redlude97

i don't find them personally useful. The thermal ones end up being too warm or not warm enough, and the nonthermal ones are easily substituted for with knee warmers+normal bibs which allow additional adjustability for changing temps.

ptempel

I don't bother with 3/4 length bibs. Knee covers with regular bib shorts do the job cheaper. Also would prefer a full bib tight and bib short over just bib tight and leg warmers. Its up to you and you could use them in the higher 40's if you wanted. I usually just use:

60F or higher: bibs
50F - 59F: bibs, knee covers
40F - 49F: bibs, bib tights
20F - 39F: (bibs, leg covers, bib tights) OR (bib tights, thermal bib tights w/chamois)
? - 19F: Stay home on trainer or take the train

I think my leg covers are a little more thermal then normal. Yes, I wear up to two bibs in winter...

Farby

I have a pair of sugoi RS knickers. Wore them with a long sleeve jersey on my ride Saturday morning. It was 57 or so. but by the end of the ride 4 hours later it was warmer in the upper 60's low 70's. I felt a little warm at times, but think that if I had just worn a regular jersey with removable arm warmers i'd have been better off.
I think they are best suited when it's even cooler out and i have to worry less about temps warming up. I usually end up wearing them down into the upper 40's but make sure to keep the top warm.

bruce19

These Assos? These PI?

Rollfast

Regular pants or denim shorts all year, longjohns if it's really cold (and we haven't had a real winter in a while, polar bears dress casually here.

surgeonstone

An obsidian blade or one of Valeryan steel may help.

FIVE ONE SIX

me personally, i'm short (5'7") with a short inseam and long torso, so i always wear knickers in the cooler weather versus tights cause i could never find tights with the right inseam. i've tried Cannondale knickers 2 years ago and wasn't crazy about them, but tried LG's last year and thought they were awesome. my favorite knickers ever were Bergamo's MSS Winter Bib Knickers from about 10 years ago, but they don't fit anymore and the company changed names a long time ago...

woodcraft

Oops, forgot the link.

Ibex Merino Wool Men's El Fito 3/4 Bottom

bruce19

Thanks.

Chandne

I got one of those Ibex ones (a medium) to try out. The fit is quite decent on my 175 lb 5'11" body. However, the chamois is extremely narrow so my sit bones will be on the edge of or outside the chamois area. At a price of $50, I'm not concerned. It will be a nice addition to cool-weather short rides anyway.

If anyone knows of bib knickers that are just lycra (no brushed/fleecy interior) please post here. I have two Assos one from years ago that I have babied but they are wearing down. I wear them all the time till it gets really cold. I'm not sure if anyone makes them in regular lycra anymore.

Rollfast

All they wanted was a break from porridge, man.

shelbyfv

A vote for bib knickers. I never liked the knee warmers sliding around.

grolby

Knee warmers, I get. In fact, I love mine. Knickers, no thank you. They seem redundant. Around here, it's knee warmers >> leg warmers >> medium tights >> heavy tights as temps drop. I've even done a super-cold team ride (seriously it was like 14 degrees) with two pairs of tights.

On that note, by the way - a big fat NO to bib tights or indeed any tights with a chamois. Who the heck knows how good or bad that chamois is - and why spend the extra dough on it when I've got a perfectly good chamois in the regular bibs I already spent my hard-earned money on? Tights are overwear in my opinion. Non bib, no chamois, wear over your regular bibs. Makes them much more versatile and way less money for the level of quality you need.

mpath

For those of are that are height-challenged, 3/4 length tights are full-length tights.

Seattle Forrest

For me, 3/4 length wool leggings are great for winter hiking and snowshoeing, but not so useful on the bike.

bbbean 

If it was better to go to full tights, I'd go to full tights. Over time, I've accumulated tights and legwarmers in both lengths, and it is nice to dial in the exact amount of coverage/insulation I need for the conditions.

Worth considering is that you can pair 3/4 length with tall socks and achieve full coverage, but you can't typically roll up full length tights/warmers if you get too warm.

BB

Gasser5.2

For me it's shorts above 50, full-length tights below that. 3/4 length reminds me of yoga pants so I'd have to accessorize accordingly. You know, the pink velour top with zip up collar and matching tennis visor to fit over my helmet. And I'd be too self-conscious about how the gripper bands just below the knees brought attention to my (shudder) crepey upper-middle age skin.

dalava

So, it's not half full or half empty; it's that the glass is the wrong size

dalava

Everyone has their own preferences. For me, I love knickers and bib tights for cool/cold weather riding. Unless I know the weather will be changing during the ride, the whole warmers thing is just too much work to put on, take off, stow them in the jersey pockets, etc.

woodcraft

IMO, knickers give a semi- retro cool look

that is just not available with knee warmers.

southpier

x infinity