Originally Posted by MichaelW
You may be able to wear shorts in dry cold, but damp air will suck the heat out of you.
If you are cold, wear more, and if you are hot, wear less. Its quite simple.
If you are in the UK check out Ron Hill and Parrot, 2 good value sources of clothes designed for UK conditions.
Polyester leggings, such as Ron Hill are std issue for any outdoor activity that involves cold, rain and mountains.
I'm not sure about others, but I mentioned shorts as an extra layer underneath some thicker trail or nylon athletic pants. Yes, you certainly wouldn't want to wear JUST shorts in freezing conditions.
The shorts I was referring to are Crash Pads
www.crash-pads.com (or similar product) which are impact resistant shorts with dense foam pads all around. The pads not only protect but act as nice insulation against cold.
They come in long legged cycling versions too.