Everything you need to know about warm winter tights

Cycling can be enjoyable through the winter, but the leg muscles don’t work as well when they’re cold, so it’s a sensible idea to keep them wrapped up. Fortunately there is a wide choice of leg wear available designed to cope with different temperatures ranges, as well as riding style from road training to commuting.

You have three main choices. Performance-orientated riders tend to go for tights, which take the basic idea of cycling shorts — they’re close-fitting garments that move with you — and extend it down to your ankles. Commuting and utility riders in particular favour waterproof overtrousers that fend off the rain so you arrive at work with dry trousers. In between are cycling trousers that look like regular trousers, but are shaped and detailed so they’re comfortable for riding.

In this guide we’re looking at winter legwear that provides insulation and wind-resistance to keep you warm, which mostly means insulated winter tights. Some of these tights also provide a bit of water-resistance in the form of a Durable Water-Repellent (DWR) coating, but they don’t claim to be highly water-resistant and we haven’t found them to be so.

Tights are essentially long versions of regular shorts, and are often made from similar Lycra fabrics, though they’re usually thicker for warmth. You have a choice of bib tights, with straps looping over the shoulders, or bibs with a waist band. Which you wear is down to personal preference, but bib tights are generally considered more comfortable as you don’t have a waist band to dig in, which can be annoying on longer rides.