Altura Leg Warmers
Altura leg warmers are one of the smartest ways to keep your favourite bib shorts in rotation well past the point where most riders have surrendered to full tights. UK riding rarely gives you clean seasons - you get frost at seven in the morning and a mild, almost pleasant afternoon by noon, and you need kit that moves with that. These warmers sit neatly in that gap.
The construction centres on a brushed thermal fleece interior that holds heat against your legs on cold descents without cooking you on the climbs. A DWR coating handles the inevitable: puddle spray off a van, a quick shower rolling in off the Pennines, damp lanes that never quite dried out from yesterday. It beads off rather than soaking through. Silicone thigh grippers stop them creeping down mid-ride, and Altura's Nightvision reflective trim keeps you visible on the grey, flat-light mornings that make up a good chunk of the British riding calendar. Articulated cut means no bunching behind the knee, no restriction through the pedal stroke. Practical, well-thought-out kit at a price that doesn't sting.
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Fabric Tech and Weather Performance
The interior of Altura's leg warmers uses a Roubaix-style brushed fleece - a fine, soft pile that traps a layer of warm air close to your skin. It's effective insulation without the bulk of a heavy knit, which matters when you're pushing a decent pace and generating your own heat. On a steady climb you won't overheat; on a long, exposed descent into a valley you won't stiffen up either. That balance is harder to achieve than it sounds.
The moisture-wicking properties of the fleece pull sweat away rather than letting it sit cold against your legs, which is exactly what you need when effort levels vary throughout a ride. The outer face carries a DWR coating - Durable Water Repellent - which causes road spray and light drizzle to bead up and roll away rather than saturating the fabric. It won't stand up to a sustained downpour the way a waterproof shell would, but for the kind of damp, grey drizzle you get on a Tuesday morning commute or a blustery autumn club run, it's more than adequate. Breathability is preserved in a way that a fully waterproof membrane simply can't match.
Nightvision reflective detailing is stitched into the design - not an afterthought strip, but considered placement that catches headlights at the angles that actually matter when a car is approaching from behind or at a junction. For anyone riding through November and into winter, that's not a nice-to-have. Pair them with Altura overshoes and you've got the lower half sorted for most of what the UK throws at you.
Understanding the Altura Fit and Range
Altura cuts their leg warmers with an articulated, pre-curved shape - the knee panel is positioned so that the warmer follows the natural bend of your leg rather than fighting it. That means no pulling sensation at the back of the knee when you're pushing through a harder gear, and no excess material bunching up when you're seated. It's a small detail that makes a real difference over three or four hours.
The silicone grippers at the thigh are dual-sided: they grip your skin on one face and the inside of your bib short on the other. That dual contact is what keeps the warmers from gradually sliding south as your legs warm up and the fabric relaxes slightly. Single-sided grippers rely entirely on skin grip, and if you're running any kind of embrocation or leg oil, they'll shift. Altura's approach is more reliable.
Sizing is straightforward. Match your leg warmer size to your bib short size - if you wear a medium in Altura bib shorts, a medium warmer will give you the right level of compression without restricting circulation. The stretchy, articulated construction means you don't need to overthink it. If you're genuinely between sizes, go up rather than down; slight compression is fine, but too tight across the quad will become uncomfortable quickly. Thigh circumference matters more than leg length here - the silicone gripper sits at the top of the thigh, so that's your critical measurement if you're unsure.
Altura's range covers riders from commuters who want something durable and no-fuss to sportive riders who want a cleaner, more performance-oriented fit. Check the specific model descriptions on Bikesy to match the right version to how you actually ride.
Layering and Care for UK Riding
Leg warmers go on first, then your bib shorts over the top. The bib short gripper sits on the outside of the warmer's thigh gripper - that's the correct layering order and it's what keeps everything locked in place. If you put the bib short on first and try to pull warmers over the top, you'll get slippage and an uncomfortable ridge at the thigh. Simple, but worth knowing before you're standing in a car park at seven in the morning trying to figure it out in the dark.
For transition-season riding, leg warmers paired with Altura bib shorts and a mid-layer give you a flexible system. You can stuff the warmers into a jersey pocket if the afternoon warms up properly - you can't do that with Altura bib tights. That said, once you're deep into December and the temperatures are consistently sitting below five degrees for the whole ride, the tights make more sense. They're a better insulating system for sustained cold, and the bib construction means there's no exposed lower back when you're stretched over the bars. Leg warmers earn their keep in March, April, October, and November - the awkward months where the weather can genuinely go either way.
Altura arm warmers complete the layering system nicely for those changeable days, and a pair of Altura socks sorted at the ankle keeps the wind out where the warmer ends.
Care matters more than most riders think. Wash at 30 degrees, no fabric softener. Softener coats the fibres and degrades both the DWR finish and the elasticity of the silicone grippers over time - it's the fastest way to turn a good pair of warmers into a pair that won't stay up. Hang to dry rather than tumbling; heat damages the stretch fabric and the gripper bonding. Treat the DWR with a re-proofer spray every few washes and it'll keep performing. Takes thirty seconds and extends the useful life of the kit significantly.
Altura Leg Warmers FAQs
Do leg warmers go over or under bib shorts?
Always under. Pull the leg warmers on first, then your bib shorts over the top so the bib's leg gripper sits outside the warmer's silicone gripper. This locks both layers together and stops the warmers sliding down as you ride. Getting the order wrong is the main reason warmers slip - it's not a sizing issue.
How do I choose the right size Altura leg warmers?
Match the size to your bib short size as a starting point. Altura's articulated, stretchy construction means the sizing logic transfers directly - a medium in bib shorts, a medium in warmers. If you're borderline, size up. The critical fit point is the thigh gripper, so thigh circumference is more useful than leg length when you're genuinely unsure.
Are Altura leg warmers waterproof?
Not fully waterproof, but many models carry a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating that handles road spray and light drizzle well - the kind of damp you encounter on most UK rides. Sustained heavy rain will eventually soak through. For that, overshoes and a waterproof jacket are your better line of defence, with the warmers handling insulation underneath.