Waterproof trousers

heathrow86

I am looking for some overtrousers for my cycle to work, i like the look of the Altura night vision. I have about £50 to spend any advice?

MichaelW

Montane Atomic DT pants are good. They have a long zip, elasticated ankle and 2 velcro tabs at the base of each leg so a good fit.

DrLex

MichaelW wrote:

Montane Atomic DT pants are good. They have a long zip, elasticated ankle and 2 velcro tabs at the base of each leg so a good fit.

Yup; I bought a pair of these from field and trek earlier this month for a reasonable £35. They stow down small (about the size of a grapefruit) and are reasonably comfortable. They do not have a reinforced seat, nor are the panels cut to avoid a seat seam, but the material is thin and shouldn't cause discomfort (commando notwithstanding). The velcro tabs are useful in keeping the fabric out of the chainset.
Just remember, all waterproof kit struggles to disperse intense perspiration, so short trips or gentle pedalling to avoid clammy interiors.

Kity Ragbrutty

I just wear oridiary capris, get wet and put something dry on when I get to work.
I find that I swaet far too much to make waterproofs worth the while.

nb - cycling or running capris, lycra tight fit fast drying. Nothing to absorb water so not really a problem. Guess I'm lucky that I have somewhere to leave them to drip dry while I'm at work though.

rideslikeagirl

Ok, i know it sounds mental but i cut the bottoms off mine..! Just below the knee, where the zip starts... Kity is right, having something that 'works' wet is better than getting clammy. My 'capri waterproofs' work brilliantly, most of what got on the lower part was spray anyway. THis way i avoid the wet bum effect and still don't get water-windchill thighs...

tiny_pens

If you are the type that cycles exuberantly (read gets hot and sweaty) you might like to look at rainlegs. They won't be effective if you haven't got mudguards but might be worth a look. Just wear your normal cycling gear underneath. The knees have a feature that make them stand clear of your shins and stops water running down your legs into your shoes.

I have some. I think they look ridiculous but rollup into a sort of belt for those days when it might rain part way through a ride and I wouldn't go back as the heat adjustability is worth it (they really do look a bit silly )

HTH

rideslikeagirl

As a sort of hijack/sidetrack, is there any point to waterproof tops? Last year i was wearing this headworx camo ripstop nylon thingy treated with waterproof 'stuff' which worked in anything but the most torrential downpour, but i must have been feeling butch when i bought it and now its just not very 'me' dahlings...

Would i be better off just going for a couple of layers of standard issue cycling jersey and getting the wetsuit effect? (i can dry stuff off at work - our data centre aircon outputs recycle into the building... ) Plus i'm fed up not only looking like a boy, but the sort of boy who buys 'airsoft' magazines... Camo, what was i thinking?!

Torvid

for what its worth I don't bother with waterproofs just get wet if your going hard enough and have clothes to change into you really don't notice it, mid winter you might want some soft shell to stop the wind chill getting to you.

Roubaix type winter Lycra is really good all rounder to look out for love my knee and armwarmers in it will keep most showers out and is a great wind stopper.

Hoopdriver

I'm not usually a great fan of Endura - their stuff never seems to endure for very long - but I have had very good luck with their three-quarter length eVent waterproof trousers. I do a lot of touring where you're going to be out in the weather all day and I have found that they keep you dry and breath pretty well, and being three-quarter length you never really get hot in them.

Wrath Rob

Torvid wrote:

for what its worth I don't bother with waterproofs just get wet if your going hard enough and have clothes to change into you really don't notice it, mid winter you might want some soft shell to stop the wind chill getting to you.

Roubaix type winter Lycra is really good all rounder to look out for love my knee and armwarmers in it will keep most showers out and is a great wind stopper.

This. If you have to wear work trousers for riding then obviously you'll need waterproofs. Otherwise, or if you ride more quickly, don't bother and get some lycra tights or bib tights. Yes you'll get wet but you'll stay warm and when its not wet you'll still be warm and no where near as sweaty if you were wearing trousers.

Blacktemplar

I have a pair of Altura Exreme-X waterproofs. Not too bad at keeping the wet stuff out, but suffer pretty badly from boil-in-the-bag sweatiness.

The main reason I wear them is to stop rain running down into my shoes - nowhere effective to dry them at work.

Yet to find anything (including top-end GoreTex kit) that doesn't end up clammy inside when exercising hard.