Good trousers.

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Vorpal
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by Vorpal »

Paulatic wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 8:07am Can I ask the trouser wearers How are your knees?
Top half of me now is usually a woolly jumper but as yet I’m still a tights man below the waist. Often wonder if I’ve got very sensitive knees as I hate the drag, caused by trousers, over them. A lot of walking or cycling I wear tights. I’d gladly wear a skirt or dress all week and not just Friday nights if it was acceptable. :wink: Anything to avoid that pull over the knees and not being a postman I only wear shorts on days over 12C.
Anyone suffered this and overcome it?
This work from home thing has taught me that I don't much like trousers, and when we go back to working in the office, I'm just going to buy a load of tights & tunic style things to wear every day. I guess that might be harder for men to get away with. My son likes to wear shorts with long underwear or leggings and I've seen teenagers and young men doing the same. So that might be something you could try?

I think you should be able to wear whatever you want, but the problem is, of course, that many folks have other opinions.
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Jdsk
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks

Jonathan
thirdcrank
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by thirdcrank »

On the subject of knees more generally, I seem to have seen more riders in shorts this last winter than ever before.
cyclop
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by cyclop »

Ron Hill classic tracksters.Cheap,last ages,wear on -off the bike,I use with undershorts in winter.Don,t drag,Black or navy.Not as smart as trousers.
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freiston
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by freiston »

I really like my Endura Firefly trousers and my Hummvee trousers. I don't think they make the Firefly any more. My impression is that Endura are trending towards making some of their trousers look less like "regular" trousers and more and more like something I'm not sure how to describe - but more "special purpose" (e.g. with bigger logos and reflective trims) and less like regular casual wear. IMHO, this makes them less versatile without any real benefit.
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
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pjclinch
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by pjclinch »

thirdcrank wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 9:40am It's worth noting that Rohan have had at least two goes at selling cycling togs. The first was about thirty years ago and IIRC lasted one season. They started again more recently - although my estimation of recently is vague. Searching their www for cycling just came up with 'no products found' followed by a recommendation for women's shorts which were "a perfect choice for walking, sailing, cycling, climbing and more."

That might mean that Rohan stuff is so good you can use it for anything, or that cyclists are hard to please.
I had the original 90s combo of a windrpoof light smock and the Streamline waterproof. First was nicked, second destroyed in a crash, but both very nice. But bearing in mind I paid half price end-of-line for them, and the jacket was still £75 and this over 25 years ago, I think they rather priced themselves out of the market such as it was at the time for practical non-sports cycle wear.
(I've since got another Streamline on eBay for a song, and it's still a very nice jacket if a bit heavy by today's standards)

The second time they tried they went for more overt Cycling Gear with the Elite Stormer waterproof (my recently retired boss has one and loves it), but the problem there, I think, was people after a waterproof with no hood, back pockets etc. wouldn't go shopping at Rohan, they'd go shopping at LBS, Wiggle etc. They also did a windproof, the Windrider, which was a great bit of kit for me (especially as they sent me a free review sample!) but didn't sell. Again not quite the thing for your dedicated Roadie, and a bit dear and off-the-radar for more leisurely riders. Following year they tried a more minimalist windproof jacket, but again not many takers as the sort of people it was for weren't really looking to Rohan for that kind of kit.

But their more general particular market-niche does suit the utilitarian rider very well. The stuff is good for freedom of movement, easy-care, it's fast drying and tough and I find the fabrics very comfy. Another practical plus for me is the sizing is a bit more generous than most brands, so while I fit a Rohan M very nicely I tend to "M and a half" in most outdoor brands. That is, of course, pure luck of the drawer, but it does make a useful difference for me.

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Re: Good trousers.

Post by pjclinch »

cyclop wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 12:42pm Ron Hill classic tracksters.Cheap,last ages,wear on -off the bike,I use with undershorts in winter.Don,t drag,Black or navy.Not as smart as trousers.
Bikesters are a bit higher at the back which makes a useful difference on anything other than a omafiets or similar, but Ron Hills are great value and work well in either guise.
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thirdcrank
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by thirdcrank »

But their more general particular market-niche does suit the utilitarian rider very well. The stuff is good for freedom of movement, easy-care, it's fast drying and tough and I find the fabrics very comfy. Another practical plus for me is the sizing is a bit more generous than most brands, so while I fit a Rohan M very nicely I tend to "M and a half" in most outdoor brands. That is, of course, pure luck of the drawer, but it does make a useful difference for me.
I think you are right in the bit I've not quoted about cyclists only going to bike shops for cycling togs. Lillywhites made a huge miscalculation in the late 1990s: they opened a multi-storey sports shop in Leeds (I don't know if they had the same elsewhere) with a whole floor dedicated to cycling. I cannot now remember if they had bikes as well as the clothing but they had all the Gore stuff in all the colours and in all the sizes, ending up selling it all at knockdown prices for that very reason.

The Rohan "market-niche" is interesting. I've tended to assume they go for the person whose self-image is of an independent traveller - perhaps epitomised by their final clearance section being called The Souk. I suppose there are more truly independent travellers among cycle tourists than other modes, but my impression is that a lot of their customers are "smart casual" types. Who like lots of pockets.

Interesting comments about sizing. I suppose it's a general experience that road cycling clothes sizes are comparatively tiny but I find Rohan sizing a bit on the small size as compared with say M&S
Norman H
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by Norman H »

Another vote for Ron Hill, Bikesters or Tracksters, worn with or without padding. Very good value for money but last time I looked Bikesters were no longer listed.
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pjclinch
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by pjclinch »

thirdcrank wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 2:49pm The Rohan "market-niche" is interesting. I've tended to assume they go for the person whose self-image is of an independent traveller - perhaps epitomised by their final clearance section being called The Souk. I suppose there are more truly independent travellers among cycle tourists than other modes, but my impression is that a lot of their customers are "smart casual" types. Who like lots of pockets.
It's changed over time. Initially they were very much bleeding edge mountaineering/hillwalking. One of their jackets was on the first oxygen-free ascent of Everest and they were among the first to realise that you could have light stuff that was still tough and high performance, back when tweed breeks were the go-to. Others caught on through the 80s and the founders lost control after financial issues in the late 80s, being bought out by Clark's shoes (!), and main designer and driving force Paul Howcroft died in the early 90s.
At that point the committed gear junkie was more interested in Lowe, Mountain Equipment, Berghaus, North Face, Patagonia etc. and they re-focused themselves on to travel wear: the sort of thing you can slum around an airport, have your documents securely to hand, and then not need a change of clothes when you arrive. This "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of thing works well for work too (I'm sat here sipping my afternoon coffee in 90s Rohan pullover and trousers), and also general purpose cycling and just generally getting about without needing special clothes for everything.

The "travel wear" thing still seems to be dominant, though they still pull really good outdoor pursuits stuff out of the bag from time to time too. Their base layers are very good IME and Troggings are my go-to winter walking and XC ski touring trousers (unlike most "outdoor" trousers they actually aren't festooned in pockets to make them heavier, less comfortable and slower to dry). The waterproofs seem to go in Brilliant/Meh cycles, but while I'm not keen on the current mountaineering options the Hilltop is one of the very few knee-length serious waterproofs you can get anywhere these days.

In summary, worth a look and a try on. Where it works, it generally works well and they have always been good at finding great technical fabrics, even if some of the designs they've applied them to have been... a bit odd at times!

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Enigmadick
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by Enigmadick »

For trousers that are purpose designed for cycling, I'd recommend Swrve which are wonderfully comfortable, very smart and ridiculously hard-wearing. Only stocked by stores like Condor, but the mail order service from their UK distributor is first class.

https://www.swrve.co.uk
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by mjr »

millimole wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 7:38am [...] Rohan Bags.
They are expensive, but fit me, dry very quickly, seem indestructible and look normal.
My Rohan Bags fit OK but did go fuzzy at the leg cuffs after a year or so in regular rotation use. The fabric is not the nicest feeling, though. A bit scratchy. And like most technical clothing, it's probably dumping plastic microfibres into the water each wash.
Other walking trousers - Craghoppers for example - are much cheaper, and may suit you, but i find they start to show obvious signs of wear very quickly, and they don't have the 'give' of the Rohan material.
The Craghoppers I tried seemed not as well-made as the Rohan and and felt clingy.
NUKe wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 9:14am i have a couple of pairs of M&S cycling Chinos I tend to wear when its cooler, Sadly though they were only made for a very short period. I do own a couple of pairs of their ordinary Chinos as well which are narrow enough in the leg. both types have there active waste band and a narrowish leg
I can't be doing with narrow legs, so I actually use their "Regular Fit with Stretch" and they're very nice, even if the seat goes shiny a bit quick.

I think their "...with Stretch and Stormwear" is pretty close to the cycling chinos, lacking only an a bit of reflective detailing and that stupid crotch padding that you had to cut out unless you liked it working its way up your bum crack!
Vorpal wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 7:45amI generally avoid cotton for cycling just because it's horrid if I get caught in the rain or something.
I like it but then I wear waterproofs (ideally a full rain cape if it's not too windy) when it rains, which seems to be frowned upon by old-fashioned cyclists here!
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by Vorpal »

mjr wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 5:12pm
Vorpal wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 7:45amI generally avoid cotton for cycling just because it's horrid if I get caught in the rain or something.
I like it but then I wear waterproofs (ideally a full rain cape if it's not too windy) when it rains, which seems to be frowned upon by old-fashioned cyclists here!
Actually, I have a full rain cape, but I'm not likely to take it it along on a warm summer evening for a 3 km pootle to a restaurant for a meal.
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pjclinch
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Re: Good trousers.

Post by pjclinch »

mjr wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 5:12pm My Rohan Bags fit OK but did go fuzzy at the leg cuffs after a year or so in regular rotation use. The fabric is not the nicest feeling, though. A bit scratchy. And like most technical clothing, it's probably dumping plastic microfibres into the water each wash.
Bags are 50/50 poly-cotton, so there's some but probably not huge amounts relative to many. The fabric dates from the 70s, and was originally designed by a Danish firm as a down-proof fabric for quilts (so needed to be a fine, close weave, which coincidentally makes it windproof).

I'm surprised you find it scratchy. I like Airlight specifically because I find it very smooth to the touch, even more so as it ages (and this helps with its original function as a bedding material)

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Re: Good trousers.

Post by thirdcrank »

pjclinch wrote: 14 Apr 2021, 3:16pm.... the sort of thing you can slum around an airport, have your documents securely to hand, and then not need a change of clothes when you arrive. ...
That's what I was getting at before, but from the POV of someone who only goes near airports as the driver of dad's taxi.
the Hilltop is one of the very few knee-length serious waterproofs you can get anywhere these days.
I have no pretensions as a mountaineer. The only time I climbed 1000+ feet above sea level was when I was conned into doing the Three Peaks in the early 1980s. I do have a Hilltop, bought from Long Preston about 10 years ago when I had a gift card, they had some sort of sale on and they were giving discounts on trade-ins so my guard was down. It's OK but not brilliant IMO. Actually, while I was in there I bumped into a former colleague and during the chinwagging I bought a long black mac (Midnight Ink or some silly name) without properly trying it on. To get the chest size right (XL) it's nearly down to my ankles. Now that I'm of an age where appearance is immaterial, it's ideal for bad weather. I also have a broad-brimmed Rohan rainhat - currently unavailable. My wife says it all gives me the look of a priest.

Re Paul Howcroft I can only say OLFIO to you mate as I did last time the history of Rohan came up.
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