Do we need trail maintenance trousers?

And somehow this topic made it onto STW.

As out of place as a BBQ piglet at a vegan convention

Cant disagree with anything Hannah says

I'm not sure I have an opinion on anything the Rapha or BrainDead people say, because while I recognise all the words they have used, I can't seem to understand what on earth they are trying to say.

'the all-new range is designed to push the boundaries and disrupt'

Jesus wept, someone is pushing too hard which means, no you don't need them and it's another rouse to fleece you of cash!

As the kids say these days... Word Salad

We don't need these trail maintenance trousers, but we do need articles like this to brighten up my afternoon before I join a meeting I am anticipating to be a bit dull.

They have also reminded me that I should listen to Pills 'n' Thrills 'n' Bellyaches later on.

Riding kit is very 90's ACG.

I don't get all the faux outrage about the 'maintenance' gear which actually looks quite good to me - half of you probably live in track pants, and haven't been near a running track since high school.

Gosh, I feel sooo disrupted.

Haven't the army surplus stores been disrupting for ages?

I'm buying these because I'm the singer in a Limp Bizkit tribute band.

The quotes from Rapha were generated by a beta release of Chat GPT weren't they?!

As out of place as a BBQ piglet at a vegan convention

comedy value aside. this is almost as cringe worthy as the early marketing

as for a need for trail maintenance trousers, i’ve been told that they are essential unless you want to be sent home. or something

I don’t get all the faux outrage about the ‘maintenance’ gear

it’s because of the cringeworthy copy.

I'd love to know exactly what boundaries they think they are pushing and what exactly they are disrupting?

At a guess, i'd say nothing to any of it! 😀

As usual Decathlon already does something similar!

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/breathable-trousers-woodland-camo/_/R-p-14105?

I’d love to know exactly what boundaries they think they are pushing and what exactly they are disrupting?m

they are pushing the boundaries of good taste and disrupting my preconceptions of how much you should spend if clothes for working in the woods

Are they ironic, and therefore cool, or have the youth gone to the otherside of ironic cool now and are just taking the piss directly of middle aged wannabes? I is so confused.

As usual Decathlon already does something similar!

So do second hand shops. The ones that smell of pee and boiled cabbage.

Can I just check when my trousers are likely to be disrupted, just so I'm ready and wearing clean undies...

People who spend four times more than hardware store tools for 'artisanal' tools and never use them are probably the target market.

No,

I will be wearing jeans when maintaining trails! Old ones that have served their time and won't be wince inducing when they get snagged and ripped by brambles.

We need stuff like this so the people that buy them can feel superior for having expensive kit and those that can't afford it can feel superior for not falling for the marketing bs.

Rapha pants designer - "Goddamnit when I said 'pre-moulded' I meant the fit, not the print pattern."

Brain Dead indeed.

£165 for baggy trousers that will snag on everything and rip?

A pint of whatever they've been drinking!

Sounds like someone's engaged Perfect Curve

Awkward BBC Rebrand | W1A | BBC Comedy Greats - YouTube

It’s a pity they are sold out already , I’ve got a Sustrans trail maintenance day coming up Saturday, guess I’ll have to make do with my 15 year old pair of bombproof Endura trews 😬😬😬😬

I have trail maintenance trousers, they're the same trousers as my bike and car and garden maintenance trousers and I think none of them cost more than £20. Pockets, and sometimes weather resistance, basically.

All this makes me think is I must be due a rewatch of Nathan Barley sometime soon.

For what it’s worth, I think Rapha kit is pretty good, especially if you get it on sale rather than full RRP. But they’ve gone quite far up their own Tommy squeak hole with this ‘collection’. I believe there was even a launch party. Presumably no one tried to assassinate the prime minister of Malaysia at it…

Its a good excuse to dig out one of the best baselines of my youth but I don't think I'll fit into my trousers from the same era anymore.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xfF4k6TxFno

*looks at heavyweight OG combat trousers that cost 18.99 over 15 years ago*

nah, I’m good thanks.

My new mantra:

live life by bike, at the tip of the spear

Hmm, "derelique my balls" sums up my feelings nicely. Good call.

Definitely not those ones!

Aldi workwear..? They have pockets too, so you can stuff in your Lidl folding pruning saw.

Surely Brant can make something even more expensive.

This is going to be my new mantra as well! In fact I think I'm going to have it written on the top tube of all of my bikes

I agree with The-Beard about Rapha kit being pretty good if you can find it on offer/don't pay RRP. And I can't think of anything that captures the spirit of post punk, underground comics and mountain biking subculture less than this clothing line. And I'm an old man!

Its a good excuse to dig out one of the best baselines of my youth but I don’t think I’ll fit into my trousers from the same era anymore.

Who knew back then that the Mondays were predicting the future of the trail maintenance trouser in a song about unlawful digging?

Perhaps the loose fits of 1990 are the skin tights in my wardrobe today!

Or just wear an old pair of combats (crazy camo colours available) or old jeans and go digging in them and save yourself £140 to spend on spades and bike parts.

if I was younger the other kit would be ok but special digging trousers? Next you’ll be telling me that Dakine make a trail builder backpack with chainsaw pouch 😜

Softshell trousers are good too, they're not as tough but give you a bit of weather resistance, can't wear them when it's warm though or you'll get trenchcock. But ideal for getting splashed by frozen puddles as you deberm, or standing around eating cakes.

Yeah - upgraded to Endura trousers that I used for commuting years ago - easy to ride in, don't go all cold when wet like jeans do, and have decent stretch. They're celebrating their tenth anniversary this year. I think they cost £50.

Rapha and Brain Dead are getting an absolute boatload of awareness and exposure with this, aren't they?

Full disclosure: I've got one of their bum bags (sorry, Enduro packs) and it's pretty good. Might be tempted to buy more of their stuff if I wasn't a misformed hobbit.

WTAF...

Sounds like sour grapes to me, just to go along with the constant stream of negativity that permeates the newsletters & podcasts. It’s almost like the Daily Fail has bought out Singletrack Magazine.

They are not my cup of tea but I dare say there are some out there that may want to buy/wear them, if they do then crack on, I thought it was Roadies that were supposed to be the judgemental snobs, not Mountain Bikers.

sports pursuit xmas 23