If you have ever watched a cyclist pass you on their bicycle wearing a pair of cycling tights, and you have thought how stupid he looks, perhaps you have never had a go at wearing a pair. More casual cyclists generally fail to see the benefits of such tights, but actually they can make a massive difference to how comfortable you feel when in the saddle for hours on end, and they can protect you too.

You shouldn’t really have many concerns about how you look, because it is your comfort and the protection of your skin that should be the major consideration. Nevertheless there are several styles of tights to choose from, so you can find something which you feel looks good. There is the full length style which extends from waist to ankles; the second type is the cycling shorts, which goes from your waist to just abve your knees; and then there is the cycling bib tights, which can be full length or shorts-style, but the difference is that they extend all the way up to your shoulders.

The full length tights obviously offer more protection to the entire length of the legs, and often, people like this design because of the almost elastic nature of the material which enables the legs to go from straight to bent far faster, giving them the ability to increase their pedalling speed, or cadence. The added protection down the leg is good for riders who tend to scrape their skin on parts of the bike while riding. As this apparel is generally able to wick moisture, the full length ones therefore absorb more sweat.

The cycle shorts, which end above the knees, can help to protect your thighs, and are usually preferred for racing or if you do a lot of riding in hot weather conditions, though some cyclists wear them simply because they are more comfortable in them. As for the bib tights, they’re available in both lengths and have straps at the waist which you need to pull over your shoulders. The upper section is usually made from lightweight mesh, which will help to keep you cool – you will also have a cycle jersey over the top of this. Bib tights are good for riders who find the other styles give them problems; for example, they might start to slip down, and constantly need pulling back up, or the waist band keeps rolling down when you lean over the bike. Another problem with waist bands is that sweating can cause them to chafe against your skin rather painfully, so using bibs instead gets rid of that problem because they don’t have waist bands; and that means less restiction of movement and more comfort allowing you to get on with your cycling.

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