Digital Gee

As the weather cools (yes, it really does cool down in winter in San Diego) I'm debating once again the pros and cons of picking up some leg warmers or springing for full-length bibs. Warmers are cheaper, but I seem to remember trying them a year or two ago and having problems keeping them up over my knees.

Your opinions?

tony2v

I live in San Diego also, but I only wear knee warmers. Leg warmers are too much coverage for me. I don't have any problems with knee warmers staying up as long as pull them up over my thighs. I wear the Belgian style (cloth not lycra) shoe covers when it gets cold also.

stapfam

Bib shorts till it gets to around 35F- then Knickers to about 20F then it is a Good bottle of cognac and forget about riding till spring.

Hermes

+1 Knee warmers in SD but in NorCal, I use leg warmers and knee warmers. I do not have a problem with them falling down. Full length bib tights would be extremely warm.

heavyMetal

The other day the average temp on my ride was 46°; I used leg warmers under my bib shorts and felt great. I also have knickers, but they were still drying from the day before. My rule of thumb is lower that 40°, winter bib tights (I use Pearl Izumi Gavia bib tights - they are awesome); lower forties, leg warmers + bib shorts, upper forties to high 50's, knickers, low to mid sixties, knee warmers + bib shorts.

Both the leg warmers and knee warmers (both Pearl Izumi) stay up under my bib shorts (Assos Mille).

overthehillmedi

Just so everybody can keep things in prespective,the lowest temperature on record that I could find for San Diego on this date is 48F set in 1886.Coldest day on record is 25F on Jan 7,1913, with only nine days of below freezing temperatures in January since 1872. They would probably shut the town down if they got frost on their windshields.As far as snow goes there is mention of it happening on THREE days in history with it lasting almost an hour on the ground in some locales.
https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/climate/san-san-month.htm

Digital Gee

That last sentence is particularly true. When we get so much as a "mist" of rain, we get "team coverage" on the local news.

cranky old dude

Couldn't you just stop shaving your legs for the Winter? Anything beyond that sounds like over-kill!!

Well, you did ask for my opinion.

Digital Gee

While it IS temperate here, I remember many rides in the high 40s and low 50s in winter time. My legs got cold!

staehpj1

I always get a chuckle when folks from SD talk about cold, but I guess there are two reasons why. One is that it depends greatly on what you are used to, and two he may ride ride at higher altitudes where it actually gets a bit colder. But If I lived and only rode in SD I wouldn't own leg warmers or tights.

Personally, when it gets chilly (30-40) I wear thin tights over my shorts. When it gets colder, I break out the windproof thicker tights. They are good below zero and that is as cold as it usually gets here.

maddmaxx 

Just as with those who live in Florida, residents of SD will probably need winter gear at temps below 50.

I suspect that leg or knee warmers are what you need DG.........along with the legs to keep them up. I understand that the better warmers are pre-shaped with a built in knee bend that reduces the pull downward.

Having lived in Key West for a couple of years, I can assure you that at 60 deg you will think you are going to die............at the same time that tourists are diving into the swimming pools.

DnvrFox

Rode today - 34F starting out, very foggy. Usual knee length bibs plus thin tights. As it warms up, I usually take off tights at about 45F, but did not today - just didn't get around to it.

kabersch

I just use leg warmers and shorts all winter here in the Phoenix, AZ area. If it's too cold for leg warmers, it's to cold to ride. I don't have any trouble keeping the leg warmers up. I just pull them up at least to mid-thigh. I wear arm warmers, too. If it's below 55 I will also wear a jacket. I also need a skull cap to wear under my helmet to keep the cold air off my head.

LarryMelman

At what temp do you put the leg and arm warmers on? Somewhere above 55, I assume? That seems like overkill to me. I put on a long sleeved underlayer below 60 but otherwise I'm fine down to the high 40's, where I'll put on leg warmers and a jacket. (And yes, I've lived here long enough to be acclimated.)

But maybe I misunderstood what you wrote.

gpelpel

Here in Northern CA I use knee warmers in addition to my regular bibs. I also sometimes add shoe covers if my warm socks are not enough to keep my feet comfortable. In extreme cold (CA style) I add XC skiing tights over my shorts.
For the top I use a Craft windproof short sleeves base layer, arm warmers, and a regular short sleeves jersey. When it's really cold I use a windproof PI Barrier jacket over a Craft long sleeve base layer.
I like to have versatility in my equipment. That's what warmers do with your Summer shorts/bibs and jerseys. The XC tights (no chamois pad), the base layers, and the jacket are used for skiing, hiking, running, and biking.

Hermes

Allow me to assist...... We lived and cycled in SD for 16 years. We were in SD last week cycling. Although SD is a temperate climate, it, as with most of California, has microclimates that are highly influenced by the Pacific Ocean, the desert and mountains. Within 5 miles of the coast, the ocean dominates the weather providing fog, haze and wind moderating temperatures in the summer and winter.

My wife's father, who lived in Cleveland, would visit us in the winter. He would complain that it felt cooler in SD than Cleveland and we would laugh at him about the comment. However, what is different is the moisture content of the air. If one is in the fog with an air temperature of 55 and it is windy. It is hard to keep warm. Cycling the coast in the winter with brisk winds off the ocean on a cloudy day can be cold. I wear knee warmers all the time.

If you travel inland 20 miles, the winter temperatures are much colder. If you go on to the desert, it is very cold at night but warms in the day. The mountains have snow, it is cold and the descents, via a bicycle, very cold.

There is logic to warming up your knees quickly. It is about knee pain. Pro racers cover their knees. It is a bad idea to produce a lot of power through your knees until they are warmed up. When I was in SD last weekend, I had knee warmers on for the climb up Soledad. I took them off later in the ride.

jdon

I always wear bib shorts and in cold temps add a pair of non-chamois tights over top. I have a cool weather pair and a cold weather pair(flocked with wind panels) and vary them for the tempurature. Then again, Toronto isn't San Diego.

I was riding last winter in shorts and jersey while visiting Scottsdale. Got lots of funny looks from the locals in tights and jackets.

cccorlew

I love my knee warmers and leg warmers.
The DeFeet knee warmers are really nice. They feel good, and are stretchy, unlike Performance brand ones.
I also have leg warmers from Voler. I like them, but their chart is off. I usually get medium, their chart said small, but they were unwearable. The mediums are perfect, fit well and feel good. They are warmer than the DeFeet knee warmers.

I also have bib tights with a chamois, and pair i wear over regular bibs when it gets close to freezing.

The warmers are nice in the morning when you know it will warm up. You can stuff them in a pocket.
The bibs are nice when it's just really freakin' cold, and is going to sty that way.

RonH

Bib shorts with knee warmers below ~60F. Bib shorts with leg warmers below ~45F.

Digital Gee

Every word of this description rings true for me. And I live just a few miles from the coast (near the zoo, for those familiar). And I was born and raised in Cleveland! But I became an expat Indians / Browns fan over thirty years ago.

bikegeek57

you just have to pump harder... just saying.

palookabutt

Sounds about right. I use long tights below about 55F and add fleece tights and balaclava at around 35F. I've also got long-sleeve jerseys of varying thicknesses that I mix & match with silk undershirts.

Much below 30F I hop on the trainer and throw in a video.

HIPCHIP

I put on leg warmers the other day and my legs were fine, problem was, my groin/butt area was then cold from the wind hitting there. I went into my LBS and asked about a set of full length Bib's and was recommended the full length unpadded pants (these are Specialized) that allow me to put on over my bib-shorts. His thinking was that I can wear or carry my leg warmers and the pants and can mix and match on the ride depending on how cold it is. Whatever I'm not wearing will fit into the jersey or jacket pocket.

Layering seems to be the hot set-up.

Allegheny Jet

You made a good choice. Just think of the stress and despair that you would have endured.

About the bibs/leg warmer discussion. I say leg warmers, it's easier to take the leg warmers off and continue to ride than to take the bibs off and ride.

Hermes

[QUOTE=Digital Gee;9858074]As the weather cools (yes, it really does cool down in winter in San Diego) I'm debating once again the pros and cons of picking up some leg warmers or springing for full-length bibs. Warmers are cheaper, but I seem to remember trying them a year or two ago and having problems keeping them up over my knees.

Louis Garneau pictured below are $194 and those are with out the chamois. Is this what you mean or did you mean tights that pull over your cycling shorts?

I find it hard to believe that you could stuff the Louis Garneau full length bibs (or any other) into a jersey pocket. My wind vest just fits in mine. I would try fitting those in a jersey pocket. Check what your LBS is smoking.

That would be funny to see on the road while others are waiting.

I assume this is what we are discussing versus tights that pull up to the waist over cycling shorts.