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Bike commuter pants

Old 10-09-07, 01:41 PM
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Bike commuter pants

My bike commute is relatively short, only two miles, and I don't have a shower at work. That means I usually wear my work clothes when I head to the office (usually Dockers, an Oxford shirt, trail shoes). My problem is the seats on my khakis don't last very long and they sometimes rip out on me.

Does anybody know of a good work-casual pants style that has a reinforced seat for cyclists (or motorcycle or horse riders). I don't like to wear jeans, but the khakis get stressed out too much and rip on me. It doesn't help that I'm built like a football lineman gone to seed (6-foot-1, 330 pounds), but the pants seem to handle the everyday walking and other activities. My size is 46 waist, 32 inseam, so I'm just a little bit outside of the mainstream Dockers sizes (46 starts the big-and-tall sizes). Does anybody know of any good bike commuter pants with reinforced seats, or am I going to have to design my own version and make them myself?
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Old 10-09-07, 02:00 PM
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Dickies black or khaki work pants. They're rugged and meant for blue-collar work, but they look nice enough for business-casual. On occasion, I'll ride in mine, especially if it's just a quick jaunt to the bus stop.
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Old 10-09-07, 02:02 PM
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Columbia also makes some rugged khakis, some with gussets in the crotch. Whether those would work for you is a crapshoot, though. Why not get some dedicated bikewear and carry your pants in?
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Old 10-09-07, 02:05 PM
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I'd ride in a pair of shorts and then change when I got there. You can take the pants in almost any small bag.
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Old 10-09-07, 02:06 PM
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One problem with carrying pants in is no place to change other than a very small bathroom.
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Old 10-09-07, 02:09 PM
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Also, it's Alaska so shorts in the winter (and most of the summer) aren't very practical. My backpack already is full of camera gear I use for work, work files, lunch and meds (I'm diabetic), so don't want to add a lot more to the load.
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Old 10-09-07, 02:26 PM
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Dickies, Carhartt, and pretty much any other "work wear" stuff will last a little while. Keep in mind none of them are made specifically for riding, just for general on the job abuse so eventually they'll wear out, but may last longer and are usually cheaper than Dockers.
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Old 10-10-07, 10:54 AM
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Polycotton hiking pants often have reinforcments where needed and are windproof. The material is very tough and durable. Pure synthetic fabrics are even more durable and quick-drying.
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Old 10-10-07, 11:11 AM
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Since your commute is so short, what about the idea of wearing a pair of thrift store jeans or kackis over the top of your work clothes? You could just go up a size. Heck, we are talking about a 10 minute ride.
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