knickers vs tights (cold weather prepartions)

[indysteel]

I hate to say it, but I find them both to be somewhat necessary in Indiana. Our transitional seasons are just SO transitional, with cool to cold mornings followed by pretty warm days. Try as I might, I just have had bad luck with leg warmers staying up. I like the knickers so much more.

I have two lengths of knickers. Some PIs that hit me just under my knee and some Shebeest that hit me mid-calf. I probably wear the latter more because I like the chamois and fit better. They see me through early to mid- fall and early to mid-spring. I also have some Sugoi tights that are a must for winter riding. I will say that I've had better luck with my lower end Sugois (I think it's the Helix) than the higher end Shebeest and Sugois that I have. Go figure. So, I don't think you have to break the bank to get a decent pair of tights.

But here's the thing: When it's really cold and/or windy, I wear both the Shebeest knickers and the tights. Having two layers over my knees really helps.

Keep in mind that a lot of tights don't have a chamois. I find the chamois- less ones to be more versatile, since you can layer them over something with a chamois.

[Catrin]

I do remember wearing both last winter for my parking lot drills - but I wasn't accustomed to being outdoors in the winter at all... thanks for the food for thought. I do like the looks of the Gore bib-tights, and if my leg warmers were to stay up over them...

I had my leg-warmers on Saturday morning - of course they come to the very top of my thighs so were underneath my bib-shorts and touching skin. I am unsure if they stayed up better because they were gripping skin, or because I am finally developing larger thighs, or both.

My little practice sessions last winter didn't keep me out in the cold very long - though it seemed like it at the time