solveg

So I got some nice campy leg warmers on sale. They're good quality, the elastic seems good.

I tried them for the first time today. The concept is great, but they fall down around my knees and then bunch up behind my knees and irritate me. I keep pulling them up, but I feel like I'm adjusting pantyhose on a public street.

Is there a trick to them?

They're nice for watching TV, though.

orange leader

You need to wear Garters.

No seriously, i'm not 50 yet, but hope to be someday, and I have that same problem, ergo, I don't wear them anymore. I just wear full tights, or knicker length tights.

Digital Gee

I tried 'em, had the same problem (even when buying a size smaller upon the recommendation of the LBS), and took 'em back and got long johns. THEY work perfectly.

zonatandem

The heck with leg warmers . . . do as my stoker does, she wears pantyhose!
Really the top of the legwarmers get put 'under' the elastic leg grippers of your riding shorts. You do wear riding shorts?
Also wash them and they will fit snugger for a couple days. Or, safety pins . . . or get imaginative and use velcro.
Naaaah . . . go with the pantyhose . . . a different shade/color for every day of the week! Do carry some clear nailpolish in case of a run/snag. If Joe Namath wore them, why can't you?

cccorlew

You are putting them on before your shorts, right? The shorts add a bit to help hold 'em up, and most shorts are too slick to provide grip if you put them over.
Be sure to pull them up as high as you can.

Also, develop your legs. Large quads are a plus in many ways.

CrossChain

Knickers I like a lot, but leg warmers keep you versatile for spring riding. I'm sure you already do so, but you are wearing them with the tops tucked well under your shorts?....this is usually more than enough to keep them up.

(I do recall a newbie in our cycling group who was struggling to put on some leg warmers-- unsuccessfully-- until a grizzled older rider pointed out they were actually arm warmers.)

solveg

I actually had them on over some bib knickers, which were very slippery. It was in the mid 30's, but I couldn't find my normal winter wind pants.

I'll give them another try with shorts and put them under the shorts.

Pantyhose actually aren't a bad idea...or actually winter tights, as in women's wear thicker-than-nylons kind of tights. But I still like the concept of easily taking leg warmers off and on for different temps. Sometimes just the wind kicking up will put you in a different chill category in the early spring, or the sun going behind clouds for a while.

doctor j

+1

stapfam

Have heard that you buy a size smaller than are right- But from others- Staples to the shorts or Superglue seems to work.

Rick@OCRR

I have both full leg-warmers and the shorter knee-warmers, both by Pearl Izumi, and they work great, don't fall down, and keep me warm. All good.

Plus they fold up nice into a jersey pocket when the day has warmed up.

I don't do anything special to them, and I do have kinda skinny legs. I do shave my legs, and some forumites claim that helps keep them in place. Haven't tried with hairy legs, so don't know about that . . .

Rick / OCRR

Kurt Erlenbach

Here's yer leg warmers:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ima...704674&sr=8-14

Tights or old sweat pants. Anything but leg warmers.

Boudicca

Put leg warmers on before the shorts. Pull them up to mid-thigh at least. (Do not look in the mirror at this stage -- you will only frighten yourself).

Then pull on the bike shorts above the leg/knee warmers. Sometimes this works, and sometimes you get a nasty cold strip of skin between shorts and warmers.

But once it works it is worth the hassle, because they really do roll up nice and small for a jacket pocket once the weather warms up enough to be riding in shorts.

BluesDawg

The leg warmers may be too large. They need to fit tight. As others have said, they should go under the shorts with several inches of overlap.

Digital Gee

You could always have your Bike Butler warm up your legs.

CrossChain

IOW, Solveg, roughly translated he's saying your legs are slender and you need to shop for leg warmers in the Svelte Section of your LBS.

solveg

Maybe in that alternate reality down the road!

Actually, they are kinda big. But they're really long, too. They go way to the top of my thigh to right below my rear (I have short legs)! And I'm not just pulling them up too high because the ankles fit tight, with the little zippers on them, so there's a lot to fit under a pair of bike shorts. But they don't fit tight like nylons, for sure. I doubt they will fall down with 10 inches of bike short over them. But that will have to wait until the weather warms up a bit.

fthomas

Try this.

Buy the lovely Brooks Leather Pant Leg Straps and put the small end of the leg warmers on first. Then use the Pant Leg Straps to secure the bell bottoms of the new fashionable bicycle attire you have just invented. Caution: If your feet begin to throb or otherwise loose feeling immediately consult your LBS.

jppe

Solveg-I have true bird legs and have always had a devil of a time with both leg warmers and knee warmers. I need the longer lengths but they just don't come skinny enough for me. One thing that has helped is that I actually made the opening smaller on the upper part (thigh area) by folding the seam together and stitching it. I probably took up over an inch and it seems to help. I leave the overlap on the outside and have it under my leg so it's not as noticeable-especially since that part is under my shorts.

Dallyup

I bought a good pair of khakis from travelsmith with legs that zip off, about the same size to store the legs in a seatbag and you can even wear them out for an evening with your significant other!

Mojo Slim

It's all in shorts that have good leg grippers at the bottom. I only have a problem with leg warmers with one pair of shorts. Leg warmers are great for those days when it will eventually warm up.

oilman_15106

+ 1 to under your cycling shorts but another question is are they the correct size? My thought is they are too big to stay up and if they bunch behind the knee that adds to my thinking. You could get thighs like tree trunks then you will not have this problem or get ones with smaller top hole.

oilman_15106

Saw this after replying - try Castelli brand leg warmers a size smaller than you would normally order. They are cut long. I have a pair that I use alot that have no brushed lining. Perfect for when it is just a bit chilly then take em off when it warms a bit. Easy to store in a pocket.

solveg

Thighs like tree trunks I have, and ankles like tree trunks, too!

I think the bibs were too slippery for them, and it was compounded by them being a little big. I'll give a full report in a week or so when I get to Kansas and it's in the freaking 50's!!!!! Yay!

az_cyclist

I wear Performance knee warmers during the winter months here in Phoenix. I have never had a problem with them slipping down. I wear Pearl Izumi shorts, and put the knee warmers on first.

Spokes man

This situation is sort of a variation of a signature line I've seen here, I believe it belongs to Louis?

"Nothing goes right when you're leg (or knee) warmers aren't tight."

It's definitely all in the fit. Size down.