What do you wear on your legs?

[Matt Cartney]

My beloved Draggin cargo pants are finally on their way out. I may yet just buy another pair but am curious as to what other options are out there. I'd like something tough and comfortable which wouldn't look totally out of place while wandering around off the bike.

I have waterproof overtrousers for when it gets wet, and don't want anything too nylony if you see what I mean. However, a little bit of showerproofing would be nice, but not vital. Oh, and as much as possible under a hundred quid is my price range!

Thanks for any leads you can give me!

Matt

[spooky]

just up front... ;o)
I'm not from the south of Germany.... so stop grinning... ;o)

Now seriously... leather jeans are cheap to fetch and in practice every day usable... stop to sneer at me... ;o)

I know you Brits think either leather jeans are for gays or Bavarian Germans.... ;o)
well is there a difference I ask you guys back ... ;o)
(if some Bavarian are reading this.... sorry folks, but that what the rest of the world think about you.... get on with it... ;o)

any way... coming to the point and back to your question.......... I had my "raw surface Nubuk leather Jeans" from HeinGerecke for 50-Euros that is about £35 quit.......... ;o)
This trousers last for ever, can cope with wet weather if it's drizzling or the spray of the road. Additionally for heavy rain a pair of MOD-Goretex dose the rest.... ;o)
If you scrape the tarmac they are not burning in to your skin as the cotton ones do, are made with safe seams, have small hip pockets to slot in some protector pads, but leak out the knee protectors.... what a pity... other than that they are proper bike trousers.
This leather Jeans are not as heavy compare to the classic biker leathers, can be worn in 3-season have a lining and are very good wind breaker to keep the chill out too.

[Threewheelbonnie]

I never tried Lederhosen, but could be fun :confused1:

After years of wearing goretex lined Gericke type stuff I'm also going back to jeans/leather. I usually ride a sidecar so don't really need proper crash protection, but the ability to walk/function as a normal member of society in the gear is a real factor for me. So, on three wheels it's normal jeans, DM boots, a waxed full length horseriding coat with lined knee muffs and ex-MOD over trousers for the wet stuff. On two wheels I swap the ordinary jeans for armoured ones and go back to the Touareg jacket.

My leather trousers don't fit me anymore

I'd add that age/experience is maybe a factor here. I no longer ride at 100 mph and respond to rain by opening the throttle. I'm happy enough to do my days's ride interspaced with stops to eat, look at places, take photo's, put the over trousers on etc. If you are going to be disapointed by getting wet and/or not doing 1000 miles the Goretex might work better (but you still need a rain suit for the really heavy stuff unless you know you can dry the outer).

Andy

[spooky]

Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie

I never tried Lederhosen, but could be fun :confused1:

well, may a bit like wearing a Kilt ?
never tried this...

but I can confirm... (don't grin again...)... well as I was a 6-year old I had to ware this.... horrible short "Lederhosen" right, the one with that two-button flap on the front in summer... not the one where the legs rich down to the knees, they are even worse... well this short ones are a bit drafty up the legs ... regarding the stiffens of that thick leather..... wonder how a Kilt perform that way.... girls seem to like it (well wearing skirts)..... wonder why..... :smile:

[trophymick]

I wear leather jeans (5 pocket western style) and they are a lot more versatile than armoured leathers, more comfy too When it's cool a pair of long Johns help, when it's hot they aren't too bad.
Now leather chaps, they.....................................



Trophymick

[Redboots]

Originally Posted by trophymick

Now leather chaps, they.....................................

Trophymick

Nooooooooooooooooooooo. They should be reserved for wimin! All the guys you see wearing them have saggy arsed jeans on and its not pretty!

Got to get a firm, round butt in them for them to look any good.

Me, I'm with Spooky. HG nubuk leather jeans with knee rubbers. Very comfy. Mine are the lace up side version, (no comments pleeeeeeaase). Good cheap kit and look good with all types of boots.

John

[craig76]

Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie

I never tried Lederhosen, but could be fun :confused1:

Lederhosen with knee sliders? Might catch on that.

[MikeS]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I have a pair of Hein Gericke trousers which had been great if a little too hot in the warmer places. The other day while 'seeing what my DR can do' when playing on some quite steep trails, I somehow managed to come off and ended up with my leg on top of the rather warm exhaust downpipe and now I have a rather large melted hole on the front of them. @rse!!!

Before I wrecked them, I was thinking of getting some military boots so I just carry one pair instead of my bike boots and a pair of walking boots but the trouble with the HG trousers is that once I'm sitting on the bike, the bottom of the trousers rode up quite high so there's no way I could use shorter boots until I came up with the genius idea of using gators!

Anyway, now I've melted my 'pants', I'm on the lookout for something cheap that will do me the ride up the east coast of Oz and then across Asia to the UK, so lots of heat and humidity- any suggestions for stuff that I can buy here (no HG here unfortunately)?

[klaus]

I got me a pair of leather jeans from "Adams Leather" in the States a couple of years ago. Cheap, good quality and all I needed. In addition I bought a pair of kevlar-lined Draggin jeans last year, nothing to complain about.

[mollydog]

Are you trying to find something to ride in ....or walk around in?

[Matt Cartney]

Originally Posted by mollydog

Matt,
Are you trying to find something to ride in ....or walk around in? Do you want something for week end rides near home ....
or something you'll take round the world?

When at Home we have the option to pick and choose for conditions, distance, type of bike and destination.
Going RTW or long distance things change. So what about good travel pants for the long haul?
After all, I wouldn't take just leathers to India or C. America.

And what about crash protection? Do you want it? Do you think you need it?
(if not, let me show you my Xrays!!

In any case, on a longer trip I carry three pairs of pants.
1. Leather pants with hip and knee pads. (used most)
2. Dirt bike (motocross) pants. (for temps over 90F/high humidity) (with padded bike shorts optional, knee pads)
3. Light nylon blend cargo pants, zipoff legs. (for in town, off bike use)
Good ones are pricey but worth it. Quick to wash and dry in a couple hours, no wrinkles.

Biggest prob in all this is the leathers which do NOT pack small.

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

I'm looking (as always!) for something that does everything! Maybe that's the problem. Not planning on going out of the UK this year so maybe I should just buy with that in mind. I tend to spend quite a lot of time off the bike, and don't want to have to change out of my riding trousers, so I want something that is comfy in the pub/campsite/sitting having a picnic. That's why I liked the Draggins so much, they felt pretty much like ordinary trousers. All the nylon, waterproof type ones I've tried on were no where near as comfy.
Definately going to have a look at the Hood Jeans, and reconsider the Draggins. I'm a little concerned that leather ones might be too hot on summer days?

Matt

[Dan 23]

Gialli Cargo Pants - Trek Cargo Pants | Hardas Jeanswear | Giali UK

Wore the same pair across Africa then across the Americas, and 8 years later they're still in one piece, if a little tattered and stained. Comfortable enough to wear when you're just popping out, strong enough to survive dozens of dirty spills, baggy enough to cover motocross boots, and useful - removable hip and knee armour, velcro anti-pick pockets, turn into shorts with the whizz of a zip, machine washable. Downsides? They're not waterproof, but they do dry quickly when the sun comes back out.

Thoroughly road tested and recommended.

Suerte, Dan

[BruceP]

Originally Posted by Dan 23

Gialli Cargo Pants - Trek Cargo Pants | Hardas Jeanswear | Giali UK

Wore the same pair across Africa then across the Americas, and 8 years later they're still in one piece, if a little tattered and stained. Comfortable enough to wear when you're just popping out, strong enough to survive dozens of dirty spills, baggy enough to cover motocross boots, and useful - removable hip and knee armour, velcro anti-pick pockets, turn into shorts with the whizz of a zip, machine washable. Downsides? They're not waterproof, but they do dry quickly when the sun comes back out.

Thoroughly road tested and recommended.

Suerte, Dan

Must look into them, the idea of switching into shorts is really neat. :-)

[milkman]

Anyone have a link to the Nubuck leather pants?
Had a look opn Hein Gericke and searched and cant seem to find them

They sound like the compromise I'm after

thanks

[Sime66]

Originally Posted by Dan 23

Gialli Cargo Pants - Trek Cargo Pants | Hardas Jeanswear | Giali UK

Wore the same pair across Africa then across the Americas, and 8 years later they're still in one piece, if a little tattered and stained. Comfortable enough to wear when you're just popping out, strong enough to survive dozens of dirty spills, baggy enough to cover motocross boots, and useful - removable hip and knee armour, velcro anti-pick pockets, turn into shorts with the whizz of a zip, machine washable. Downsides? They're not waterproof, but they do dry quickly when the sun comes back out.

Thoroughly road tested and recommended.

Suerte, Dan

Bought some of these in 2008, and they were comfortable and fine in minor gravelly spills. All the good points Dan makes, basically. Wore them from Buenos Aires to TDF, and up as far as San Francisco (approx 23,000 miles, 18 months) and then they fell to pieces - the seam above one of the knee-zips split and I held it together with duct tape for a while; quite a bold fashion statement.

I'd buy them again, but I'm surprised Dan's lasted 8 years - maybe the quality's dropped since he bought his? I can't believe he washed his more often than I did (i.e. twice).

Pics of the duct-taped trews in question here:

Met a World Traveller from Britain Today - San Diego Adventure Riders

Thanks to Randy of San Diego Adventure Riders...