Alternatives to cycle clips?

[ceejay]

Most of my cycling is done in leisure time, in casual or cycle specific clothing. I live so close to work that I commute on foot. Sometimes however I have to attend meetings locally and then I cycle.

Up to now I have used cycle clips but find that my trousers tend to escape. I haven't found tucking the trousers into my normal socks any better. Yesterday the inevitable happened and my trouser hem got caught in the chain ring and ripped.

Is there a better solution that would allow me to keep my normal work clothing safe? The idea of modifying my wardrobe for the occasional jaunt on the bike is not appealing, nor is changing the bike to an enclosed chain model.

[PloddinPedro]

Those reflective velcro-fastening ankle bands work well for me and add an extra element of safety.

[Charlotte]

I quite like those reflective, slap-wrap spring metal thingies that the CTC and other organisations often give away as freebies.

[clarion]

We used slapwraps for a while.  They're OK at first (and usually free!), but they tend to curl up too much.  Velcro bands is where it's at for us and civvies.

[tatanab]

As above, velcro fastening bands. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23571  These Respro ones are about 2" wide and slightly stretchy.  They hold trousers etc very well without the need to be tight.  I use them at night regardless of what legwear I am using because they are retroreflective and I have no reflectors in my pedals.

[Biggsy]

Slightly longer and tighter socks is all you need.

[mcshroom]

I use reflective velcro straps - I think they're called Wow-wows and came from a abrgain bin in Halfords

[hellymedic]

Neoprene reflective ankle bands are good, I need stretchiness.
Pop socks, with or without toes cut off, do the job but are gurly.

[ceejay]

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

I think I'll give the neoprene a go as I'm not sure clothes pegs project quite the right professional image 

[Cudzoziemiec]

I use the elasticated cuffs off an old pair of Mrs Cudzo's jogging leggings or sweat pants or something. Just cut them off the bottom of the trouser leg with a pair of scissors. They wrap around the ankle and being elasticated are pretty comfy. And free! (the trousers they came off were worn out anyway). Jaded calls them "pervert's pantaloons" but he would, wouldn't he!

[SlowCoach]

I use in descending order of desperation (depends if I can remember where I left the things and how much of a rush I'm in)

1) Respro neoprene reflective bands
2) Freebie reflective slap ons
3) An elastic band of an appropriate size
4) the cat's collar (but I have to catch him first to remove it and you do feel a bit of a plonka wearing a tag telling everyone you've been microchipped)
5) a toestrap
6) a piece of string

[clarion]

I have used a toestrap on several occasions.

[mcshroom]

You could always roll the right leg up

[Kim]

Mk 1 sock is my preference.  Traditional trouser clips put unpleasant pressure on my ankles, and I've never found those reflective slap on things worked that well.  Rolling up the trouser leg can also work, in a masonic sort of way.  I've seen proper city banker types on Bromptons using bulldog clips.

I find myself spending increasingly less time riding in civvies these days though.  Flat pedals tend to aggravate my knee problems, and by the time I'm changing shoes I might as well put some sensible trousers on.

[SlowCoach]

You could always roll the right leg up

That assumes that your right leg is sufficiently shapely to get away with it. Some of us are likely to be accused of behaviour likely to cause public disorder if we try flashing scrawny bare shins around. 

I've never got away with the rolled up sock  - I don't think my socks can be long enough cos the trouser leg invariably pulls out.

The bulldog clip is a good idea though.

[mcshroom]

I've just checked - a buff would work in an emergency.

[jogler]

I use reflective velcro straps - I think they're called Wow-wows and came from a abrgain bin in Halfords

me too

I have some that are approx 30mm wide & some approx 50mm wide

[Cudzoziemiec]

I'm trying to bring plus fours back into fashion. 

[hellymedic]

You could always roll the right leg up

IME they unroll occasionally.

[ceejay]

You could always roll the right leg up

With the Masonic Hall 100m down the road? I think not! I'd rather be seen in clothes pegs 

[TimO]

I've used socks, traditional clips, velcro bands, and slapwraps, and they can all fail sometimes.  Typically it's a trouser with a slightly shinier surface than you're average trouser, in which case you're buggered, since it probably won't work with anything reliably.  Generally I've found the traditional clips to be the most reliable, and probably the easiest to pop into your pocket when not in use as well.

You could always insert a couple of bits of sticky backed velcro into the inside of the leg, so you can velcro the slack trouser leg(s) up, on the side away from bike.  It may look a little odd, and the stickyness may not survive being washed, but it would having to carry anything, and would be unnoticeable when in un-velcroed walking-about mode.

[L CC]

I roll 'em up. If I'm going far enough for there to be a likelihood they'll fall down, it's far enough to be worth getting changed.
No2Daughter uses some cheapy pink retroreflectives we got from Aldi/Lidl which are designed for horses.

[PH]

I  use plain white velcro, about an inch wide, a yard of each cost less than two quid, enough for a few pairs, so I'm not bothered about loosing them.
The Respro ones are the nicest I've had, wide and stretchy, I was bothered when I lost those.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/respro-reflective-ankle-bands/

[mike]

i didnt bother with my normal velcro wraps today, it was only a couple of miles into town. 

Guess who got his trouser leg stuck over his bottle cage pulling away from the lights, ripped one, bent the other and almost fell off?  Muppet.

[Butterfly]

I use the Madison velcro straps - they go small enough for the 4 year old and big enough for my thick winter trousers with waterproofs over the top .