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cold and wet legs

kencandigkencandig Posts: 17
edited November 2009 in Commuting chat
i commute daily about 25 miles round trip. long enough not to be wanting to wear overtrousers. in th esummer wet legs not a problem, but its getting cold especially in the morning - any ideas when its reining? i dont like wearing gortex overtrousers.

saw waterproof 3/4 leg but guess i'd get wet feet
saw waterproof lycra advertised - really?

anyone found a good solution.

Posts

  • R_T_AR_T_A Posts: 488
    Got anything like a pair of nylon thermals? I used my skiing ones last year and that took the sting off, plus dried quickly too. Over trousers are just too boil in the bag IMO.

    I've now got some non-plasticky trousers (Endura singletracks), and they work well with thermals underneath in darkest winter.
    Giant Escape R1
    FCN 8
    "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
    - Terry Pratchett.
  • cjcpcjcp Posts: 13,345
    I wear fleece lined Sugoi running tights under my bib shorts. Job done whether it's rain, wind, snow.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • FeynmanCFeynmanC Posts: 649
    Bib tights work fine for me, with overshoes. Don't need waterproof really as you generate heat with a journey that length and that'll keep you warm (like a wetsuit, but less OTT)
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  • the_village_idiotthe_village_idiot Posts: 150
    something that keeps your knees warm is the most important thing IMO

    some thermal legging type thing
  • shoulder_of_orionshoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    feet = overshoes
    legs = tights

    you end up looking a bit perverse but cycling 25 miles a day is a bit perverse...
  • snellgrovesnellgrove Posts: 171
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    feet = overshoes
    legs = tights

    you end up looking a bit perverse but cycling 25 miles a day is a bit perverse...

    It's a round trip!

    Yes as others have said, get some fleece lined tights (typically called 'Roubaix' the material is. Lycra / Fleece combo) They sometimes come with or without a chamois / pad, so watch out for that. Basically some are designed to be worn over shorts or other tights that do have a pad.

    For example, Assos winter LL tights are without a pad because they're designed to be worn over the Airprotec tights that Assos also do, which do have a pad (a lovely pad at that.... 8) ).

    You can get decent winter socks which help - check the Assos Thermic socks out - Wiggle do them. Basically they're like the tights - Roubaix material as well, they seem keep my feet pretty warm! :P

    I've not tried overshoes yet, not sure which ones fit MTB SPD shoes, a lot of them seem to be road only :( If anyone can help me here as well that'd be nice!! :lol:
  • MikelyonsMikelyons Posts: 154
    snellgrove wrote:
    I've not tried overshoes yet, not sure which ones fit MTB SPD shoes, a lot of them seem to be road only :( If anyone can help me here as well that'd be nice!! :lol:

    Try Endura MT500

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Endur ... 360028124/

    I have these as well and they're pretty robust & keep my feet dry & fairly warm
    Haven't actually worn them since February.

    Mike
  • northstarnorthstar Posts: 407
    something that keeps your knees warm is the most important thing IMO

    Cycling faster?
    Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.
  • Wallace1492Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    Mikelyons wrote:
    snellgrove wrote:
    I've not tried overshoes yet, not sure which ones fit MTB SPD shoes, a lot of them seem to be road only :( If anyone can help me here as well that'd be nice!! :lol:

    Try Endura MT500

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Endur ... 360028124/

    I have these as well and they're pretty robust & keep my feet dry & fairly warm
    Haven't actually worn them since February.

    Mike

    I have these and they fit over my summer MTB shoes. Keep me dry, and warm, even up here near the Arctic Circle....
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • spen666spen666 Posts: 17,709
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    feet = overshoes
    legs = tights

    you end up looking a bit perverse but cycling 25 miles a day is a bit perverse...

    25 miles a day is just a warm up
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  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,802
    I have some trousers made by FILA, waterproff cotten with a mesh liner, come to just below the knee, comfy, light, not sweaty and dry - and then cycle fast enough your legs get so hot the rain evaporates into a cloud of steam on contact.....

    Simon
    Current steed - Whyte T129, 2013 frame, mongrel Revelations, Giant dropper, Stans S1 wheelset. 12, Magura Trail Sport brakes, 1x11. 12.8Kg
  • WooliferkinsWooliferkins Posts: 2,060
    I'm looking at these this year
    Neil
    Help I'm Being Oppressed
  • roger_merrimanroger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    having legs that look like they belong to a Werewolf does it for me, I honestly never feel ooh cold legs etc. as long as my core body temp is fine my legs will be as well.
  • kencandigkencandig Posts: 17
    thanks for the comments. tried cycling faster, legs got colder.

    tried long johns, but they are too tight round the knee & the seams hurt the saddle.

    like the roubaix idea, will give it a go next time the ron hills get so wet they end up at my ankles

    ken
  • chuckcorkchuckcork Posts: 1,471
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    feet = overshoes
    legs = tights

    you end up looking a bit perverse but cycling 25 miles a day is a bit perverse...

    Whats 36 miles a day then? :P
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • kencandigkencandig Posts: 17
    a big swinging censored , a long way to work, an early start, cold wet legs...

    any of the above :?
  • NonbelieverNonbeliever Posts: 22
    kencandig wrote:
    a big swinging censored , a long way to work, an early start, cold wet legs...

    any of the above :?

    :roll:
  • shoulder_of_orionshoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    chuckcork wrote:
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    feet = overshoes
    legs = tights

    you end up looking a bit perverse but cycling 25 miles a day is a bit perverse...

    Whats 36 miles a day then? :P

    I can see I was not all that clear from some of the responses above. I was not trying to say that 25 miles is an insanely long commute. My own commute is 23 miles round trip, so I think I can imagine what 25 miles is like.

    My point was more that to do 25 miles (or 23 even) you need a lot of gear. I have 5 pairs of bib shorts, 2 sets of 3/4 length tights and 3 pairs of long tights. Loads of tops long sleeve and short, base layers, waterproof jackets and soft shell jackets. Glasses, helmets, headbands, hats, socks, gloves fingerless or otherwise and of course shoes & overshoes.

    When I am kitted up for when it is both very wet and cold I look a bit like the gimp from Pulp Fiction - hence the perverse comment (I think the neoprene overshoes and gloves do that for you). Not really to do with the distance although 18 miles each way is getting into that kind of territory (if you do it every day).
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