Good Showerproof Pants?



A

Andrew Swan

Guest
I commute 4km each way a couple of days per week, and with winter coming
on, I'm starting to think about some pants to keep me warm (and dry when
it rains).

Can anyone please recommend any pants (not necessarily bike-specific) that:
- are $150 max
- are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow, e.g. have
reflective piping or tabs
- don't flap loosely in the ankle area and risk getting caught in the
chain (or at least greasy)
- either quick-drying (unlike jeans!) or shower-proof (full
waterproofing would be nice but not necessary)
- look somewhat like normal trousers, i.e. not tights
- are suitable for cycling in (albeit at a low commuting-type cadence),
e.g. roomy around the knee and not too low at the back
- aren't just overpants
- are available in Australia
/
I've already looked at:
- Netti
- Ground Effect
- Dean Woods
- Kathmandu (these look OK: http://tinyurl.com/yu5lw but have no
reflectivity. Could some be sewn on?)

Thanks for any recommendations...

&roo/
 
Andrew Swan wrote:
> I commute 4km each way a couple of days per week, and with winter coming
> on, I'm starting to think about some pants to keep me warm (and dry when
> it rains).
>
> Can anyone please recommend any pants (not necessarily bike-specific) that:
> - are $150 max
> - are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow, e.g. have
> reflective piping or tabs
> - don't flap loosely in the ankle area and risk getting caught in the
> chain (or at least greasy)
> - either quick-drying (unlike jeans!) or shower-proof (full
> waterproofing would be nice but not necessary)
> - look somewhat like normal trousers, i.e. not tights
> - are suitable for cycling in (albeit at a low commuting-type cadence),
> e.g. roomy around the knee and not too low at the back
> - aren't just overpants
> - are available in Australia
> /
> I've already looked at:
> - Netti
> - Ground Effect
> - Dean Woods
> - Kathmandu (these look OK: http://tinyurl.com/yu5lw but have no
> reflectivity. Could some be sewn on?)
>
> Thanks for any recommendations...
>
> &roo/
>


I haven't got any specific suggestions, but it might be
worth checking out some motorcycle wets. THe ones I have are
dark grey so wouldn't suit your visibility requirements but
then they were only $20.

It might be worth checking out some motorcycle shops.

Cheers.
--
Nick
 
Andrew Swan wrote:
> Can anyone please recommend any pants (not necessarily bike-
> specific) that:
> - are $150 max
> - are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow,
> e.g. have reflective piping or tabs
> - don't flap loosely in the ankle area and risk getting caught in the
> chain (or at least greasy)
> - either quick-drying (unlike jeans!) or shower-proof (full
> waterproofing would be nice but not necessary)
> - look somewhat like normal trousers, i.e. not tights
> - are suitable for cycling in (albeit at a low commuting- type cadence),
> e.g. roomy around the knee and not too low at the back
> - aren't just overpants
> - are available in Australia / I've already looked at:
> - Netti
> - Ground Effect
> - Dean Woods
> - Kathmandu (these look OK:
> http://tinyurl.com/yu5lwhttp://tinyurl.com/yu5lw but have no
> reflectivity. Could some be sewn on?)
> Thanks for any recommendations...
> &roo/




I recommend reflective ankle bands. The kind that encircle the ankle and
fasten with Velcro. Can be worn with any longs or just around bare
ankles. Things low down and moving show up first in dipped headlights.

Netti sell good ones, but plenty of others too.

John Retchford



--
 
John Retchford:

> Andrew Swan wrote:
> > Can anyone please recommend any pants (not necessarily bike-
> > specific) that:
> > - are $150 max
> > - are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow,
> > e.g. have reflective piping or tabs
> > - don't flap loosely in the ankle area and risk getting caught in the
> > chain (or at least greasy)
> > - either quick-drying (unlike jeans!) or shower-proof (full
> > waterproofing would be nice but not necessary)
> > - look somewhat like normal trousers, i.e. not tights
> > - are suitable for cycling in (albeit at a low commuting- type cadence),
> > e.g. roomy around the knee and not too low at the back
> > - aren't just overpants
> > - are available in Australia /


> I recommend reflective ankle bands. The kind that encircle the ankle and
> fasten with Velcro. Can be worn with any longs or just around bare
> ankles. Things low down and moving show up first in dipped headlights.
>


I second this recommendation, having tried many longs with all sorts of
doodads on the ankles to try to prevent chain entanglement, and none
quite succeeding. All the longs I've encountered involve some sort of
buckled strap or string, placed too low on the trouser leg. The problem
with these is that you need quite a long section (around 10in from the
bottom) of the lower leg to be strapped in order to prevent entangling
it on the chain, and the built-in straps don't quite do this.

Ankle bands, on the other hand, can be placed at the most appropriate
place on your lower leg, even allowing a couple to be used on the one
leg if needed.
 
"Andrew Swan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

<snip>

> - are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow


<snip>

it amazes me that there is a trade off between looking nerdy and being
killed.


cheers
Pete (who would rather be laughed at than cried over)
 
John Retchford wrote:
> I recommend reflective ankle bands. The kind that encircle the ankle and
> fasten with Velcro. Can be worn with any longs or just around bare
> ankles. Things low down and moving show up first in dipped headlights.
> Netti sell good ones, but plenty of others too.
> John Retchford




I have some blue ones, which look similar to the katmandu pants that
were included with a 2ndhand bike I bought but I never use. If youre
interested. let me know

re reflectivity, ankle straps are fairly good and putting refelctive
tape in half a dozen gaps in the wheel rims makes an incredibly visible/eye-
catching solution. apprx $5-10 in a little roll will do 4 wheels easily
(and seat/post/stays, etc)



--
 
John Retchford wrote:
> I recommend reflective ankle bands. The kind that encircle the ankle and
> fasten with Velcro. Can be worn with any longs or just around bare
> ankles. Things low down and moving show up first in dipped headlights.
> Netti sell good ones, but plenty of others too.
> John Retchford




I have some blue ones, which look similar to the katmandu pants that
were included with a 2ndhand bike I bought but I never use. If youre
interested. let me know

re reflectivity, ankle straps are fairly good and putting refelctive
tape in half a dozen gaps in the wheel rims makes an incredibly visible/eye-
catching solution. apprx $5-10 in a little roll will do 4 wheels easily
(and seat/post/stays, etc)



--
 
John Doe wrote:
> "Andrew Swan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> <snip>
>
>>- are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow

>
>
> <snip>
>
> it amazes me that there is a trade off between looking nerdy and being
> killed.
>
>
> cheers
> Pete (who would rather be laughed at than cried over)


It amazes me that you're amazed! :)

Isn't everything is a trade-off? Isn't cycling itself one big trade-off
between fitness/speed/convenience/health/fun/eco-friendliness on the one
hand and getting killed/injured on the other? Wouldn't the safest
solution be to drive a tank? What makes my trade-offs less valid than
yours? Or don't you partake in any activities that have an element of risk?

&roo
 
Andrew Swan wrote:
> John Doe wrote:
>
>> "Andrew Swan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>>> - are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow

>>
>>
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> it amazes me that there is a trade off between looking nerdy and being
>> killed.
>>
>>
>> cheers
>> Pete (who would rather be laughed at than cried over)

>
>
> It amazes me that you're amazed! :)
>
> Isn't everything is a trade-off? Isn't cycling itself one big trade-off
> between fitness/speed/convenience/health/fun/eco-friendliness on the one
> hand and getting killed/injured on the other? Wouldn't the safest
> solution be to drive a tank? What makes my trade-offs less valid than
> yours? Or don't you partake in any activities that have an element of risk?
>
> &roo
>


Maybe you ride in an area where dayglo yellow _is_ a risk ? ;)

--
Nick
 
In article <[email protected]>, usenet-
[email protected] says...
>
> re reflectivity, ankle straps are fairly good and putting refelctive
> tape in half a dozen gaps in the wheel rims makes an incredibly visible/eye-
> catching solution. apprx $5-10 in a little roll will do 4 wheels easily
> (and seat/post/stays, etc)
>

Where do you get the reflective tape ?

I was actually thinking about putting some on the rims myself this
evening before I read this post!

Cheers Ray
 
"Andrew Swan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Doe wrote:
> > "Andrew Swan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> >>- are visible without being totally nerdy DayGlo yellow

> >
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > it amazes me that there is a trade off between looking nerdy and being
> > killed.
> >
> >
> > cheers
> > Pete (who would rather be laughed at than cried over)

>
> It amazes me that you're amazed! :)
>
> Isn't everything is a trade-off? Isn't cycling itself one big trade-off
> between fitness/speed/convenience/health/fun/eco-friendliness on the one
> hand and getting killed/injured on the other? Wouldn't the safest
> solution be to drive a tank?


Dont get me started about how safe Cycling actually is :). This just
starts one of those statistic wars.

What makes my trade-offs less valid than
> yours?


Cause they are mine of course :). No I realise that some people are young
at times and looking good is more important than other things. I guess I
just dont care what people think of me.

> Or don't you partake in any activities that have an element of risk?


I am alive... That is risky in itself. The safest place to be would be
dead. There is a book somewhere... Cant remember exact title... Something
about paranoids guide to death... It gives you the statistical likelihood
you will be killed sleeping in bed, walking to the letterbox and other inane
life duties. Very funny actually.

Pete
 
On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 20:08:56 +1000, Ray <[email protected]>
wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>, usenet-
>[email protected] says...
>>
>> re reflectivity, ankle straps are fairly good and putting refelctive
>> tape in half a dozen gaps in the wheel rims makes an incredibly visible/eye-
>> catching solution. apprx $5-10 in a little roll will do 4 wheels easily
>> (and seat/post/stays, etc)
>>

>Where do you get the reflective tape ?
>
>I was actually thinking about putting some on the rims myself this
>evening before I read this post!
>
>Cheers Ray


I have two different types of reflective tape on the rims of my 2
bikes:
- Silver. Doesn't look very "reflective" in daylight, but it does
actually show up when you shine a light on it in the dark. Comes in a
roll like flyingdutch says. All bike shops should have this I think.
Dean Woods Direct has it too I think.
- Yellow fluoro like the Netti ankle straps. Very bright. Around
$15 for about 40cm, comes in a plastic packet, some bike shops have it
(in Melb, Lawrencia, Goldcross Camberwell).

I'll probably just go for the silver one next time - it seems a bit
more durable than the fluoro, which is only attached to its sticky
backing tape at the edges.