Cycling leg warmers are an essential piece of kit for any cyclist. Pulling on a pair and wearing them with your shorts adds warmth and comfort when wearing shorts alone might be a little too cold.
For proper winter conditions, a pair of the best winter bib tights will offer more protection. But the best cycling leg warmers are versatile, light, and packable, meaning you can take them off and carry them in a jersey pocket if needed or use them to stay warm before an event or race.
Best leg warmers for cycling - our picks
➕ Fantastic fit
➕ Great style
➕Warm and water repellent
➖May be too warm for some in warm temperatures
I simply love wearing the Castelli Nanoflex 3G leg warmers (and arm warmers for that matter). Functionally, they are excellent, very comfortable, providing a good amount of warmth, and they have a solid DWR coating for spray protection.
The fit is excellent, but what clinches it for me is that they look and feel just a touch more special than everything else. I love pulling them on, and the ankle zipper means less yanking and pulling when putting them on before you go riding. They are a bit more than some pairs, but certainly aren't the most expensive out there, and are an excellent buy.
➕ Soft and comfortable
➕ Very affordable price
➕ Breathable material
➖Slightly loose fit at ankle
➖Won't protect you in the rain
The Cold Weather leg warmers from Van Rysel take our best budget option and, for me, are actually a brilliant all-rounder for slightly milder temperatures or more intense riding.
These woven leg warmers are very stretchy with no tight spots at all, ideal for almost year-round use, or wearing before events to warm up. My only niggle is the slightly looser fit they have at the ankle, but my legs are on the skinny side. If you are prioritising warmth and protection, get something more heavy-duty, but for a bit of everything, these are great, also very easy to take off and on over cycling shoes.
➕ Extremely comfortable
➕Merino material benefits
➖ Not good in the wet
➖ Fit can be less compressive and wrinkly
Some riders swear by Merino, and if this is you, then the Merino leg warmers from Rapha will be the right option.
These leg warmers are incredibly soft and comfortable. If absolute comfort is a priority for you, then focus on these; there's zero tightness anywhere, especially behind the knee. They won't do as well in the rain, and the fit isn't as tight as the rest of this guide's options, as there's only a gripper at the thigh, and the wool itself is less compressive. I tend to wear them for more relaxed riding, which suits the fit and material a little better for me.
➕ Great DWR
➕Good length
➕ Stylish
➖ Quad leg gripper may not be fitted enough for some
The Fiandre 2 leg warmers from Sportful will replace the Fiandre No Rain model in time, and have updated styling and fit, now using a PFAS-free DWR coating.
The Fiandre 2 are another great option and uses a simple, fuss-free tube design that fits well. If you want a solid DWR coating for rain and spray, the one here is very good, which is what the Fiandre range is about. Inside these thin leg warmers, there's a soft fleece lining and a thin silicone gripper at the thigh, which could be a touch snugger for me. If you find yourself needing a firmer-fitting legwarmer, this could affect things, but these are excellent all-rounders with a strong DWR calling card.
➕ GoreTex Infinum material is excellent.
➕ Stylish looks
➖ Slightly wrinkly fit in places due to the material used
The GoreWear Shield leg warmers use the tried and tested GoreTex Infinium material in their makeup. Infinum material means these leg warmers are lightweight, windproof, water-resistant (not proof) and very versatile.
I've enjoyed wearing them when riding off-road in particular, and really like the techy Gore styling. The material is thin, and they pack down very well, though they aren't as compressive as some other models, like the NanoFlex. I also like the very clear external leg and directional labelling on each leg, which makes it easy to pull them on properly.
➕ Perfect for high-effort rides
➕ Very comfortable
➖ Not much protection from rain or spray.
➖May get chilly in colder weather at low intensity.
The PACR Spring-Autumn leg warmers from GripGrab replaced the Light Spring-Autumn model. These are thin, lightweight leg warmers that are perfect for spring and summer, as the name suggests, more intense riding when you generate a lot of heat or if you just like a thinner warmer and run a bit hot.
They look stylish, and are labelled L and R inside, so you know which leg they go on. One half of the warmer is just thin lycra, the other has some light fleece to keep you snug, and the elasticated grippers do a great job when it comes to fit. They also pack down very well, meaning carrying them if needed will be really easy.
Last updated on 12th December 2025 Tom has been heading out into the cold and testing leg warmers back to back. The results of the testing has been used to completely overhaul the guide with new products and all new imagery. Some new, better products were added, and some updated options were included where models had been superseded. We also added some new FAQ questions at the bottom of the page and an image from testing displaying the difference between a DWR and non-coated leg warmers when riding in the rain.
Also tested
I would have no issue using the above leg warmers year-round. I personally find that if it's warm enough that I'm looking for a really thin leg warmer, it's time to dispense with them and ride in shorts, rather than risk being too warm, but that's just me. We have also ridden in some other great options.
The Le Col Leg Warmers sit as something of a halfway house between the classic, tube-style leg warmers and more technical, panelled options. The material is the same throughout, but darts have been put around the knee and a seam across the back of the knee to take in material where it tends to bunch. Personally, I'm not a fan of having a seam in the back of the knee, but it does elevate them above more basic options.
Sportful and Castelli are both under a single parent company, and Nano Flex is the same tech as the NoRain DWR used on the Fiandre leg warmers. While they offer similar water repellency, the Castelli offering has more comfortable, but less aggressive upper grippers, and a zip at the bottom, which is definitely of benefit if you're the sort of rider who likes to take warmers off mid-ride. The fit is marginally less compressive than the sportful option, but the silicon-ised Castelli wordmark on the grippers here keeps them firmly attached to your bib shorts. They're a touch shorter, too, so a better option if you've got shorter legs.
In much the same way as the Rapha Pro Team Winter bib shorts, the Pro Team leg warmers feel very much at home when riding hard. As per the bib shorts, they offer a supportive, compressive fit, with a thicker, more windproof (and slightly stiffer) fabric on the shin and the thigh, and a thinner, more breathable pair of panels on the back of the leg to help dump heat.
I also tested some Graphene leg warmers from Velotoze, and whilst I found the woven, tube design to be very comfortable, the material turned a little transparent when stretched over my leg, creating a look I wasn't too fond of.
How to choose the best leg warmers for you
When should you wear leg warmers?
Leg warmers are usually considered to be something for spring and late autumn, rather than an option for deep winter when it's really cold. My advice would be to pay attention to the temperatures you ride in, and build experience when it comes to what temperatures require leg warmers. It will be second nature before long.
With the right pair of bib shorts or thermal bib shorts, they can definitely get you through the coldest days. Once you're moving and generating some heat, the part of your legs that the warmers cover stays fairly warm, generally.
They offer a versatility that bib tights can't, though, in that they can be taken off if it gets warm enough and thrown in a back pocket. They're usually a far cheaper investment than a pair of bib tights, too.
How do you wear leg warmers?
Leg warmers are worn under your cycling shorts, running from your ankles up to your mid to upper thigh. If the warmers are a little long for you, you might end up folding the excess material at the top of your leg over, as I have done in the past.
Leg warmers can be worn over your shorts, but it's less common. It tends to be done by riders who are in a hurry, perhaps in a race, and in that case, it's just faster and easier to pull the leg warmers up over your shorts.
One key point to make is that, given their location, it's important that leg warmers aren't so baggy or poorly fitting that they interfere with you safely riding the bike, though this is probably a very small risk.
Again, there are no hard rules, whatever works best and is more comfortable for you.
Do socks go under or over leg warmers?
This topic generates a lot of debate amongst cyclists, and honestly, you can wear them however you like; there are no hard rules. Whatever works best for you.
Personally, I always wear my socks under my leg warmers or bibs.
Should cycling leg warmers be waterproof?
No cycling leg warmers are waterproof, but many offer a durable water-repellent coating that causes light rain to bead up and run off. This is certainly helpful if you're riding in showery weather, but they'll never stand up to a major downpour. Don't expect your lower legs to stay completely dry in a lot of rain.
It's worth noting that you can wash a DWR treatment into any pair of leg warmers using something like NikWax TX-Direct, or even some spray-on treatments, so if you find a pair that takes your fancy and you want to upgrade, then go for it.
Should leg warmers have a zipper?
Leg warmers don't need a zipper, but I like having one, and the best overall Castelli Pair do, it makes putting the warmers on and off a little bit easier and doesn't cause issues in use. I wouldn't consider it a deal breaker by any means.
That said, it's also pretty easy to pull warmers off over your shoes if needed; you can always stop and take them off, though.
That being said, most of them are also stretchy enough to go over shoes, but you just might damage them on the way if you snag them on cleats or studs.
What size leg warmers do I need?
This is going to be down to the manufacturer, and the first port of call should always be their sizing charts. Have a look and a good measure up.
If you are right on the borderline or between sizes, I would recommend sizing down; a too-long leg warmer can be annoying and fiddly to get arranged just right.
Are leg warmers the same as knee warmers?
Leg warmers are a different product from cycling knee warmers, though they both cover the same body part, confusing!
Knee warmers sit in the 'warmer' product category but cover less of the legs, leaving some skin on the lower leg exposed. It's going to come down to personal preference, but some riders prefer some coverage, but not a full leg warmer, a good option for intense riding or boosting cooling.
How we test
The best way to determine a leg warmer's performance is through real-world testing. However, the testing process begins before the leg warmers are taken outside. Every leg warmer is checked over to assess overall construction quality, with things like the stitching and the effectiveness of any reflective details being inspected.
The performance of any DWR or waterproof treatment can also be tested by wearing the leg warmer and running it under a tap to see how long it takes for water to soak through. It can make for a more controllable test than outdoors, but the delivery of tap water is a little different to actual rain.
Most testing occurs outdoors, where we can observe factors such as material comfort, the fit of the leg warmers in use and at different riding intensities, warmth and breathability, all of which contribute to an overall rating. To enhance our understanding of performance, two different leg warmers can be worn simultaneously, allowing us to compare various brands and offer the best leg warmer buying advice, as evidenced by the image above.
I've been wearing leg warmers for riding, training and racing for just about twenty-odd years.
I've worn them year-round, on the coldest winter days (I couldn't afford flash bib tights as a teenager), to warm up for races, and after events in the car on the way home. My riding is mostly road, followed by gravel and at varying intensities, I prioritise riding hard at higher intensities for all my testing. I find it really accelerates and magnifies any potential niggles with a product.
I don't like feeling cold, and I prioritise warm, comfortable pieces that do what they say on the tin. I've got bogged down in the details, so you won't have to here.
