Right, I’ll open this up with NEVER, EVER buy any kind of cycling shorts that aren't black, no one needs to see that.
Right moving on, bib tights, bib shorts, shorts and leg warmers, tights with pads, tights with out, Seriously how can there be some many variations, and on top of all that do you want to be wearing lycra in the first place, it's not always the most flattering of outfits. First off if you've not dipped your toe into lycra, you really need to consider how far you're commuting, your backside will bear the brunt of most of your commute or ride, sure if you're riding 5 miles or so you might get way with not having something padded, but anything longer than that, suck it up, you soon get over any body embarrassments you may have, and it's much more preferable to a sore backside. My introduction to shorts was a pair of decathlon undershorts under a pair of baggy shorts, this was so uncomfortable, I see tonnes of people do this but personally I found the pad kept slipping out of position and then the shorts would slide all over the seat, I quickly ditched this idea. My favourite at the time Aliexpress, bib tights for about £13 and to be honest they were a revelation, I used them on my first big ride (120 miles) and they did the trick, although for the last 30 miles or so I did find myself having to constantly get out of the saddle. The issue wasn't the shorts themselves but the pad and I think for the commuter that's the real thing to concentrate on here, a decent pad that wicks away sweat really makes it easier to stay in the saddle, and the cut of the pad is really important too, too wide and it sort of sticks out at the front a bit and doesn't offer much support, I've not tried anything too narrow yet, but would impinge that might ride up a little. next up... Planet X Roubaix tights are a little better, a little more expensive, a little warmer and a little more comfortable but not much. I have to say cost really has been a driving factor in my purchases, so trying to find something that ticks all the boxes was really difficult and in winter that's really hard too. So my next experiment was Decathlon B'Twin 500 in grey (NEVER buy cycling shorts that aren't black) and leg warmers, the shorts themselves are fantastic and at £40 really hard to beat value wise, the pad is comfortable and fit me well, so on balance a really good first choice for any shorts and the leg warmers keep it functional for the winter but are another cost to consider but.... your legs will be dry and your crotch will get wet which makes drying stuff before your return journey a challenge and something you need to keep in mind, and also no one wants a wet crotch. So this winter i made a decision to invest in some winter tights, Lusso Termico Repel Bib tights, I spent hours researching this and these weren't my first choice, knowing full well that water will run down the tight I wanted something that would go over my boat, and Pearl Izumi had made some but sadly they were obsolete. That said, since the weather got cold in October until this morning I've been wearing these. They repel water, they're really warm and it's the most comfortable pad I've had in a pair of shorts, at £99 they're not cheap, but given I've ridden these in rain, hail and snow and got to work/home warm and dry I'm pretty sure I'll be getting a second pair of these for next year. I've also just placed an order for the 2-Zero Repel bibs tights that I'll pair with my Sportful leg warmers, which will be nice for this unseasonably warm weather. So my order of preference 1. Lusso Termico Repel - the added water repellence has really made a noticeable difference in my commutes, I've found that even big gobbets of rain that would feel chilly if I were wearing waterproof leg warmers aren't cold. 2. B'Twin 500 with leg warmers - they do the job but can get a bit cold and damp around the crotch, if my ride were a little shorter I could probably put up with that. 3. Planet X SuperRoubaix Bib tight - they're warm and offer good value for money for shorter rides, but I find the pad holds too much moisture making it uncomfortable for me if you start sweating or get wet, but this doesn't stop them being a good option, they just weren't for me, but they were warm and I did where them last year so have held up pretty well. Price is a real issue here, my favourite shorts are also the most expensive and that does really go against my ethos, my main consideration this year has been keeping dry and that probably has bumped the price up a bit, I don't think at the time I could find anything cheaper than Lusso. If As an a side note, I do tend to run pretty hot, this morning it was 4c dropping to -1c at points, I see 8c as the ideal temp for me to switch to shorts, so maybe a bit early to make the change but I didn't fancy riding in tights this afternoon when it's set to reach 15c or so.
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Mike GaskellI started commuting around May 2017, mainly to save the £45 a week train fare and get ready for the Dunwich Dynamo. Archives
August 2022
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