What temperature for shorts?

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BSRU

A Human Being
Location
Swindon
Winter longs plus Icebreaker leggings this morning, 3 degrees as I set off and colder at the top of Swindon's only hill because of the lovely cold fog. No need for leggings later, just the winter longs.
 

Dan B

Disengaged member
Interesting. Why on top, not underneath?

It worked for Superman, don't knock it.

But perhaps one garment is padded and the other not, in which case the chamois should usually be next to the skin
 

suecsi

Active Member
I had standard leggings on this morning as we don't have any visitors today, not the usual leggings over ladies opaque tights under a skirt (which looks like 'normal' office clothes unless you look closely). I had plenty of layers on the top, so was nice and warm, but my legs really felt the difference.

I was sitting waiting for the train at Twickenham on one of those lovely cold metal seats when a cyclist walked up the platform with baggy shorts on, bare legs on display. Twickenham station is pretty drafty, so it did give me a bit of a 'OMG I can't believe he's got his legs out in this weather' moment.
 

Downward

Guru
Location
West Midlands
When 1st starting out as a Maverick commuter Shorts when 10 degrees or above. Now I don't get as hot i'll stick to longs or those leg covers until it's Summer
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
I dont usually feel the cold.

I tend to wear winter longs only on the very coldest mornings ( -5 and below).
Most winter days I usually wear much thinner longs or 3/4 length bibs, then back to shorts as soon as the tempgets around the 9-10 mark.

On top I almost always wear a thin base layer and a shirt. In winter it's long sleeved, otherwise short, with a gilet if it's windy.

Only bits of me that seem to get cold in winter are my feet and hands. I've spent more on socks and gloves than anything else and I still suffer with cold toes.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
I wear tights until I'm feeling too hot - usually 12/13C and above.

As Xmister says - keep the joints warm
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
It generally has to be around the 20C for me to go for shorts. That said I have a 3/4 longs which are lightweight lycra, that little bit of material over my knees seems to have a rather large positive impact on my available climbing power even at 15C
 

rusky

CC Addict
Location
Hove
I've always used 5C as the threshold to go from shorts to trousers, slightly higher going from trousers to shorts. Probably psychological!

Wearing Altura Boulders at the moment but wore Hummvee's on Monday as the trousers weren't dry & was fine.
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
I'm still in my winter fleecey lined tights
ohmy.gif
Not even contemplating shorts until May at the earliest, will move to my summer tights soon as it gets over 10c but as it's only 6 or 7c here in the day and I commute at silly O'clock the temp is much colder then
sad.gif
 

Glow worm

Legendary Member
Location
Near Newmarket
Mostly shorts/T shirt year round here as it means less clobber to dry off if wet and my legs never seem to get cold- hands are a different matter though so it's gloves below 40F (4.5c). Tracky bottoms if below 30F and sweat shirt at 25F and below. I noticed this winter that below 20F (-6c) the bike doesn't work either (gears / pedals freeze) so it's bus time anyway!
 

martint235

Dog on a bike
Location
Welling
I'm still in my winter fleecey lined tights
ohmy.gif
Not even contemplating shorts until May at the earliest, will move to my summer tights soon as it gets over 10c but as it's only 6 or 7c here in the day and I commute at silly O'clock the temp is much colder then
sad.gif

I assume arm and leg warmers are in use all year round...... :whistle:
 

Amheirchion

Active Member
Location
Northampton
Shorts all year round for me. :smile: Normally baggy 3/4 length, though it was a pain trying to find any like that a few months ago after my old pair gave up the ghost, so my current baggies are slightly shorter, reaching just to the tops of my shins when stood upright. On some bitterly cold days I wear trousers, but I tend to avoid it as much as possible, to the point I have been wearing combat boots and shorts out to do surveys this year. ^^
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
Although on a gentle commute I wouldn't fancy just a jersey in 5-8 C temps
Assuming you have some kind of compression base layer then a semi-windproof heavy jersey should be okay. That said I disagree with the sweating thing... if my next to skin base layer isn't soaking wet I'm too cold, the key is to isolate the 1 or 2 layers closes to your skin from needing to be effective in the wind. This can be done easily with a lose open weave layer & a lightweight windproof jersey or base layer.
 
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