Confused About Cycling Shorts-Tights-Knickers.

[nsandz]

Thanks! This helps a lot. I especially thankful that I was informed about the "Michelin Man" legs while wearing leg warmers. I would say I am a "full figured woman" so that would be a concern. I was looking at Shebeest and Terry as well this really helps me decide. Also am very excited about being able to wear long socks or leg warmers with knicker, never thought about that!

This is great, I am actually getting excited about new cycling bottoms instead of overwhelmed!!!

[redrhodie]

I admit to looking a little silly, but I wear knee high striped socks with my knickers so no skin is exposed once it's below 60º. Then, I add fleece socks over those in a contrasting color and pattern (I have harlequin print and polka dots) when it's a little colder. I look so much like I rode out of the circus tent that small children wave and smile, but I'm warm!

Guys who wear full kits would go with the leg warmers and shorts, but they all hibernate through the winter around here, so I don't worry about looking goofy to them. I'm sure when they drive by me, they're thinking I'm a brute to be out there.

I really aspire to be my avatar.

[OakLeaf]

Most shorts have grippers, but many don't also. I'm pretty sure Susan put up a list of the shorts TE offers without grippers, a couple of months ago - try searching either in the store or on the forums. Shorts without grippers are usually longer, so they don't ride up on your adductor muscles.

If they're not super-tight or super-short, a lot of people fold the hem of gripper shorts toward the outside, exposing the gripper and taking it off the leg. Some brands incorporate their logo into the grippers, upside-down, so that it's right ways up when you do that.

When the temperature will be cool all day, I prefer tights without a chamois worn over regular shorts. That way I can wear the tights several times before they need to be washed, and I also don't need different tights for running and cycling. Leg/knee/arm warmers are great for days when the temperature changes a lot during a ride.

[graceomalley]

I really aspire to be my avatar.

Oh, and I love your avatar! Always loved Pippi.

[Yelsel]

Quality: you want flatlock panels. 8 are the best, 6 intermediate, 4 not so great (probably your $20 cheapies). It is harder to find good deals on shorts than on jerseys, but rei-outlet.com and backcountryoutlet.com are two good places to try. You should be able to find $80-100 shorts for half off... more expensive shorts don't seem to go on sale. I have two pair of longer shorts with grippers (Sugoi) that are comfortable that I adore - $90 and I paid $40 at rei-outlet. If you want to try thinner padding, go with a triathlon short.

I prefer purchasing shorts that I like, and wearing non-chamois knickers or tights over them. This means that I am not tied to bike-specific warm overclothes, either - I also have tight-fitting soft-shell and breathable rain shells. Shorts are the cheapest, and you'll build up the largest collection of these.

I use knee warmers when I am starting out and the temp is below 50 degrees F; it is important to keep your knees warm, since both the sinovial fluid (lubrication in the joint) and tendons must be warm to work effectively and protect the cartilage from wear. Knees are a weak point genetically on both sides of my family, and I still have problems flare up occasionally with a decade-old IT band tendonitis, so I want to protect them as much as possible. I like arm warmers as well... but haven't found legwarmers to be useful for me. (Like many people, I prefer long wool socks to warm the lower leg.)

[nsandz]

This is great, I am glad I asked for advice before my purchase! I didn't realize that they made knickers without padding (I'm naive). Okay, so I think I will buy my first pair of GOOD shorts with 8 panels (can't wait to feel the difference!) and some non-padded knickers to go over them and then some knee high socks, either polka-dotted or stripes! I think however I will pass on the pigtails, for now...

[LoriO]

While they aren't originally inteded for bike riding, I have found that my english riding pants work great for riding my bike on colder day. If I am doing a short ride I am fine with them as is, if I am doing a longer ride I just wear a pair of padded underwear underneath. Riding breeches are great for biking because they fit nice and snug and are made with lots of give and stretch.

Riding breeches come in a lot of different styles from a regular pull-on with zipper type to riding tights which just pull on. I am looking into getting a couple pairs of the riding tights for me to use for this fall and winter.


Oh, nsandz not sure where in CT you are but I am in Berlin, if you ever want to get together for a ride let me know. I'm usually stuck riding by myself but it would be nice to have company once in a while!

[fatbottomedgurl]

I think I might be looking for some of those big thick bright colored knit leg-warmers and rock the 80's look!

[Biciclista]

I wear knee high striped socks with my knickers so no skin is exposed once it's below 60º. Then, I add fleece socks over those in a contrasting color and pattern (I have harlequin print and polka dots) when it's a little colder. I look so much like I rode out of the circus tent that small children wave and smile, but I'm warm!

ME TOO! I love knickers and kneesocks just round it out. If it really gets hot, i can roll my socks down.

[featuretile]

I have found all my cycling clothes on Sierra Trading Post online. After you order once they send you emails with 20% to 30% off on that day above their already reduced prices, so I now wait for a coupon before I look in their cycling section. I got a $100 pair of Pearl Izumi shorts for about $30, and just got a really nice pair of Descente shorts that retails for $65 for $25. I've also gotten $60 jerseys for about $20.

Since I haven't been riding all that long (since Feb.), I cannot speak of how long they will last. I wash them in the machine with everything else and then line dry.

I bought a pair of Adidas knickers at Ross, and have a pair of black exercise tights that I bought many years ago for the gym, that I resurrected to wear over the shorts. It really doesn't have to be that expensive to buy the clothes. I do my bike purchasing at the LBS, but not the clothes.

[nsandz]

I bought a pair of Adidas knickers at Ross, and have a pair of black exercise tights that I bought many years ago for the gym, that I resurrected to wear over the shorts. It really doesn't have to be that expensive to buy the clothes.

You find that purchasing regular (I guess jogging/exercising) kickers or tights and wearing them over cycling shorts is okay? They stay in place and everything?

[OakLeaf]

You find that purchasing regular (I guess jogging/exercising) kickers or tights and wearing them over cycling shorts is okay? They stay in place and everything?

I haven't worn compression tights over cycling shorts and it doesn't seem like a good idea to me. But regular thermal or stretchier lycra tights are fine. If your chamois is in your shorts, then the tights don't need to "stay in place," they just need to not pull the shorts out of place.

[mrhughes]

In the winter, I wear regular, unpadded "running pants" over my cycling shorts and I have no problem with them staying in place. The legs of running pants aren't as tight as "tights", there's a bit more room but not so much that they flap in the wind!

I also have a couple of pairs of cycling pants with built-in chamois. I don't have a preference - either solution keeps me warm. The running pants are more versatile - can wear them for running, yoga, weight work, etc.