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

[cyclingnewbie]

Thanks for the info. I hate the heat and all summer I worry more about staying cool than what the wind is doing (another nemesis!). So I think I will just get another pair of shorts and forget the knickers. Maybe I will consider them next fall or, go with the knee warmers.

[MightyMitre]

If you don't go with the knickers I can seriously recommend knee warmers. For such a simple piece of kit I find them totally indispensable, as do many of my clubmates. They don't take up much room and they're so handy. If it starts to rain, even if it's warm it can get chilly in the breeze and you can just slip them on.

Take care of those knees...

[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!