19 mile commute - Bib tights or just tights?

daniel_b

Just looking forward to the coming months, when i will need some more warmth.

I have plenty of what I deem nice kit, ie Santini, Cannondale, Mavic etc etc, but have been fine on the commute so far using 2 pairs of dhb shorts, and 2 pairs of Nike ones I picked up for a bargain a fair while back.

I have 4 nice pairs of bib tights, Santini X 2, Cannondale and Shimano, but am thinking of keeping these for weekends and just buying some padded bib tights, or even just tights for the commute.

Bibtights obviously give more warmth, just hanging space is limited at my work, in terms of the length of garments I can hang (under my desk usually) so tights would have the edge there.

What do you people tend to go for?

Dan

Wrath Rob

If you're commuting every day, especially over that length, you'll want (or need) a fresh pair next to your skin. Instead of buying 4 pairs of padded tights, save money by getting some unpadded tights to wear over your shorts. You can then wear them for some/all of the week (depending on how sweaty you get or if it rains). Wiggle are doing some good deals on DHB tights right now, I've just got a mid-weight and a heavy weight pair for £43 for both.

cyclingprop

Always a bib of some form. Not for anything other than to keep them up.

rjsterry

Having lost an amount of skin where one does not want to lose skin, to non-bib tights that slipped down a bit and started rubbing, I'd definitely recommend bibs.

daviesee

If the temperature will be under 10 degrees for the duration of a ride I always wear unpadded longs over padded bibs shorts.
Reason apart from the cold? I already have the shorts anyway and for commuting the home leg may be warmer so you won't need the longs.
Always use bibs. They are so, so much more comfortable than plain shorts.

walkingbootweather

How about some Lidl specials? At less than a tenner a pair you can afford a few.

jedster

Roubaix leg warmers and your summer bib shorts? That's what I tend to wear in the winter.
To be fair, for commuting I generally wear some overshorts too (e.g., rapha or swrv 3/4 shorts) so don't need additional warmth round my arse

daniel_b

Thanks for the replies chaps,

many options there.

I too prefer bibs for ultimate long ride comfort, but have had no issue wearing non bib padded shorts for my commute, it's only just over an hour each way you see.

Good call on the Lidl items, I am going there to pick up some socks anyway, so might try a couple and if the fit/pad is rubbish will just return them for a refund.

Leg warmers are also another good call, decisions, decisions!

prj45

This guy looks like he's wearing bibs for his commute:

http://www.wimp.com/smallestbicycle/

daniel_b

prj45 wrote:

This guy looks like he's wearing bibs for his commute:

http://www.wimp.com/smallestbicycle/

Superb!

Went to Lidl this am, picked up some socks, though they do not seem as well designed as previous ones, expect they will be ok for the commute.

Picked up some medium bibs (smallest size they do confusingly) but they are just too big, I am about 70kg with a 38 inch chest, and they are far too roomy, so sadly they have to go back.

daniel_b

prj45 wrote:

This guy looks like he's wearing bibs for his commute:

http://www.wimp.com/smallestbicycle/

Superb!

Went to Lidl this am, picked up some socks, though they do not seem as well designed as previous ones, expect they will be ok for the commute.

Picked up some medium bibs (smallest size they do confusingly) but they are just too big, I am about 70kg with a 38 inch chest, and they are far too roomy, so sadly they have to go back.