[WeaponZero]

Now that I have officially gotten to be too small for my Firstgear overpants (woohoo! 70 pounds down!), it’s come time to buy new riding pants. I’m torn between whether I should get another pair of overpants or riding jeans. I don’t want to spend TOO much money because my waist is going to continue to get smaller over the course of the next year or so and the pants I get will need to be replaced probably at the beginning of next riding season. That being said…

I’m torn between whether I should buy a pair of riding jeans (which I consider to be a viable option as I always wear knee/shin armor under anyway) or another pair of overpants. My brand selection is limited due to the fact that many major brands don’t make stuff larger than a 40″ waist and I’m a 44.

Pros/Cons as I see it are:

Jeans – Pros
-Machine washable
-Comfortable on hot days
-Casual look for off the bike
-Cheaper

Jeans – Cons
-No abrasion protection in the thigh area
-Not waterproof
-Typically no adjustability so hope that they fit as-is!

Textile overpants – Pros
-Can be waterproof (some are, some aren’t)
-More protective, covering the entire leg
-Adjustibility in the waist means fit is a non-issue as long as they’re “in the ballpark”

Textile overpants – Cons
-More expensive, typically 2-3x the price of riding jeans
-Cleaning is a pain since they are not machine washable
-Will look funny when off the bike

So, opinions on which one I should go for?

[JackTrade]

Depends on what kind of riding you do…me, I’m mainly an after-work/weeekend pleasure rider, so I don’t need waterproof, but I do need something that I can wear off the bike. Also, where I live, it gets downright steamy in the summer, so I need something that I’ll actually wear when it gets bad.

I orignally started with Cortec riding jeans (CE knee armor for hard impact, perforated leather at major points for abrasion), but the problem was they were too baggy…I had no confidence that the armor or the leather would stay in place in a fall.

So I moved to Fieldsheer mesh overpants w/CE knee armor. Much better fit, and I wear them over my regular jeans, so I just take ’em off if I’m off the bike for an extended period of time. Downside is mesh isn’t as protective as something enclosed, but they seem well-built and in the summer, they breathe.

[WeaponZero]

Whether the pants in question have armor in the knees or not is a non-issue to me as I will be wearing them with my Knox Cross Knee/Shin guards which are far superior to anything that could come in a pair of pants.

[briderdt]

I recommend Rigg’s Wear by Wrangler. Go to denimexpress.com and take a look. I wear the Ranger pants (cordura, double front, cargo pockets) and just went 2″ longer on the inseam, and they work great. I have knee/shin guards that I wear underneath as well. These come in waist sizes up to 44″ and they’re only $33 on that site.

I also have some Utility jeans (also Rigg’s Wear) which work great. Heavy denim, double front layer. $27.

Unlike the Carhartt’s, these don’t have the rivets to scratch up your tank paint.

[eternal05]

…but much more importantly, congrats on your continued success!

[Overtime]

I’m also torn on riding pants. Grats on losing 70 lbs!!!

[scorp7]

I’m looking into these. There is a review of the older model in the Gear Review section, but I like the new model (2010) better. Check out kneedraggers.com. Good prices and reviews.

Good luck

[Author]

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