As winter flexes its muscles, we can expect inclement weather that requires us to bundle up and brace ourselves for the inevitable storms. My husband, Laurie, feels the weather changes acutely when he is out cycling, and has come up with an intricate method of deciding what specific riding gear best matches the temperatures and wind chill factor.

 While at Mountain Equipment Co-op on the quest to find a heavier cycling jacket we encountered a very helpful clerk. Exchanging small talk re: w...