Protective trouser advice

[Lou]

I'm starting back at work in september and am going to commute on the scooter every day, in all weathers (bar ice and snow) and wanted some advice on what to wear. I have a warmish jacket, boots, full leather gloves but no trousers! i have been riding with jeans and overtrousers if its rained.

what type of trousers would you recommend getting? i want waterproof and protection and preferably warm for the winter although not too warm i cant wear them in the summer

I tried a couple of trousers on in a bike shop but they were either sooo long if they fitted my waist or couldnt do them up if they were the right length!! ive got short arsed legs and a 34" waist

any advice appreciated

[Bluebottle]

Hood Jeans are made to order in your size so they always fit.

Kevlar lining throughout (not just arse and knees) and hip/knee armour and you don't look too silly when you walk away from the bike - (not the most stylish jeans in the world I have to admit - they also do cargo pants).
I'm usually going somewhere where I will be doing some walking around, otherwise I'd probably wear leather

When the temeperature drops I have woven Kevlar long johns underneath (Draggin Jeans K-legs) and if it is snowing I add Heine Gerricke heavy overtrousers over the top (cordura-ish) with or without the thermal inserts.

HG are selling off stuff at the moment because they are in difficulties so you might get a bargain there in leather or textile.

[Data]

Hi Lou, I find the 'Frank Thomas' gear very good. I have the jacket and trousers. Price is pretty good. They are goretex with all the armour. They use 'anti freeze' technology for very very cold weather winter use...and you definitely won't get cold even in sub zero temps. They are waterproof of course and easy to look after. Admittedly, they are not the best in warm weather as you would fry if you wore them! I've never had any Frank Thomas gear leak. I use denim armoured motorcycle jeans in summer with teflon lining, they are cooler.

[Waldorf]

I have one pair of black Hood Jeans for 'best' and, as Bluebottle said, ordered them with the leg-length I need - I have slightly shorter legs than 'standard'.
I have also a pair of camo Draggin'Jeans which come in a standard length so were too long.
However, bear in mind that the lower leg is not Kevlar-lined so can be altered like any other trousers - I had mine taken up to the right length for me by my landlady but otherwise I'd have taken them to a dry-cleaners or such-like where they do alterations. It costs very little.

If it's cold, I wear thermal long-johns underneath and, if wet, a pair of Gortex ex-army over-trousers over the jeans.

[Bluebottle]

They use 'anti freeze' technology for very very cold weather winter use....

Just jogged my mind about something I originally dismissed as sales baloney

I have some expensive Linstrand boots and they use a parrafin phase shift technology to keep them cool in summer and warm in winter. I just thought "yeah, right" but they do make a difference and I just wear the same socks all year now. In the summer my feet are certainly warm but they aren't cooked and sweaty like they were previously.The parafin is dispersed as microscopic particles like the nitrogen gas in Neoprene


The phase shift idea is to have microscopic bits of material that transmit heat well when they are warm and insulate well when they are cold by using properties that change during "phase shift", which is when something changes through solid/semi-solid/liquid. Certain properties only esxist in the material at certain temperatures and no longer exist at other temps. (Takes me back to studying phase shift diagrams for metal alloys - that really messed with my head to start with)

Sorry to be a bit off topic but the point is that I'm the biggest sceptic out there for this tech stuff but at least some of it does actually work

[MrGrumpy]

For the commute, I use either Hood or Draggin Jean's smarter styles in the summer (not forgetting cheap plastic over trousers for when it rains), but in winter, I wear a conventional textile bike trouser over normal office trousers, which is normally warm enough and waterproof.

[Lou]

For the commute, I use either Hood or Draggin Jean's smarter styles in the summer (not forgetting cheap plastic over trousers for when it rains), but in winter, I wear a conventional textile bike trouser over normal office trousers, which is normally warm enough and waterproof.

thats what i'm after - textile trousers that go over my office trousers. I cant be arsed with taking trousers on and off at work! any recommendations Mr G?

[MrGrumpy]

For the commute, I use either Hood or Draggin Jean's smarter styles in the summer (not forgetting cheap plastic over trousers for when it rains), but in winter, I wear a conventional textile bike trouser over normal office trousers, which is normally warm enough and waterproof.

thats what i'm after - textile trousers that go over my office trousers. I cant be arsed with taking trousers on and off at work! any recommendations Mr G?

Nothing special - cheap as possible! There are loads of bike sites that sell cheapish clothing (M&P, Busters, etc etc) or people like J&S. I like to have fully armoured ones. You may or may not want ones with the thermal lining (its not essential if you are wearing them over normal trousers), but if you do, having a removable lining is good. Don't forget you will probably need a bigger size to go over trousers. I found some very cheap Alpinestars ones from Sportsbikeshop - XXL size to go over trousers with 36" waist.

[Lou]

Any thoughts on these, they're half price and come in shortarse leg length with fatty waist too

http://www.jtsbikerclothing.com/shop/pr ... black.html

sorry don't know how to shorten the link.

[Waldorf]

They look okay to me.
Do bear in mind that 'waterproof' textile trousers are not necessarily waterproof all the way through; some have a membrane as a layer within the trousers which stops water penetrating to the skin but doesn't stop the outer layer becoming waterlogged.
I have a pair like that and they take ages to dry, as does the matching jacket.
In fact, when they're hung up to dry, the water in them runs down between layers, collects at the bottom and drips out, creating pools on the floor!