When you decide to get serious about riding in wet conditions, check out the Elite 2. It laughs at rain. “eVent” fabric breathes very well (better than most waterproof outerwear we’ve tried) and Showers Pass has put underarm zips on the Elite for that extra venting you need at warmer temperatures. A little media pocket with a waterproof zip keeps your music player or cell phone dry, too.

The Elite is cut generously and we had no trouble layering beneath it. Extra touches: a nice big hooded, zippered pocket in the back and a loop in the rear for attaching an LED flashy light.  If you like riding with a hood in the rain (keeps the back of your neck dry), there’s an optional hood that velcros onto the collar.

Showers Pass Women’s Elite 2.0 Jacket, msrp: $230 colors: goldenrod and chili pepper.

Baselayer.  Doesn’t that sound boring, utilitarian, unimaginative?  Gotta have it when you’re out in the cold, but you don’t get too excited about it.  Baselayer stuff is usually utilitarian black or cream colored, does its job, and goes back in the drawer.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a baselayer that was so gorgeous you could wear it inside or outside and look great?

Sugoi’s Walleroo line does that.  It’s merino wool, so it’s the best baselayer material around (in my opinion), and it’s pretty enough to wear all by itself.  There’s a nice zip t-neck to keep your throat warm, too.

Sugoi Women’s Walleroo 210 Zip Top, msrp: $110.00 sizes: xs to xl.

I love socks.  A good pair of socks can make a difference in your attitude on an otherwise miserable day.  And there’s a tear in my eye when an old favorite pair finally blows out and goes to the old sock home.

Way up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, somebody had a good idea for our feet.  Two somebodies, actually.  Peter and Patty Duke have been busy all summer, giving away promotional pairs of socks from Point6, an on-line purveyor of merino wool foot coverings.  Peter, the founder of Smartwool, started Point6 in 2008 with the idea of making a sock that would keep your foot at its favorite temperature (98.6, hence the name “Point6″), wear like iron, and give merino’s wonderful sensuous feeling against your skin.   Point6 makes all sorts of socks, for all sorts of activities from running to skiing to cycling to just hanging out.  And because Point6 only sells their socks online, they cut out the middle man and his 30% markup, meaning you can have your wool and save enough dough for a latte later.

It’s a challenge to make a cycling sock that isn’t too bulky but still maintains your foot temperature in the comfy zone.  Cycling feet always seem to be sweltering in the summer and ice blocks in the winter.  We got to test the cycling socks in the fall weather this month and they win the “Smart Buy” award for Fall 08.  The Point6 Cycling Light 3/4 crew sock has that nifty arch brace knit into the middle of the sock that somehow makes your feet feel sort of lively, even when the rest of you is tired (have you guys thought about making merino garments that brace other parts of the body - merino compression wear?).  There’s another compressing brace across your achilles tendon, too.

One complaint with lots of wool socks out there is the tendency to start disintegrating at the toe or heel after a season of wear/washing.  Now, I haven’t been wearing the Point6 socks for a season, but after some washing, there’s no sign of wear at all, thanks to the nylon content (60% merino, 40% nylon/spandex in the socks I tried) and the fine-gauge of the knit.  And my feet feel all happy, like they’re sitting on mom’s lap listening to a Pooh Bear story.

Favorite nifty feature: unique little color dots in the inside cuff for every style and size, so you can match your various Point6 socks as they come out of the wash.  No more dashing around with mismatched socks.

Whether you’re a “foot-punishing” athlete or you just want to curl up on the couch and watch “Moonstruck” one more time, you are going to love these socks!

Point6 socks - you can only buy them online at Point6.com.  The Crew Light cycling socks go for $11.16.  A bargain, really.

This jacket is the first one I grab for when the temps dip down into the 40s or lower.  It’s billed as an off-road jacket but I think it’s almost too pretty to take out into the dirt.  It’s really well suited for road, dirt, or even running.

The Fusion jacket has a set in cuff with the thumb hole so you can keep that protective cuff down on your wrist and cut out that bare section between jacket and glove.  It’s got a back zipped pocket and two side pockets, pit zips, and a fold-down “shirt tail” in the rear for extra protection in sloppy weather.  You can cinch down the hem with a couple of elastic drawcords if you really need to seal yourself in.  The WINDSTOPPER® softshell material isn’t billed as waterproof but it’s enough to keep you warm and dry in gentle rain and totally keep out cold wind. There’s also a high, fleece-lined collar that comes in handy and it has a little “bite” area so you can catch it in your teeth when you need to pull down the front zipper with just one hand.  Reflective piping gives you a bit more visibility when you’re out in the evening.

I’ve been riding in this jacket for a couple of weeks now that the weather has really turned and the on-bike fit is great - no gaps or exposed spots when you move down over your handlebars.  But when it warms up, it’s easy to pull down the underarm zips so you don’t overheat.  The Fusion Lady Jacket comes in four colors, red, blue, black, and gray (but the blue is too gorgeous for the dirt, really!)

Gore Bike Wear Fusion Lady Jacket: msrp $189.99 Available through Terry Bicycles who also have a cool video review of the jacket.

Fitness + Community + Advocacy

The end of September saw Women’s Adventure at Interbike, the great big Vegas event where bicycle shop retailers, manufacturers and the media all congregated to look at items coming out in 2009.  Yummy bikes, apparel, and doodads abound, but this year causes were big.  Many manufacturers are supporting breast cancer research, bicycle advocacy, and other worthy causes with some of their profits and it’s wonderful to see the effort.

Pedros, who make lots of bike care products and accessories, has a different take.  For 2009, they will be sponsoring riders from all walks of life through the Plus3 Network, which is an online social community for people who want to make a commitment to fitness.  When you join Plus3, you are able to log miles either by hand or with a GPS device if you use one in your sport (riding, running, swimming, walking, hiking, anything that involves traveling a distance).  You then have an opportunity to choose a sponsoring partner, like Pedros, who will donate a certain amount to a charitable cause in your name.  Plus3 currently has thirteen sponsors/causes you can chose from, but more are being added each day.

It’s a very clever combination of tracking your activites, socializing with others, and benefiting a cause all at the same time.  Pedros has always been passionate about the environment, and this partnership seems like a perfect way to marry their belief that choosing a bike to commute, to run errands, or just to stay fit and have fun, is the way to make the world a healthier place.

So give Plus3 a look and maybe sign up to participate.  You can view my Plus3 profile here.  Those miles you’re racking up really can make a difference!