Layering for the transitional season

Cycling in autumn: the right clothing for a changeable season

In autumn, what counts on the bike is not only how warmly you dress, but how flexibly you can react to changing temperatures. You set off in cool conditions, may soon be riding in warming sunshine, and end up back in the fresh evening air. What matters is therefore clothing that is easy to combine and adjust along the way.

In this guide we show you which pieces go together particularly well in autumn and how to combine them sensibly depending on the temperature.
Contents of this page

The key points at a glance

  • Baselayer and jersey stay on: which jersey works depends above all on how the temperature develops during your ride.
  • Pack a vest or windbreaker: it protects you from the wind and gives you an extra layer along the way.
  • If it gets noticeably warmer over the day: a short-sleeve jersey with arm warmers and bib shorts with leg warmers as extra layers that you can simply take off later.
  • If it stays cool all day: a long-sleeve jersey and long bib tights are the best choice.
  • If it gets colder along the way: choose your base outfit for the temperature at the start and take a vest or windbreaker for later.
  • If it stays cold for good: then it is time for the warmer layers from the winter collection.
  • If it gets dark early: look for reflective details on your jersey, jacket and bib tights so that you stay clearly visible in poor light.

Road cycling in autumn: more to consider than in summer & winter

In summer a jersey and bib shorts are enough; in winter the combination is usually fixed, because it stays cold all day. Autumn sits in between and brings constantly changing conditions: damp morning air, sun at midday, cool shaded sections and dusk setting in early. Within three hours you can ride through several temperature ranges. No weather forecast takes the decision about what you need along the way off your hands. In autumn, what matters most is how well things combine, not the one right garment.

What stays on and what fits in your pocket

Base layer and jersey go on at the start and stay on. The baselayer moves sweat away from the skin and stops the wind from chilling you. The jersey holds the warmth and can be opened via the zipper when it gets warmer during the ride.

Everything else you can put on and take off as you like: vest, windbreaker, arm and leg warmers as well as light gloves or overshoes. So that there is still room for an extra layer next to your bar, spare tube and phone, our transitional pieces are as thin and light as possible. Because whatever does not fit in your back pocket you either carry the whole ride or leave at home.

The layers for autumn

Thermal Baselayer Men
Thermal Baselayer Men
Kaern Longsleeve Women
Kaern Longsleeve Women
Vest Women
Vest Women
Windbreaker Men
Windbreaker Men

▶︎ All pieces are as light and compact as possible so that you can stow them in your jersey pocket along the way.

The pieces in detail

Which combination is right depends above all on how the temperature develops during your ride. The individual pieces can be combined freely and work just as well in spring or on cool summer mornings.

The baselayer: staying dry when it gets cool

The Base layer is the layer you notice least and miss most when it is missing. It moves moisture away from the skin and helps you avoid getting cold on the descent after a climb. Around 10 °C, a Merino base layer is a good choice, because merino takes up sweat and still keeps you warm when damp. When it gets colder, the Thermal Baselayer keeps you warmer: its waffle structure insulates body heat and moves sweat outwards.

Arm and leg warmers: for days that get warmer

Arm and leg warmers are the flexible solution for autumn days with rising temperatures. You start with a short-sleeve jersey and bib shorts, protect your arms and legs against the morning chill and can simply take off both layers and stow them as soon as the sun comes out.

The advantage: you can set off in cool conditions without putting on a full long-sleeve outfit. Two small, light pieces are enough to make your summer outfit ready for changeable autumn weather.

Long-sleeve jersey: for days that stay cool

If the temperature stays around 15 °C even at midday, you usually have nothing to take off along the way. A long-sleeve jersey is then the uncomplicated choice. It keeps your arms warm without insulating as strongly as a winter jacket, and stays light enough for the transitional season.

Depending on the temperature range and the fit you want, you have two options:

Kaern Longsleeve and Aerlig Thermal Longsleeve cover the same temperature range, so what you decide on is the fit: loosely cut or close to the body. If the temperature rises above 15 °C at midday, the Aerlig Longsleeve is the best choice.

You can find our selection of long-sleeve jerseys among the Cycling jerseys for men and Cycling jerseys for women.

Long bib tights: when your legs should stay covered

The long bib tights are the matching counterpart to the long-sleeve jersey. They reach down to the ankles and keep your legs reliably warm without you having to put anything on or take anything off during the ride. Your knees in particular benefit from the extra protection: they sit directly in the wind, are constantly moving and therefore cool down faster than thighs or calves.

For autumn, a bib tight without thermal lining is usually the best choice. It keeps your legs pleasantly warm while staying thin enough that you do not get too warm under higher load. That way you can ride the whole route in one layer without having to take anything off along the way.

You can find our selection of bib shorts and tights available for Men and Ladies.

Vest or windbreaker: wind protection that packs down small

Both protect you from the wind; the decisive difference is the arms. The vest keeps your body warm, lets excess heat escape via your arms and is ideal for days when you warm up quickly while pedalling but the wind is still unpleasantly cool. The windbreaker also protects your arms and is a good choice especially for the first kilometres or long descents.

The vest and the windbreaker both have a two-way zipper that you can also open from the bottom. That lets you regulate your body temperature on a climb without opening the collar. Both are also light and compact enough to pack easily, even when you are not sure whether you will really need them along the way. You can find our selection among the road cycling jackets & vests.

Rain jacket: staying dry without overheating

In autumn you set off more often in changeable weather and with an eye on possible showers. At the same time the temperatures often stay mild. A rain jacket therefore has to do both: protect you reliably from the wet and move moisture from the inside out. Because without breathability you get wet from the inside quickly, even if not a drop comes through from outside.

For short showers or wet roads a windbreaker is often enough. If rain is forecast or a longer ride is coming up, the rain jacket is the better choice.

Gloves, socks and neck tube

Hands, feet and neck get cold first. In autumn light gloves are usually enough, a Merino Necktube closes the gap at the collar and merino socks regulate moisture at your feet. If your toes get cold in the morning, Toe Covers are the more compact solution than overshoes.

For the days at the end of the season, when it gets really cold and windy, the neck tube is no longer enough. Then the Balaclava covers throat, neck, ears and face completely. The mesh around the mouth still lets you breathe freely, and the flat seams sit without friction under your helmet.

You can find our full selection among the cycling gloves and the Accessories.

Three typical autumn rides

  • The Sunday ride that warms up: Starting at 9 °C, 17 °C at midday. Short-sleeve jersey with arm warmers, bib shorts with leg warmers, a vest and light gloves in your pocket. After the first hour the arm and leg warmers go into the jersey pocket, and later the vest follows. If you would rather not change anything along the way, you ride the same route in a Aerlig Longsleeve and long bib tights, and regulate your temperature via the zipper.
  • The grey day that stays cool: 10 °C in the morning, 12 °C at midday. Baselayer, Kaern Longsleeve and long bib tights are enough. You have nothing to take off, and for cooler descents the windbreaker stays within reach in your pocket.
  • The after-work ride that cools down: 15 °C when you set off, then the temperature drops quickly. A short-sleeve jersey with arm warmers and bib shorts are enough for the start, and you take the windbreaker along for the last hour.

When it gets colder for good

As soon as it no longer gets warmer even at midday, the autumn principle is not enough. You then need a warming combination of merino baselayer, thermal jersey, winter jacket and long thermal bib tights, plus winter gloves and overshoes. Which pieces go together for that is in the winter guide.

For cool days: tights, leg warmers & overshoes

Aero Pro Bib Tight Men
Aero Pro Bib Tight Men
Thermal Aero Bib Shorts Women
Thermal Aero Bib Shorts Women
Leg Warmer
Leg Warmer
Overshoes
Overshoes

Your autumn bundle

If you would rather not put your kit together piece by piece, you can use the Mix & Match Fall Bundle Men or Mix & Match Fall Bundle Women to put together your autumn wardrobe yourself. You choose between four and ten pieces and combine them to suit your rides. Colours and designs are matched, so that everything goes together.

One click to look good.

You can find the full selection for the cooler season in our collections for autumn and winter cycling clothing for men and for women.

Conclusion

For autumn you do not need a large selection of individual pieces; what matters are garments that combine flexibly. If it gets warmer, you start with a short-sleeve jersey, arm warmers, bib shorts and leg warmers and can take a layer off later. If it stays cool, a long-sleeve jersey and long bib tights are the uncomplicated choice. Add a baselayer and a wind layer in your back pocket and you are well prepared for most autumn days, without studying the forecast at length before every ride.

Frequently asked questions about the right road cycling outfit in autumn

How warmly you dress depends not only on the temperature, but also on your pace and on how you personally feel the cold. The answers here give you good orientation; you will work out the rest quickly on your first autumn rides.

A baselayer, a short-sleeve and a long-sleeve jersey, bib shorts or long bib tights, plus a vest, windbreaker, arm warmers, leg warmers and light gloves cover most conditions. Depending on temperature and weather you combine the individual pieces differently, and that sets you up for the whole autumn season.

If you never take the arm warmers off during a ride, a long-sleeve jersey is usually the more comfortable choice. As long as the temperature changes noticeably along the way, the combination of a short-sleeve jersey and arm warmers stays more flexible.

Usually not yet. As long as the temperature still rises during the day, a long-sleeve jersey with a vest or windbreaker will get you through most rides. A winter jacket becomes interesting once it stays cold during the day as well.

Wash wet and dirty pieces as soon as possible after the ride, cold and without fabric softener. How to keep technical fabrics and chamois in good shape over several seasons is explained in our care guide.

You can find the right measurements for every cut in the size chart on the relevant product page. If you are between two sizes or unsure, write to us at support@straede.cc, and we will gladly help you find the right size.

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