The new Bike to Work Pants.
Via BoingBoing.net, here’s a cool new product from San Francisco that was unveiled at Interbike this week — the Bike to Work Pants by Cordarounds.
They’re just a regular pair of khakis, but with hidden, reflective powers.
From their website:
“Using fabrics like Illuminite Teflon and 3M Scotchlite we’ve bought reflectivity to regular trousers. They line the inner pantcuffs and rear pockets, allowing you to deploy added protection and reflection as you pedal off.”
I could see these being very popular in Portland. It’s neat to see non-bike-specific companies recognize and innovate for the growing market of urban bike commuters.
This is starting to look kind of silly! I’ve found a fully enclosed chain guard is hasslefree far superior to french rolling your pants up like you just stepped out of an episode of Saved by the Bell. :)*
(* smiley face denotes humor and indicates comment attached to said smiley need not be taken too seriously.)
Where oh where are the 3M reflective hoodies and cycling socks? A reflective bandana? Portland fixie fashion must have something to contribute here. Someone get a roll of Scothlite and make a trip to American Apparel and you’ll have a hit on your hands.
Carissa, you can DIY with this new product mentioned in one of my posts on the forums.
http://bikeportland.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2409&page=2
Look for the Lightweights Power Reflectors…
Rubberside Down!
K’Tesh
I normally pull things in my pockets, so turning them inside out seems like a pain. (Not to mention that I’d probably forget to put them back in after I got to work, and people would think I was kind of weird, but they think that anyway.)
These look nice for warmer weather. I see rolled-up Capri jeans, so why not khakis?
Geez, I am kinda finally becoming jaded about all the kewl kids riding around unlit in fashionably dark clothingdetectable by only a sudden silhouette or a weenie little red tail blinky (I think, by the numbers, most night collisions are from the front!). The urge to consign my concern for their safety into the bin of Darwinian process has grown preponderant.
This product is much better than the stylishly invisible garments recently posted here! (No, Showers Pass, that thin reflective piping on dark fabric is no substitute for active lighting. However, that red jacket looked pretty good for daytime.) Illuminite and Scotchlite oughta be somewhere on every bike/human assembly that rolls at night, beside reactive anti-car laser lights…
@Refunk #6
“beside reactive anti-car laser lights…”
I’d imagine the laser capable of taking a car out would be rather heavy. 🙂
It’s a novel idea.
I just wish some more companies would go ahead and steal the idea of Stealth Commuting Rain Pants.
@Krampas
Unfortunately, fully enclosed chain guards are hard to obtain. If one did not come on your bike, odds are you are SOL. I have tried high and low to find a chain guard for my road bike, but none work, and I cannot afford to purchase another bike.
For what it is worth.
Black would be better as you can pretend that your pants are clean.