Wanted to see if I could get a prevailing opinion as best way to keep my legs warm but also keep my butt from hurting as we move toward winter riding...sorry to my cycling buddies and swear mentioning winter...the scourge of all friends to 2 wheels.
Last year when riding with Brooks on my winter steed I could ride without a chamois with Pearl Izumi tights but wondered what most do? I would like to keep my plastic saddle on my bike this year. One option is to buy tights with a built in pad. Another is to wear padless tights over shorts with a pad. Now...I really don't own cycling shorts...just short bibs. So don't know whether wearing bib tights without pad over padded short bibs with 2 sets of shoulder straps is best practice.
Can anybody who has experimented with different layering from waist below share their experience?
Thanks

I wear bib shorts and last year bought a really nice pair of PI thermal tights (non bibs) to wear over them. Worked pretty well for me.

I've done padded bib tights, tights (not bib) over padded bibs, and I think I may have done unpadded bib tights over padded bibs, but that last one had too many straps going on up top, so I switched to doing regular shorts with those. My unpadded tights are the lightest, so those go over bibs in the late fall and then the other options follow as it gets colder. I've been thinking if I get more, I'll go with heavier tights to wear over my bibs. I like the bibs to keep my chamois in place and the tights are tight enough that it's not like they're getting caught on the saddle or something and if they slide around a bit (one problem with shorts for me), I've got bibs underneath so I'm not exposing my butt crack to the cold air. On the other hand, if my shirt rides up or my tights ride down, my bibs aren't as insulated as my bib tights which do a little bit to keep my lower back warm too.

I have pair of wind pants (?) that I got from REI for about $30. They are not tights, but do fit closely. No pad. Regular padded bike shorts go on underneath. In colder weather I add a pair of long underwear, too.

The pants + shorts = a little more padding than usual, but it's not bad for me.

I thought I would regret buying my (Santini) bib tights without a chamois, but found that on those borderline days, as much of a task as it is, you can at least peel off the bib tights and still have your bibs. If I had bib tights with chamois, I'd be stuck in tights all day.

Add another vote for thermal tights over bibs.

unpadded tights over bibs/shorts. No brainer. it's what all the cool kids are doing these days.

or thermal leg warmers just to start out before moving to the tights. I think most of us would rather use our more expensive bibs with the nice pads year round with something over them when it's cold rather than drop serious coin on some padded bibs we'd only use part of the year (though I don't mind my padded nashbar bib tights I got for ~$20 on really cold days with some other tights on top - on the other hand, when it's cold enough to dress that way I don't think I've gone over 30 miles or so so the cheap pad hasn't caused any problems).

So you guys that ride with bib shorts with tights over them...you don't have trouble with the tights sliding down from the seat area?
Reason I ask is because this is the reason why we like bibs with our shorts to begin with. Seems to me that tights would slide down with or without bib shorts underneath them. Although I haven't tried it...maybe shorts with a pad underneath bib tights makes the most sense because the bib tights would offer compression to help keep the regular padded shorts in place. Ultimately for me at least, maybe the best combo is...padded bib shorts with non padded bib tights over them. I know this is two sets of shoulder straps but the reason I like bibs in the first place is...no waist pressure and no slide down.
Will be curious to hear if there is a universal truth as to what works best.

I haven't had a problem with bibless tights sliding down over bibs. Works just fine. Chamois in place, legs warm, most flexible winter option.

My preferred method is bibs and non padded tights... no problems with sliding down. Little more flexibility than bib tights with chamois like mentioned above.... you can always take them off if you want if it gets warmer. Before I go this far though I run warmers until it gets really cool outside.

Nope, no issues.

My Santini tights are just that - tight. They don't slide anywhere once I get them where I want them.

One other good thing about unpadded tights vs. padded bib tights -- you can wear the tights again the next day without too much concern about the hygiene of the situation.

Sounds like we have a growing consensus and what I was seeking...to see if there is a preferred approach.
I may have to get some regular tights and see if they will stay up over my bib shorts. I have skied with just tights or skins and they never stayed up unless they were bibs and why I like bib tights.

I'm a little late to the party, but I'll also go with unpadded tights over bib shorts. I've never had a problem with the tights sliding down.

yep, I use my summer shorts and add a $7 pair of tight-ish athletic pants over them when its gets to cold for shorts alone.