Commuting - clothing advise

i work from 3-midnight. short sleeves and bike shorts is fine going in, but too cool for the midnight run when temps drop to 60. tights and or rain pants are great at night in fall/spring but make me sweat in summer. want to keep my knees warm but not sweat my balls off. any ideas? cutoff thrift store sweat pants or something?

.....temps drop to 60.......


c'mon man, that's perfect cycling weather. if you're cold, you're going too slow:D

60 is not that cold....it was 61 this morning when I came in with bike shorts and short sleeve alert shirt.

60? Shorts and a t-shirt from about 45-50 up. Under that is when you've got to start going with long sleeves and pants. If you get cold, you down shift and spinner faster.

But if your actually concerned about your knees, there is such a thing as a knee warmer (http://www.rei.com/gear/feature/search/Google/cycling%20fleece%20warmer?cm_mmc=ps_google-_-Category%20-%20Cycling-_-Cycling_Arm-Leg_Warmers-_-knee%20warmer) you can get to cover them.

I like my knees.
Keep in mind that I am a lycra wearing weenie boy.

0-15F = Poly long john base layer and heavy performance tights with cycling shorts
15-40F = heavy performance tights with cycling shorts
40-50F = lightweight PI tights and leg warmers with cycling shorts
50-60F = leg warmers with cycling shorts
60 on up = just shorts

Somewhere around 50-60F the jacket comes off and arm warmers go on until 65F.

I gotta agree. 60 is ideal biking weather. I'd add a thin wind breaker, maybe....

But, since you asked I'd say, for legs, carry a pair of knee warmers, or wear knickers of some sort. Casual biking knickers seem to be all the rage and probalby for good reason. They're comfy and versatile. Army pant's or thrift store pants hemmed up to calf level are a cheap way to go.

Check these guys out, cheap, and they'll even make knickers out of pants you send them.

http://web.mac.com/chicagowig/iWeb/www.chicagowig.com/knickers%20and%20things.html

Bring long clothes in your backpack/panniers?

knee warmers

it's totally perfect, you're right.
need to keep the knees warm though.
they tend to scream out a tad the next day when it's below 65.

tights/leg warmers are too hot. need some light weight middle ground, er, pants.


c'mon man, that's perfect cycling weather. if you're cold, you're going too slow:D

Precisely the conditions for knee warmers. Check it out: http://www.velowear.com/products/1240001GRNSML.aspx

Ditto, I ride in -20 temps, but if my knees are cold they are sore as hell. Knees warmers are fine. Long lyrca over lyrca shorts works great for me.

At -20 it's a different set up!

Now I agree with the others that 50-60 is great cycling temps in dry weather, however if you feel a little cold a long sleeve jersey and light weight tights or even knickers are excellent for between temps. I wear long sleeve jerseys all summer, they even seem cooler than short sleeves to me in the hot sun.
Craig

Long sleeve soccer jersey. I wear shorts down to 50F, but knickers may be needed for you.

Convertable pants all the way, baby. I don't think I'd dare walk into a quickie mart with leg warmers at that time of night in the neighborhoods I commute.

knee warmers

+1

Or leg warmers.

c'mon man, that's perfect cycling weather. if you're cold, you're going too slow:D

A big + 1 to that. B'more in the summer, I can only DREAM of 60s.

That being said, when I was riding in the cool of the morning (430A) in the SF area (mid 30s) I was using leg and arm warmers. They pack small but do the job.