# How do you wear your arm sleeves and leg warmers?



## sponger78 (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi, noob here just curious on how some of you wear your arm sleeves and leg warmers. I know they go on your arms and legs, but do you wear them over your jersey's sleeves and shorts or under them? Dumb question I know just don't want to be that guy they call FRED.


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## JChasse (Sep 16, 2005)

The warmers go under the jerseys and shorts.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

If you don't want to be called a Fred, don't call them sleeves. The proper name is "Arm Warmers"

PS. Leg warmers aren't the coolest thing to wear. Knee Warmers that only go a little past the knee, are much "cooler"
The way I see it, is if it's cold enough to cover your entire legs, tights are better...........and bib tights are cooler than regular tights.
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## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

Knee warmers are what I also wear until I go to tights. Knee warmers, Arm warmers and a vest are what I wear a large part of the cool season. But I'm in Cali.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

Leg warmers go under your shorts because it helps keep them up. Arm warmers can go under or not. It depends on how cold it us for me. Sometimes I'll peel them down a little at the top to expose an inch or two of skin. It cools me off just a bit, which is all I need sometimes. Plus the chicks dig it. Or not. Whatever. Do whatever works.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

MR_GRUMPY said:


> If you don't want to be called a Fred, don't call them sleeves. The proper name is "Arm Warmers"
> 
> PS. Leg warmers aren't the coolest thing to wear. Knee Warmers that only go a little past the knee, are much "cooler"
> The way I see it, is if it's cold enough to cover your entire legs, tights are better...........and bib tights are cooler than regular tights.
> ...


as for 'cool factor'...leg warmers have it all over knee warmers. pretty much every pro racer i've known or worked for goes straight from shorts to shorts/leg warmers. never saw any of them wearing knee warmers. i do, for a while 'til it starts getting into dec/jan/feb.


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## dmong2 (Sep 14, 2011)

If you are buying new arm/leg warmers, make sure you get a quality pair that fit well. That way they won't fall down, plus they will last for years and years. 

Another trick, rub some cheap lotion on your arms and legs and even chest on cooler days before you get dressed. The lotion will seal your pores a bit and will keep the arm/leg warmers in place.

I use knee and leg warmers only. Knee warmers if it's between 60 to 68 degrees when I leave and leg warmers below that. I've never owned tights as you can't take them off if it warms, plus they always seem to slide down, even bibs, and displace the chamois.


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## sponger78 (Mar 9, 2011)

I went with the warmers instead of tights since I do not know how far in the cold season I will ride. Live in Vb, VA and we're getting our first much cooler (60's) weather this comming weekend and I wanted to be prepared. I kinda figured warmers are easier to strip off if I get too hot. This is my first season so I'll try them out first. I'll end up getting tights too since I ordered a jacket already. I went with the Pearl Izumi Pro Softshell jacket hopefully it will work out and I got a good deal on it.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

My leg warmers go under the shorts for sure. I've seen mixed takes on whether to roll up the lip of the shorts. I know Pearl Izumi lines that section to appear right-side up. I personally don't do that. as my leg warmers have kinda widened and I rely on my shorts to grip them a bit.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

I wear arm, leg and knee warmers under the jersey and shorts (I do happen to manage to put the correct garment in the right place, actually). Sometimes after races I pull leg warmers over the shorts before my cool down ride because I don't feel like pulling up my shorts then. Some folks in my club call this not according to dress code.

Here's Sebastian Langeveld on his way to win the 2011 Het Nieuwsblad, knee warmers over shorts. He's also wearing cycling cap under his helmet (for maximum style points, I'm sure):


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Yup, cycling caps always go _under_ the helmet, not over it.


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

MR_GRUMPY said:


> The way I see it, is if it's cold enough to cover your entire legs, tights are better.


Arm and leg warmers are a great weapon in the commuter's arsenal. It's often cold in the mornings, but wearing knicks or tights means being be too hot on the way home in the afternoon.


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

2nd the thought that you get knee warmers (really it turns your shorts into knickers). Also, get some cotton booties - extra double cool points if you can find the kinda thick ones that say "campagnolo" - you can even ride SRAM, but only cool people have those booties.

Vests are cool, calling them gilets is not. Double cool points, have a vest from a different sponsored team than your jersey - it says "I've been sponsored for so long I mix and match."


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

ronderman said:


> Double cool points, have a vest from a different sponsored team than your jersey - it says "I've been sponsored for so long I mix and match."


Double *minus* cool points, maybe! 

If you've been sponsored that long, you give all your team stuff away because you've got waaaay too much of it littering your home and stuffed into suitcases from attending races across Europe. :thumbsup:


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

qatarbhoy said:


> Double *minus* cool points, maybe!
> 
> If you've been sponsored that long, you give all your team stuff away because you've got waaaay too much of it littering your home and stuffed into suitcases from attending races across Europe. :thumbsup:


I'm going to have to disagree, to a point, it's a subtle thing and not everyone can do it. Let me explain by showing the converse - wearing a full-on team kit (i.e., matching bibs, jerseys, arm warmers and then leg warmers and to top it off a vest = idiot who buys the kit EVERY YEAR). At least in my mind. I take what I'm given, sometimes a vest is in there, sometimes not.

i will say this - in new england a vest and a good long sleeve jersey are paramount. My favorite vest - a voler from 2008. My favorite long sleeve jersey - a castelli from 2001.


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

I recently bought the Compression fit Under Armour long sleeve with mock kneck for under my jersey. Normally I would rather arm warmers, however, if its going to be cold on most of the ride the under armour is the way I go.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Lotsa negative style points for long sleeve base layers under short sleeve jerseys.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

After a few seasons with different clubs and changing overall color schemes, I'm perfectly fine with mixing and matching. I really don't feel like getting new arm warmers, knee warmers, leg warmers, wind vests, and jackets every single year. Besides, I'd be seeing so few people when I ride that cool points or a lack thereof means very little to me.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

kbwh said:


> Lotsa negative style points for long sleeve base layers under short sleeve jerseys.


more fashion bs...


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

kbwh said:


> Lotsa negative style points for long sleeve base layers under short sleeve jerseys.


Thats silly. A decent Under Armor base with a jersey thrown over it looks no different than just having arm warmers and is versatile as hell.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

if you bring scissors I guess. 

Fashion BS is important BS...


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## CyclingVirtual (Apr 10, 2008)

always wear shorts with our without knee or leg warmers.
More versatile.


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## Ppopp (Jun 20, 2011)

MR_GRUMPY said:


> If you don't want to be called a Fred, don't call them sleeves. The proper name is "Arm Warmers"
> 
> PS. Leg warmers aren't the coolest thing to wear. Knee Warmers that only go a little past the knee, are much "cooler"
> The way I see it, is if it's cold enough to cover your entire legs, tights are better...........and bib tights are cooler than regular tights.
> ...



:thumbsup: Word-up on the knee warmers. Greatest thing since sliced bread. Pair 'em with some decent shoe covers to keep your feet warm and you're all set.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Oxtox said:


> more fashion bs...


you did not catch up on that already at the OP?


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## ddimick (Aug 9, 2011)

At first I thought "how could this question have 23 responses?" and then I read them...

Look, no man looks cool wearing a bunch of lycra. Even if you do it "right" and other cyclers think you look cool, everyone else still thinks you like like an ass. We wear this stuff because it's functional. Arm warmers are cool but a long-sleeve base layer under a short sleeve jersey is a fashion faux pas? Asinine.


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## Ppopp (Jun 20, 2011)

ddimick said:


> At first I thought "how could this question have 23 responses?" and then I read them...
> 
> Look, no man looks cool wearing a bunch of lycra. Even if you do it "right" and other cyclers think you look cool, everyone else still thinks you like like an ass.


That's why I love living in Boulder. There is no "everyone else" in this sense.


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## walrus (Jan 29, 2004)

I always tuck them under, but sometimes my leg warmers slip down so rather than stop to adjust them I pull them up and over the shorts. I think they only slip down on one or two of my shorts, doesn't happen every time. I know I'm committing a grievous fashion faux pas, but I somehow manage to deal with it and keep riding.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

Ppopp said:


> That's why I love living in Boulder. There is no "everyone else" in this sense.


Well, s/he said "cyclers," so there sort of is an everyone else . . . . But really, not that I'm totally beholden to cycling fashion rules, but I live in one of the few other places in the U.S. that has a large enough cycling community that one can sort of live inside it, most of my friends are also racers (or, increasingly, former racers), and that has an influence. I wonder if I'd be more likely to just throw on whatever if I moved to a place with less of a cycling "scene."


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## Wood Devil (Apr 30, 2011)

This question is almost as bad as my noob question of asking whether or not to tuck my jersey into my shorts.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

qatarbhoy said:


> Yup, cycling caps always go _under_ the helmet, not over it.


Oh yeah! Thanks a lot. Now you tell me.  I've been shopping for a cycling cap that would fit over my helmet. I guess I can stop now.:blush2:


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## stoked (Aug 6, 2004)

Let's make it more interesting... Do you tuck in your leg warmers inside your socks and/or booties? Does your winter gloves go over your arm warmers/jacket sleeves?


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

cxwrench said:


> as for 'cool factor'...leg warmers have it all over knee warmers. pretty much every pro racer i've known or worked for goes straight from shorts to shorts/leg warmers. never saw any of them wearing knee warmers. i do, for a while 'til it starts getting into dec/jan/feb.


You are generally right, but plenty of pros use knee warmers, especially in training:

Boonen:









Thor:









Farrar: (as well as McEwen in the back)









Some shot from Spring Classics:


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## Chef Tony (Mar 2, 2004)

There should be a Clothing Forum .....


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## mtrider05 (Aug 8, 2009)

Chef Tony said:


> There should be a Clothing Forum .....


I think that's a great idea actually, there are tons of questions on here about clothing.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Nice post, 55x11. Comments:

Boonen seems to be wearing pulled-up leg warmers. He's back from an early season training ride it seems.

The Vacansoleil rider in the last picture wears cut-off leg warmers as knee warmers; "Vacans".


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