I was asked this question by a friends wife after they had been for a walk around Ladybower. They had seen loads of mtbers [who were very polite she said] and all of them were wearing baggies and tights which puzzled her. I could only say that in my case it kept my backside a little drier in winter weather but it started me to thinking why do we really wear the two together?
A fashion thing ? Genuine protection? So I said I would ask you lot and see what the consensus was!

Shorts are harder wearing the tights.

1. They are more hard-wearing than lycra, so add a layer of protection to enable your tights to last longer without getting ripped or scuffed etc
2. They have pockets
3. They look better
4. You can wear them multiple times without washing as they are an outerlayer

Modesty

At the mo most of my off road riding is done in a pair of winter bib longs with a pair of waterproof shorts over the top.

Makes perfect sense to me to keep warm and dry.

On the road, ditch the waterproof shorts and use a bike with mudguards

….simples!!

The kinkiness of tights combined with the practicality of shorts.

I wear tights to keep my legs clean and shorts so I can go in the pub afterwards without getting my ass slapped by old ladies.

We refer to them as courtesy shorts, its the decent thing to do.

Nobody wants to see a middle aged man in tights.

Only superheroes wear their underwear on the outside.

I have 2 scars, one runs from my arse cheek half way down my leg and the other leg has a numb patch from bouncing across the floor in lycra. I offers no protection and doesn’t wear well, it’s saved for the road bike and for XC racing.

It hides your knob so you’re less self conscious.

Some are waterproof.

Shorts are harder wearing the tights.

Im not buying that.

I wear through baggies fairly quickly. My oldest roadie shorts must be thousands of miles old, my oldest winter tights are possibly even older as they dont go see-through.

Because shorts aren’t long enough and tights aren’t baggy enough?

baggies and tights lol

Nobody wants to see a middle aged man in tights

who cares?! I can’t see any issues here.

+1

Fashion

Tights hold the chamois nice and close in the right place and are fairly seam free and slippery for comfort. Shorts are WAY tougher, giving more protection from mechanical abrasion and arse slapping old ladies.

I can’t comment on pervy antiquarian buttock defender, but having melted Lycra scrubbed out of a large area of gravel rash is not something I’m looking to repeat, and nice tough baggies certainly help with that.

Mixture of keeping warm and dry and clean leggywegs for me. Like when it’s PROPER cold I’ll stick cycling shorts on over bibs on the road bike to keep my jumble from icing over

Fashion

Is this your default answer to anyone making a different choice to you? Seriously, take the blinkers off!

Lycra shorts are flimsy (horrible to crash in), have little wind resistance, no pockets, no venting. My baggies are much tougher, more wind resistant, pockets, vents for temperature control. And no, I don’t wear lycra or padded shorts under them, again for functional reasons. I understand why some riders choose to wear lycra shorts but their needs are different to mine.

Just because baggies look better doesn’t mean they can’t be a better practical choice.

where’s that pic of Rob Oliver legs astride with male’ness.

Because wearing tights arouses me and I don’t want everyone to be able to see.

(disclaimer: I don’t actually wear tights)

(most) tights are not windproof/wind-resistant. Lots of shorts are. Can help protect delicate areas on really cold days.

cos trousers can get caught in your chain innit.

Is this your default answer to anyone making a different choice to you? Seriously, take the blinkers off

Welcome to the world of TJ. He’s correct and you’re wrong. It has ever been thus.

Demonstrates a stunning lack of empathy and ability to see the other side. I’d not let it get you down Tis but teh internetz.

For me, it’s mainly the pockets to keep munchies in, a bit of modesty given a high chance of some train/cafe/pub time, and also a bit more wind resistance given there’s likely to be some standing around time. None of these apply on the road bike so I just wear the lycra.

That said, I do think there’s a bit of a ‘lycra is for roadies’ mindset which I guess you could call fashion of a sort.

who cares?! I can’t see any issues here.

A lot of people are far too worried about what they look like.
Shorts over tights, unnessasary.

Usually it’s waterproof baggies if I’m wearing tights so it’s to keep dry. Still wear normal baggies over them if it’s cold and not wet (ha!) as I’d just feel weird bimbling about with my arse and padded bits on display. I can understand how roadies who are used to just lycra (and need it for teh aeroz) would think it’s a bit odd, but it would feel a bit like going into a swimming pool in a budgie smuggler for me!

I saw loads of MTBers in France this year. Not one pair of baggies. Why are baggies not worn in other countries?

Having said that I often wear shorts over my lycra – simply for modesty.

Tights and shorts. Why? There’s enough TJs in the world.

France is representative of ‘other countries’?

I saw loads of MTBers in France this year. Not one pair of baggies. Why are baggies not worn in other countries?

I’ve seen baggies all over France, Italy, NZ, Australia & US they are quite common though will depend where you are and what you are doing, for the out and out XC rider (or roadie with a mountain bike in some places) then lycra seems the option. For those that have bounced a few times baggies.

Comfortable, protection, pockets and don’t look stupid with pads on (yes a little fashion but lots of function)

Fashion.

Waterproof ones can be useful for keeping arses dry, especially now rear crud catchers are getting less practical (I can’t mount one on any of my bikes now due to dropper posts, suspension travel etc.).

But mainly it’s so that a bunch of 30+ blokes can kid themselves that they’re just like the 12 year olds they see in video edits doing crazy things, who are better riders than they’ll ever be.

A lot of people are far too worried about what they look like

Everyone cares what they look like to some extent. Even those like to say they don’t care what they’re wearing are making a statement in what they are wearing, i.e. “I want you to think I don’t care”.

Tights under baggies – only when it’s really cold. Generally just baggies.

I don’t wear lycra on it’s own because I don’t want to look ridiculous.

Modesty. 😳

My shorts are waterproof or waterproof ish in the winter.

thisisnotaspoon – Member

Im not buying that.

I wear through baggies fairly quickly.

Better baggies? I’ve no idea how many miles are on my first pair of altura mayhems but I got them free from MBR in 2009 and I’ve worn them week in week out since. You can tell they’re old and one of the zip tabs broke but they’re still going strong.

some people feel uncomfortable in lycra.

A lot of people are far too worried about what they other people look like.
Shorts over tights Bothering about others, unnessasary.

FTFY

Fashion.
But mainly it’s so that a bunch of 30+ blokes can kid themselves that they’re just like the 12 year olds they see in video edits doing crazy things, who are better riders than they’ll ever be.

Fashion – a default shout to make in order to try and belittle the others…

Lycra on the Road, some XC racing depending on the temperatures and Baggies for everything else all have their own practical purpose.

Tights on road bike. Shorts and kneepads on MTB.

Both together on MTB is only considered when the mercury drops to zero, and even then it’s still not the norm.

Put your lycra on

Only ride audax

Fsh and chips and suet pudding

Get some rack mounts brazed on

Admit it, toe clips rule

What do you mean your saddle’s not brown?

Shut your mouth