Arm/leg warmers, any point?

Jbuzz

I see loads of riders wearing arm/leg warmers (Castelli are cashing in) do they make a difference? And what about crashes, how do they hold up?

Plus don't you think the manufacturers should make them do more than just keep arms warm? Couldn't they offer road rash protection?

thegreatdivide

They're rubbish. Don't worry yourself.

964cup

Not crashing would always be a good start. Warmers work better than long-sleeved tops and tights in changeable conditions because you can take them off; by the same token the temperature range of your bib-shorts is extended. They also allows you to layer effectively. The Castelli Nanoflex warmers are particularly good, being water-repellent. They're neither as windproof nor as water-resistant as the Gabba jersey, though. Some sports physios believe you should never cycle with joints uncovered below a set temperature (which varies by coach); arm and knee-warmers are therefore also useful year-round if you're starting in the early morning and riding through the day. Finally Rapha and others make arm covers designed not for particularly warmth but as sunscreen-replacements for those with particular susceptibility; these also make useful mountain accessories, as they weigh very little, pack down small, but will cut the chill at the summit and on a descent.

Joeblack

I used to wonder as to the actual point of these, further to the good points made above they also allow you to continue to use your very expensive bib shorts in winter as well as summer for only a small extra outlay,

I don't use them past a certain temperature though as I find I get a cold bum, when it really drops low I go for a dedicated set of bib tights

jgsi

Obviously not for you then.. move on... did you want convincing about some of the more adaptable pieces of cycling gear? your loss

DKay

Decent arm and leg warmers will be some of the best bits of kit you can own.

iron-clover

Leg warmers- put them under your shorts and then you only ever need bib/ standard shorts. For really cold days (under 5C) you can use fleece tights over the top of your shorts instead of leg warmers, or a combination of long johns/ ski baselayer as well as the warmers.
That way you don't have expensive 3/4 lengths or padded tights lying unused for most of the year.

Armwarmers are great for spring and autumn- even days like today where it starts off cold but gets warm later on so you can take them off when it warms up, or pack them on a summer day if showers are forecast but you don't want to take a jacket with you.

sloppyschleckonds

thegreatdivide wrote:

They're rubbish. Don't worry yourself.

Ditto for helmets

Matthewfalle

Excellent - both pieces of kit. I use them all the time.

Practical, warm, easy to get off when you get too warm. Also good for covering skinny arms/legs.

Roubaix fleece lined for winter, normal for spring/autumn chilly days.

bobmcstuff

Useful if you're heading out early when it's cold and the day warms up. Or if it gets colder during your ride. Or if you're doing a lot of climbs and want to be able to de-layer easily.

Gabba and arm/leg warmers (in the pockets or on the arms/legs if needed) is pretty much my go to if I'm going out for the day and the weather is going to be changeable (which it often is here) or if I don't know what the weather is going to be like around the route (often colder/wetter out in the Cairngorms for example).

I do want some thermal tights though for colder days.

Smithster

Nope, they are no use at all. If you have bought any you can send them to me for safe disposal.

madasahattersley

Castelli are "cashing in" are they? What, you mean, like, by manufacturing good clothing? They're not a trend, they've been around decades and will be around for decades more and they are extremely handy, particularly in parts of the world where the temperature can vary 25 degrees between setting off and arriving back home

pipipi

I have two pairs of armwarmers.

One pair is a thin material and is brightly coloured. I use these for my short commutes.
The other pair (DHB I think) is a much thicker material. Used on weekend rides.

I would certainly be interested in a third pair that had some kind of padding. As it is, when the weather gets bad I quite often wear an UnderArmour vest which has some built in pads, originally meant for rugby, but gives me some reassurance if I think I'm going to be wobbly...

cougie

Jeez how often do you crash ? Maybe you need skateboard pads.

Arm and leg or knee warmers are brilliant. I reckon you've missed the boat for them now. Spring and autumn yes. But not proper winter.

pipipi

I've only crashed once but it was pretty serious. The rugby pads cover the pins/screws that I still have. Don't need to wear it every ride, but if it's windy and wet, or cold enough that there might be some icy patches, just gives me a little more protection (or at least in my mind it does).

Skateboard pads sound a good idea, but maybe a bit much. Just like the idea of an armwarmer sleeve with a bit of protection.

imposter2.0

It's a trolling thread - move on....

thegreatdivide

Imposter wrote:

It's a trolling thread - move on....

Indeed.

Matthewfalle

Imposter wrote:

It's a trolling thread - move on....

Which one - arm warmers or the MBK link?

Anonymous

IMO arm warmers are very useful, knee warmers are pretty useful, but leg warmers are just to avoid buying bib tights.

dabber

Useful things and a lot of flexibility and options... leg warmers, arm warmers and gilets.

apreading

I dont get that leg warmers mean you can use your summer shorts in the winter - arent your hips and waist area too cold that way? I have some running tights, which I use over my summer shorts in the winter that work much better than leg warmers would for that purpose.

I have arm warmers this year for the first time and find them fantastic - actually I have arm coolers which keep my arms warmer when required but also keep them cooler in the summer and mean one less area that needs suncream (which I hate but use out of necessity).

I have also just this last month or two been using knee warmers alot - I found some tendonitis I have which seems to act up more when the knee is cold and wearing the knee warmer, well warms it up better but it also holds the knee with some compression and makes it a bit more stable. Has alleviated the painful situations pretty much completely.

Cant see much need for leg warmers with knee warmers, the shin/calf area doesnt seem to feel the cold much anyway. I still bought a pair though, which I have not yet had occasion to wear...

964cup

apreading wrote:

I dont get that leg warmers mean you can use your summer shorts in the winter - arent your hips and waist area too cold that way?

They don't; they mean you can use summer shorts in Autumn and Spring. When it gets chillier (if it's not guaranteed to be cold enough for bib tights) I use Roubaix fabric bib shorts; that way if it ends up being warmer than expected I can take off the legwarmers to avoid cooking. I use the highly scientific shrinking and numbness index to assess whether it's still summer bib weather...

Presently it isn't, I find.

Essentially it means I own 4 x roubaix bib shorts and 4 x bib tights for cold weather wear, instead of 8 x bib tights, and can use roubaix shorts for an extended season when I'd otherwise be chilly in summer shorts or cooking in tights.

Matthewfalle

964Cup wrote:

apreading wrote:

I dont get that leg warmers mean you can use your summer shorts in the winter - arent your hips and waist area too cold that way?

They don't; they mean you can use summer shorts in Autumn and Spring. When it gets chillier (if it's not guaranteed to be cold enough for bib tights) I use Roubaix fabric bib shorts; that way if it ends up being warmer than expected I can take off the legwarmers to avoid cooking. I use the highly scientific shrinking and numbness index to assess whether it's still summer bib weather...

Presently it isn't, I find.

Essentially it means I own 4 x roubaix bib shorts and 4 x bib tights for cold weather wear, instead of 8 x bib tights, and can use roubaix shorts for an extended season when I'd otherwise be chilly in summer shorts or cooking in tights.

Agree - I bought some Roubaix bib shorts the year before last for pure autumn/spring wearing - coupled with leg warmers it's a perfect combo.

Normal bib shorts over Roubaix 3/4 lengths when it gets very chilly.

apreading

964Cup wrote:

apreading wrote:

I dont get that leg warmers mean you can use your summer shorts in the winter - arent your hips and waist area too cold that way?

They don't; they mean you can use summer shorts in Autumn and Spring. When it gets chillier (if it's not guaranteed to be cold enough for bib tights) I use Roubaix fabric bib shorts; that way if it ends up being warmer than expected I can take off the legwarmers to avoid cooking. I use the highly scientific shrinking and numbness index to assess whether it's still summer bib weather...

Presently it isn't, I find.

Essentially it means I own 4 x roubaix bib shorts and 4 x bib tights for cold weather wear, instead of 8 x bib tights, and can use roubaix shorts for an extended season when I'd otherwise be chilly in summer shorts or cooking in tights.

I guess that my problem is with the fact that I would be too hot in Roubaix bibshorts in any weather that didnt mean I needed the leg warmers on, so they are kinda pointless. I recently got nanoflex 3/4s to replace my nanoflex shorts for this reason. But then again, I do run pretty hot.

Anonymous

Isn't the point of arm warmers that you can take them off?

Does anyone actually take leg warmers off before they get home?
If not then bib tights would be better and leg warmers are not the leg version of arm warmers that some people say they are.

Matthewfalle

Carbonator wrote:

Isn't the point of arm warmers that you can take them off?

Does anyone actually take leg warmers off before they get home?
If not then bib tights would be better and leg warmers are not the leg version of arm warmers that some people say they are.

Yes

Yes if I need to.

Also means that you ride to work dressed for the chilly morning then ride back in the halcyonic warmth of the end of the working day.

Anonymous

Matthewfalle wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

Isn't the point of arm warmers that you can take them off?

Does anyone actually take leg warmers off before they get home?
If not then bib tights would be better and leg warmers are not the leg version of arm warmers that some people say they are.

Yes

Yes if I need to.

Also means that you ride to work dressed for the chilly morning then ride back in the halcyonic warmth of the end of the working day.

Thought you had me there for a moment, but thats two rides

Can now see they could be useful for commuting and touring etc. but most people (that I see wearing them) still buy them to avoid the expense of bib tights.

thegibdog

I'd have thought most people who have leg warmers also own bib tights - people buy them for their versatility. The bib tights I own are both thick roubaix ones and it's not been cold enough for them yet this autumn, so the leg warmers are used for every ride. Most of the time I won't need to roll them down or take them off but this versatility comes in handy for long rides where the temperature changes significantly, riding to & from races/the velodrome and commuting as mentioned. Definitely make more use of them than I do arm warmers.

Anonymous

Yeah, fair point. Can see where they fit in there, but you could also buy some not so overly warm bib tights which would be better on the occasions where you are not taking them off until you get home.

Not sure I agree that most people that have leg warmers also have bib tights (unless they are doing the two ride commuting/velodrome/touring thing).

thegibdog

Carbonator wrote:

Yeah, fair point. Can see where they fit in there, but you could also buy some not so overly warm bib tights which would be better on the occasions where you are not taking them off until you get home.

But what would be the point of buying a thin pair of bib tights when I could just use any of my bib shorts with some thin legwarmers?

Carbonator wrote:

Not sure I agree that most people that have leg warmers also have bib tights (unless they are doing the two ride commuting/velodrome/touring thing).

Maybe we need a poll!

Anonymous

For me it would be nicer to put one thing on rather than 3, and I find bib tights more comfortable.

That said I just wear slightly warmer ones as the weather is colder and have never found it a problem.
I would buy thinner ones if I did, but then I don't have leg warmers because I don't do the two ride thing.

I did buy some Aldi leg warmers once for that very reason.
Early morning ride out to an event. I planned to throw them away rather than carry them around.
I did not take them in the end and sold them on ebay.