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When do you break out the long pants?

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Old 11-01-17 | 01:56 PM
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When do you break out the long pants?

here in the US Northeast it's getting chilly. low 50s to high 40s tonight. still plan to wear shorts but do have extra stuff for up top incl long sleeves. just remembered an old rule of thumb to cover the knees at 50 or lower ... oops
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Old 11-01-17 | 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
just remembered an old rule of thumb to cover the knees at 50 or lower
I don't use leg warmers, but it has to be in the mid-low 40s or lower for long periods of time to break out the tights.

It rarely broke 50F when I was in Iceland, and was windy all the time, but I wore shorts every day with a long sleeve jersey. Never any worry about coldness on my bottom half.
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Old 11-01-17 | 02:35 PM
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It was 48F when I left the house this morning. I wore bibs and knee warmers, a long sleeved jersey and wind vest, and unlined full-finger gloves.
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Old 11-01-17 | 02:45 PM
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Two weeks ago.
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Old 11-01-17 | 02:51 PM
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Morning ride into work I've been wearing bib shorts with leg warmers. Afternoon ride home...leg warmers too, come to think of it. Been this way for the last three weeks. Temps 40-50F range.
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Old 11-01-17 | 02:56 PM
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Anything under 40, for sure. Around 45° I might wear shorts and bare legs for the short rides under an hour or commutes, but under 50 for a longer ride I want to keep my legs warm.
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Old 11-01-17 | 03:30 PM
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There's not much meat to protect on the shins or ankles so I'm generally good with knee warmers down into the low 40s. Once it gets below 40F, I will usually just layer tights over bibs.
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Old 11-01-17 | 04:35 PM
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Around 40F, give or take depending on wind, moisture and how I'm feeling.
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Old 11-01-17 | 04:50 PM
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I wear leg warmers below 60 degrees. I'm currently in Florida, and believe it or not a few days ago the temperature at 7am was 51 degrees. They're easily removed as temps climb, and placed in my jersey pocket (including arm warmers).
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Old 11-01-17 | 06:43 PM
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not yet and it's November 1, but I'm guessing soon. Also depends on if the temp is rising or falling

if it's 50 and temp rising, meaning early on a sunny day but getting warmer, then shorts

if it's 50 and the temp is falling, late afternoon heading into after dark, then yeah, long pants
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Old 11-01-17 | 06:51 PM
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When it's cold! I've been rocking the leg warmers for about a month when I go out early. but I love being able to take them off when it warms up and I'm in the sun. Great invention!
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:02 PM
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When I go to work.

I bought a pair of tights a couple of years ago, and my wife told me I was wasting money since I won't ride until it warms up to 60 degrees.

She was right.
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:08 PM
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Before this year, I had no experience riding below say 68 degrees. So this year I want to ride as late in the season as I can. It was 48 one morning and all I had on was shorts and a long sleeve/short sleeve. When the ride was over, It took me 3 hours to warm up!! Now it's tights and 3 shirts in the low 50's plus a skull cap and gloves!
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:14 PM
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This morning at 6:45 for my ride to the gym--34F.
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:21 PM
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There are two numbers that I remember well.

16C and 61F. Mostly because its my reference point for comfortable temperature.

Usually wearing pants from now until May.

The ugly shoes get worn year round though.
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:27 PM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
here in the US Northeast it's getting chilly. low 50s to high 40s tonight. still plan to wear shorts but do have extra stuff for up top incl long sleeves. just remembered an old rule of thumb to cover the knees at 50 or lower ... oops
55 before sunrise, 50 after.

With sunrise getting earlier and winter a distant memory I started this week an hour before sunrise thinking "Hey, it's 50... that's not bad" and went out in shorts, short sleeve jersey, and wind shell. While I was fine riding, I was almost shivering after stopping even after ten minutes in my double headed shower (while the government says plumbing purveyors can't sell shower heads flowing more than 2.5 gallons per minute, the law is silent on using more than one at a time). I was still cold when I got to work two hours after my ride.

Today I wore thermal tights, thermal jersey, wind shell, and gloves today starting at 45 degrees 1:10 before sunrise and still felt like a human when I got home .

The chamois-free tights never slip and expose skin, making them preferable for any ride where I wouldn't want to stuff them into a pocket where they wouldn't fit.
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Old 11-01-17 | 07:46 PM
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There's an Italian ex-pro I see out on the road from time to time. At 68 degrees and lower, he wears a wool hat, full-length Castelli tights (with a giant logo down the thigh), and long sleeves.
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Old 11-01-17 | 08:36 PM
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Weddings and funerals.

I got married in shorts.
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Old 11-01-17 | 08:50 PM
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Somewhere in the low 60s.
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Old 11-01-17 | 08:53 PM
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Any day now. When it's consistently 50 and lower in the mornings I start to transition to the winter gear. Changing the clocks this weekend so I mounted my helmet light.

Layering is key here in the Bay Area. It can be 48 in the morning and 75 on the way home so versatility is important. Rain's predicted for Friday so it looks like I'll be breaking out the rain gear too.

It might seem a little odd, but I kinda look forward to the change of seasons. Riding in the rain brings a certain solitude I enjoy. Not that there's too much bicycle traffic, but the winter weather weeds out the hot shot fair weather guys and leaves the lanes for me.

-Kedosto
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Old 11-02-17 | 05:46 AM
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I can still ride comfortably in shorts in the 40s. Once the temps hit 40 or below, my knees start to feel it.
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Old 11-02-17 | 06:26 AM
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I bought a pair of these and they have been good for temps in the 40s and 50s.

https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/mens...iABEgIQhvD_BwE

The other day, the temps dropped into the 30s and I wore a pair of these on top of the Aerotech knickers.
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...yABEgLBn_D_BwE
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Old 11-02-17 | 06:32 AM
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Originally Posted by highrpm
I can still ride comfortably in shorts in the 40s. Once the temps hit 40 or below, my knees start to feel it.
For me, the legs are fine in the 40s, the issue I run into is that they radiate out too much core heat and I have to compensate by wearing more up top. So, like many others here I have settled on a 50 degree cut off.
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Old 11-02-17 | 07:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Trakhak
There's an Italian ex-pro I see out on the road from time to time. At 68 degrees and lower, he wears a wool hat, full-length Castelli tights (with a giant logo down the thigh), and long sleeves.
I'm guessing I have a bit more built in insulation than a pro Italian racer.

Originally Posted by Maelochs
I got married in shorts.
Lucky you. I won on guayabera shirts, but had to compromise with linen drawstring pants
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Old 11-02-17 | 07:50 AM
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It depends on the individual, as should be evident from reading the responses so far. I'm not a fan of knee warmers; they always slide down and have to be re-adjusted once or twice, per leg, within the first two miles. But I'll put on warmers maybe below 55, definitely below 50F. Somewhere between 40-45F I prefer to go to tights, heavier tights for colder weather.
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