Bib Tights vs Bib Shorts and Leg Warmers: When to Switch for Cold Rides
Switch from bib shorts to bib tights when your ride stays below about 50°F (10°C) from start to finish. Leg warmers are enough from about 45 to 55°F, especially on rides that start cold and warm up, because they come off and fit in a pocket. Below 45°F, bib tights keep you warmer.
In short
- Switch to bib tights when the whole ride stays below about 50°F (10°C).
- Bib shorts with leg warmers cover 45 to 55°F and come off when the day warms up.
- Below 45°F, bib tights with the optional thermal fleece lining are the warmer choice.
- "Long bibs" and "winter cycling pants" usually mean bib tights.
What temperature should you wear bib tights?
Most riders put on bib tights somewhere between 45 and 55°F (7 and 13°C), and almost everyone wears them below 45°F. These are the same bands as our cycling temperature guide: bib shorts above 55°F, bib shorts with leg warmers or bib tights from 45 to 55°F, and bib tights with thermal fleece below that.
Inside that 45 to 55°F switch zone, the forecast for the whole ride decides it. A 7 a.m. start at 48°F that climbs to 62°F by lunch is a leg warmer day, since you can strip them off at the first stop. A gray afternoon that sits at 48°F the whole way is a bib tights day.
Wind, rain and long descents can make a ride feel 5 to 10 degrees colder than the thermometer says. Knees usually feel it first, because they move the most and have little to protect them. If your knees ache in the first half hour, cover your legs even when the rest of you feels fine.
Bib shorts vs bib tights: what is the difference?
Bib tights are bib shorts with full-length legs. Both have shoulder straps instead of a waistband and a chamois sewn in, so the padding and the fit around your hips stay the same. The difference is everything below the hem: shorts stop above the knee, tights keep going to the ankle.
Our bib tights add a few details for the cold. The men's cycling bib tights such as the OCG Bold pair have a 9D contoured silicone gel chamois and zippers at the ankle, so they slide over your feet without a fight. The women's cycling bib tights are cut for the women's body shape, with reflective trim around the leg zips and silicone ankle grippers. Both come in sizes XXS to 7XL.
| Bib shorts | Bib shorts plus leg warmers | Bib tights | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best range | Above 55°F (13°C) | 45 to 55°F (7 to 13°C) | Below 50°F (10°C) |
| Leg coverage | Upper thigh | Thigh to ankle, two pieces | Waist to ankle, one piece |
| Change mid-ride | Nothing to change | Warmers come off and go in a pocket | Stay on for the whole ride |
| Thermal fleece option | No | No | Yes, an add-on on the product page |
Men's bib tights
Men's OCG Bold Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Men's Plain Black Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Men's Bold Racing Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Men's Ride Free Sunset Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Are leg warmers enough for cold rides?
For most fall rides between 45 and 55°F, yes. Leg warmers pull on under the hem of your bib shorts and cover you from mid-thigh to ankle. Ours are a single piece of moisture-wicking stretch fabric with a zip at the bottom, so you can take them off over your cycling shoes at a café stop. Find them in cycling leg warmers and the wider leg and arm warmers collection.
They also make sense if you already own bib shorts you like, because a pair of warmers carries those shorts into a colder season.
Below about 45°F, warmers start to fall short. There is no fleece version, and the thigh is where shorts and warmers overlap, so any slip opens a cold strip of skin. On a long ride that stays cold, one continuous layer with a fleece lining does a better job. Our guess is that most riders who start with warmers end up owning both, warmers for the changeable days and tights for the cold ones.
How do you wear leg warmers cycling?
Warmers go on before your bib shorts, so the leg band of the shorts holds them up.
- Turn each warmer right side out and open the zip at the bottom.
- Pull it on like a long sock, from the foot up, until the top sits high on your thigh.
- Put on your bib shorts over the warmers, so the shorts overlap the top of each warmer by a couple of inches.
- Smooth out any fabric bunched behind the knee, then close the bottom zip.
- To take them off on the road, pull the top out from under the shorts, open the zip, slide each one over your shoe and roll it into a back pocket.
If a warmer keeps sliding down, the top is probably sitting below the shorts' leg band instead of under it. Check the fit on the size chart too, since a warmer that is too loose at the thigh will not stay put.
Are bib tights the same as winter cycling pants or long bibs?
In most stores, yes. "Long bibs", "winter bibs", "bib tights" and "winter cycling pants" usually describe the same thing: full-length padded cycling bottoms held up by shoulder straps. Some brands also use "cycling pants" for waist tights without straps or for looser trousers without a chamois, so check the product photos before you buy.
The straps are the reason most riders prefer bibs in winter. There is no waistband pressing into your stomach when you lean forward on the bike, and your lower back stays covered when your jacket rides up. If you came here looking for men's long bibs or winter cycling pants, our cycling bib tights collection is the place to start.
Women's bib tights
Women's Plain Color Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Women's OCG Bold Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Women's Floral Pop Gel Padded Cycling Bib-Tights
$69.99$81.99
Do you need thermal fleece in your bib tights?
Below about 45°F, or if you feel the cold more than your riding partners, the fleece lining is worth it. Our bib tights come without fleece by default, and you add it in the customization options on the product page. The temperature guide suggests the same fleece option for long sleeve jerseys below about 50°F.
Fleece adds a little bulk, so think about size before you order. Our bib tights have a club fit cut and run small, so size up if you are between sizes. The same goes if you plan to add the fleece or wear a base layer under the straps. The size chart has separate tables for men's and women's bib tights and for warmers.
Under 35°F (2°C), fleece-lined tights are only part of the answer. Add shoe covers, winter gloves and something over your ears, as in the coldest row of the temperature guide.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should you wear leg warmers cycling?
From about 45 to 55°F (7 to 13°C), or on a cool start up to the low 60s if the day will warm up. Above that, most riders are comfortable in bib shorts alone.
Are bib tights too warm for 60 degrees?
For most riders, yes, and fleece-lined tights certainly are. At 60°F bib shorts are enough, with leg warmers or knee warmers on a cold start that you can take off later.
Do knee warmers work instead of leg warmers?
Knee warmers cover only the knee and a bit above and below it, so they suit the warm end of the range, around 55 to 60°F. We carry full-length leg warmers, which cover more and still come off in seconds.
What do you wear under bib tights?
Nothing. The chamois sits against bare skin, just as it does in bib shorts. A base layer can go on your upper body under the straps.
