So recently we brought you a bunch of tips for Winter Bike Riding.  The most recent newsletter from Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness also offers some cold weather clothing ideas for those of you who like to bike all year long.

And since I count myself among those people who commute by bike all year ’round, here are some of my warm winter riding tips:

1. Check out the used clothing stores for hats, earbands, boots and scarves: I have gotten awesome lined boots, hats and scarves from Value World in Ann Arbor.  Kiwanis also has some good hats and gloves.

2. Wear a hat, earbands, scarves and windproof gloves or mittens: I love being able to mix and match my winter attire, depending on the coldness level.  A hat is great when it’s really cold, but sometimes just a band of fleece around your ears is all you need.  And sometimes you need a balaclava that covers your head and neck.  I love having a scarf to cover my face as well.  I love mittens from Sam’s on Liberty.

3. Fleece is nice, but windproof clothing is awesome: I often have a layer of fleece when I bike to work, but almost always have some sort of windproof shell as the top layer.  This helps to make sure the cold doesn’t sink into my bones.

4. Yeah warm socks: Both Sam’s on Liberty and the Co-op have nice wool socks (I think Fourth Ave Birkenstock does, too).  These are really important for keeping your toes warm in the cold.