Arm/Leg/Knee Warmers

[Crankin]

Miranda, you made me spend more $. I bought the Shebeest arm warmers because they come in woman's extra small! Plus, I already had a bra top in my cart, so what the heck...

[GLC1968]

OK, I'm a bigger girl and I have to weigh in on 'warmers'.

I don't do armwarmers if I can help it. I used to, but they were just so uncomfortable for me. The binding of the elastic at my arms was miserable and totally unflattering. I avoid all tops with elastic arm holes for that reason, too. I actually now use a bolero for any situation where I'd use armwarmers and that solved that problem. I have a light weight one for summer rides (where there might be a chilly start or mountain descents) and a thicker, fleecy inside one for winter rides (worn under a jacket, usually). The advantage to a bolero is that it also works well with a sleeveless jersey where armwarmers leave skin exposed.

For the legs, I found that knee warmers were my best choice. If it is cold enough to really need full length, then I'd want full tights on anyway. The knee warmers would get me past the cold mornings and often with longer socks, would work in the winter when my tights were dirty or misplaced. I did get the 'sausage' effect because I have large legs, but like someone else mentioned, it was better than being cold. If I went larger, they'd bunch up around the knees, so I just dealt with it. I did have to make sure I wore them with the right shorts though. Nothing is worse than finding that the shorts you packed were the short inseam and did not work well with the knee warmers giving me a 2 inch swath of freezing cold, raw skin where the shorts and the knee warmers did not meet up!

[lph]

Nothing is worse than finding that the shorts you packed were the short inseam and did not work well with the knee warmers giving me a 2 inch swath of freezing cold, raw skin where the shorts and the knee warmers did not meet up!

And for some reason it feels terribly risqué too.... I hate it when that happens on my commute.

[GLC1968]

And for some reason it feels terribly risqué too....

It does, doesn't it?! So odd since I clearly have no issues with wearing those shorts as just shorts on warmer days!

[Miranda]

Miranda --
Castelli makes some lightweight warmers (lighter than the Shebeest ones, actually). Look for the "Lycra Warmers" (not Nano, thermoflex, etc). I will warn you that the men's small armwarmers are a bit baggy (I also find the shebeest armwarmers in small a good fit), but I would think the leg warmers might be fine (I think there's generally less difference between men's and women's legs than between men's and women's arms).

These are the ones, I think:
http://www.bikesomewhere.com/bikesom...364/3348/23246

It's a nice weight.

Thx for that link! I ordered them. Hope they fit. Looks like the fabric will be perfect.

Miranda, you made me spend more $. I bought the Shebeest arm warmers because they come in woman's extra small! Plus, I already had a bra top in my cart, so what the heck...

$ well spent... it's been that inbetween starting ride weather here lately, so my SB arm-warmers have gone out A LOT recently.

[Crankin]

I wore them for the beginning of my ride yesterday. They feel tight, but no falling down!