Basil is a company based in the Netherlands, where they really know a thing or two about getting around by bike.  They have a huge range of bike bags, from waterproof practical black bags to very fun, flirty bags.  We went with fun and flirty for this test!

Right off the top, the bags are not waterproof.  They are water resistant and the flap style top will keep most of the rain off, but serious precipitation will require your duds or groceries to be wrapped in another plastic bag inside the panniers.   And anyone who prefers separate bags for each side may not be happy with the saddlebag design of the Blossom bag.  There’s a connecting strip of fabric between the two sides that has slots for the insertion of a strap or luggage carrier.  The bag uses a set of straps to attach to your rack rather than the more common clip style attachment, unless you use the old style rack with the spring loaded top to hold down the bag.  That means the bag is a bit more of a challenge to get on and off the bike quickly.

All this said, I really love these bags, just for their square-bottomed roominess.  Items stay squarely in place down at the reinforced bottom and each side is large enough to fit a full grocery bag (the old-fashioned paper kind) inside.  Plus there’s the fun, flirty factor which causes a dangerous head swivel effect in passers-by!

Basil Blossom Bike Bags, msrp: $80

When it’s bitterly cold or rainy, slushy riding conditions prevail, you’ll probably want to cover your cycling shoes.  Cold wet feet make for some miserable riding.

Pearl Izumi’s AmFIB fabric collection of gloves, tights, shoe covers, and jackets have been around for a long time and do the job very admirably. It totally blocks the wind and insulates your feet, so you won’t want to use them unless the temps are down below 40F.  Some shoe covers leave the entire sole area uncovered, but the Pearl covers leave only a small hole for your shoe cleats which increases your warm factor.  You may want to size up to make it easier to slip over your shoes.

Pearl Izumi AmFIB Shoe Covers, msrp: $49.99 (also available in a mountain shoe version).

Okay, I’ll admit I was skeptical about exactly what a Buff was and why I would want one.  Especially on a bike.  But I tried one and I’m a total convert now.

Buffs are tubes of microfiber fabric that pull down over your head around your neck.  From there you can twist and turn them into all sorts of extremely useful and versatile head, neck and face coverings, appropriate as sweaty summer sop rags or wind-nixing winter face coverings.  They come in many, many fabric designs and colors.

I have a thing about having my mouth covered when I’m riding in the winter.  I need the protection from the wind and cold but I feel all smothery and claustrophobic with the usual polar wind fleece.  The Polar Buff gives me just enough protection but I can still breath through it.  I can pull the backside of it up over my head if I need a little extra ear protection and still have my face covered.  I can pull it down and back up easily at the stoplights when my breath starts fogging up my glasses.

When summer rolls around, I probably won’t use a full Buff but there’s a headband for sweat that looks interesting and an insect repelling Buff for folks riding through gigantic swarms of black flies and such.  Buffs are one of those “I wish I’d thought of that!” items that will stay in my cycling box of duds for good.  If you do buy a Buff and are scratching your head about how to use it, you can check out the Buff website’s “ways to wear” video collection.  It’s a hoot!

Buff Headwear, msrp about $18 to $30.

This no-nonsense jacket is perfect for cold damp mountain bike rides.  It’s very tough, so a tumble won’t leave it damaged.  If you run into a light rain or mist, the Vertex panels in the front are water resistant enough to keep you warm and dry.  In below freezing conditions, the panels totally cut the cold breeze and a fleecy Thermal-Tech lining wicks away moisture.   The dark gray Vertex panels don’t stretch a lot but the back and under arms of the jacket are made of a nice, stretchy red softshell knit that breaths very well.  Four zippered pockets, two up front and two in the rear, make the Coldront a real standout.

Bellwether Coldfront Jacket, msrp: $90, sizes: s to xl,  available through rei.com

So you’re serious about riding all winter?  Fall and winter can be a great time to keep riding as a commuter or mountain biker.  If you’re moving slower than you would on your regular road bike, the wind doesn’t bite as hard.  But what about the hard-to-keep-warm parts like your feet?

Keeping feet warm and dry is a challenge and the Sidi Diablo does an admirable job at both.  The Gore-Tex® liner is waterproof and the shoe is built slightly larger than normal to accommodate those groovy wool socks you’ll be wearing.  If you have problems with really cold tootsies or Raynaud’s disease, Sidi makes battery powered insoles called Toasters that will also fit inside your Diablos.

If you are going to be out in the cold rain or even slushy snow, make sure your waterproof pants are long enough to cover the tops of the shoes.  One of our favorite makers of waterproof duds is Showers Pass out in Seattle, where they know rain.  We haven’t had a chance to test their pants yet, but their Elite 2.0 women’s rain jacket is just about perfect.