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Long Trousers Short Leg

ragnor

Active member
Apr 23, 2020
144
286
U.K.
OK so I can't help it that I'm somewhat on the tubby side. So trousers these days are sadly Large or even Extra large. The leg length however remains stubbornly on the short side. I've had trousers of various kinds shortened in the past but certainly for biking it alters the fit too much especially round the ankles.

I've searched online but can't track down any mountain biking troos that come in varying leg lengths. So has anyone had any luck with long trousers in size L or XL with short leg (30")

N.B. I have some bibs that fit not too bad but I'd like trousers just so I don't look too much of a dork going into shops!
 

ragnor

Active member
Apr 23, 2020
144
286
U.K.
I'm not taking the piss, but have you tried a proper alteration specialist? They will be able to taper the width as well as shorten the leg.
Yes. Only once and it wasn't a success. The cost was nearly as much as the troos. And before you say try somewhere else the specialist I chose has been excellent with any other alteration. Buying the correct size is what I'm looking for.
 

ragnor

Active member
Apr 23, 2020
144
286
U.K.
another option is to wear 3/4 length shorts ( e.g endura) . Especially if you have short legs by the time you add knee pads you only need some decent socks to cover all your legs.
Thanks for the idea but I think that I'll pass on that. While it's not the be all and end all I'd be scared going into any shop wearing that lot. Trousers are 100% preferred
 

tk1971

New Member
Jul 28, 2024
5
4
SG, CA USA
How about folding up the pant legs? If the pants have elastic then fold at the elastic, if not, then 2-3 inches should do it for an initial fold. Fold it a second time if needed. If that works just hand stitch the fold to make them stay put and iron the pant legs down to make them permanent.
 

ari

Quattrovalvole
Mar 1, 2024
82
46
Australia
I wear US army issue trousers , they have a cord around the ankle part , which i replaced with elastic cord , so they just stay at the ankle, you can even pull them up as shorts , and they have about 10 pockets , 2 at the knee area so can stick some foam in there for knee protection .
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,033
9,483
Lincolnshire, UK
Thanks for the idea but I think that I'll pass on that. While it's not the be all and end all I'd be scared going into any shop wearing that lot. Trousers are 100% preferred
I wore 3/4 length for years, until I could no longer get the ones I wanted. The 3/4 length were good because when wearing knee & shin guards, I didn't get the thigh flash when pedalling like I did when wearing shorts.

I always thought that "proper" mountain bikers wore 3/4 length trousers, (or long shorts if you prefer). I could care less about what shopkeepers think of my attire.
I now wear full length because I ride so frequently in the nettle and bramble zone that I eventually got fed up of having permanent bleeding scratches just above the sock line.
 

mooby77

Active member
Jun 28, 2020
106
113
Snowdonia
I am a 34 inch waist and 29 leg . I have a pair of these in short and they are perfect , good cut , also i had my wife modify my Endura' single tracks , shortened by 2 inch , perfect ,
 

Wilko58

Member
Nov 24, 2020
120
99
Chorley
OK so I can't help it that I'm somewhat on the tubby side.
I've got the same problem, 38 waist, 30 leg! And shortening MTB pants is not straightforward or cheap (Johnsons Cleaners charged me £18 to take 1" off a pair of jeans so it would be a fortune to MTB pants!).
I'm going to try one of the ones posted below)
 

ragnor

Active member
Apr 23, 2020
144
286
U.K.
These come in short too
Sorry for the delay in replying. The Alpkit troos look just the job. Sent away for a pair in a fetching blue colour. Should match my complexion!
 

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