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Commuting in Office Trews

(48 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by steveo
  • Latest reply from sallyhinch
  • This topic is not resolved

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12

  1. steveo
    Member

    Folks, after a week of walking to work I've decided its no way to get around in the morning so back on the bike for all of 7 minutes each way.

    I'm now trying to weigh up the potential extra wear on my office trousers vs the time taken to get changed for such a ridiculously short journey.

    Any one noticed any excesive wear on standard office (wool blend) trousers that would ruin them quickly?

    Wet days I'll still get changed, road muck being dirtier than rain fall encountered during walking and I'd rather not have to wash them every day.

    (YES I know this is a hyper obsisive post)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "YES I know this is a hyper obsisive post"

    Important to get the details right.

    CCE will have the answers.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. fimm
    Member

    I Brompton in office clothes and have not noticed any problems with wear - my one slight regret is the splatter up the back of my big winter coat (yes the B does have mudguards but they don't keep everything off...)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. Morningsider
    Member

    Never found it a problem myself. Would recommend that you only wear black/charcoal trousers though - don't show up any oil stains.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. chrisfl
    Member

    I'm with you walking is just too *slow*

    I've always tended to just wear whatever for short journeys and pull over waterproof trousers when needed.

    Generally the only wear issues are getting grease on the chain side or getting the bottom of the leg caught in the chain, especially with lighter trousers so I sometime have to "tuck in"

    Also had some great success with some of the Howies trousers look normal and cut to help cycling, there EPIC cotton which is a little water resistive is a win.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. wingpig
    Member

    I find that standard office trousers' gussets are not even up to the strains of walking any noticeable distance, never mind cycling. I briefly tried wearing work trousers on the way in when my commute was only 1.62 miles including very little pedalling on the Mound/Dundas St but still noticed that the stretching quickly generated holes either side of the gusset-seam. Combine that with unzipped pockets and office trousers' general uncomfortability and the limited recognition in their design of the existence of activities other than standing very still and I'd wear a more durable garment, even for that distance.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Chainguard for Steveo.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    Depends on the mix of wool in the flannel. You want a bit of a harder wearing fibre, polyester for example in a fabric covering the jacksy and coming into contact with saddle. Wool good for jumpers of course, but will go in the elbow showing its weakness at pressure points.

    I recommend you purchase from marks and spencer a pack of gentleman's half hose socks. 70% wool, 30 per cent nylon. Either blue or black or grey. Get the size that is just a wee bit bigger than your foot, well I get 8-9.5 and I am an 8. Tuck your trousers into these socks and oil and road muck will not bother you

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. steveo
    Member

    CCE will have the answers
    I'd expect nothing less ;)

    I'm with you walking is just too *slow*
    The funny thing is I like walking but mornings along the Broomhouse path are just very very dull!

    Fimm, yeah that was my thinking of avoiding wet days, especially since I can't get guards on with the 25c tyres I just bought!

    wingpig, thats my main concern. In the past I'd walk home (5 miles) on occassion and the gusset would go pretty quickly vs periods when I'd been bussing it.

    Gembo, good tip on the socks. I think my trousers are polyester blended but I don't know the concentration.

    I suppose the experiment now is to buy slightly cheaper ones than my current good ones and see if they fail excessively quickly.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. Radgeworks
    Member

    Working in a high profile public sector building, i need to look smart BUT be able to commute by bike to work, i found the ideal solution in Craghoppers trousers, smart enough for work, but rugged enough to stay warm, dry,(and wipeable) through the more cold and moister commutes in winter. Hope that snippet helps.
    RJ

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Roibeard
    Member

    I'm a scruff, and tolerated in an HE environment, so wear cotton (blend?) "combats" - the large pockets being very useful in previous jobs, and I've now got used to them.

    Waterproof overtrousers and ankle straps (my preference to sock tucking) are handy.

    The (extremely cheap) trousers wear acceptably, but their demise is usually because of being worn thin by the saddle. I just need to watch out for draughts where I wasn't expecting draughts, light visible where it shouldn't be on donning, or the characteristic sound of catastrophic failure on bending...

    Robert

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. steveo
    Member

    Yeah I wish I could get away with combats or outdoors specific clothing that would be fantastic! They're my usual non-jeans and what I usually put on in the morning if there is a chance I'll need the bike later but alas they'll not fly here.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. DaveC
    Member

    I work in the S*x trade and find hosing down my latex work wear no problem once I'm at work. Its not very hard wearing thought! Its just how dirty I feel on the inside, thats harder to scrub off!

    Seriously, sorry man, I work in jeans ans T shirt and my commute long enough (distances) to mean I only wear commuter clothes to cycle in, and casual wear to work in. Good luck in your quest!

    DaveC

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. steveo
    Member

    I think thats it Dave, I need to find work in a more forward thinking industry! :D

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    A googling offers up a suggestion of reducing the saddle:trouser friction coefficient by use of a Brooks saddle combined with some dark trousers with reasonable polyester content.

    M&S used to do a range of suit trousers with some stretch polyester content and also some waterbeading / sweat wicking properties, for the up and coming businessman on the move. Which sounds rather like you.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. amir
    Member

    How about a kilt?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  17. steveo
    Member

    Which sounds rather like you.

    You've met me right! Actually those were the ones I used to buy exclusively, then they started dropping the colours I'd wear, first the charcoal went then the very dark brown, so off to slaters again. I have an irrational dislike to pure black trousers, I always feel like I'm in a waiters uniform.

    Sounds like a good excuse to buy a brooks, look Honey, the internet said I'd save money on trousers if I have a good saddle! I presume the rules on Brooks colours remain unaffected!

    Amir, bit breezy I'd have thought.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  18. tarmac jockey
    Member

    I am in the main a desk jockey these days. I have mudguards and a chainguard. I carry a set of waterproof trousers for days when it is wet. I tend to stand up on the pedals on hills - maybe that saves some wear 'n' tear on the gusset?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  19. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Another website I googled suggested this sort of thing would be tough-wearing around the saddle area.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  20. Stickman
    Member

    @kaputnik:

    And a matching riding crop for dealing with wayward pedestrians or cyclists who breach ASL etiquette?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    "How about a kilt?"

    First time I ever saw a mixte (probably a Raleigh Misty) it was owned by a man who liked wearing a kilt.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  22. steveo
    Member

    this sort of thing

    Would need new boots to really pull off the look imo.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  23. cb
    Member

    There's not way I'd consider the bother of changing for a seven minute commute.
    I seem to have found that, if anything, office trousers last better than (cheap) jeans.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  24. wee folding bike
    Member

    I'd vote for Craghoppers and a Brooks. At first I wasn't sure if I'd get away with the map pocket on the right leg but I've been using them at work for years now and nobody has mentioned it. My S4 class like how I have secret pockets. I've not shown them the Tilley secret pocket yet.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  25. kaputnik
    Moderator

    You could always buy Instography a few beers and he can seamstress you up some amazing commuting suithopper trews. Secret bumbag optional.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  26. DaveC
    Member

    Ah I have a £20 note in my Secret Tilley comparement as a 'get out of jail for free' thing. Its been there for years, and I even re found it after I had my hat back from a lend out to my dad when they went off to 'Match some Pitch u thing - a special offer at Costco?? in South America? I dunno!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  27. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Note to self;

    Plan (fake) trip to Macchu Picchu
    Borrow DaveC's Tilley hat
    Go to pub

    Posted 11 years ago #

  28. steveo
    Member

    Small update, moved to a Spa Nidd a few months ago and have been commuting in my office trews off and on now for a few months.

    The seat of the trousers is holding up fine but I'm seeing excessive wear across the top of my inside leg. I'm not sure if this is because I'm also walking in them much more or if the lace on the saddle is wearing them. Alternatively they're about 10 months old and this might be the normal failure pattern.

    So the question is do I start with a new pair and limit the walking I do in them, leaving the lace in the place. Remove the lace and continue mixed mode as I have been or just continue with a new pair and see how it goes. The new pair will unlikely be the same as these.

    (continuing adventures with hyper obsessive posts)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  29. SRD
    Moderator

    My tilley's only got a fiver in it.

    Did I tell you guys that I was asked if I minded being included (sort of indirectly) in some Tilley advertising? Ex told the Tilley guy how this 'cute girl' he knew in high school liked his Tilley hat....

    Posted 10 years ago #

  30. wingpig
    Member

    "...excessive wear across the top of my inside leg..."

    That happened with about eight never-cycled-in garments in quick succession, shorts and trousers, multi-pocketed and not. I assumed it was a combination of leg-swish-speed, stride-length and habitually mooching about with my hands in my pockets, possibly additionally stretching each leg widthwise at around that position.

    Posted 10 years ago #

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