Tights, 3/4 lenght or shorts your favourite length?

DonDaddyD

I wore my 3/4 length tights. After a winter of full length tights, sometime two pairs at once! I have to say that I enjoyed the warmth over my knees and calf but loved the wind cool air swirling around my ankles and gracing my ever thankful shins.

Dare I say that 3/4 length tights are my prefered pair of padded lycra cycling garment.

What's your's?

Oh and because its Friday, with poll.

redddraggon

Shorts sometimes with kneewarmers or legwarmers

Aidy

Um, depends on how warm/cold it is.

lost_in_thought

Aidy wrote:

Um, depends on how warm/cold it is.

Exactly!

However, I don't own any 3/4s, by the time it's warm enough that I'm not wearing tights, I will be wearing shorts.

So I would say that 3/4s are my least favourite...

DonDaddyD

Aidy wrote:

Um, depends on how warm/cold it is.

See I get this, but generally given the choice in weather where I could technically wear all three. I'd choose 3/4 length.

will3

DonDaddyD wrote:

Aidy wrote:

Um, depends on how warm/cold it is.

See I get this, but generally given the choice in weather where I could technically wear all three. I'd choose 3/4 length.

So if you're wearing all three, do you put the shorts first, 3/4 next, tights on top, or the other way round?

cee

lycra has to be shorts for me.

if really cold, then padless longs above that.

and i always wear baggies on top of everything anyway.

redddraggon

Speedos

always_tyred

I never saw the point of 3/4. They also look absurd.

I don't get hot ankles (or feet, for that matter) when I'm cycling, but they do occasionally get cold.

For that reason, I seem to find myself wearing shorts and legwarmers for most of the year, with rather more variation on the top half of my body (which generates/loses most heat).

asprilla

redddraggon wrote:

Speedos

And you just happened to have that image on file just in case?

ajb72

redddraggon wrote:

Shorts sometimes with kneewarmers or legwarmers

+1 most versatile option I reckon

gbsahne001

Was wearing 3/4 over tights during the snow back in January but after sweating this week have returned to the 3/4.

robocolley

I don't like cold knees (and other bits) so I find I end up with 3/4s more often than shorts....

amnezia

I have not great knees so i wear 3/4 unless its really warm outsite. In winter, full tights.

prawny

I've not got any 3/4s but I've been wearing shorts and kneewarmers a lot recently. Seems daft buying 3/4s though my knee warmers were only a tenner and I can wear them with all of my shorts. They do look daft though they looked darker blue on the website :oops:

As soon as it's above 15 degrees it's shorts season baby 8)

Monkeypump

Shorts, as that normally means it's a reasonable temperature outside.

Otherwise, shorts and legwarmers (as others above).

jonginge

I've not got any 3/4s either. Knee-warmers with bibs is perfect at the moment. Soon I'll wear the warmers on the way in but not bother on the way home. Versatile, see

cjcp

Aidy wrote:

Um, depends on how warm/cold it is.

+1. I don't own 3/4 lengths or full lengths, though. I have fleeced running tights plus bib shorts.

DonDaddyD

These knee warmers, are these the things I see people wearing when it looks like they've got tights on under their shorts.

(It looks cool).

hambones

Below freezing - full length

0-10 degrees - 3/4

10 or above - shorts

garrynolan

Wear full-lengths in really cold weather but have to fold them over at the bottom due to ridiculously short legs. Even shorts come to just above the knee with a quick pull. 3/4 are a non-starter as they are just not quite long enough to use as full-lengths. Have found that a pair of ladies (stop sniggering :oops: ) size 12 leggings are long enough to use as full-length tights in an emergency.

Jay dubbleU

I'm an old person and need to keep my joints warm so 3/4 for me

holybinch

Long when it's cold
Short when it's hot
Leg warmers when it's a long day and I don't know how it's going to turn out.

Paul E

It has to get very cold before I wear my bib tights, other wise it's shorts and if my knees are feeling a bit cold I have some lusso knee warmers, otherwise I am quite hardy when it comes to low temps and my legs.

snailracer

Even wearing full lengths, my thighs get too warm and my calves remain uncomfortably cold. 3/4 lengths would simply make that even worse, or am I the only one who has this issue ? :?

Clever Pun

Always Tyred wrote:

I never saw the point of 3/4. They also look absurd.
<snip>

For that reason, I seem to find myself wearing shorts and legwarmers for most of the year, with rather more variation on the top half of my body (which generates/loses most heat).

so you wear 3/4's?? but with added fiddly nonsense? Edit: ah leg not knee warmers??

I'm a recent convert and much prefer them to fulls (only wear them when it's really very cold) but when it starts to warm up I wear leg warmers a bit if I'm heading in early

I prefer the simplicity of avoiding legwarmers but it can mean you overheat a few times

prawny

DonDaddyD wrote:

These knee warmers, are these the things I see people wearing when it looks like they've got tights on under their shorts.

(It looks cool).

Quite possibly, I look the dogs in mine

il_principe

prawny wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

These knee warmers, are these the things I see people wearing when it looks like they've got tights on under their shorts.

(It looks cool).

Quite possibly, I look the dogs in mine

Yes, I have a red pair that attract much ridicule in the office. But then the nodders I work with have no style whatsoever.

always_tyred

Clever Pun wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

I never saw the point of 3/4. They also look absurd.
<snip>

For that reason, I seem to find myself wearing shorts and legwarmers for most of the year, with rather more variation on the top half of my body (which generates/loses most heat).

so you wear 3/4's?? but with added fiddly nonsense? Edit: ah leg not knee warmers??

I'm a recent convert and much prefer them to fulls (only wear them when it's really very cold) but when it starts to warm up I wear leg warmers a bit if I'm heading in early

I prefer the simplicity of avoiding legwarmers but it can mean you overheat a few times

Added fiddly nonsense is a necessary compromise in exchange for flexibility.

I started cycling a lot when a student (as a post-rowing injury contingency sport - see other thread) and at that time I couldn't afford bibtights. However I had cycling shorts and rowing tights so used them for years.

Then I discovered leg warmers which are about as fiddly as tights over shorts, but which are removably in the event of a heat related emergency, and it in a back pocket.

Knee warmers. No. Can't see the point. About as useful as toe warmers (which are like overshoes except they don't keep your shoes clean or dry.)

Another advantage of leg warmers is that it is not readily aparrent whether or not you are a hairy roadie or a vain leg shaving roadie. This can come in useful if you go crossing or mtb-ing.

Still more versatility, you see, with the added benefit of no ingrown hair and savings on shaving cream.

whyamihere

I adore my knee warmers. My legs do sometimes overheat in leg warmers, but my knees don't like being exposed at under 15C, so knee warmers are perfect. Below about 5C I'll wear leg warmers. The full length tights only come out if it's windy and rainy, due to being windproof.