Shorts vs Knickers

[cyclingnewbie]

I'm about to buy a new pair of shorts, and I am considering the Terry Knickers. Do any of you wear knickers on road bikes and, what are the advantages and disadvantages? As a heavier person, I can always see an advantage in more coverage, but I am concerned about heat in the summer. Are they a cold weather gear thing?

[DeniseGoldberg]

For me, it's a cold weather thing - or really, a too cold for shorts but too warm for winter tights. I was going to buy knickers, but then I realized that probably wouldn't make me happy since I could start in knickers temperature but as the day warmed up I'd want to get rid of that layer. So instead of knickers I use Pearl Izumi knee warmers. They are comfortable and easy to shed...

(Just as background, to answer your question about type of bike - I only ride road bikes, skinny tired road bike, and slightly fatter tired touring bikes.)

--- Denise

[MightyMitre]

Knickers are pretty handy in the spring when it's still chilly. The skin/flesh around the knees is very thin and it makes me shudder to see people out in a long winter jacket but with bare knees. They need looking after and a friend of mine who lives in Italy and owns a kit manufacturing business says he and his friends don't get their knees out till May!

We're a little hardie here in England but I like knickers because they're so handy for that transition period between longs and shorts which is sometimes only a matter of a few weeks.

I also agree with Denise - knees are very handy, esp on those days with a chilly early start.

[DeniseGoldberg]

knees are very handy, esp on those days with a chilly early start.

The advice I've seen is to keep your knees covered in temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit / 15.5 degrees Celcius. So my knee warmers see more use than you would think!

I just checked the TE site, and I didn't see the Pearl Izumi knee warmers - I got mine at my LBS.

[massbikebabe]

I'm with you Denise,

I like the leg warmers better than knickers because of the weird fluctuation of temperature that we see here. My hubby and I started a ride one morning and it was 54 at the start and 90 at the finish. I was so glad I could just peel off the leg warmers and put them into my back pocket!


karen

[pedalfaster]

I'm always cold...I love knickers. I have knee warmers and I'll wear those when I think it's really going to warm up. I find that I can comfortably ride in knickers from hi 30s to low 70s (F).

Note that knickers come in various weights (thickness) and materials. I have some super-warm winter-weight fleece bibs, some mid-weights made of dri-fit, and some thin lycra "spring" knickers.

Happy shopping

[caligurl]

not to mention the seriously strange tan line from knickers!

i've always done either shorts or full on leggings/tights.. but then.... i'm usually a lot colder than normal people!

go for the shorts!