Looking for reliable pants.

My advice is a little bit different from u/BigRedS. As a first pair of trousers, you will probably be immensely happy with these ones by Richa. I've worn them for almost a year going from 2C (thermal leggings with the Richa thermal liner) to 25+C in the recent heat wave. What makes them amazing is their fit. They fit my thighs really well, and with the ankle slimming down for a more fashionable look.

The biggest problem with these trousers is the baked-in rain liner, which gets hot above 23-24C. However, the trick I've learned to wearing these in hot weather is to wear a very thin pair of sport leggings. This wicks the sweat away from your legs and keeps your skin from contacting the nylon liner.

You asked:

Have you done much winter riding in those?

The Revit ones that /u/BigRedS linked are more like 3 season hot weather. The Richa ones I linked are 3 season cold weather.

I've seen similar trousers going for around half the cost, is there much difference?

If I compare the Revit with my Richa, here are the differences that are accounting for cost.

  • Name brand. Rev'It is a bigger brand.

  • Better zippers. The zippers in the Richa, especially around the crotch are cheap. They've not failed me yet, however.

  • Slightly better velcro attachment system at the ankle.

  • Slightly better armour.

Other than that, I don't see much difference. There are some cosmetic differences in the Rev'It trousers, but to be honest, I think those trousers are maybe £20 overpriced. Plus I think that mesh is slightly less versatile in the UK weather.

In looking for trousers, I highly recommend:

  • 3 season cold: I think this is best for UK weather

  • Rain liner: I prefer overjacket rain gear on my jacket, but I prefer built-in rain liner in my trousers, for the simple reason that it's easy to put on an overjacket on the side of a road...not so easy to put on rain trousers.

  • Elasticated knees: don't go for ultra cheap stuff that doesn't have it.

  • Velcro attachment at the ankle: nobody wants that flared look

  • Thermal liner

  • Bonus: removable rain liner. Now these are really hard to find, and it's what separates cheaper trousers from expensive trousers.

I personally would rather spend sub-£120 on a pair of trousers that works well 90% of the time, and then another £100 on a pair that will take care of the odd situation (heat wave, for instance).

/r/MotoUK Thread Parent