Tights???????????

dogllabtoof

Hello,

Been thinking about getting some tights for the winter.

Im new to riding, but have not felt the cold too much so far this winter. Is this a necessary purchase, considering they are not cheap? Would i be better with the bibbed type or just the normal kind? Can anyone recomend any to me? Would be wanting a seat pad included, and as cheap as poss.

Cheers

ash68

try www.wiggle.co.uk they have a range of dhb tights/bibtights from around £23 upwards. Look also at ron hill bikesters around £22. Depends on what your prepared to pay really. Personally I prefer bibtights as they offer abit more warmth and protection around the kidneys and lower back.Lusso also do a good range and are sold in many local bike shops. Good if you prefer to try clothes on before you buy.

grim168

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.a ... SSZBBT0350

I swear by these when it gets cold and they are a little shower proof as well.

Graham.

dogllabtoof

It doesnt say on the link. do these have a seat pad?

Cheers

sonicred007

Your knees are so vulnerable to the cold... even if you feel fine, you owe it to your knees for that added protection on a ride

Rich Hcp

Bibs with a pad are best for me, as said above, keeps the lower back warm.

Some prefer padded shorts undernieth bibs with no pad, it's personal preference really.

Bibs is best

blackhands

dogllabtoof wrote:

It doesnt say on the link. do these have a seat pad?

Cheers

No, just a double thickness seat. I went out in th ewind and rain yesterday in mine (with a pair of padded bibshorts underneath) and was quite warm and comfortable.

grim168

The Lusso ones have a bit of a pad but I always wear shorts under mine.

Graham.

Clever Pun

Evans are selling off loads of stuff on the cheap (they do it most years around this time... a few bargains to be had

http://www.evanscycles.com/dept.jsp?dept_id=4243

spasypaddy

ive just ordered some from wiggle
http://wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx? ... b%20Tights

grahamfocal

got a new craft storm bib off the bay, for 20quid. considering they are 70notes new it was a steal, have a look, as I think they may have some more.

oldwelshman

dogllabtoof wrote:

Hello,

Been thinking about getting some tights for the winter.

Im new to riding, but have not felt the cold too much so far this winter. Is this a necessary purchase, considering they are not cheap? Would i be better with the bibbed type or just the normal kind? Can anyone recomend any to me? Would be wanting a seat pad included, and as cheap as poss.

Cheers

Bibs are a must for winter.
I personally prefer them without padding as I use cheap shorts underneath, but I have both.
I have good Biemme bibs also lusso but dhb had good report in the cycling mag recently and were only just over £30 I think, either at wiggle or parker.
use bibbed so they don't fall down!!

hammerite

a friend told me he picked up some Bib tights in Decathlon the other day for a tenner. He's worn them a couple of times and says they do the job nicely.

arranandy

The dhb full length bib tights from wiggle are excellent. I have 2 pairs and would recommend them. They're also quite reasonably priced, c. £40

Crapaud

I wear a pair of these under my bib tights:

sonicred007 wrote:

Your knees are so vulnerable to the cold... even if you feel fine, you owe it to your knees for that added protection on a ride

I tried to find a link to something authoritive, but failed. So from memory:

The knee doesn't have much in the way of nerves, so they don't tell you when they're cold or there's mild aggravation in the joint. At under 15 deg.C the fluid that lubricates the joint don't work well, causing the joint to grind on itself, wearing away the cartilege.

dogllabtoof wrote:

Hello,

Been thinking about getting some tights for the winter.

Im new to riding, but have not felt the cold too much so far this winter. Is this a necessary purchase, considering they are not cheap? Would i be better with the bibbed type or just the normal kind? Can anyone recomend any to me? Would be wanting a seat pad included, and as cheap as poss.

Cheers

No, but they're a good idea.

Mettan

I've got the Aldi longs - strange fit - very tight on the legs but quite baggy waist - for the price they're ok though

ut_och_cykla

Both Ron Hill & Endura do tights without pads that do a good job if its not too cold. Not being very cycling specific they are also ok for running/going to the gym in.
If you want better stuff you'll probably have to pay for bibs; going for something with a windproof front is a good idea too.

oldwelshman

The knee doesn't have much in the way of nerves, so they don't tell you when they're cold or there's mild aggravation in the joint. At under 15 deg.C the fluid that lubricates the joint don't work well, causing the joint to grind on itself, wearing away the cartilege.

I always wear leg warmers or bibs when it gets cooler to keep muscles and knees warm.
I do not understand how the joint grinds on itself when it is cold.
If there is fluid present in the knee then it will still be there in the cold, it would not dissapear so how does the cartlidge wear?
If this was the case then I guess eskimos would have no knees?

Crapaud

oldwelshman wrote:

The knee doesn't have much in the way of nerves, so they don't tell you when they're cold or there's mild aggravation in the joint. At under 15 deg.C the fluid that lubricates the joint don't work well, causing the joint to grind on itself, wearing away the cartilege.

I always wear leg warmers or bibs when it gets cooler to keep muscles and knees warm.
I do not understand how the joint grinds on itself when it is cold.
If there is fluid present in the knee then it will still be there in the cold, it would not dissapear so how does the cartlidge wear?
If this was the case then I guess eskimos would have no knees?

I'm guessing that it congeals or thickens at lower temps - like fat, say, when it cools. I read about it a few years ago, but can't remember where. I'm still looking for the site.

Eskimos don't wander about with bare legs, do they?

Crapaud

Here's the best I've found so far:

COVER UP!

When it's cool out, for goodness sake cover your knees! Sure it feels good on a warm, sunny day to glide along on one's personal freedom machine with the air flowing over bare skin. When warm, your parts are most elastic. The muscles around the knee relax more between contractions, contributing to a limber feel. Warm synovial fluid, your knee's lubricant, is also less viscous. Lubricants work best when warm (and chocolate flavoured, but that's another story).

Why on cool, sometimes foggy, sometimes rainy mornings is it common to see riders pedaling stoically along with helmet cover, Gortex jacket and shorts!? When you cycle in adverse weather your knees are right out in the worst of it. Western theory recognizes that working connective tissues cold can cause micro-tears. Cartilage in particular has very little blood flow and heals slowly. Once roughened, cartilage tends to get worse rather than better and surgery to cut away the roughened portion may only provide temporary relief. Traditional Chinese medicine describes the effect of cold, damp and wind as "pernicious chi", a description that to my experience feels right. The insidious harm that may result can lead to chronic conditions of the sort we generalize as tendonitis and arthritis.

How cold is too cold? The only person brash enough to put a figure on it has been Noel O'hagan who told me years ago never to cycle with bare knees below 20 celcius. This is pretty warm, but keep in mind that on even a small descent your knees may be subject to a 50 kmh wind. I think it better to err on the side of caution and wear at least light tights when it's below 20 out. If I'm going to out ride the Four Horsemen I'll need my knees.

Not the article I read.

Get some tights / leg / knee warmers - prevention's better than a cure.

Max_Man

I wore my Aldi bib longs today for the first time, for me the fit is great, I usually tough it out in shorts but bought these cheapies to see if I like them. They are great, wish I'd have got some a while ago, the whole ride I was worm and confortable.

I did go out a lot earlier though, wouldn't want the neighbours to see me in tights...lol...

hammerite

Max_Man wrote:

I wore my Aldi bib longs today for the first time, for me the fit is great, I usually tough it out in shorts but bought these cheapies to see if I like them. They are great, wish I'd have got some a while ago, the whole ride I was worm and confortable.

I did go out a lot earlier though, wouldn't want the neighbours to see me in tights...lol...

I've worn mine this week for the first time and agree they are pretty good. Shape and fit could be better, but the are comfortable and I can't feel the wind.

Don't worry about the neighbours I wore my running ones to drop the little one off at school this morning as I was going running straight from dropping him off! He's only 6 so hasn't got to the embarassed stage yet!!

dogllabtoof

Been out to a local bike shop today and bought some GIORDANA SOLID bib tights.

They feel as though they will keem me nice and warm (to protect those knees), and the guy in the shop said they were water resistant to a degree.

If im honest i feel a bit strange in a pair of tights, and was considering wearing a loose pair of shorts over the top. Im meeting up with my local club for the first time on sunday, what is the accepted attire? tights alone? dont want to look like a pleb :oops:

P.S anyone used these tights? they any good?

Aidocp

Unfortunately the Aldi Bib longs were gone by the time I got there, so I got some of their tights they may be a little short but for the money they're great . I also bought some protective 3/4 bib longs in a lbs sale, Ive worn these on club runs. People tend to wear a mixture on the club runs, tights/ bib longs/ 3/4 and a few people wear shorts :shock: .

hammerite

dogllabtoof wrote:

Been out to a local bike shop today and bought some GIORDANA SOLID bib tights.

They feel as though they will keem me nice and warm (to protect those knees), and the guy in the shop said they were water resistant to a degree.

If im honest i feel a bit strange in a pair of tights, and was considering wearing a loose pair of shorts over the top. Im meeting up with my local club for the first time on sunday, what is the accepted attire? tights alone? dont want to look like a pleb :oops:

P.S anyone used these tights? they any good?

I wouldn't worry about the loose shorts over the top, defeats the object to a degree, you don't want material flapping about on a ride thats why they are tight in the first place.

You will be quite conscious about wearing them at first, but it's comfort and warmth that matter. Never done a club ride so can't comment on that, but I am a member of a running club, no one takes a blind bit of notice what you wear (apart from winter when you are told to wear a hi viz bib), although I try not to look like I have all the gear and no idea!!

a_n_t

I was looking at these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360031772&N=dhb%20Merston%20Bib%20Tights but the sizing chart is waaaaaay out! At 6'2" they reckon i'll have a 40" waist!! :shock:

any clues?

spasypaddy

A_N_T ive just bought those exact tights. Im 5 foot 8 at most possibly slightly shorter with a 32inch waist. i bought the mediums and they fit perfectly. possibly an inch too long in the leg but nothing major. I was advised on a different thread on here to buy two pairs and send one back for the £1.50 it would cost to return so it might be worthwhile you doing that if you can afford to.

rrsodl

I also got the Alsi bib tights and I'm happy that I got 3 pairs for the winter - excellent value for money... last year I got some tights from Lidl but the quality was not as good as the Aldi ones.

Rick

a_n_t

spasypaddy wrote:

buy two pairs and send one back for the £1.50 it would cost to return so it might be worthwhile you doing that if you can afford to.

sounds like a plan, cheers.

drenkrom

If it's called "winter", you need tights. When it gets real cold, I end up with a pair of bib shorts, a pair of Descente padless bib tights, a pair of Louis Garneau padless waist-band tights and a last pair of padless bib shorts on top to give Willy an extra layer of protection.

Mind you, over here things get "cold" at -15 Celcius.

Guyzie

Hi guys and girls,
Regarding sizing on the DHB tights, as A_N_T points out the chart seems a little "out".

I'm about to order a pair for my brother who is 6' 2" and has a 34'ish inch waist.

I'm guessing the L and XL, but can anyone with a pair confirm the sizing?
Cheers,
Guy