Cordarounds newest khakis, called the "Bike to Work" pants, have a clever secret: the rolled up cuff exposes a reflective strip for added safety and Teflon for resistance to scuffs and chain grabs.
They're $95 a pair because that's how Cordarounds makes their money: prices.
Bike to Work pants product page [Cordarounds.com]
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Makes sense for people who not only bike to work everyday, but wear the same pants to work everyday.
I'd like to see them made of all reflective fabric for a Tron look.
I wear pants! These would be perfect for my pants-wearing lifestyle!
Lately I've been considering wearing pants during my commute to work, what with winter coming and all. This cinches it!
The idea is great. The price - ridiculous.
I hope there is a hack on MAKE soon.
Yeah..... aren't reflective socks under $10 a pair?
Ok so then you won't have the bright a*** patches from the video, but here's a product idea, Cordarounds - fluorescent thongs.
"See cyclists at night? I can't *un*see them!"
Reflective thread in the stitches would be pretty cool.
Oh, and:
"that's how X makes their money: prices."
is pretty dang funny.
@Marley9,
The complicated steps to hacking:
Step #1 - Own pants. If you do not own pants, you may need to buy a pair.
Step #2 - Sew in reflective fabric. Reflective piping is available at many fabric stores.
Step #3 - profit!
Greetings readers. Cordarounds here to address comments and questions.
Reflective thread: Yes! We're looking into designs that incorporate that.
Tron: Yes! We're looking into designs that incorporate that.
Prices: Yes! And now a few words on that. Sticker shock is what fashion's all about. But consider:
- we make them in San Francisco, not China.
- we use sample fabric direct from Illuminite and 3M. And you wouldn't be surprised to discover that a two man company can't get the same kind of volume discounts that, say, North Face can.
- take a look at fancy bike knickers that are on sale these days. They run around $110-$140 and they don't even come with ankles.
- How to hack them: You should be able to buy reflective tape from 3M Scotchlite resellers -- but they only offer it in limited widths. If you're handy with a sewing machine, you could easily band the inner fringes of your pants. You could even make decorative stripey things if you're a whiz. As for the illuminite fabric, I doubt you can buy that. You won't be able to pull off the mudflap effect too easily, but if you do, here's some guidance:
get a pair of pants with a welt back pocket, remove the pocket, create a large, square pocket with reflective lined cloth, apply, deploy at will.
I'm a sumo wrestler and bike to work. Will Cordarounds be making reflective mawashis?
I can't wait until the cordarounds rip-off pant company, bonobos, copies this product and jacks up the price by 200%. It makes the capitalist in me swoon...
Regular (trousers) pants + velcro anti-chain-grab clip thing with refective strip
http://www.amazon.com/Aardvark-Ankle-Biters-Reflective-Black/dp/B000C3F65Y/ref=pd_sbs_sg_3
No need for special pants (this is my motto now)
Ahh, but what about the mudflaps?
photo: http://www.cordarounds.com/bike-to-work/looks
video: http://www.cordarounds.com/bike-to-work/video
-C
shininess that serves safety and fashion is virtually impossible to find. Ask a street crossing helper about his dateability. Thanks for this tip!
Cordarounds, thanks for the post!
@cordarounds,
Wow, you guys rock. Not only did you address the pricing issue with clear rational and humor - you also gave encouragement to those who wish to go the DIY route. Two thumbs ups!
I like. I too will need to add pants to my repertoire, if only to begin wearing pants like these.
At last! Rejoice!
--Saint Christopher
@Cordarounds
(1) If you move out of SF, shouldn't your costs drop a bunch and (2) is reflective material really that expensive?
One word: Gaiters.
What on earth- why would someone need an Instructable for this?
yes, kudos to you, cordarounds, for your reply and its, er, goodnesses. might i suggest an extra flap that comes OUT of the pocket, though, so that one may retain items therein?
Answers:
To St. Christopher: Rejoice indeed.
To THINKERER: Are you suggesting we design Gaiters that work equally well on bikes and at the office? Fascinating.
To Anonymous: Yes, it would cost less if we moved to China and had them made there. Is reflective material really that expensive: It adds up to about $12 per pair. If we made these things in batches of thousands, that would probably go down to $6. So, in the name of saving fellow future consumers some cash, please purchase now so that we may quickly reap volume discounts.
I have been lusting after a Cordaround Smoking jacket for like two years now. I am soo getting one when I grow up.
agreed, el guapo - they are nice.
If only I could be certain that the XXL would match up to my 50L jacket size. I've seen smaller manufacturers make an XXL anywhere from a 46(!) to a 54, though it's usually a 50-52. Too bad they don't have comparative sizes on their site and I am far too lazy to call the phone number...
I also long for the day when these guys and/or the bonobos cats make pants just one size bigger. Maybe they would do a custom pair or two for the right price.
ugh - a bit *too* specialized for my tastes and wallet. I think it's far better to just get large, reflective velcro cuffs to put over the bottom of your pants than to wear the "work/bike" pants. A for effort, C for end result.
@Gabrielm-
My point must flew right over your non-reflective cranium. Better wear a helmet!
I have a couple Velcro strips with reflecto-tape that secure my flapping pant cuffs when I bike. I don't remember what I paid for them, but I'm pretty sure that it was less than $10 the pair.
I'm glad cordarounds has a sense of humor and is taking all this ribbing (har har) in stride.
$95 isn't a bad deal for a pair of pants with specialty features, and specialized materials made in the USA.
These are perfect for cycle commuters who find themselves trapped in the 90s.
The problem for me is both price and color. What's left of the goth kid in me hates tan pants. If I'm wearing any sort of slacks they are black. I might be more willing to spring for a pair if there were some different colors.
I don't wear pants (or 'trousers' as us Brits call them; the pants we wear underneath) and nor do I ride a bike.
Don't even work in an office.
So why have I just read all the comments on this thread?
What does one do with their wallet when one is using the reflective "mud flaps"?
Being hit by a car is bad, but losing ones wallet and having to cancel and re-issue everything can be almost as bad as a minor accident.
The latest replies:
1. Velcro strips do indeed possess reflectivity, but they offer a thin band of brightness, while Bike to Work pants offer a far greater expanse of light. A twinkling star to supernova analogy comes to mind.
2. Yes, we'll be making them in other colors. We too realize that work can be experienced in non-khaki trousers. But for the purpose of making a new product statement, what's better than reflectoizing common, work-a-day khakis.
3. Stuck in the 90s? By that, my guess is you mean khakis were the uniform of the era. And while that's true, there are still enough khaki-pants-wearers to attract the interest of a two man pants company -- our estimate: about 45 million of them.
Excellent product. While I won’t be buying this particular item, I’d say there’s an excellent chance I’ll buy something from your company somewhere down the line. But for now, I use these when circumstances warrant; reflective, and also self illuminated..
Is it completely unheard of to have lights on your bike in the US? I live in Copenhagen and cycle everyday and here it's mandatory to have lights on your bicycle. A bright one in the front and a red one in the back. Kind of like any other method of transportation. I suppose in rural areas with no street lights reflective pants would be practical too. As an extra precaution.
Nice. I happen to wear khakis or similar and ride my bike to work with the cuffs rolled up 5 days a week.
What I'd *really* like to see in a pair of bike-to-work pants (trousers) though, is some kind of fabric that doesn't pill-up and wear through in a year.
#34 Exactly. I may very well purchase a pair, but only if you create a matching collarless denim shirt (also with reflective cuffs, of course).
I have several Cordarounds and also bought 1 Bonobos to try it out.
Bottom line, Cordarounds are awesome. They feel good to me and my wallet and they are on a altrustic mission. The Bonobos are copycats who think by being in NY they can jack up prices 50% more than Cordarounds. Their pants are not bad either, but the prices kill them.
Advantage and honor to Cordarounds. Good job guys.