the trick in stanching the damage. When I lost my duct tape, tears went untreated and they steadily worsened (for the worst of the (later repaired) damage, see left photo). Despite this, the gear did not spring any leaks.
Though I only rarely used the pants on the bike, I began to wear my over-shorts over them to save the seams. I looked like a fashion-challenged US'er (no small deal in France!), but it lessened wear. Though the pants fit me fairly well, the leg bottoms must have dragged a bit; they show damage (see right photo).
I could have found lighter socks, I think, but these were the lightest in my collection, even lighter than any of my racing socks. The double layering of these socks makes them great insulators. I only used them on cool nights and never wore them outside of the tent. My feet did not get cold regardless of how cold the rest of me was. Not bad!
The cycling cap was a disappointment in the rain, a wonder in the sack. I somehow expected that the tiny bill would protect my glasses from rain and road spray. I somehow expected that it would keep me warm and dry even in the rain. I somehow expected that it would only rain when it was cold. Ha, ha and ha. The hat kept me warm at night, nearly always to excess. The problem was on the road. It offered little protection from water, it was too warm for most rain storms and, when it got wet on rainy mountain days, it would cause a chill. In future, I will take a water-proof cap and an insulated cap. More weight, perhaps, but this system was unworkable. Unfortunately, I lost this hat around day 50. I missed it on cold nights, even resorting to breaking a taboo: borrowing gear -- a Castelli Risvolto hat -- from my partner.
Basically I was carrying 747g of back-up gear, mostly there to keep me warm at night if the temperature dipped below 280° K or so (8° C). If that was the case, I put everything on, including the socks, the mittens and, if it was dry, my towel. All of this did the trick down to 275° K or so. Below that it was going to be a cold night. With two exceptions, I stayed warm and, more typically, shed layers as the night went on.
