Arm warmers/leg warmers, what's the point ?

RandG

Genuine question, what actually is the point of them as opposed to just wearing a long sleeved top/trousers ?

I bought both sets of these today from Aldi, but not even sure why

ad_snow

They're more versatile than having a long sleeve jersey/tights on - you can take 'em off and stick them in your pockets if it's too warm or vice versa bring them out later in the day if it gets a bit nippy.

night_porter

To put it simply do you ever leave home in the morning and it warms up during your ride? If yes you can remove the leg and or arm warmers and slip them into a pocket. If you were wearing a long sleeved top or full tights you are stuck with them for the whole of the ride and if it gets hot so do you.

simon_masterson

Because unlike sleeves they're easy to put on and take off; if the day starts off cool but warms up, they make perfect sense in combination with a short sleeve jersey, as you can just take them off and put them in your back pocket.

They just make your short sleeve cyclewear more versatile. Short sleeves and warmers is enough for a lot of the weather that this country throws at us anyway, but if you aren't so flush with cash (like me!) you can opt for just one long sleeve jersey and make it a really toasty winter thermal one, rather than all of the shades in between.

But pro racers are often to be seen wearing them, so clearly you must have them too.

pardonthewait

I find that arm warmers mean I have no need for long jerseys. Short sleeves when it's hot, arm warmers which I can take off partway through a ride when it cools a little, and then when winter really turns up, I go straight to a base layer and jacket.

Pretty much renders long sleeve jerseys pointless imo.

Also if I go out in short sleeves and arm warmers it's quite rare that I still have the warmers on by the time I come home.

Gizmodo

As the others have said, if you only ride for 1 hour then probably useless. Our club runs are generally 9:00am to 1:00pm (or later) so as the day warms up, you can start to take bits off.

Arm/leg warmers along with a Gilet are probably the most versatile bits of clothing you can buy. A Gilet is great for keeping your torso warm whilst being easy to take off/put on if the weather changes.

amaferanga

Leg warmers are also useful because most bib tights are winter weight (or at least have a lot of material above the waist unlike bib shorts) and I personally find them too hot to wear on all but the coolest of winter days. Leg warmers allow you to wear regular bib shorts and add just a little bit of insulation on your legs.

tiredofwhiners

Arm warmers take the brunt of the wind when cycling and because your arms don't have the warm body mass of your body to keep them warm, its great to have an extra layer on the arms only.

keef66

If you can't work out what they are for, send them to me cos I couldn't be @rsed to go to Aldi / Lidl and fight for them

cougie

Make the most of them over the next month or so as it'll soon be time for full jackets and longs !

k-dog

amaferanga wrote:

Leg warmers are also useful because most bib tights are winter weight (or at least have a lot of material above the waist unlike bib shorts) and I personally find them too hot to wear on all but the coolest of winter days. Leg warmers allow you to wear regular bib shorts and add just a little bit of insulation on your legs.

That's exactly why I use leg warmers - or in fact knee warmers at the moment.

It's only when it gets into low single digit temps when I get the thermal longs out - otherwise I find I'm roasting.

The only problem is your crotch and upper legs can get a bit cold if you're wearing summer shorts - I have a few different pairs of shorts and some are slightly thicker and perfect this time of year but depending on laundry some can be a bit chilly - chipolata and 2 sprouts?

Churchill123

Anyone recommend any leg warmers - and are they as uncomfortable to wear as i imagine?

kentphil

my Endura leg warmers were great over last winter. I found them very comfortable, and no slippage at all which I was expecting to happen, even after they had been worn/washed many times.

majormantra

Churchill123 wrote:

Anyone recommend any leg warmers - and are they as uncomfortable to wear as i imagine?

Santini.

Mikey41

Churchill123 wrote:

Anyone recommend any leg warmers - and are they as uncomfortable to wear as i imagine?

I got some from Lidl! They are warm enough, don't slip and are in fact very comfortable. Other brands are bound to be better, but for a tenner I have no complaints.

Gizmodo

KentPhil wrote:

my Endura leg warmers were great over last winter. I found them very comfortable, and no slippage at all which I was expecting to happen, even after they had been worn/washed many times.

+1

Paul E

I now have specialized arm and leg warmers, the legs are last years, good thicker wind block roubaix material on the front, lighter on the back for less bunching and the arm warmers are this years therminax material, multi panelled and fit very well, should be fine for me down to about 5 degree when I will put a light windproof jacket on over them anyway

GSJ

I'm looking to get a pair of arm/leg and I might as well purchase them quick before all my money goes on other random crap. Anyone recommened any?

Gizmodo

GSJ wrote:

I'm looking to get a pair of arm/leg and I might as well purchase them quick before all my money goes on other random crap. Anyone recommened any?

Why don't you read the 6 posts above yours? :roll:

simon_masterson

pardonthewait wrote:

Pretty much renders long sleeve jerseys pointless imo.

That does depend on what jacket you have, what short sleeve you have and what comfort level you want. For some people, I daresay that does work.

For me, the only cycling jacket that would be suitable is one that is very breathable and very waterproof and windproof. Such a garment is likely to be expensive and probably not form-fitting like a jersey. For me, both points are against. Equally, whilst armwarmers can add 'sleeves' to a short-sleeve jersey, it still won't turn a cool highly ventilated garment into a warm insulating one, and therefore some people will not get on in cooler weather with the jersey that they would otherwise choose in warm weather.

Therefore, I would never want to go without a long-sleeve jersey. With mine I have most of what a jacket provides (warmth, winfproofness) with the fit and feel of a cycling jersey (and without the feel of a jacket). For me, perfect.

ForumNewbie

Mikey41 wrote:

Churchill123 wrote:

Anyone recommend any leg warmers - and are they as uncomfortable to wear as i imagine?

I got some from Lidl! They are warm enough, don't slip and are in fact very comfortable. Other brands are bound to be better, but for a tenner I have no complaints.

Yesterday I tried out the leg warmers I bought from Lidl a few months ago. Although they seemed to fit when I put them on, after a few hundred yards they were slipping down my legs and after about half a mile I had to stop and take them off.

g00se

Another +1 for the Endura leg warmers - the FS260 Pro ones. They stay in place and use different materials for different areas. The only downside is the logos eventually start to wash off.

Pross

g00se wrote:

Another +1 for the Endura leg warmers - the FS260 Pro ones. They stay in place and use different materials for different areas. The only downside is the logos eventually start to wash off.

And another - logos are just about to go completely.

dashik

So what did you buy? A logo or leg/arm warmers?

If they still do the job.....

g00se

Dashik wrote:

So what did you buy? A logo or leg/arm warmers?

If they still do the job.....

I know - but a £2 printed t-shirt from Primark will survive the wash, you would have thought £30 technical clothing would too...

Seriously, though, when you're buying cycling gear you can end up spending a fortune on clothing. You want it to look the part and not start looking tatty straight away. It's not just small logos, it's reflectives too.

littleprawn

1st proper winter for me cycling. I got my bike at the end of last year and did start commuting on it since start of Easter. I do remember using my old running thermal top and jogging bottom on a few cold Saturday cycles at the beginning of this year which kept me warmish.

I bought some cheap arm/ leg warmers from Lidl a few months ago and wore both them on a 40 mile bike ride yesterday and they did their job. Both have been used on my bike commute and are great pieces of items along with my skull cap for keeping my warm in the wind and elements.

The arm/ leg warmers they are not the brand names but functionally they did the job and when I save more money I might upgrade them. Biking as many have said is not cheap and there are other items I need to get.

As another tip, I hand wash some of my cycling gear and if I machine wash I make sure the reflective elements are turned 'inside out' to extend their life.

Pross

Dashik wrote:

So what did you buy? A logo or leg/arm warmers?

If they still do the job.....

Um, that's why I've said another +1 for them. They're excellent quality, stay where they should and keep me warm. I was just agreeing on the logo coming off too which is a shame as they look a bit scruffy as a result.

Silly Old Hector

g00se wrote:

Another +1 for the Endura leg warmers - the FS260 Pro ones. They stay in place and use different materials for different areas. The only downside is the logos eventually start to wash off.

Used mine for the first time yesterday. Great overall, but found I needed to adjust one of them as it kept slipping slightly.

Gizmodo

Silly Old Hector wrote:

Used mine for the first time yesterday. Great overall, but found I needed to adjust one of them as it kept slipping slightly.

Did you wear your leg warmers over or under your shorts?

I find the grippers have to be on the skin to work, so over your shorts means they slip down. That means they are slightly more difficult to remove if it does get warm, but not that difficult.

wasabi_m

Just bought assos leg protectors. Been fantastic last couple of weeks.

Silly Old Hector

Gizmodo wrote:

Silly Old Hector wrote:

Used mine for the first time yesterday. Great overall, but found I needed to adjust one of them as it kept slipping slightly.

Did you wear your leg warmers over or under your shorts?

I find the grippers have to be on the skin to work, so over your shorts means they slip down. That means they are slightly more difficult to remove if it does get warm, but not that difficult.

Under a pair of Castelli bibs :roll: , but I do suffer from short leg syndrome

Think I just need to get used to them.