Riding Pants

[JoshF]

I'm curious what people are wearing for pants when they ride. I want to be as protected as I can when riding but I also want something that is comfortable. I have an Alpinestars NYC leather jacket which has good padding. I also wear a Shoei full face helmet. Pants is where i'm confused. I bought the Alpinestars Urban DNS pants. They basically look like black jeans but have some knee padding. I have noticed that the knee padding moves around a lot since they are a bit baggy and I wonder how much protection they would have in a crash. Since I am a noob I just don't know better and appreciate your input.

[flyingminno]

Well jeans, mainly because the price of good riding pants. But also that they can get uncomfortably hot to wear, down here in So Cal. I've contemplated Butt Naked, though that would be the time I ride through a swarm of wasps.

[RockZooky]

I mostly ware a pair of Shift jeans with Kevlar stitched in and regular jeans. At some point I would like to pick up a pair of textile pants with some padding.

[bsoder]

On my way to/from work I wear slacks unless I'm expecting rain. Then i wear some textile overpants with knee protection. On the weekends usually just jeans. I feel the most prepared when I have my overpants on but since they are a pain to put on while wearing shoes I don't wear them as much as I had planned. Whatever you get make sure it's something you will actually use.

[Roaddawg]

I think the pants you have are probably decent for riding in the city. Is the knee armor foam or hard plastic? I have Tourmaster Caliber pants that I wear over my jeans when the temp is around 75 or below. They have hard knee armor and hip padding and are waterproof with a zip out insulated liner. They also zip to my Tourmaster Intake jacket to make it a one piece suit almost. When its hotter, I just wear jeans, but I want to pick up some kevlar jeans or mesh/armor pants for next summer. I'd rather be a little warm and protected then not.

[dart1963]

I just wear jeans, but am looking for something better. One of my friends has a pair of riding pants that he says is cooler with shorts under than when he wears jeans, but I'm not sure what "brand" as he's had them forever.
Riding pants wasn't in my initial budget when I got my bike (or I over spent on helmet and jacket), but someday...
City riding (i.e. slow speed), jeans are fine, but I have mostly highway, that's why I'm looking, but looking for a good deal.

[Ooter]

I wear FirstGear overpants when I ride - HT Overpants 2.0

They're pretty comfortable, great extra warmth in cold weather riding over jeans, but also very nice over shorts in the summer. They definately look a little goofy when I walk from my parking space to my desk because they're so bulky, but I'd rather look goofy than have skin grafts!

[99vengeur]

I, too, only wear jeans while riding. Although, I have been pricing and comparing some overpants to ride in. I just need to decide on a pair and order them, especially since I will be riding throughout the "winter" to work. Jeans alone are not warm enough when the temps are in the upper 30's.

[dart1963]

Originally Posted by 99vengeur

Jeans alone are not warm enough when the temps are in the upper 30's.

Thermal underwear work out great in this time of year, plus the extra cushioning cuts down on vibrations from all the pot holes that start to form as the ground freezes and thaws!

[99vengeur]

Originally Posted by dart1963

Thermal underwear work out great in this time of year, plus the extra cushioning cuts down on vibrations from all the pot holes that start to form as the ground freezes and thaws!

Yeah, that's true. But then I would have to remove my jeans to get the thermals off. Whereas, I could take the overpants off at my desk and not have to worry about exposing my nether-regions at work.