Tights or not?

[gavin77]

Hi
Just bought first road bike and looking for comfortable tights or something like the pants with stirrups (apologies for not knowing technical term for them). I am unsure whether to buy the padded tights or long stirrup type pants with padded undershorts.

What do you all suggest here? any advise will be greatly appreciated

Thank you

 

[musa]

go for the bibs (padded shorts) you got a budget in mind?

 

[Gary E]

With padded shorts and padded leggings/tights you get what you pay for.
If you can't afford both think about getting a good pair of shorts and adding something like this.

 

[gavin77]

thank you both. no budget in mind. i will probably look mid range i reckon. when you say bibs padded shorts do you mean padded shorts only or padded shorts under something? i was looking at long legs

 

[guitarpete247]

Or even bibbed longs/tights (whatever name the seller uses) for the cold weather .
Whatever you decide, bibbed or non-bibbed, get padded IMO .

 

[Gary E]

The fewer layers you have on, the less chance of you getting a fold of cloth between you and the saddle which can become really uncomfortable so for me it's padded shorts OR padded leggings OR padded shorts with the leg warmers.
The leg warmers give you the option of putting them on/taking them off during the ride as they fold down enough to go into your back pocket

 

[gavin77]

Thank you so much for your quick responses. i didnt think of the layers issue but definitely made me think more.

Been looking on cycling forums and this one appears to be the most helpful. thanks again everyone

 

[totallyfixed]

Non padded tights are generally cheaper than padded ones, therefore come the cold season I wear my older, worn out padded shorts under my non padded winter tights, one pair of which I have had at least 12 years and have even been repaired from one of my many infrequent helmetless crashes [how brave am I, ah the beauty of gobbling down a cocktail of pain killers, allows me to write anything ].
Tights are not cheap but combined with leg warmers [as Gary says] I find this method the most cost effective way of cycling in cold weather.

 

[SpareSprocket]

As the weather gets colder I tend to wear regular shorts with non-padded bibs tights over the top. If you're working to a budget this allows you to use the shorts on their own year round.

For really cold rides I do switch to bib shorts as the extra layer - although it's only thin - over my kidneys helps to keep me warmer.

Some people recommend removable arm and leg warmers but I've never got on with them. They are either too tight and cut off the blood flow or too lose and make me look like Nora Batty !

 

[lavoisier]

I would get the bibs shorts/tights over just the shorts or leggings. The bibs tend not to slide down.
The other thing is that if you are overweight, not that I'm suggesting you are, bibs tend to hold your wobbly bits in place.

 

[SpareSprocket]

The other thing is that if you are overweight, not that I'm suggesting you are, bibs tend to hold your wobbly bits in place.

Very diplomatically put - I thought about writing that but chickened out !

 

[lulubel]

I wear padded shorts with unpadded tights over the top for winter. I'm not sure whether it saves me money or not, but it has the same flexibility as shorts and leg warmers because you can take the tights off if you get too hot.

 

[Mapster5]

I got my padded bib tights from sportsdirect for about £12 padding not really thick but ok I wear thermals underneath then when it's warmer I wear altura bib shorts and they've got excellent padding both pairs are very comfy though

 

[MisterStan]

I wear padded bib shorts and an old pair of running tights over them. Toasty warm!

 

[Andy_G]

Dont buy the Muddy fox padded tights, 4-5 mile rides there ok but any more you will be in agony.