What temperature do your shorts come off?

[tykeboy2003]

Football and Rugby players etc almost never wear long bottoms - I remember standing about in shorts on the school field waiting to play footy or rugger with the grass thick with frost. So shorts pretty well all the time for me. I have some longs but they rarely get used.

[NUKe]

I read somewhere that the knees and cold is an old wives tale, whish I could point to where I read it. The theory being that within the mass of the body there is enough heat to stop them being damaged.

Personally though I tend to wear shorts above about 15c, below that 3/4 length tights down to when it gets cold enough that I don't boil in my winter bib tights. I like to be warm.

It is quite possible to cycle all year round in nothing more than a tee shirt and shorts, as you can generate the body heat through work. However if you are brave enough to do this try and work out how long you have if you have to stop, for say a puncture. Hypothermia can set in very quickly. so by all means cycle light but in the winter make sure you have enough back-up clothing at least.

[mig]

Football and Rugby players etc almost never wear long bottoms - I remember standing about in shorts on the school field waiting to play footy or rugger with the grass thick with frost. So shorts pretty well all the time for me. I have some longs but they rarely get used.

well okay but i'd think that the windchill from the movement in cycling is higher than rugby etc.

[whoof]

13 degrees. Thats as very precise estimate.

It is, who made this estimate?

[honesty]

13 degrees. Thats as very precise estimate.

It is, who made this estimate?

Me. It seems about right. I could go back and check the ride records to give an exact one where I start wearing longs, but Im not going to

[Mick F]

D'ya know, I reckon 13degC is about right.
My Garmin Montana connects with my Temp unit and I can see the temperature to the nearest DegC.

When I've been on tour with lots of kit, I find that when the day gets to 17degC it is the time that I'll take my LS top off and put on a SS top.

The temp outside at this moment here is 13degC and I reckon I would wear shorts if going out on my bike now, though if I went out earlier (cooler), I'd have put on my longs ................ I'd still be in a LS top though.

BTW, not cycling today. Just been doing some chainsawing and having a cuppa now. Back up into the woods shortly.

[JohnW]

13 degrees. Thats as very precise estimate.

It is, who made this estimate?

Me. It seems about right. I could go back and check the ride records to give an exact one where I start wearing longs, but Im not going to

Is that the temperature inside the shorts, or outside?

[andrew_s]

For a day ride, it's normally been about 10°when the longs come out.
I've not worn longs so far this autumn, though some evening rides have been down to about 5° on the way back from the pub. I have got as far as putting legwarmers and gloves in the saddlebag though.

It tends to have to get up to about 15°in the spring before the shorts come back out.

[LollyKat]

I read somewhere that the knees and cold is an old wives tale, whish I could point to where I read it. The theory being that within the mass of the body there is enough heat to stop them being damaged.

Maybe. On the other hand if it is cold enough to make my knees ache I'll continue to cover them up all the same.

[greyingbeard]

My shorts come off when Im RED HOT BAYBEEEE yeah

[Psamathe]

I'd never heard this thing about cold and knees before.

I don't actually have anything for cycling that covers my knees. And how effective is a thin layer of tight lycra anyway ?

Ian

[robc02]

I always wear shorts. When it gets cold I add knee warmers, colder and I add bib-longs, colder still and I add windproof fronted bib-longs.

[Mick F]

I'd never heard this thing about cold and knees before.
I don't actually have anything for cycling that covers my knees. And how effective is a thin layer of tight lycra anyway ?

It's not that it's warm, but it's because it's windproof.

Windchill on a bike is a Bad Thing. The faster you go, the colder you'll feel. It's a Good Thing that going fast warms you up, but on a long descent you can chill right off especially if the weather is damp or you are sweaty.

The more skin you have exposed to the air, the more windchill you will feel.

[velotrev]

"Never wear shorts in a month that contains an "R"..." I was told as a lad, which I more or less follow with the odd exception. My knees still work 40 years on so hasn't done me any harm.

[CliveyT]

Part from when I have to (attempt to) appear smart then I wear shorts all year round both on and off the bike. Having worked for some time in Finland this country just doesn't feel cold any more. Only time I where longs for fun is when I go back to go cross country skiing