Winter Cycling - What should go over tights?

Hey I wear the Pearl Izumi Thermafleece Bibs and now that temps are getting down to under 10 I am feeling cold again. What should go over them? I was looking at the Pearl Izumi Amfib bibs with no chamois (aka bibs over bibs) but wasn't sure if maybe "wind pants" would be a better option. Give me your opinions...

Thanks,
John

Hi there, this question is also interesting for me -

Last Saturday it was about freezing. I was dressed as follows: thin bibs with chamois, an undershirt then a bibs without chamois and on top of that a long sleeve shirt, somewhat thicker than a summer shirt, I topped it of with a sleeveless windstopper jacket.
I also carried a sort of polyester bandana under my helmet and I had my WileyX glasses on.

After half an hour ride I was not cold but sweating; I returned - still not feeling cold, - home after about an hour or two ride.

When showering, I noted various red spots on my legs thigh, knee back side and arms.
The freezing cold more or less caused some sort of "burn" spots.
These spots went away later that day, but to me it proved that I was at least a bit under dressed.

"wind pants"

yup

http://www.showerspass.com/cart/

A windproof layer over the thermafleece and and you'll be good to go much colder, also a having a pair of windproof rain pants is good to have and probalby cheaper than a pair of amfibs. I use a REI rain pant over thermafleece in deep cold. The 2 layer set up is warmer than one pair of amfibs (I have all of the above).

The Perl Izumi Ambi or your Thermafleece sucks in that it doesn't have a lot of useful pockets. There's a black cargo pants made by Protective in Germany called the Boto made out of 100% ripstop nylon. Its the only cargo pants made specifically for cycling and it should slide well over a pair of tights on windy days. It has a lot of pockets to hold every thing one needs and the right leg is made specifically to avoid the chain suck problem one has with the usual pants. Its available for order from Edinburgh Cycles in the UK. Protective is Germany's biggest cycling brand and the product can be found under the pants on the winter section of the Protective.de website. Yes, the page is available in English as well as in German. Its reasonably priced for a winter pants.

I wear knee warmers, then leg warmers, then chamoisless tights, then knee warmers under tights, then leg warmers under tights as it gets progressively colder. That gives me lots of flexibility. I have never ridden in temps that cold but I would think that leg warmers under the PI's would be adequate.

What should go over tights?

Sweatpants

And if it gets REALLY cold, then windpants.

15F - 40F: biking shorts + baselayer tights + windpants
<15F :biking shorts + baselayer tights + workout pants (sweathpants?) + windpants

Wow! I can't get over the amount of layers some people wear ( but then again, I'm a blast furnace!)

Down to about 5C ( ~40 F), The bottom layer is cycling shorts

Below 5C to about -25C, the bottom layer is cycling shorts with cycling pants overtop ( tights with a nylon windblocker layer on the front)

Below -25C, cycling shorts, polypro long underwear (or fleece pants depending on the temp) and gore-tex pants.

I bought some "snow pants--" likely more for skiing than for cycling -- at the local thrift store ... for US$5.00.

They're windproof, well-lined, and quite warm. They have pockets, too!

Over a chamois, they're doing well. I tend to use some "velcro strap" to keep the cuff from dancing into the chain, but ... a rubber band ... or any other (not too tight) solution would work.

Hey I wear the Pearl Izumi Thermafleece Bibs and now that temps are getting down to under 10 I am feeling cold again. What should go over them? I was looking at the Pearl Izumi Amfib bibs with no chamois (aka bibs over bibs) but wasn't sure if maybe "wind pants" would be a better option. Give me your opinions...

Thanks,
John

Wind pants will keep you warmer but at some expense. They do not stretch much around the knee and if they are baggy enough to be non restrictive they flap in the wind and slow you down. I think a better solution is to get a pair of non padded Performance Triflex tights or Sugoi Firewalls to wear over your bibs when it is really cold. If you can get a slightly loose fit as they are warmer this way. Then you will retain greater breathability and with your bibs will probably be warm enough down to 5-10F.

Wind pants will keep you warmer but at some expense. They do not stretch much around the knee and if they are baggy enough to be non restrictive they flap in the wind and slow you down.

Which is exactly why I go with sweatpants, or something along those lines, over my tights. The double layer of material blocks the wind fairly well, and keeps me warm.

I also sweat something fierce in windpants ... which increases the risk of hypothermia ... but tights, with sweatpants over them, allows my sweat to evaporate so I stay dry.

I love my Pearli AmFibs and have worn them in rides below zero with only minor complaints.
In the real cold I will wear a thin pair of base layer "tights" over my regular bibs and under the Fibs.

I love these (http://www.bicycleclothing.com/Patrol-Wind-Pants-Unisex.html)

I love these (http://www.icebike.org/Clothing/SpecialTights.htm). Very comfortable, and very effective.

http://showerspass.com/cart/product_info.php?cPath=21_29&products_id=41&osCsid=62df1846f3d5205f0ddd58f2504904ed the stuff is out there, you just have to go look for it!

Ive been wearing sporthill xc 3sp pants. expensive at nearly $100 but i can skip the tights with these.

Damn now I'm torn between the showers pass pants and the J&G patrol pants. Thanks for all of the suggestions they are appreciated.

Damn now I'm torn between the showers pass pants and the J&G patrol pants. Thanks for all of the suggestions they are appreciated.

I have only one pair of the J&G patrol pants. I wear them for all of my rides/commutes when the temps are below 40F and they are in their 3rd year of service.

I have a great solution -- lined track pants! I have some with sweatpant material liner, and another with fleece lining. The outer shell stops the wind, but the lining keeps you warmer. I've used these with bib shorts, and when it got real cold, wool longjohns -- I was toasty!

Knee-shin pads, with moto pants over top.

Unless you mean for riding on roads and stuff....:D

I have only one pair of the J&G patrol pants. I wear them for all of my rides/commutes when the temps are below 40F and they are in their 3rd year of service.

Thanks for the recommendation I am going to order those today!

What should go over tights?

Sweatpants

And if it gets REALLY cold, then windpants.
I've just picked up some cheap polyester sweats for this purpose.

Previously, I've used an ancient pair of softshell 3/4 walking/climbing trousers. These were elastic, very tough, shed snow and a bit of rain.

I wear the Showers Pass rain pants. They come with velcro straps to keep the cuffs out of the drive train. The knee vents work well. My only complaint is that they're too baggy.

"What should go over tights?"

If you're talking about cycling tights: nothing
If you're talking about the black tights that Catholic schoolgirls wear: Vaseline

I have only one pair of the J&G patrol pants. I wear them for all of my rides/commutes when the temps are below 40F and they are in their 3rd year of service.
I got them yesterday and they made my commute very nice. Only weird thing is the belt loops. What do you use them for? or did you cut them off?

For my 17F/-8C commute yesterday, I wore bib shorts w/chamois with leg warmers as a base layer with Illuminite windpants over that. My commute isn't that long - 8-9 miles - and I was plenty warm. YMMV.

I got them yesterday and they made my commute very nice. Only weird thing is the belt loops. What do you use them for? or did you cut them off?

They're for a belt, specifically a duty belt as used in law enforcement...hence the term 'patrol pants'.

I left mine alone, they ain't hurting nothing.