Shorts Wearers in Winter

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 7993
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by simonineaston »

What's white & furry and smells of mint? A polo bear.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
User avatar
gazza_d
Posts: 452
Joined: 30 Oct 2016, 8:20am

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by gazza_d »

I'm another one who wears shorts all year round sort from when I have to wear big boy pants such in the office or where I need to be conventionally smartly dressed.

Especially on the bike. I wear shorts as long as I can and for the last few winters have worn shorts all though. Granted I'm only out for 2 or 3 hours max, and generally avoiding icy days.

My last commute was too long to be practical on those days or with studded tyres. And since the pandemic kicked in I've avoided those days just to avoid the risk of coming off and ending up in the hospital.
User avatar
andrew_s
Posts: 5795
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by andrew_s »

CliveyT wrote: 9 Nov 2021, 3:12pm I wear shorts all year, unless I absolutely can't. I did work in Finland, however, and after that winters over here are just far too HOT.
Me too, though in my case I worked in the Antarctic.
I can't really blame that though, as the interval between working in the cold and becoming a shorts wearer was far too long, other than that there was a remaining attitude of "it's only a bit of discomfort, I'm not going to freeze" for everything above zero.

I blame it on a tour in Scotland 10 years or so back, in early May, that involved a fair bit of ford-bashing. Rather than carry special fording shoes (Crocs are common), or getting my cycling shoes soaked, I used SPD sandals (no socks), which dried quickly.
I liked them, and before all that long, I was wearing them mostly, which gradually extended to the whole year, getting followed by dispensing first with longs, and then with gloves.

I'm OK down to zero now with shorts, bare feet, and no gloves (as on last Thursday evening's pub ride, 30 mile round trip, 2-3° on the way out, 0-1° on the way back).
It doesn't even feel particularly uncomfortable any more - it must be doing my peripheral circulation some good.
drossall
Posts: 6106
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by drossall »

I joined my first club as a teenager in the late 1970s. In those days, in Cheshire, the older riders would tell you off if, after a July time trial, you didn't immediately protect your legs by covering them up. I reckon they'd have wanted 30 degrees before they would ride around without either longs or embrocation :D

On the other hand, I then went to university, and met a guy who would ride in a t-shirt in the snow. Whilst one of my fellow-riders from Cheshire liked Christmas, because he could put on 7 jumpers and look really heavily built (he was anything but), whilst burning off all the kids on their new bikes.

I'll be in a t-shirt around the house while my wife is in two jumpers.

I guess all you can conclude is that folk are all different :lol:
ANTONISH
Posts: 2955
Joined: 26 Mar 2009, 9:49am

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by ANTONISH »

As a teenager I was told by an old Belgian that knees should be kept warm and one shouldn't wear shorts in temperatures below 20 degrees C . I've always kept to that advice.

When I watch early season races it's usually the Dutch and Belgian pro's using leg warmers etc.
Knees are delicate things and need care.
Slowtwitch
Posts: 744
Joined: 25 Oct 2021, 11:35pm

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by Slowtwitch »

Like a lot of riders I was a one time advocate of riding well into November with bare legs. A serious knee
Injury a few years ago put paid to that. But now I'm
beginning to wonder if there isn't actually a positive health benefit to shorts wearing in the colder months, like the Scandinavian countries who habitually bathe in ice cold water.

I vividly remember coming back from cold rides out in the hills, close to zero degrees and feeling really invigorated with shorts on. I wonder if all the old wives tales of being extra careful with your knees are really true...
ChrisF
Posts: 662
Joined: 22 Mar 2014, 7:34pm

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by ChrisF »

I used to have a 'rule' that it was OK for shorts if the temperature was above 10C (a bit of variation allowed because 10C and sunshine feels much warmer than 10C and raining). Recently, because I'm getting older and feel the cold more (I'm 69 now), I've upped that to 12C. Today I rode in shorts because the forecast was 12-14C.
But I think the most important thing is to keep your core warm, with enough top layers.
Chris F, Cornwall
User avatar
CyberKnight
Posts: 913
Joined: 18 Dec 2009, 4:44pm
Location: Derbyshire

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by CyberKnight »

old adage i heard
if its cold enough for sleeves its cold enough for knees

which means if your covering your arms then cover your legs
John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
User avatar
robgul
Posts: 3088
Joined: 8 Jan 2007, 8:40pm
Contact:

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by robgul »

Shorts all the year for me (rode on Christmas Day last year) - mind you I have an "advantage" - having had chemo the nerve endings in my lower legs/feet are completely shot (peripheral neuropathy) so I don't feel the cold in my feet. [Conversely I have to be careful with potentially over-hot water - although I've not had a bath for at least 10 years :lol: ]
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
Cytech accredited mechanic . . . and woodworker
User avatar
Redvee
Posts: 2464
Joined: 8 Mar 2010, 8:58pm

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by Redvee »

I work in 2c indoors all year round and when I'm order picking I wear shorts, my workrate and effort keeps me warm. On the bike I will have exposed skin on my legs year round too. Bibshorts in the summer, now with the addition of knee-warmers and maybe I'll go for 3/4 bibshorts in December.
CliveyT
Posts: 461
Joined: 13 Jun 2012, 2:55pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by CliveyT »

mattheus wrote: 9 Nov 2021, 4:00pm
CliveyT wrote: 9 Nov 2021, 3:12pm I wear shorts all year, unless I absolutely can't. I did work in Finland, however, and after that winters over here are just far too HOT. (And that includes days when I get off my bike and have to shake off my clothing to drop the layer of ice that's settled on me)
There is always one on this kind of thread !!! :D

(how on earth do you cope in temps over 25'c ? Which does happen quite a few days in the UK,)
I melt!
I read of people touring places like Thailand and always think that sounds like a special kind of hell
mattheus
Posts: 5030
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 12:57pm
Location: Western Europe

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by mattheus »

:lol:

I run a lot less hot than you, but I do fear hot climates more for *cycling* in. Not so bad if you have time and shade to dodge the worst of it, but for things like Audax events where I need to be riding most of the day ... bleagh!

(Nights are different - heat is rarely a big problem, but quite easy to get into trouble on a north-European _cold_ night ... )
Last edited by mattheus on 10 Nov 2021, 11:12am, edited 1 time in total.
gxaustin
Posts: 890
Joined: 23 Sep 2015, 12:07pm

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by gxaustin »

Thinking about it, when I was growing up, you wore shorts until you went to the grammar school at the age of eleven.
My mum insisted I wear shorts till I was 13 - and since I was the youngest boy in the class that was irritating. Especially so because the others would flick long elastic bands at my legs.
I wear shorts, then knee warmers, then leg warmers and finally pull tights over my shorts.
User avatar
Audax67
Posts: 5999
Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 9:02am
Location: Alsace, France
Contact:

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by Audax67 »

gxaustin wrote: 10 Nov 2021, 10:43am
Thinking about it, when I was growing up, you wore shorts until you went to the grammar school at the age of eleven.
My mum insisted I wear shorts till I was 13 - and since I was the youngest boy in the class that was irritating. Especially so because the others would flick long elastic bands at my legs.
I wear shorts, then knee warmers, then leg warmers and finally pull tights over my shorts.
WW2 utility regulations forbade boys under 13 to wear long trousers. Some schools also dictated boys under 5'6" had to wear shorts. Whatever the reason, my parents didn't grant me long-trouser privileges until I was in second form. I have a sneaky feeling that it was because shorts were cheaper.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
User avatar
freiston
Posts: 1500
Joined: 6 Oct 2013, 10:20am
Location: Coventry

Re: Shorts Wearers in Winter

Post by freiston »

I wear long trousers/tights and long sleeved t-shirts all year round, no matter how hot it gets. Being a pale-skinned ginger (though advancing years have turned my bright copper ginger barnet into a fading strawberry blonde), I like to protect my skin from the sun (it might be an old wives' tale but I also understand that us gingers are much more efficient at synthesising vitamin D from the sun than our darker skinned counterparts). My brother (who is not ginger and is not as pale-skinned as me) has lived in Mexico for most of the last 40 years and had skin cancer. He now covers up from head to toe most of the time.

Thinking about it, it could make better sense to wear shorts in the winter but not in the summer.

My body does tend to run warm when cycling though and it has to be quite cold for me to be uncomfortable with just a t-shirt and gilet on the top after the first few miles (but I can often remain comfortable with a jacket on in not so cold weather too).

EDIT: As can be seen from my avatar, I did wear shorts when I was younger :P
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
Post Reply