Winter Cycling - How to dress warm but not look.....well, you know.

One word: Tights. Second word: Fairy.

There has to be a better way to dress in this demanding winter weather.

Killer...

I challenge you to walk up to Udo Bolts or Ludo Dierkxsens when they're out in their cold weather gear and call them "fairies."

The advantage of tights is that they don't flap in the breeze and, being tight, they trap a relatively small amount of air between layers so the air doesn't cool off as quickly.

If you're still insecure about wearing tights after talking with Udo and Ludo, you could consider getting nylon rain pants like these (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=70&subcategory=1142&brand=&sku=2283&storetype=&estoreid=) and wear them over long johns, or whatever, or wind pants like this (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=70&subcategory=1142&brand=&sku=5348&storetype=&estoreid=). If you shop around, you can also find insulated, semi-baggy Gore-Tex pants, often with insulation that look like this (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=13519&bmUID=1034254429521) .

And if you need to keep really warm, you can wear tights underneath so no one will know you're a fairy. :D

Hope that helps.

Originally posted by velocipedio


I challenge you to walk up to Udo Bolts or Ludo Dierkxsens when they're out in their cold weather gear and call them "fairies."



Udo who? Ludo whaT?

Hey killer, I wear tights, they don't flap, they trap warmth, they are warm, they don't get hung up on bike parts, they don't restrict movement. I'm not a fairy, I don't ride in cold freezing wet weather to impress others, I don't care what others think, If I give others something to talk about at dinner, good for me. I ride a bike, everywhere, I wear lycra shorts too and tight jerseys, I'm fit and healthy, oh yes, did I tell you I'm old too and I've been doing this a long time.
Dress warm, ride the bike it'll help ya live longer, and if people talk about you because of what you wear, they will talk about you even if you dress differently so don't worry about it and ride the bike.

Originally posted by velocipedio
Killer...

I challenge you to walk up to Udo Bolts or Ludo Dierkxsens when they're out in their cold weather gear and call them "fairies."

The advantage of tights is that they don't flap in the breeze and, being tight, they trap a relatively small amount of air between layers so the air doesn't cool off as quickly.

If you're still insecure about wearing tights after talking with Udo and Ludo, you could consider getting nylon rain pants like these (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=70&subcategory=1142&brand=&sku=2283&storetype=&estoreid=) and wear them over long johns, or whatever, or wind pants like this (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=70&subcategory=1142&brand=&sku=5348&storetype=&estoreid=). If you shop around, you can also find insulated, semi-baggy Gore-Tex pants, often with insulation that look like this (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=13519&bmUID=1034254429521) .

And if you need to keep really warm, you can wear tights underneath so no one will know you're a fairy. :D



Hope that helps.

The guy does have a point though, tights look ridiculous regardless of whos wearing them. My roomate (also an avid cyclist) seems to have this warped idea in his head that people actually think biking gear in general looks GREAT and that other people (women in particular) will think he looks extra cool when sporting lycra on his bike. I sometimes dont have the heart to bring him down from his cloud to inform him that most people snicker at cyclists sporting lycra.

Cycling gear looks silly, and downright dorky for the most part... unfortunately its a silliness that must be endured for one of lifes great pleasures.

I wear tights in the winter too. Nobody ever looked at my thighs and called me a fairy.

They are warm and cause a lot less wind drag than wool or any other material.

Anybody with the gusto to bike in the winter gets the respect deserved to wear whatever the hell they want.

I have to side with Killer. I don't care who you are, tights look gay. Certainly doesn't stop me from wearing them because they are the best defense for bikers against cold. But there's nothing "cool" about them.

Go ahead and wear tights. You'll get used to the odd looks and disapproving glances of strangers. The rude remarks of friends will lose their sting after a time.

Just don't wear shoes like George Hincapie's (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?threadid=15925)!

Should i get tights that have fleece on the inside? I know they will feel better, but are they warmer? Any particular brand or model you can recommend?

One things about tights, they do make chicks with nice bodies look even better :p And yes I'm female, and yes I will say that

Buy the tights. The insults just make you ride harder. I was verbally accosted twice while wearing my tights. One time by an unclean drifter sort of fellow who wasn't worth the effort and once by a man on roller skates (a grown man on roller skates!!) again, not worth the effort. Neither of them used the word fairy though.

P.S.
Don't forget your feet. Those super ventilated shoes don't do a thing to keep your toes warm in the winter.

Originally posted by killerasp
One word: Tights. Second word: Fairy.

There has to be a better way to dress in this demanding winter weather.
Personally I don't give a rats a$s what anyone thinks about
how I look when I'm riding. I'm too old to care anymore
and besides my circle of friends are all (well mostly all) cyclists
who look just as dorky in lycra.
Hey, I happen to think that way baggy pants with
the crotch halfway to one's knees is dorky, doesn't mean
sh*t to shinola.

Go for the fleece if it gets really cold where you are,
I'd suggest not getting chamois tights, just wear em over
your bike shorts.

Marty

Originally posted by Arsbars
One things about tights, they do make chicks with nice bodies look even better :p And yes I'm female, and yes I will say that

If only all the hot chicks here at syracuse university rode a bike and at the same time wore tights.....if only.

Originally posted by lotek

I'd suggest not getting chamois tights, just wear em over
your bike shorts.

Marty

whats chamois?

Hey ARSBARS, What do you think of men wearing tight lycra tights with large clearly defined muscles in the thigh and calves while spinning up a steep grade? I know when I watch a fit musclular women climb in front of me it really does the job. I never try to pass, I'm quite happy with the view from the back.

Chamois is a small deer found in the Alpes and Pyrenees.
Cyclists used to use their skin for the padding in bike shorts.
Modern bike shorts use synthetic polyester "chamois" inserts, which are a whole lot better and easier to use.
Some leggings are designed for use over padded shorts, others have their own padding. Padding has to be washed after every ride, so its easier to use leggings over shorts.

Make sure you get leggings with some degree of windproofing. At cycling speeds, wind is the biggest heat suck. The colder it is, the more windproofing you need. For me, below 8C I need total wind blocking, but above that, total blocking can get a bit warm.

Check out icebike.com for winter biking advice.

I like to dress in "civilian clothes", i.e. in clothes that are good for day to day life once I'm off the bike. So that usually means dress trousers and either a nice sweater or a suit, except in summer when I often wear a short-sleeve shirt.

From late fall to early spring, I usually wear long underwear under my trousers. Very effective, as thermal underwear usually keeps me warm down to -10 C to -25 C, depending on wind and length of the ride. At -10 C, I can ride all day. At -25 C, I'm OK for 1 hour; if the ride is longer, I also wear my rain trousers, which are good at cutting the wind.

Regards,

I'd rather be warm than "cool". I could care what people say about my tights. They are just jealous they don't have legs like mine.:D

I'd wear tights, but being a teenager and having teenage friends I'm afraid I wouldn't endure the political impact of my actions.
:D

I have several pairs of bib tights, and the best of the lot, in my opinion, are the Sugoi MidZeros - fleece liner - wind proof panel in only the right places - and (for my 6'2" 190 lb frame) a better fit than the PI, performance (both too baggy by the time you get to the right length) or Giordana (too tight - must be designed for the really skinny arsed pro-roadie crowd). So far, only road tested them at no colder than 30 - but I was still plenty comfortable once I got warmed up, so I'm guessing I could go colder.

And anybody who calls you a fairy is insecure in their own self image - so ignore 'em.

DUH

Originally posted by MeHT
I'd wear tights, but being a teenager and having teenage friends I'm afraid I wouldn't endure the political impact of my actions.
:D

i dont think girls find guys wearing tights attractive. on top of that, my tights squish my package...

I rode by some of my female students this morning. I was wearing tights. This afternoon, I ran into them again at school. "Of all the faculty, you have the cutest ass," one said. "Whay don't you wear your tights to teach?" Asked another.

Hey, what can I say... It's flattering to have twenty-something girls say my thrirty-something butt is cute...

Originally posted by velocipedio
I rode by some of my female students this morning. I was wearing tights. This afternoon, I ran into them again at school. "Of all the faculty, you have the cutest ass," one said. "Whay don't you wear your tights to teach?" Asked another.

Hey, what can I say... It's flattering to have twenty-something girls say my thrirty-something butt is cute...
Did you run a sarcasm check?
J/k.
;)

Wear what works.

A couple months ago, I would have never imagined myself riding in temperatures around 30F (like today) but its perfectly fine, its all about layering. Tights are essential on the bottom (can even put shorts on top of them too). If you wish you can also get some anti-wind pants that go over them (make sure they have tapered legs so they don't get caught around the pedals). Upon visual inspection they most resemble a pair of track pants. With a wind breaker on top I can guarantee that you will no look like a fairy. ;)

Tights? Fairies? Cycling? If not for the wind resistance, you could strap a pair of wings on your shoulders. When else is it the least bit ok to dress like this. Enjoy the attention. Revel in being different.

One word: Tights. Second word: Fairy.

There has to be a better way to dress in this demanding winter weather.

well, what i do is wear lycra bike shorts and/or tights with baggie shorts over them. i have 6-7 pair of "board shorts" which are baggie-style surf swim shorts made of quick-drying material usually with one or 2 velcro pockets. i find the following advantages with only 2 disadvantages:
* keeps my tights/bike shorts dryer and cleaner (especially in rain/mud)
* saves my expensive shorts/tights if i crash (mostly mountain biking) b/c the thicker tougher overshorts fare better than lycra which damages with 1 crash
* looks much more "normal" --- in summer i just have shorts and in winter i have shorts over leggings/tights which are much less noticeable than just tights
disads:
1) slightly increased wind resitance - for commuting and most MTB doesn't matter --- for racing i usually go without the over-shorts
2) slightly increased chance of snagging the shorts on something on the bike - i personally have no trouble. last week i forgot my overshorts and my tights kept getting stuck on the seat (the over-shorts are more tough and less "sticky")

although i generally don't care a whole lot what others think, i have found the treatment and comments are greatly reduced by wearing baggies shorts -- particularly bike commuting in the office and then walking through the office building...

Originally posted by velocipedio
I rode by some of my female students this morning. I was wearing tights. This afternoon, I ran into them again at school. "Of all the faculty, you have the cutest ass," one said. "Whay don't you wear your tights to teach?" Asked another.

Hey, what can I say... It's flattering to have twenty-something girls say my thrirty-something butt is cute...


did you get the: i like the way your legs go up and make an ass of themselves - comment yet?

Every time I go out of the house dressed to ride my wife says "Don't let anyone know you know me!". She thinks all the bike cloths look limp wristed and weird.
It don't stop me at all!:D I just go out and ride.
For the cooler weather I bought a pair of nylon paints with a mesh like linning on the inside to help with movement. I wear regular bike shorts under these and layer on upper garments. I don't know if I will be able to ride in very cold weather but I use to ride motor cycles in very cold weather at higher speeds.

ps Everyone in this part of the country cocks an eyebrow at anyone riding a bicycle. It doesn't matter what you wear!

Just don't wear boots with the tights and you should be alright because everyone knows fairies wear boots.If you do decide to wear boots with your tights whatever you do don't start humming Ozzie Ozbourne tunes or people will think either your one of Santa's elves on a bad trip or a Satanic cultist on a mission to terriorize the country. Seriously when I wear tight bike clothing including tights I tend to get more attention from males as well as females so I guess you just have to take the bad with the good if your going to wear this type of clothing.

I don't know if I will be able to ride in very cold weather but I use to ride motor cycles in very cold weather at higher speeds.

riding a bicycle in cold weather is much easier than a motorcycle b/c
1) you generate body heat
2) speeds are much lower so wind-chill is less
3) icy/snowy roads on a motorcycle are much harder to handle than on a bicycle where you can put your feet down and skid holding the bike (motorcycles, especially street bikes, weigh more so can be hard)

i used to ride a motorcycle in the winter (OK, Texas winter so temps in the 20s and 30s, rarely less than 18F or so) and my feet and hands were ALWAYS cold after a 20- to 30-minute+ ride. comparitively on a bicycle, i can ride in below freezing weather for a few hours w/o major problems down to 10F or so (haven't experienced colder than that often)

In really nasty weather I wear bright yellow rain gear. I scared the dickens off my the post office people when I plowed through the door, helmet with light on...they thought I was a fireman and that there was a fire in the building.

For normal days I wear Gore-tex pants or wool pants, which are quite fashionable and not uncomfortable.

I would not be caught dead in tights.

I wear tights in the winter and although my teenage daughter is embarrassed by me, I have never been accused of being a ferry.

But I make sure that whenever I get off the bike, I walk like John Wayne and look mean.

Originally posted by tchazzard
In really nasty weather I wear bright yellow rain gear. I scared the dickens off the post office people when I plowed through the door, helmet with light on...they thought I was a fireman and that there was a fire in the building.



Bwaahaahaaahaaa!

I'm going to have that image stuck in my head the rest of the day.

I wll try to post a picture of this get up some time...this will likely give you nightmares.

nathank
what kind of cloths do you wear? The winters here are about the same as i Texas and I'm new to this.

I think I will like getting out in the winter to ride.

Is it churlish of me to object to the apparent homophobia in the original posting?

You're terrified of looking.... what? Gay? Well, how many gay people, male OR female, wear cycling tights in their everyday, non-cycling lives? (A rhetorical question, whose answer is, from my experience, "few".) Afraid of looking effeminate? Well, how many women, gay OR straight, wear tights and nothing else on their lower half? (Another rhetorical question, whose answer is, from my experience, "very few".) And in either case, what's wrong with looking "gay" or "effeminate" in the first place?

If you're REALLY worried that random passersby might be confused about your particular sexual and/or romantic preferences, then perhaps you could paint some silhouettes of women's bodies onto your bike fenders, the back of your jersey, and the back of your helmet. They'd resemble the illustrations on the mud flaps that I see on so many of the eighteen-wheelers around here. No one doubts that they work very well, in the case of truckers, at symbolizing one-hundred-percent iron-fisted masculinity and heterosexuality. Maybe you'd find them equally symbolically powerful on your bicycle.

Churlish? Why no!

I agree wholy with you. I don't care what folks think of me, I know who I am!:p

I had two ladys stop and ask if I needed help when I was making a seat adjustment one day. They ask "are you from around here?". I replied that I lived in town, about 5 miles away and that I loved riding in the country since it is so beautiful. They replied "we are glad you enjoy riding out this way, but most bike riders are from far away from here". My point is, people around here think you "just ain't right" if you'r on a bicycle no matter how you'r dressed.

Now! Are the tights all there cracked up to be, how cold can you ride in them, should I use fleece of some kind to stay warm?

Maybe it's just Ottawa, but it's too cold to wear just tights in the winter. In the spring and fall I wear this----> padded shorts, then tights, then some beat up old baggy shorts over top. I need these for pockets, and because I thought the secretaries in the offices I dropped packages at might faint from such a wonder... uh, nevermind. Also, these shorts were great for not losing chunks of hip if I were to crash. They also add warmth to those very important parts. The knees!

But in the colder part of winter it's a different story. If I'm riding for awhile I'll put on padded shorts, then polypro longjohns, then whatever pants I plan on wearing where I'm headed, then shell pants over top. I found a pair for snowshoeing or something shells that aren't baggy at the ankles like cheap k-way plastiky ones are (and on sale!). With those I used to have to use a reflective strap to keep my right ankle from going in the chain. Now it's all luxury, baby! As you can see I can't stand cold legs. My knees aren't all that great (bursitis). On my top I wear less layers.

And did I mentioned small wheeled folders are the bomb in winter?

Balance

Originally posted by lotek

Personally I don't give a rats a$s what anyone thinks about
how I look when I'm riding.

Marty

I'm with lotek on this one. I couldn't care at all about what I look like while I'm riding. All I think about is how everyone is riding in the car, by themselves wasting gas and I'm out enjoying the fresh air, no matter how cold it is, and getting in a good ride. As long as I'm warm, who cares!!

I'm new here, but not new to commuting by bike in the winter, and this thread is just wierd! Guys who ride a lot look good in tights! Most cyclists around here wear all the cycling-specific clothing. The reason for the tight stuff is to reduce wind drag. I personally DON'T look so good in tights, but I wear them anyway!:D I actually have a pair from Road Runner sports (their "not tights") that are a little baggier than true cycling tights (helps prevent the horror of me in really tight tights). They are also lots cheaper. They're kind of light, but then I'm usually too warm on my bike. When it's really cold or wet I have cycling-specific rain pants to go over.

Originally posted by killerasp
One word: Tights. Second word: Fairy.

There has to be a better way to dress in this demanding winter weather.

Hey, Tinkerbell!

All my boyfriends wear cycling tights...

...or else they wear nothing at all.

:D

I'm curious who people are afraid of looking like a fairy for. Motorists? They already probably think your nuts for cycling in a temperature that requires tights. Other cyclists? doubtful, since they are probably going to wear tights also. Perhaps people are afraid of running into somebody they know. Even then, it seems that the only reason that people would be uneasy is if they are not comfortable with their sexuality.

Originally posted by Arsbars
One things about tights, they do make chicks with nice bodies look even better :p And yes I'm female, and yes I will say that

but what do you think of men in tights (not the movie haha)... or men in tights with mt bike shorts over them at least? btw, you all can see how stupid i look in my profile. i think COLD PEOPLE look stupid. i dont get cold. i may get looks, but i get the job done well and warm.

I agree with the who cares attitude ! If I am out there in 30-40 deg. temp . then I want to be as warm as the weather will allow me and still be comfortable. I use the tights,gloves, wind jacket . I have yet to go for the shoe covers but the feet do get frozen. My wife laughs at my outfit but it gets me outside where the real cycling occurs.I have been out when ice is on the road and after your body heat is generated from the workout the only problem are the feet,hands , and Pee pee now they get COLD.:beer: