Knee warmers

[sean_iow]

My favourite knee warmers are dhb Regulate Light Knee Warmers which are a thin lycra and just enough for a cold morning but light enough to leave on when it warms up and give some protection from the sun. They are also quite long for knee warmers and come quite a bit below the knee. These are now showing their age with the odd hole appearing and as is always the way when you find a bit of kit that's exactly right for your needs they've been discontinued

What are peoples recommendations for a lightweight knee warmer to replace them with?

I'm not looking for anything waterproof, treated, fleecy or with a brushed inner as they'll be too warm most of the time.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I have no recommendations at all and am here to hijack - sorry but it seemed like a good place

Has anyone ever suffered injury through knee / leg warmers? When I 'blew my knee up' the physio wondered whether my warmers might have had something to do with it. His thinking was that the tight fitting nature might possibly be preventing the knee from sitting where it naturally wants to be and forcing it into another position ... almost acting as Kinesio tape.

Anyway, as you were - sorry Sean.

[chris n]

The silicone grippers on my old Lusso knee warmers rubbed a hole in my leg on a very wet audax once, but I'm not sure that's the kind of injury you mean.

The Specialized ones I bought to replace them are OK. Not good enough for me to recommend them but not bad enough for me to get rid of them.

[sean_iow]

That's ok Stu, it's a good question. I have heard the opposite can occur, that without them the joints being cold can be easier to damage? Mine aren't that tight as to restrict movement and certainly not to force the knee about. In response to the slight hijack here's a picture of my knee warmer



Taken when I arrived at work this morning, in case anyone wanted to know about the length They finish about 4" above where the shorts end, so 4: above the bottom the the patterned bit with Altura on.

[sean_iow]

The silicone grippers on my old Lusso knee warmers rubbed a hole in my leg on a very wet audax once, but I'm not sure that's the kind of injury you mean.

The Specialized ones I bought to replace them are OK. Not good enough for me to recommend them but not bad enough for me to get rid of them.

If I sleep in mine I fold the top down so the gripper isn't against my skin as I once had a reaction overnight and it left a rash as a line around my leg, it's never happened when I've been riding though, even after 20+ hours, odd that it should of occurred after 6 hours in a bivi?

[Scattamah]

The dhb Aeron UV covers work ok and are crazy light. I used 'em in Spain last year. Be aware the white ones get grubby fast.
I wish I could find another pair of Orca merino knee warmers. I'll be crushed when my existing pair dies and I can't get another set.

Greetz

S.

[Cheeky Monkey]

I had a grand pair of Endura ones that are probably of an age best measured in decades. This thread reminds me I couldn't find them last time and need some more. Will watch with interest.

[ianfitz]

I like castelli nano flex ones. they are fairly long for knee warmers and (when new at least) have a noticeable water resistant property too.

[Cheeky Monkey]

I've got some Gore Windstopper ones that I wouldn't recommend because:

1. The sizing is way too small for the averagely built bear (subjective, I know).
2. They are pretty "inelastic" fabric and I found they made my knees / knee caps feel odd. Might be a combination effect as they were also a bit small.

Got bored and found some Endura Thermo knee warmers form Stows for c.£17. Ordered. My knees are a bit borked

[ScotRoutes]

You have extremely long knees.

[sean_iow]

You have extremely long knees.

They don't fill the whole inside of the warmer I do like the length of these, they are more like 3/4 length leg warmers. The leg warmers of the same style are so long that I have enough to tuck into my winter boots and still have Nora Batty* style wrinkles at the bottom

I've ordered some Castelli Light Knee Skins so I'll see what they are like. They have UPF 50+ so just in time for the summer weather which must be just around the corner I was also impressed by the sizing information which as well as the dimensions also gave a description of the expected type in each size, this was mine

"Medium - Slim lean built riders, mountain goats." If they fit I'll be pleased with that.

*Mike will no doubt claim to be too young to know who this is after his Kit Williams comment in the Golden Bear thread

[Pirahna]

I'm fairly sure wearing knee (or leg) warmers over shorts violates one of the rules.

[sean_iow]

Mine are under the shorts, it's tricky to see in the picture. I would never knowingly break the rules, #1 my shorts are also #14 compliant but I think my socks may just fall foul of #27? As it's winter I've let slip on #33 but my long knee warmers cover most of this indiscretion up

[Mike]

just bought some merino leg warmers from on one they were only 10 quid, i though what a bargain. However yes they are nice and soft and warm ( tad to warm other than winter ) but the elastic around the leg is shocking and the damn things wont stay up!!
I have some endura knee warmers that i used on BB but after along day in them my skin started feeling irritated and sore when i checked the silicone on then had reacted with my skin and i to had red lumps where the silicone was in contact. These sore lumps stayed on my skin for days after i got home and were really irritated. Hmmm what does silicone really impregnate into the skin?

[Mariner]

I have Madison leg warmers which seem to do the job except for one occasion when I rode and slept in them for a couple of days.
I found they raised a ring of blisters on my thigh where the grippers had been.

[benp1]

I have some adidas ones that are slightly thicker and some gore ones that are thinner, both good but the gore ones have the edge

I've actually used my knee pads are burly knee warmers if I'm bikepacking somewhere rocky (Dainese trail skins)

In the spring and autumn I find the really useful for commuting, the mornings are often cold and the evenings are variable

[Taylor]

Currently using castelli nano flex which are the best I've had, bought the arm warmers too.
Santini are quite good.
Spesh are bobbins and I'll never buy those again.

[fatbikephil]

Planet X 'compression' knee warmers for me - cheap and been good so far.
Re Stuarts enquiry I'd say that a lycra tube isn't resistant enough to stop your tight quads from pulling your knee cap out of alignment. If anything the extra warmth they provide may help to keep muscles loose. I read a lot about kinesis tape during my recent knee troubles and the consensus was that its a placebo at best - not nearly enough resistance to prevent a large muscle or tight tendon from pulling a knee cap out of line

[JohnClimber]

Planet X 'compression' knee warmers for me - cheap and been good so far.

Seconded, I have 2 pairs and they are still as good as new after 3 years of constant use
https://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CLPX365CKW ... ee-warmers

[Teetosugars]

I always thought they were meant to go under the shorts?

[rocklobstercat]

Used Endura Thermolite knees warmers for years. I really liked them but they had a seam at the back and would bunch up at the back of the knee. I bought some Louis Garneau ones recently and they are really comfortable with no seams. Not too long and not too short.

[sean_iow]

I always thought they were meant to go under the shorts?

They definitely go under the shorts, it's the rules.

On a different note, I used to put kinesis tape on my shoulders when I raced land-rovers, otherwise the friction from the harness used to rub the skin off my shoulders and that was through my fireproof overalls makes waking up with a small slug on the neck seem quite pleasant by comparison

[Pirahna]

Another vote for Gore warmers, they're the thinnest ones I've got. Same as benp1, I've also got Adidas which are a bit thicker, Assos which are about the same but built for someone with incredibly thin lower legs (I snipped the elastic), Endura windproof ones which definitely aren't what the OP is looking for and some really heavy duty wool ones. I've no idea why I've got 5 pairs of knee warmers.

[Cheeky Monkey]

just bought some merino leg warmers from on one they were only 10 quid, i though what a bargain. However yes they are nice and soft and warm ( tad to warm other than winter ) but the elastic around the leg is shocking and the damn things wont stay up!!
I have some endura knee warmers that i used on BB but after along day in them my skin started feeling irritated and sore when i checked the silicone on then had reacted with my skin and i to had red lumps where the silicone was in contact. These sore lumps stayed on my skin for days after i got home and were really irritated. Hmmm what does silicone really impregnate into the skin?

Ah ha, I'd forgotten On One's merino efforts - they really were sh1t. Ended up round my ankles.

[sean_iow]

I had some On-One merino arm warmers, they were ok as long as you kept your arms level or pointing up, otherwise they slipped down, I had assumed my biceps just weren't big enough to keep them up

Cheers for all the advice everyone. The next issue is that I seem to have developed a slight discomfort/pain just above the knee I think I might of jarred/twisted it a couple of weeks back when out running downhill in very deep mud - so not a knee warmer related injury. It's not all the time though but seems to get worse with use. Hopefully new knee warmers will distract enough not to notice it.