Casual Riding Gear - reccomendations?

[Wheelie]

Hi,

I'm looking for comfortable riding gear that provide decent protection while riding, but that can also be worn off the bike. The benfit of not having to change clothes when arriving at my destination, and the benefit of being able to pack lighter and smaller, is very appealing.

In 2006 I purchased two pairs of Draggin Jeans zip-off cargo pants - one to wear, and a spare for while the other was being cleaned - riding pants, street pants and shorts, all in one! In addition I brought a light weight rain suit for rainy days or really cold days where wind protection was needed. Over all, I was pretty satisfied with the set up, especially with the zip off feature. But, the pants were not entirely perfect and I am looking for other options. Some of the major shortcomings were:

• The canvas combined with the Kevlar liner (bum, hips, knees and front of the thigh and front of the upper leg), made for a hot pant with poor wicking properties - too hot to walk around in comfortably on hot days
• The removeable knee pads were attached with a small peace of velcro to the Kevlar liner. The fit was uncomfortable, they secured poorly, and it was cumbersome to attach them in the right position - in the end, I dropped wearing them
• The removable hip protectors were comfortable enough, but made the pant look very bulky and also required that I purchased an oversized pant. They were not something i would walk around in, and in the end, I dropped wearing them altogether
• The front pockets were very deep and very tight fit as there was no surplus room in the pocket liner. The pockets were almost useless.
• Even as shorts they were quite hot - but being able to unzip them half way to let a breeze in without removing the leg completely was a very nice feature
• When washing, they took a very long time to dry
• Being canvas, they stained quite easily, with the stains being difficult to wash out (but this is no biggie for me)

Draggin jeans may have improved since then, but I would very much like to hear of other options and any experiences/thoughts you have about the alternatives.

I am also looking for casual looking upper body protection. On my last african adventure I used a hooded jacket from Corrazzo, which looked good, offerred great protection, but that was a bit too hot and heavy as it was built for rain, wind and sunny days. I have various other multi purpose riding gear, but nothing casual.

My two cents and contribution: For very long trips that cross different climate regions I prefer layering up than to have a multipurpose jacket and pant that attempt to serve all riding conditions and climates. Instead of having a zip off liner, I would much rather have a fleece that could be worn by itself or underneath the riding jacket, etc. Instead of having a water and/or wind proof jacket, I would rather have something which breathes easy and bring a water/wind proof shell to put on top when conditions require it. For this reason, it is important that the riding gear is suited for warm weather, and that layers can be added when conditions demand it.

Please share your thoughts, links, pictures, experiences, advice...