I like the way baseball pants feel except for the waist. they are too goofy and high waisted for my liking. maybe I just don't have the body of a baseball player ...

I would go for a lightweight zip-off nylon pant (often sold as "hiker" or "traveler" pants). I've had a number of different brands. I think my current ones are from the North Face. At any rate, they cut wind, are a bit more athletically cut, and while they do soak through easily (since they have thin fabric), I'm dry after 5 minutes in the office.

I am on a serious budget so no fancy gear for me unfortunately. Howevery I find that tradtional inexpensive sweat pants with the elastic bottom on the cuff works good for me for spring and fall. They are warm in the mornings and on the way home I can hike them up and they stay and fold over, they look kind of like "sweat pant knickers". I add a wind pant in the morning if it is below freezing, which early spring and late fall here it frequently is. The wind pants you can get at any department store. They are cheap and effective for wind and light rain. If its cold out, you just tuck them into your socks and voila, no chain issues.

I bought a couple of pairs of Target exercise pants at $20 each. Not exactly tights, but tight around the ankles.

I wear Capri/knickers on chilly days. But I prefer shorts best! And it's steadily getting warmer out.

I have a couple pairs of work pants I accidentally swiped while I was a metal plater. They're nice for 50 degree light rain conditions. 100% synthetic, so they dry quickly. I just roll up the right leg a couple times or do the fake pegged type roll.

I'm not sure where to get those. They're kinda like the old Dickies before Dickies started going with really thick fabric.

I commute in those conditions for most of the year. I wear REI OXT pants. The legging on the pants is narrow enough that I don't have to worry about it getting caught in the chain. The pants are very breathable, stretch well, and they are not "spandex like" at all - i.e. they are not form fitting. The closest thing that I can compare them to is a track and field pant. I really appreciate the breath-ability since I have wear a waterproof pant over the top of them frequently when the rain starts coming down hard. If it's just a drizzle I just ride in the REI OXT pants because they are very quick drying.

http://www.rei.com/product/778310

I do wear a spandex/lycra/cotton underpant underneath the OXT's to keep things in place so that they don't move around so much on the saddle.

+1 on the bibs and warmers. Once you try bibs you'll never go back. I rode bibs and knee warmers down to 30's this winter then switched to knickers for another 10 degrees then tights and silkies down to 0. I quit at 0, the wind chill is murder at 20mph.

Anything above 40 = shorts for me. If it feels a little nippy, then I may wear base layer tights underneath the shorts (mesh athletic or cargo, whichever I grab), but it takes a lot colder weather than 40-something to make me put full pants on. Pedal harder... it'll help you stay warm. ;)

My knees start hurting at about 55F or below... so I make sure they stay covered.

Walking around, I've been known to wear shorts in 20F weather..

55 is my official shorts to pants transition temp, too. But sometimes I just grin and bear the 45 degree morning commute in shorts if I know it's gonna hit 60 by the end of the day.