Leg Warmers!!!

[smurfalicious]

Oh my goodness I got a pair of leg warmers yesterday at the Pearl Izumi store and I'm not sure how I ever lived without them! I got to test them out yesterday, sure it probably wasn't necessary, but man they feel good, and I like being warm!!! I wish they made some a little bit lighter, but the guy was right, I'm not sure how I lived without them. My boyfriend asked why I didn't just buy a couple pair of tights. Uhhh, because then I have to wear them over my shorts, which sounds so uncomfortable, or spend a small fortune to get a pair the has a good chamois. These I can wear with all my shorts, and if they get to feeling too warm they peel right off. Hmmm, hunny, $40 for leg warmers, or $30-$90+ per pair for tights.

Yeah, so if you don't have leg warmers, you need some. This is the one Pearl product I'm really behind!!!

love and cookies
-smurf

[pedalfaster]

If you find full leg warmers too warm (or you just hate fussing with the zippers while riding...) consider a pair of knee warmers instead. I use "just knees" down to about 38F. Castelli, Craft and Voler all make swell warmers (knee, arm and leg) too.

[annie]

If you love the legwarmers. don't forget the armwarmers, too! They are the best! Turns any short-sleeved jersey into a long-sleeved one and when you warm up, just peel them down onto your wrists and voila! Ride on!

annie

[Pedal Wench]

Originally posted by annie
If you love the legwarmers. don't forget the armwarmers, too! They are the best! Turns any short-sleeved jersey into a long-sleeved one and when you warm up, just peel them down onto your wrists and voila! Ride on!

annie

Can you do the same with leg warmer? Bunch them down at your ankles without having to completely remove them? Mine don't have zippers, and (although I've never tried) I would probably have to take off my shoes to get them off. I'm thinking they could get caught in the chain if I did this.

[Veronica]

I've pushed mine down below the knees as I ride. Haven't had anything get caught yet.

I have Woolywarm wool arm, knee and leg warmers. Love wool for cold weather riding.

V.

[skibum]

I've been trying to decide what to do as we transition into the cooler weather. I pulled out my arm warmers last weekend but my only option at the time for my legs was to break out the tights. It didn't seem quite cold enough yet for that and I was pretty sure I'd be ready to pull them off within an hour. So I just went without them.

This weekend I'm riding in the mountains so it will be a little cooler. I was thinking I'd need my tights but that I might want them off for the climbs and on for the descents. What a pain!! Knee/leg warmers sounds like the way to go. So, I bought a pair last night

[pedalfaster]

Originally posted by Audio-A
Can you do the same with leg warmer? Bunch them down at your ankles without having to completely remove them? Mine don't have zippers, and (although I've never tried) I would probably have to take off my shoes to get them off. I'm thinking they could get caught in the chain if I did this.

You're right, you'd have a hard time removing leg warmers without zips while pedaling.

That's one of the things I love about knee warmers, with a little practice you can just slip them off on while on the bike. They also take up a LOT less room in the jersey pockets.

Here's a handy little trick for dealing with arm warmers while riding (when it's warmed to the point where you want them totally removed):

Grab the wrist of your left warmer with your right thumb and pull it off. Continue to hold it with your right hand.
Now take your left hand and pull your right warmer off and over the left warmer.

You end up with a neat warmer-within-warmer package that can be folded and slipped into a jersey pocket.

[annie]

If I ever tried to "slip" off leg warmers, zipped or not, while riding, I would be down on the ground so fast it wouldn't be funny! HOW do you do that, pedalfaster? I just slide them down around my ankles and wait till I stop to remove them completely. Armwarmers I can do while riding, legwarmers, nope. Just don't have the coordination, I guess.

annie

[spazzdog]

I think PedalFaster is one of those grrls who can change out of business apparel into jeans, new shirt, socks and shoes WHILE driving a car without putting anyone else in danger... except that gauking truck driver passing on the left.

[pedalfaster]

Originally posted by spazzdog
I think PedalFaster is one of those grrls who can change out of business apparel into jeans, new shirt, socks and shoes WHILE driving a car without putting anyone else in danger... except that gauking truck driver passing on the left.

No that would be my friend Jennifer...but that's another (true!) story. She was *always* late for the weekly mtb ride so she got pretty good at getting into spandex while driving.

I don't think I could do full leg-warmers. Too much fabric and too narrow at the calf/ankle. Knee warmers are easy because you just pull them down and they are just a big elastic-y loop. Unclip, and with one mighty tug they come off over the shoes.

If you're bored on the trainer this winter you could practice taking stuff (warmers, vests etc) off and putting it back on while pedaling.

[smurfalicious]

I thought about knee warmers, but I'm such a big old curl up in a blanket and hide from the world kind of girl. I just love how snuggly they feel! It's like pajamas, or your favorite blanket out on the singletrack! I need some arm warmers too, but I'm thinking since I'm so in the wardrobe purchase phase, (just got my bike two months ago) I'm gonna get some long sleeves. Around here, long sleeves are uber practical. I actually heard a great trick. Cheap arm warmers can be acheived by cutting the sleeves off a thrift store sweater. Just make sure they're snug, and wool or something with good warm/wick properties. Wool stays warm while soaking wet.

love and cookies
-smurf