Blimey it’s cold out there today. As I kitted up to ride to work this morning, I pulled on a pair of leg warmers underneath my baggy shorts, and the memory of when I first discovered this most unassuming item of cycling clothing came back to me.

What you wear comes under incredible scrutiny in the winter. Any garment of clothing not up to the task or a poor choice made quickly makes itself felt, and can easily ruin a ride. Keeping your legs warm is a priority, particularly the knees, are subject to a heavy workload when cycling and if there’s one thing they don’t like (apart from hills) is having to operate in the cold.

It was during a ride around Coed y Brenin about five years I got talking on this very subject with a friend, and it was on this day that I first discovered leg warmers. Leg warmers are something of a roadie thing, and since I hadn’t really been into road cycling I hadn’t come across them. I certainly hadn’t read anything about them in the magazines of the time.

I went out and bought a pair as soon as I got home from that trip. And they pretty much transformed my winter. I used to just tough it out in the cold, but it was never much fun. Leg warmers, I discovered, can be worn underneath baggy shorts (yes they might look a bit odd) but crucially provided just enough of a layer of insulation from the cold biting winds and puddles to improve my enjoyment of winter riding. And, at the end of the day that is the most important thing.

Leg warmers are just one approach to protecting your legs however, there are other choices such as riding trousers and ¾ length baggy shorts. I tried riding trousers once, but just didn’t get on with them, too much flapping about and them nearly always resulted in substantial overheating, two problems that never cropped up with leg warmers.

Everyone has their personal preference for dealing with the same problem we’re all faced with. But for me, leg warmers have been one of my greatest clothing discoveries in mountain biking. Winter riding has never been the same since.

Leg warmers cost from as little as £15 a pair. There are generally two different versions: simple Lyrca or those made from Roubaix fabric, the latter will be much warmer in colder conditions. Leg warmers will have a silicone gripper hem which should be worn next to the skin, so slip them underneath your padded Lyrca shorts for best performance, and to prevent them slipping down.