UKH

I'm fairly new to the whole biking thing, and yesterday I was on a group road ride wearing just a jersey on my top half.

The jersey is tight fitting, light, made of a nylon-type material. Wind goes straight through it. The material feels quite similar to one of the helly hansen striped crews (http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/helly_hansen_stripe_crew/?SelectedItem=539760).

Some of the people I was riding with told me that I should wear a base layer under my jersey to help with wicking. They all had mesh vests on under their jerseys.

But to me, coming from a mountaineering background, my jersey *is* a baselayer. On a colder day, I might put a softshell or fleece on over the jersey. On a rainy day, I might put a shell on over the jersey. 

So what am I missing here? Is the term 'baselayer' used differently in the mountaineering and cycling worlds?

I'm with you, I only put layers on under my jersey if it's cold and a rain jacket on top of it's wet. As long as you're comfortable who cares what others think.

Have you checked The Rules?

What you might be missing is that a lot of cyclists put a lot of store by "the look".  I think, just like mountaineering, you find a system that works for you

I know of the rules and I haven't read them because I'd rather spend my time doing something fun.

Now I'm wondering how to bring Paramo into my cycling.

You needed a baselayer yesterday ?? Where were you riding ?

Cycling tops usually have pockets in the back, and the chances are you might have a gel or some sweets (in my case packets of ShotBloks) which you want to be able to access whilst riding, so it makes sense to put additional layers underneath that.  And of course they are tight fitting for a reason - drag reduction.

Short sleeved tops tend to be much thinner than long sleeved, so if I want something in between I'll wear a long-sleeved running top under a short-sleeved top.

Some people think it is a look, others believe it is the best thing (I've a friend who rides with a spare base for after a cafe). Others use one due to self consciousness if they unzip a jersey.

Personally for me a base layer is used when I want an extra layer for warmth, or I feel I've got a high risk of sweat allowing a cold chill. So for me around the 10-15 degrees. Otherwise I just use my jersey and unzip/zip as required. If it is a day in the hills I take a gilet for the descents. Then again on the warm days I wear a summer jersey which is thin enough for the sweat to escape.

Find a system that works for you, your ride and the speed of the ride

That's my point. I was perfectly happy in just my jersey. I didn't understand why my partners all had additional layers on under their jerseys.

If it's chilly then yes, a long sleeved layer under the jersey makes sense to me. 

I was out early yesterday, for a long ride and I thought it would warm up so short sleeve cycle top with arm warmers for me - easy to take off arm warmer later on and stick in rear pocket of cycle top.

It didn't warm up though and I was cold most of the first half of my ride - ok when working, not good descending - but I coped albeit the arm warmers stayed on all day

Wear what you want, not what you advised to by others - just enjoy yourself.

Not all jerseys are the same you know? Some are much lighter than others and can be a bit chilly on good old British 'summer' days. Wear what you need to keep you at a comfortable temp but a base layer is a way to keep you a few degrees warmer.

If I know that im going to be in changeable conditions, ill bring a lightweight gillet that can be stored in a jersey pocket and removed for the chilly parts.

ps don't seem to remember any specific mention of base layers in the Rules!

I find a very thin short sleeved baselayer worn under a short sleeve jersey is better at keeping me warm than a long sleeve jersey and avoids a sudden blast of cold air on bare skin when I get too warm and have to unzip my jersey.

Most importantly wearing a short sleeved based layer  prevents my nipples getting chafed by the straps on my bibshorts, am I along in suffering this problem?

I ALWAYS have a base layer under my jersey, whatever the temperature, its wicks the sweat away better it i find.

Something like this for summer:

https://www.prendas.co.uk/products/craft-cool-mesh-sleeveless-superlight-ba...

I know a couple of cyclists who swear by wearing a string vest under the jersey, winter or summer, but I don't bother. I have solar keratoses on my forearms so I always wear long-sleeved jerseys and in cooler weather I boost them up by wearing a smelly Helly underneath. Then I go to a heavier jersey then a windcheater jacket over a Helly as it cools down. 

TBH I think string vests are a bit like leg-shaving - a mark of seriousness. 

I'm using the Aldi version of this. I like it. good for those intemperate days.

On a question of style:

https://www.foska.com/marmite-road-cycling-jersey.html

or

https://www.foska.com/test-dummy-road-cycling-jersey.html

YELLOW, but not just yellow.

I suspect there is a lot of truth in that, but a mate was saying how great they were so when I saw one for a fiver or something in Decathlon I bought it and actually found its great on long summer rides, so have since bought a second (another cheapy from the Planet X showroom).

FinrodFelagund:

For shorter rides (I'm commuting by bike again regularly - 45 mins each way) in summer I just grab a basic bike jersey or trim tech-tee from the top of the clean pile. I seem to have accumulated a decent collection of these over the years (just bought one of the 5.99 Decathlon ones - really great!) so I can wear a clean one each day and just wash a bunch together. But for longer 'leisure' rides in summer I do now tend to wear a string vest under my jersey - I originally thought I'd just get too hot but somehow it does seem to wick sweat, or at least keeps a sweat soaked jersey off my skin and that feels better.

Aldi recently had some pink string vest which are rather close copies of Rapha ones I hear, in store. Might be worth a look if you have a local shop as they often cut the price of cycling bits left after it is theme of the week. If you can find one for a under a tenner, why not give it go? It might work for you.

In winter I wear long sleeve baselayers I used to mountaineer in, then long sleeve jerseys or cycling jackets over them.

"...> Most importantly wearing a short sleeved based layer  prevents my nipples getting chafed by the straps on my bibshorts, am I along in suffering this problem?"

No, I have some bibs that give me nipple rub.

I have one of those mesh sleeveless baselayers.  Waste of time IMHO if it's hot - makes not discernable difference to wicking (or, frankly, how dripping wet I am when cycling somewhere stinking hot), but it does make me hotter.  Ergo, it gets used if there's a bit of a chill in the air.  Other than that, just a jersey, some arm warmers and a pertex-type gilet (the latter two to be removed in short order usually). For the summer, Decathlon's runners arm warmers at £4 a pair are great - just enough - not too hot like most.  If it's properly cold, then proper base layer and arm warmers and gilet