Tights, bib tights or leg warmers?

[Joe]

That is the question, or at least it's my question! This will be my first winter doing anything other than commuting (which I do in normal clothes with a jacket and overtrousers if required).
What are the benefits of each? My Endura shorts are really comfy so I'm initially looking for something by them. Any recommendations?

 

[John the Monkey]

I'll preface this by saying that the only ones of those three options I've used are bib tights, and even then only recently (thanks Aldi )

As I see it, if you really like your shorts, leg/knee warmers will let you keep wearing those whatever the conditions. You can also adjust to changing conditions by removing/putting the leg warmers on, and I'd guess that they'd fit in a jersey pocket easily enough (my bib tights would need a pannier )

I reckon bibs would be slightly warmer on your torso because part of it is covered - they stay in place well too. Both bibs and tights would have the advantage of not putting another lot of elastic around your thigh (leg grippers from the shorts, and I'd assume the leg warmers have some too).

The dhb bibs on wiggle are well liked, it seems, and probably have better fit than the Aldi ones (my mediums fit great on my upper half, but are 3/4 length on my legs - they're so chuffing warm that I don't mind though )

 

[alecstilleyedye]

bib shorts with tights/legwarmers works for me.

 

[Chris James]

Depends how cold it is. If it is just a touch chilly then I use shorts with knee warmers. These work really well on my legs but my groin area is still only covered by thin lycra / coolmax material.

In the depths of winter I use full length bib tights which are warmer and also windproof at the front so are much less chilly especially in ... ahem .. more sensititive areas.

 

[andy_wrx]

Shorts under tights - lycra tights if cool, roubaix tights if really cold.

The tights don't have a shammy, the shorts do. The shorts are worn under the tights, although I've seen some people the other way round

The shorts are a couple of old pairs which are a bit err, disreputable, i.e. have worn so much in the groin as to be almost see-through.
But they're of course fine under tights or indoors on the turbo.


I always used to dismiss armwarmers until I bought some this year and now think they're wonderful, so legwarmers are on the shopping list, but they'd be thin ones for use on not-warm days, or when it's a bit chilly early on but will get warmer later.
On properly cold days, I'd want tights-over-shorts for two-layer protection.


Stopping at the roadside for a pee whilst wearing bib-shorts is a bit awkward, so having bib-tights as well sounds like it would be kinda tricky !