Tights and bib shorts - will I ever find what I want?

[Dogtrousers]

Altura 'Cruisers' available in summer and winter weight and Ladies/Mens versions.

Not sure they are any more for men at least? Looks to be final clearance on ladies around the web too, no longer on the Altura site for instance

I think @vickster is right. Altura winter cruisers are definitely no longer available, which is a terrible shame. Not sure about vanilla non-winter cruisers, which do still seem to be available here and there, but only women's, so they do seem to be on the way out.

My last pair of Altura winter cruisers, which had iron-on patches over iron-on patches, became oil rags last year.

I've switched to Ronhill Tracksters (over ragged cheapo padded shorts) and they are a good substitute. However, because they are not made for cycling & are cut low at the waist, and because of my aero belly, they do tend to gradually ride down so I wear clip-on braces with them.

Note my use is just for winter wear. I somewhat reluctantly switch to shorts in summer. I burn very easily so this inevitably means slathering on SPF 50 vile gloop.

 

[scotsbikester]

As a 70+ male in leggings most days at home I can tell you the comfort of these things are great. Waist bands on trousers are a form of torture in comparison.
For a longer leg take a look at Lovall and Trail Pursuit. Yes I wear, carefully selected for seam placement, underwear underneath when cycling.

Many thanks. I'm not far behind you, age wise. And I have various underwear, Saxx and Dilling, that has never caused a problem friction wise. Though the Dilling tends to wear a bit fast, considering how much they cost!

 

[vickster]

That's a shame, I've worn them whilst cycling for 20+ years

Think they pretty much got discontinued about maybe 7 years ago! I've got two pair of the ladies winter cruisers, one was picked up very cheaply a long time ago on clearance, I still wear them over shorts/3/4 or tights in cool weather. They are quite baggy on the legs.
I also have some old thinner Karrimor running tights for less cool days that are tight, plus padded tights for winter. My cycling legwear drawer is very full!

 

[Kingfisher101]

You're better off asking the store, they will be able to give you more specific answers re size etc.

Many thanks for such a specific reply*. A few questions

1.I would prefer to wear whatever I get all year round. How are these in warm weather? I'm not a "high intensity" cyclist, but I try not to hang around either. And obviously I'll get warm on a hill.

2. Do you wear briefs/boxers/knickers underneath?

3. I'm 5'10" 12 stones. What size do you think would suit?

*other posters' more general replies are also valuable.

 

[scotsbikester]

You're better off asking the store, they will be able to give you more specific answers re size etc.

Thanks. I've ordered a pair of medium. There are umpteen reviews on the Alpkit site, and it looks like medium will be good for me. And they do free returns if not. Lots of people say they use them for cycling, so they look like the thing.

 

[Alex321]

I'm afraid I may have confused some posters, who thought I was a woman. I'm a man.

But it got me thinking, women, and men, are we really that different? I mean, "if you prick me do I not bleed", as the bard said? Anyway, philosophy aside, do the obvious, er, anatomical differences matter that much?

There does seem to be a bit more choice in women's tights/leggings type things.

Here's what made me think along those lines. I teach. In a girls school. If the girls have got PE/Games later in the day they will often be wearing leggings/tights to class. Now, they are close fitting and look like the sort of thing that would suit. However, saying anything at all which signals that I've even noticed a pupil's clothing is a very very bad idea - "oh, those leggings you are wearing, are they comfortable? Do they chafe at the groin at all? How high is the back? Is the crotch a diamond shaped patch? " - would pretty soon get me into the head's office, or worse, obviously.

So I went to the website of the school's uniform supplier. And noticed that they sell unisex leggings, including in the large sizes suitable for older pupils, which would fit me. We have an associated boys school. Our older pupils (both boys and girls), certainly six formers, are, ahem, usually fully physically developed. Some of them are taller than me. So I assume that these unisex things work. I could have a quiet word with one of the games staff, which is marginally less creepy than talking to the pupils, but still a bit weird.

But it got me thinking. Apart from aesthetic differences, how different are these products for men and women? I know men are supposed to have a longer trunk relative to leg length (or is it the other way around?), so that might matter for bib things. But if I'm getting separate tops and bottom that shouldn't matter.

The biggest difference in leggings/trousers is that for a given waist size, women's hips are usually wider. The unisex ones manage by being stretchy enough to cater for that.

 

[Reynard]

I'm a man. Apologies to mislead (not deliberately)

No worries!

Of my lycra leggings, I have a Nike pair that I don't even know whether they're men's, ladies or unisex as I picked them up in a charity shop. And I've some Elle Sport ones from TK Maxx that are aimed at us girls - with pink trim and a narrower waist with respect to the hips. But they both do a job of work. I'd suggest to pop into a relevant emporium and have a look / try some things on.

As for underwear, yes, definitely. Commando = shudder LOL! Here's where I've got a specific recommendation - Decathlon's seamless running briefs. Yeah, they do men's ones too.

As an aside re body proportions, my MTB shorts are men's ones btw, bought because at that time (pre-Covid!), Decathlon didn't do any ladies ones. And yes, they are definitely higher in the waist than the equivalent ladies ones by several inches. Although surprisingly, they're not too baggy at the waist thanks to the adjustable tabs. (And yes, I do have wide hips and a fairly narrow waist.)

 

[gcogger]

I'd recommend a trip to Decathlon, if you have one nearby. They seem to have quite a few options to try, though you'd have to look in the cycling, running, hiking and football sections to see them all!
My favourite unpadded leggings were actually from the Decathlon football section though, sadly, they don't seem to make them any more.

 

[biggs682]

Never felt the need for bib shorts and tights whilst cycling