overpants or chaps?

[lytehouse]

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]

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]

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]

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

[boo68]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by DefyInertia

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

What model/brand do you wear?

[bcityroller]

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

[boo68]

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]

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.