jgwilliams

I'm looking for some advice on winter leg wear. I'm quite keen to keep cycling throughout the winter, which is something I've always struggled with in the past. I have some thermal tights with wind-stop panels on the knees, etc, and these keep me quite warm so far. The problem is that after doing just two days with them I'm totally exhausted.

Now I was a bit under the weather at the beginning of last week so it's possible that I overdid it a bit. On the other hand, this is something that I've experienced before and I think the reason is that the tights are making the pedalling action a little harder work. It isn't much in absolute terms but adding up over a couple of hours of riding it's leaving me drained.

So my options are: 1) Push through it on the basis that I'll get used to it and be that much stronger eventually. 2) Get some new tights. 3) I've thought about wearing my good shorts with some loose fitting mountain biking trousers over the top. 4) Another option that I haven't thought of.

Option 2 is the obvious course of action. I feel that provided my jacket is keeping my core warm I can probably afford a little less protection on my legs. I obviously don't want to get cheap tights and possibly have the same problem but good tights are very expensive and I really don't have the money to throw around. If I get some and they work out well then they'll pay for themselves quite quickly but they could end up being a total waste of money. Hence my asking for advice on this forum. Do folks out there reckon I can get some tights that will keep me warm enough without restricting movement too much? If so, can you give me recommendations, please? I did splash out on some Castelli shorts this year and they proved to be quite a revelation so I'm open to spending a bit of money if it's really going to make a difference.

I've given option 1 some thought, but part of my reason for doing so much riding this year has been rediscovering the joy. Anything that destroys that is likely to stop me riding before too long so I'm not sure I can face that. I might give option 3 a go, but my Endura baggy trousers are quite heavy so I'm a bit dubious that it will work.

Thanks

John

Machka 

Try the Winter Cycling forum ...

Winter Cycling - Bike Forums

no1mad 

Moved from General Cycling.

jgwilliams

Ooh! Didn't know there was one of those!

BobbyG

WIth so many ideas and strategies bikeforums changed the way I dress for winter cycling. I used to overdress and wear the wrong materials (like cotton). I still wear too much cotton, but I no longer over dress.

However everybody's different, and you will have to figure out what works best for you.

rumrunn6

are these made for cycling?

jgwilliams

Yes, all my gear is made for cycling. These are dhb bib tights, but I'm not sure what model. They're a few years old now. I've not worn cotton for many years - I've found it a very bad idea as it tends to hold on to moisture and then you get cold. I do have an Icebreaker vest that I wear which is merino wool, which I've found to be very good.

jgwilliams

Well, obviously. But what I'm asking about, if it wasn't clear, is whether my experience of tights which seem slightly restrict my move is common or whether modern tights don't really do that?

Leebo

Seems odd. Try some running tights? Never had tights slow me down. Usually it is the cold+headwind that does that to me. Running studded tires?

digibud

no winter clothing should be so tight it is impairing your movement. While winter tights should be somewhat form fitting, you don't want the lower legs to be so tight it is constricting.

DaveQ24

Tights vs shorts won't make any difference - I suppose if they were extremely tight so you couldn't move or barely move. Or I guess in theory if extremely baggy like the pants 1980s rappers like MC Hammer wore there would be extra wind resistance.

Do you have any respiratory issues like asthma or any cardiologic problems? Cold air is hard on people with asthma, etc.

Tim_Iowa

If your legs aren't warm enough with your current tights, then add another layer. I picked up some thin merino wool base layer tights last year that increase the range of my existing tights.

noglider 

You say you get exhausted. Are you sure it's from the tights? If it is, are you riding too fast? Maybe slowing down a bit is all you need. Or maybe you're overdressed and hotter than you realize.

jfowler85

Yes, but you don't need to buy cycling-specific thermal tights. When the temp drops down near 20f I wear a pair of hiking thermal tights under my Craft thermal bibs.

jgwilliams

No, I'm not sure it's from the tights but I am at something of a loss. I feel quite warm enough apart from my feet, and I have plans to rectify that. I'm definitely not going too fast: I have a Garmin Edge and I know how fast I normally do the run. As I mentioned, it's possible that I hadn't recovered from the cold I had. I've taken a few days off and I'm planning to ride again tomorrow or Thursday so I'll see how it goes.

jgwilliams

20F! Good grief! I can't imagine riding in that. It's still above freezing here.

jgwilliams

I'm quite warm enough, I really don't think that's the issue.

jgwilliams

Not that I'm aware of. I do have a heart murmur but it's not slowed me down yet.

jgwilliams

Lol! No, if it gets so bad that I need studded tires I won't be riding. I'm still on the summer bike which has a Conti GP4000 on the front and a GP 4 Season on the back.

fietsbob

There is 349 studded tires for your Brompton so you can ride to the bus stop when its sub zero C, & not fall on your keister on the Ice.

noglider 

You might find that you need to go more slowly when it's cold.

PaulRivers

Just want to mention that it is often discussed every fall and winter that the same ride with the same bike gets colder when it gets colder out. A lot of the stuff on the bike gets stiffer (tire rubber, grease in the hub, etc). The air also actually get denser when the temperature is colder. I always get tired more quickly on my first several rides in cold weather as my body adjust to colder temps as well.

Archwhorides 

It seems the OP is into the roadie-aero style of dress, perhaps the climate is milder in his nook in the world and he or she likes to go fast. I deal with a lot of blustery winter winds, so killing the wind with a shell pant and jacket is important. I have found the Shower's Pass shell pants to be effective and also comfortable with merino wool long johns (and gel liner) underneath, with a similar layering up top.

johndeere

I have found that when I over dress for a winter ride it leads to over-heating and severe fatigue during the ride. It has been awhile since I've done that so I don't recall if the fatigue lasted for more than a short period after the ride and before coffee.

Bike Gremlin

I wrote some general winter clothing tips here:

How to dress for winter cycling?

In short - use layers, any clothing is fine. Body does adapt to a certain degree to the cold, but it's individual.