overpants or chaps?

lytehouse · Jul 22, 2008

Do any of you ladies (or guys) here have overpants or chaps?
I want to start riding the bike to work a couple times a week, but still want to wear some kind protective gear.
My BMW summer pants are great, but I know I could not do my job in them.

Hellgate · Jul 22, 2008

Chaps look sexy hot, but if you take a fall you've got a good chance of skinning your bum up pretty good. Riding pants will give you better protection and help keep your work clothing clean, if that is an issue.

I wear my textiles to work over my office clothing.

Food for thought.

bcityroller · Jul 23, 2008

I'd vote overpants - a set with full side zippers are relatively easy to remove so you can just wear whatever normal work clothes you would and get rid of the overpants when you get there.

Also with the amount of choices out there you should be able to find a convertible or mesh set that will prevent overheating in summer - at least not so bad as wearing two layers of clothing. Nothing worse than already being too hot when you get to work in morning.

DefyInertia · Jul 23, 2008

overpants with armour. my overpants don't mess up my work slacks.

boo68 · Jul 23, 2008

Curious of your opinion of Joe Rocket Textile products. I have the Lotus jacket which is nearly new since it is too small, I only wore it 2 times. But there is a new model and I am not sure if it is Lotus 2.0 or Cleo 2.0, I thought the Cleo was mesh, and I was not sure if mesh is as protective as the textile... your thoughts? Anyone can reply.

bcityroller · Jul 23, 2008

My personal experience with Joe Rocket items is limited - at various times I've had a couple of different versions of their mesh jackets and a pair of Alto Ego convertible overpants. I ended up dumping them all because of some little design nit (I'm picky I'll admit) after a few wearings. Example - the plasitc loop-though for the velco waist cinch on the pants kept rotating so that cinch was jammed in a corner and wouldn't slide easily in use. I found similar items from other companies I liked better (I have a lot of Tourmaster/Cortech gear now FWIW). Never crash-tested any of them (yet? - knock on wood that stays that way) so no comment on ultimate protective capability.

boo68 · Jul 24, 2008

DefyInertia said:
overpants with armour. my overpants don't mess up my work slacks.

What model/brand do you wear?

bcityroller · Jul 25, 2008

I currently have a pair of Aerostich Darien pants which I like but I'm guilty of skipping the pants for commuting.

boo68 · Jul 25, 2008

me too, I often ride in just jeans... I try to wear the thickest pair.. but I know if I wreck my legs are toast... or hamburg.

Hellgate · Jul 25, 2008

I have armored/padded Buell pants, they are made by First Gear, or someone. I wear my work slacks underneath. There is plenty of room in the textile pants to wear jeans underneath too. In the summer I wear shorts when I go for a fun ride. There are a lot of companies that make similar pants.

These particular pants have panels that zip out on the thighs and have mesh underneath for venting. They are a good three season pant, well...at least for Texas. In the summer they can be a bit warm. If I live north I'd need a warmer pant.

I figure better safe than sorry.

boo68 · Jul 25, 2008

Thanks Pete, I will take a look and see what they have available for women.

I actually bought a pair of pants, the model was Quest, I forget the maker, but when I put them on with jeans they just felt confining. So I brought them back. I have just dropped about 10 lbs so maybe they will feel better hehe. I have been on the look out for a good pair that I will wear and not sit in my closet.

lytehouse · Jul 25, 2008

Hellgate said:
Chaps look sexy hot, but if you take a fall you've got a good chance of skinning your bum up pretty good. Riding pants will give you better protection and help keep your work clothing clean, if that is an issue.

I wear my textiles to work over my office clothing.

I visit 2 or 3 stores a day, so I wanted something that I won't have to spend a lot of time getting off or back into. Are overpants fairly easy to slip on?
I guess I'm gonna have to go shopping

bcityroller · Jul 25, 2008

If they have long enough side zippers on the legs and are otherwise well-designed (zippers pull easy, no loose material/lining that could get caught, etc) they're pretty easy IMO. Trying a bunch on in a store would be great but is tough to do around here - most places only have one or two styles but maybe better in your area. Good luck.

lytehouse · Jul 26, 2008

bcityroller said:
If they have long enough side zippers on the legs and are otherwise well-designed (zippers pull easy, no loose material/lining that could get caught, etc) they're pretty easy IMO. Trying a bunch on in a store would be great but is tough to do around here - most places only have one or two styles but maybe better in your area. Good luck.

I'll end up going to Denver......there's really only a couple of shops 'round here, and ya know how hard it is to get womens' gear!

lytehouse · Jul 30, 2008

Well, since I had the day off I thought I'd start looking to see what I could find in the way of an overpant..........

I found that they are a major pain to get on & off and I looked like the Bride of the Michelin Man! In black! EEKKK

codeblue · Jul 30, 2008

textile overpants with armour over dress slacks or jeans. Shorts underneath if it's nearing 100F, I change into blue scrubs anyway once at work so really doesn't matter if I only got my whities on

teslas · Jul 30, 2008

A cheap and easy fix is the following.
Go to th bike shop and buy a pair of those knee guards that folks wear for dirt bike racing i think. Slip those on under your pants and ride off to work. THey are only like 16 bucks and they will protect your knees from not only getting scratched but from the hard landing on your knee 2!

lonesoldier84 · Jul 30, 2008

mesh overpants rock. wear em over jeans or something and ur protected and u dont get hot.

keep ur chaps for the gay pride parade, they will fit in well there.

lytehouse · Aug 20, 2008

well, after lots of research & input from my 'forum' friends, I found a pair of overpants. Olympia Airglide 2 Overpant. They were much easier on & off than the FirstGear's & Joe Rocket's I had tried. Found them at a place called MotorGear Outlet. (MotoGear Outlet - Motorcycle jackets, helmets, luggage and more...). They were really helpful & nice there....

Please check them out.........:thumbup:

Now if the weather would cooperate I could actually ride to work like I had intended!

overpants or chaps?

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