ill.clyde

do they really help?

Was chilly and still breezy last night, was in shorts and short-sleeve jersey, and it was just enough to be a little uncomfortably chilly, but not cold enough to layer up, etc.

I don't want to go with long-sleeve jerseys, but would consider armwarmers if they really work.

1nterceptor

They work for me, been using them for a few years now.

Biggziff

Yep....they work. You can also use a light windbreaker to do the same thing.

Mr. Beanz

I really like these things. Cheapo Under Armor type under layers from Target (Champion C4/thinner model) and Walmart (Starter thicker model). About $12.

Thick enough to keep the cold off your arms but light enough so that I can use them on a warm day on the climbs to keep the bugs away. I've used them on 80 degree days on the climbs. I've always hated long sleeves in anything but nice once you settle in these things, it's like a second skin.

Can't lose for $12 vs the $25 for arm warmers.

ill.clyde

Beanz that's what I usually do ... a thin, wicking type layer underneath ...

but when I get warm, I'd like the option to push the sleeves up, or down, provided they were armwarmers

Mr. Beanz

Ah I see. If I get hot I roll it up into a little ball and stuff it.

CraigB

I just got my first pair last week. Nashbar had their house brand ones on sale for $15. I wore them for the first time in the wind on Monday's ride. I thought they were great. We'll see how they hold up to wear and washing (my wife put them through a dryer cycle without realizing it).

Edit: I just checked and they're still on sale. But they also have some Cannondales for the same price, and some Descentes for only $5 more.

Seattle Forrest

I have short and long sleeved wool tee shirts - I never got into bike jerseys. Sometimes I'll wear long sleeves in the summer, but in a very thin fabric. It keeps my arms from getting a sun burn, wicks amazingly, and keeps me nice and warm when the sun goes down. ( It's getting cold at night lately! )

But I have a few pairs of arm, leg, and knee warmers, too. Mine are all home made, from merino and from cashmere. I really like the cashmere ones. Their warmth to weight ratio is superb, and so they pack down to almost nothing. I can enjoy the heat of the day, but stay toasty when the sun disappears behind the mountains, even if I'm on the salt water.

psalm

Yes, they really do. With a long sleeve jersey, you're pretty much stuck with the sleeves. You can only roll them up so much. With arm warmer, you can peel them off, roll them in a little ball and stuff them in your pocket.

rsacilotto

Love my arm warmers, usually in the morning. As it warms up, I can pull them down while riding, and stuff them in my pocket when I stop. I bought a pair of nashbar warmers about 5 years ago, still in great shape.

Nightshade

Wonder if arm warmers would help keep arthritic joints warm enough to stop hurting?

This is the time of year here in the midwest that can get very painful for me.

mkadam68

Keep in mind, they come in two styles, so know which you're getting or want.

One is just a plain lycra arm-warmer. Helps on slightly cool days. Some have fleece inside (called "therma-fleece" by somebody) that helps on colder days.

When it gets into the 40's and below, I'll wear arm warmers and a jacket.

rykard

great as an extra layer without having to carry an extra jersey, ditto leg warmers too..

chasm54

They really work.

ill.clyde

REI has some made by Novara that are fleece lined ... think I"m gonna grab a pair today

RichardGlover

Last winter I commuted with a combination of the following:


long-sleeve 'tech' (read: polyester + spandex) compression shirt
Short-sleeve jersey and/or short sleeve loose-fitting technical T.
fleece jacket
nylon shell cycling windbreaker w/waterproofing.

Bottoms:

Leg warmers
bibs
nylon shell waterproof pants

That got me riding in temps down to the 20's.

Layering is good. The biggest problem with a long-sleeve baselayer and a short-sleeve jersey over it was all day rides where I wanted to remove the long-sleeve jersey about 1/3 of the way through, then wanted to put it back on again as it started to get dark. Arm warmers would work well for that (or rather, arm warmers + a vest, or a technical fabric jacket)

himespau 

I don't like the quality of the walmart "starter" brand technical stuff. The compression stuff is ok, but the seams are poorly sewn and they tend to rip on me. For as cheap as they are though, they make a decent base layer. The "moisture wicking" t-shirts though are a huge waste of time as a base layer. Hot and hold onto the moisture as if they were cotton. Wore them a couple of times this summer (just to make sure it wasn't a fluke) and the base layer clung to my skin all soaked and the jersey over the top was more or less dry.

If the sewing weren't so crappy, I'd get more of the compression stuff from there though.

I got a couple of sets of both nashbar arm warmers and leg warmers on sale in the $8-10 range and they work pretty well on the days that it's quite cool (say 40's or so maybe upper 30's). Any higher than that and they're just too warm for me. Would like to get a lighterweight set for rides in the 50's that look like they're going to warm up later in the day when I'd take them off. I do have a lightweight full zip long sleeve jersey I use in that range now (and the starter compression long sleeves), but would like a lightweight armwarmer.

himespau 

I don't particularly like the grippers on the nashbar stuff though. They dig in to my upper arm a lot more than is comfortable.

zencalm

Agreed. I love long sleeve wicking ts. Besides, I have pretty hefty arms and I wouldn't trust that armwarmers would fit.

Pinyon

I don't like arm warmers, but mostly because I'm kind of funny about tight stuff on my arms.

I prefer to take along a really light poly shell jacket. I can leave it unzipped and tuck it into my center jersey pocket when just my arms are cold, let it hang down my back when it is a bit cooler, and use various zip-levels as I need as it gets colder or rainy.

More versatile.

And you never lose one-arm somewhere on the side-of-the-road when you take it off during a ride...

chefisaac

anyone use leg warmers? thoughts?

buelito

The best buys I ever made for spring/fall riding are arm warmers, knee warmers and a vest. The combination is awesome, and you can use as much or as little as you want. Obviously if it is going to be wet as well, you want a jacket of some kind, but knee warmers and arm warmers have stretched my 'shorts' riding weather substantially.

Check Longscycle for great sales on arm warmers-- they sell some made by defeet (the same people that make the socks) and they allow you to roll them to your wrists when it gets warm, rather tahn pulling them down and having them bunch at the wrists. When you take them off they look like cloth donuts.

train safe-

masi1979

Went for a ride yesterday using my new arm warmers I picked up online, it was about 45 degrees not bad - https://longscycle.com/product/microf...x-arm-warmers/
Bought these around Christmas time for 24.99 and they are on sale today for only 19.99 - totally worth the money - love these things!

nkfrench 

I usually wear a thin mesh baselayer top for that transition zone where summer gear is too cool (low 50F).
Most of my rides where there is a significnt climate change I'll be making a pit stop where I can peel off a layer and stuff it in a drawstring backpack.
Not built right for armwarmers/legwarmers, they either pinch at the top or are too tight at the bottom, or slip and bunch (too long).

dave5339

+1 on arm warmers and leg warmers.

Of course my wife and I are riding in North Texas so cold is kind of a relative thing here.

Arm warmers and leg warmers give us the ability to regulate our warming/cooling as we ride. This time of year, an early Saturday morning start can be around 36-40 degrees, by noon, it can be up to 65-70 and sunny. It's nice just being able to shuck out of the warmers and stuff them in a pocket or bag without having to deal with the bulk of a jacket and tights.

Semper Fi