3/4 bib knickers with leg warmers?

Why not dhb's, something for autumn/ cool days and then if you need an extra layer of warmth for winter throw on a pair of womens tights underneath. No one ever has to no Plus, superskimping on thermal layers

Cycle hard and you'll soon warm up

I should add, I've just bought my first pair of 3/4s (I refuse to call them "knickers"), lycra ones, which are so far working out quite nicely for these slightly cooler mornings without being too warm for the ride home. It's a right arse when the mornings and evenings are so far apart in temperature that I feel the need for thermal tights in the morning but lyrcra shorts in the evening- the perils of commuting.

It will partly depend on how your body, and I would add calf muscles to the list Al__S gives, cope with the cold. For my first winter I used Bib shorts & leg warmers and I still use that if I'm not sure how much it will warm up, so I can adjust to shorts only if it gets too hot. I just go straight to full length otherwise (used "full length" as I'm not sure about admitting to wearing tights on a public forum ;)) so personally haven't bothered with 3/4s , although I have a friend who seems to wear 3/4s pretty much through the winter I think!

Hope that provides some help!

My thoughts on winter clothing:
I'm a 10-mile commuter. Sub zero is not taken as an excuse not to ride. +3 and freezing rain is not taken as an excuse not to ride.

So, then:

the parts that suffer the most in cold are knees, front of thighs and crotch.

Having some sort of windtex type fabric with furry backing on the knees and thighs really, really helps. For the rest of the leg the standard "roubaix" furry fabric is generally enough. I have a pair of dhb Vaeon Zero padded tights which deliver this and are ace, however:

Crotch. This is the remaining issue, and which may cause me to spend more money and change track. I'm not thinking that a pair of unpadded tights, paired with normal bibshorts, will give the extra layer that's really needed in that region.

Wearing leg warmers and 3/4 lengths will give you extra protection on the kees and thighs where needed. But it will leave your crotch relatively exposed. Note: if your crothc is VERY exposed then you may be arrested and certainly need new bibs.

Looking to buy a pair of 3/4ths for the coming cold season, and came across this thread.

This was exactly my plan - dhb 3/4th for autumn and spring, to be used with leg warmers for winter.

Does the advice on this thread still stand?

snippng "but this is Devon! " snipped

Pah! I put my newly bought dhb 3/4's on on Wednesday to ride down to the Spanish border ( from Perps) and had to turn back to change into shorts. Tooooooo Hot!

Find that my mid-winter prob is keeping the ole tootsies warm though. Really need bigger shoes just for bigger sox but that would be a bit of a lux purchase on the family budget.

3/4 and long socks are another of my preferred options too, but on the subject of knee articulation and leg warmers, I've been using some dhb Pace Roubaix Leg Warmers which have articulation at the knee and they're great - we've got a review of them coming up tomorrow, not by me.

If pennies are tight you could do a lot worse than a pair of these:

http://road.cc/content/review/26938-dhb-pace-roubaix-34-bib-tight-pad

Pennies are tight but you're looking at Endura Equipe?! Who are you, Tamara Ecclestone?

Sounds like a good plan - I'm too much of a shortarse for full tights and usually wear Endura's basic brushed roubaix 3/4s or the lighter FS260 Pro 3/4s from autumn through to late spring.

The only downside to layering with leg warmers is that you might find it restricts your knee flexibility a bit. You might be better off with 3/4s and some long socks - just a thought.

That's exactly what I do, in fact in the last few days have switched to what will be my chosen outfit for this winter, some Shimano Pro bib shorts plus dhb leg warmers which on my legs go down to the ankle and look pretty bloody weird when I put 'em on before the shorts. I find it more comfortable than full winter tights cos for all but a week or so the winters are pretty mild in these parts and I'm thinking that on really cold days I could just bung a pair of old shorts over the top for extra groinal protection.

Can definately vouch for Endura kit in general 'tis good stuff. I have found my Endura 3/4 length's superb. I use them through the winter without leg warmers, but this is Devon! I say do it!