I’m looking for a pair of serious Winter riding tights that can do double-duty as running tights.
I was originally going to go with a pair of fleece cycling bibs with neoprene front panels, but don’t see how they’d work well for running AND cycling. If I got then without a chamois, they’d be OK for running, but I’d need to wear a pair of bib shorts under them, and the double bibs would bother me on the bike. If I got them with a chamois, they’d suck for running.
So what I’m looking for is something warm like that, preferably with wind blocker on the front of the groin/thighs, but not a bib.
I have been pulling underarmour coldgear over my cycling bibs for years. Good for me to 30 degrees or so. If you want wind panels, gore has good running tights that i imagine would be fine pulled over bibs. Because of the windproof panels probably would be a little baggy, not much though. Usually if colder than 30 i just run not bike or pull out the rollers.
I did a 25 mile long run today in CWX insulator tights and it felt great. Nice compression fell the whole way through and stayed put where they needed to be. I wouldn’t hesitate to wear them with some cycling shorts on underneath for some added support and a touch more warmth while riding. Definitely thick enough to hold up to some below freezing temps.
I just got the Castelli Leggerezza tights in the mail the other day, so I haven’t even tried them yet. But like you said, they are designed to go over bike shorts (they have no chamois) and they have the wind blocker front. The fronts feel a little stiffer than normal running tights, but I think I could run in them. Gore makes some as well, I just got these because they were on sale.