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I tried the search but it didn't find any threads in the last few years which is odd.
I wore a hole through my DHBs with the velcro on my saddle bag at the weekend (and it then rubbed through the skin as it was 0degC and numb........).
Ordered some £30 Carnac ones from Planet-X and they're a bit thin and breezy so I'll send those back. I want something a bit heavier and thicker and windproof like the DHBs which had a really tight knit lycra outer to block the wind and the fleecy inside. I also liked the fact the DHBs carried on the thick material up quite a way to keep abdomen (with a. Short zip) / kidneys warm. I did see the 4-seasons at alpkit but they might be a bit extreme!
Budget wise, I don't want to spend £100 as I really need 2 sets. But that seems to be the going rate and if they last a good few years I can live with it. So if there's another DHB sort of priced brand I'm keen, but even Decathlon are completely out of stock of Van Russell winter stuff for some reason.
Sizing, 6ft, short legs and a few extra kgs so between L and XL in normal British brand sizing.
Have you tried Altura ? I've got a pair of theirs with fleece lining and a built in chamois, probably Night Vision. They are proper toasty .
Arguably the wrong time of year for good cheap winter tights. Raphas sale will probably be down to odd sizes, I really like the pair I've got.
Galibier seems to increasingly be the answer, though I've not got normal tights from them. I do have a pair of their Mistral tights which are good but feel a bit weird due to the wind/waterproof panel.
Bioracer have a sale on at the moment. Have found their shorts good.
https://shop.bioracer.com/product-category/winter-sale/?filters=gender [202-203]|product-type[192]
My £15 Polaris sale bargains are brilliant. Just wear usual shorts underneath.
My Endura's are pretty shite cut and detail wise, but better fabric with windproof front panels.
My old Scott tights RIP had the perfect balance of fluffy warm, slightly windproof thigh front and softshell/water repellent panel over fluffy on shins. Good pad too....
It you're after bibs then Bioracer have some decent prices at the mo - the full protect bibs were toasty on the road last week when it was around zero.
https://shop.bioracer.com/product-category/men/men-cycling-clothes/men-bib-tights/
Rapha have their Core Winter Tights on sale at £98 at the moment and the Cargo version (with pockets on the legs) for £108.
I've got the Cargo ones, they're brilliant. Also, pockets on the legs are genius. So useful!
rapha.cc
The sale is on until this weekend.
Have a look at polaris-bikewear.com they still have some in the sale at £15! I have the Kona windproofs and if you can ignore the Kona logo (I do however have a Kona) they are very good. Other than that I have some Endura, Endurasport.com ones that were plenty warm enough in the recent minus 8 temperatures, called FS260-Pro Thermo they have nice tight zip cuffs that will fasten over the top of boots/socks to keep the water out.
What's the sizing like on the Bioracer stuff?
Going off their chart, am I right in thinking it runs a bit bigger than normal?
Arguably the wrong time of year for good cheap winter tights
Yea, I was pissed when I realised that I was
A) bleeding without a good story to back it up
B) had trashed a perfectly good pair of longs.
Normally I'd be organised and keep a mental list of things like this to buy in the sales but needs must as that was my last decent pair and it's only January.
Two votes for bioracer, what's the sizing like?
I once bought one of their jerseys and it was clearly a child size ?, the sizing chart for bibs looks fairly normal though.
Put a pair of MTB shorts over them (until the summer sales)?
Lusso here, sizing is right
Similar issue to you in that I have done very worn DHB ones to replace. Ordered some le col ones on sale for £70 - not arrived yet but the reviews are decent.
Check Vinted, I managed to get a pair of DHB winter bibs from there. New with tags for £20. It’s all dependent on sizing etc but worth a look.
My winter tights are all Rapha, but best find them in a sale.
Could look at https://www.galibier.cc/category/shorts-tights-suits/
My Lusso winter tights are awesome, but the model names have changed and they are over your budget.
Maybe another one to look for on Ebay and Vinted though?
I'd be trawling SportPursuit and the usual sales outlets like Freewheel (particularly for Madison) and Cyclestore for bargains.
I used to wear Roubaix leg warmers back in the day.
Not since I discovered softshell troos though. so, in the tradition of STW can I recommend something that you haven't asked for?
https://alpkit.com/products/floe-trouser-mens-1
Patch your existing tights?
Lusso's sale just popped up in my feed, British made of course.
Patch your existing tights?
Considered that, but it's on the inside of the thigh where it sweeps past the saddle/seatpost so I suspect it would chafe.
I too still love my my now ancient DHB 3/4 Thermal Bibs (I think they're pushing a decade?) and are still just about usable but the knees are mostly holes , they've been re-stitched and patched by me to keep them going, sadly there's no direct replacement now.
Have you tried Altura ? I’ve got a pair of theirs with fleece lining and a built in chamois, probably Night Vision. They are proper toasty .
I got a pair Altura Progel Plus Thermal Bibs last winter, they're OK, warm enough the Pad suits me OK for a couple of hours, but the fit feels a bit 'German' if that makes sense; they're supposed to be a medium but would clearly suit someone about 4" taller than me better (I'm 5'10"/85kg), so there's a bit of bag to the lower legs, the reflective bits were begining to peel off after the first ride and a year on I really need to replace them. Between those thermal bibs, and a pair of summer shorts that disintegrated within 6 months I'm not sure I can recommend Altura TBH.
I've been eyeing Galibier Pavé 3/4 for Spring - Autumn but might need something warmer this time of year, they also do a Chamois free pair of bib tights I might try over some summer bibs, I've not tried that approach before TBH.
Tell you what I've found an actual game-changer for warmth all the way down to my toes this winter Vs tights - close-fitting windproof DWR bike trousers with long socks underneath (footy socks or similar). Better air gap / air trap, cosy and comfy. Feels like my shins are way warmer and the lack of cold blood going into my feet means my feeet are a lot warmer.
Two votes for bioracer, what’s the sizing like?
For me the medium bibs are similar to medium in the likes of dhb, Galibier, lusso and old Endura. I got a ls base layer too (cos flat rate shipping and it didn't put the total over 135 quid) and that's normal sizing too.
My £15 Polaris sale bargains are brilliant. Just wear usual shorts underneath.
Came here to say this.
Can't beat the DHB 3/4 winter tights....
Or for that matter, you can, with a pair of Morvelo roubaix... They're absolutely gorgeous..warm, but not too warm, and comfy. I'm gonna keep sewing those bad boys up for as long as I can, as it appears Morvelo is ded....
DrP
Tell you what I’ve found an actual game-changer for warmth all the way down to my toes this winter Vs tights – close-fitting windproof DWR bike trousers with long socks underneath
After quite a while of searching for something long enough for my legs and close fitting enough that they weren't flapping around everywhere, I got some "trail trousers" for commuting because they're more acceptable on the train portion of my journey than wet muddy lycra.
OMG, they're good! Like, how did I not have these years ago?! Best buy of the year! They're warm, any mud and road spray just brushes off them, they're even smart enough for casual wear (just about, if no-one looks too closely).
Rapha core cargo for me. Bought in the sale. Pockets are really useful and they feel like good quality and decent warmth.
Final weekend of the Rapha sale, if you use the code EXTRA10 at checkout, it knocks a further 10% off the listed sale price which takes the Core Cargo Bibs down to £88.20