Endura's Urban jeans do what they say on the tin: they are jeans designed for cycling in. They work, they're very comfortable and I like them a lot. I'm not sure there's much more to say about them… Oh, go on then.
- Pros: Seam-free gusset, discreet reflectives, fit
- Cons: Umm...
There are a few things that make these jeans cycle-friendly. Most importantly, there's a seam-free gusset (it would be remiss of me to not link to Max's gussetfest of a review for similar jeans), where on normal jeans there's a confluence of four seams right where you don't want them.
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There is also reflective detailing on the right trouser leg when you roll it up, and there's a little reflective 'flag' hiding in the left rear pocket, ready to be deployed in dark weather.
The back of these jeans is higher than normal jeans, at first perhaps a little odd off the bike, but great for riding – no more exposed lower back. There's a loop for a mini D-lock too.
And there's the fit. Endura uses a mix of hardwearing Cordura (you know, the stuff that backpacks are made of) and cotton with mechanical stretch to achieve a fit that is not exactly skinny, but tight enough to not get in the way of chains or other bicycle parts, though not loose enough to bother your aerodynamics too much either. Most importantly for me, and I suspect other cyclists too, is that I can get my cyclist's thighs in no bother without having to go a size up. They feel just right.
I tested a medium, which according to Endura's size guide corresponds to a 33-35in waist. If anything, I'd say this comes up a bit smaller in the waist than the 34in jeans I'd normally go for. I'm 5ft 10in, and the leg length is spot on.
There are the usual pockets you'd expect to find on a pair of jeans; the front pockets are big enough to take your phone and keep it in place. Fastening is taken care of by a proper button and a zip.
If it matters to you, the website says they are made in Turkey, but the pair on test says made in Mauritius.
> Buyer's Guide: The best casual kit for commuting by bike
With an RRP of £89.99, they're comparable with other good cycling jeans – a penny less than the Resolute Bay jeans Dave tested a couple of months ago, though a tenner more than Giro's Transfer jeans. They're not cheap, but they are good, and they look like they'll last.
Verdict
Cycling-specific jeans that look good and are comfortable on and off the bike
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Endura Urban Jean
Size tested: 34/Medium
Tell us what the product is for
All Endura has to say about this is "Technical performance jean".
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Endura lists:
Durable Cotton/Cordura® blend fabric with mechanical stretch
Slim fit extended back for ergonomic cycling
Discretely cycle specific cut with no flap calves
Front hip pockets
Rear patch pockets with pull out 'flag'
D-lock loop for rapid storage retrieval
Reflective tape exposed by rollup hem
Seam free gusset panel
Construction: Cotton 55% / Polyester 30% / Nylon 15%
Size Options: S, M, L, XL, XXL
The higher back might take a bit of getting used to off the bike, but you soon appreciate why it's there when you hop on a bike.
I normally go for 34 inch waist jeans, which are then a bit too big at the waist (so I have to wear a belt), but fit my cyclist's thighs. I'd say there is a little less space left over around the waist on these, and I have lost a bit of weight recently as well, so I reckon they come up a little small.
Really nice jeans to wear.
£89.99 is not cheap, but they are very nice.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Machine wash at 40 is what the label says. I had no problems with washing, but as with all jeans, don't go washing them with your whites first time.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very comfortable jeans both on and off the bike. They just work.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fit and the feel of the product.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing comes to mind.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
These jeans work well both on and off the bike, they look good and they are comfortable. I can't think of a single thing I don't like about them.
About the tester
Age: 38
I usually ride: All of them! My best bike is: Cannondale CAAD10
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mountain biking
22 comments
90 pounds for a pair of pants that are almost 50% made of plastic and don't have different leg sizes per waist size and yet nothing to comment? I want you to be my boss!!
These are jeans. You wear pants underneath them.
I've just bought some jeans from Rapha for 56 quid. £60 sale price +£5 p&p - 15% code for signing up to newsletter.
Surprised that this seemed to be the cheapest option when googling for cycling jeans.
Too baggy at the bottom, eaten by chain and front mech, not cycling specific...
I've commuted 6-7 miles each way since October in £10 primark stretch straight leg jeans with no problems (no crotchal rubbing, don't get eaten by my drivetrain). I don't ride a road bike (hybrid with saddlebag or panniers). I don't expect them to last forever, but I bet they'll last more than 1/8th of the lifespan of these Endura ones. Why is putting the "cycling specific " label on clothes seen as a licence to ramp up the price x10??
That's a long time to go without crotchal rubbing!
Geordie jeans offer a good fit, especially tight around the arse:
https://youtu.be/kX85QqzrXO0
OK, then: is it better if I say no *unwanted* crotchal rubbing...?
I'm just fascinated by the word. Crotchal. It rolls effortlessly off the tongue, like that last blob of melting icecream. Crotchal, crotchal, crotchal.
Later I shall try it out on my lady, the word not the icecream.
try out some crotchal rubbing on your lady, video it, and we can all it on Close Pass of the Day
The words 'cycling' and 'jeans' should never be seen anywhere near each other.
And can you not find a jeans reviewer and a jeans model who are less than three sizes apart?
2018: more reviews in verse. Fewer cliches.
Oh really? I cycle in my jeans pretty much every week, I've done this since the 80s, like many thousands of others have done before and since. The furthest I've gone of late is about 6 miles each way. These were ordinary jeans with a clip on one leg though I've done the leg tucked into sock thing only last week.
I also wearing cycling chinos (from M&S), I only bought them as they were £15, if there's a pair of jeans that look stylish and avoid the need for a seperate pair of trousers to be changed into then I don't see what the problem is. You can certainly commute quite easily in a pair of bog std jeans and normal undercrackers without it being uncomfortable/sweaty or just fit some cycling/padded undershorts if you must.
That is not my experience.
I don't recall this offer being available when I submitted the review for publication.
have you ever considered that £90 is probably how much jeans should cost when social and environmental responsibility are taken into account?
Yes, I have. Unfortunately, a £90+ pair of jeans will be forever out of my affordability range, and I don't believe that they will (1) last any longer than a cheaper pair made using iffy labour practices, and (2) be made using any particularly more ethical practices. What do you suggest I do?
i guess my experience differs from yours in terms of jeans lasting - i have bought cheap jeans in the past and to me there is a big difference in terms of the fabric, fit and finish quality. i have some more expensive jeans that have well outlasted cheaper pairs - maybe subconsciously i just take better care of them because i know they're more expensive?
as for the ethics - the practices employed by primark and many similar 'fast fashion' brands is widely documented.
you can have a look on the altura website for their ethical practices - https://www.endurasport.com/about/ethical_stance/
i'm not exactly flush either, but i'd rather save up and buy quality (+ wait for sales) than buy cheap 'throwaway' products from companies with suspect manufacturing if i can help it.
i'm not suggesting that you or others should do the same - that's your prerogitive
I have had different experiences, clearly. I find a pair of jeans wears out in much less than a year, regardless of whether I wear them on a bike or not, regardless of whether they are el-cheapo or an expensive brand. But, ultimately, they're a pair of jeans - you're not supposed to have to take good care of them because they're expensive...
I take your point on ethical manufacturing, but ultimately I'm afraid it comes down to whether I can afford to clothe myself and my own family or not...
completely understandable!
i guess you simply put a lot more wear and tear into your jeans than me!
having said that, as i got onto my bike this morning i managed to rip apart my shorts along the front crotch seam
i have had them for about 5 years though!
cheers!
These I can recommend, I have two pairs
of slim fit https://www.swrve.co.uk/collections/trousers/products/durable-cotton-reg...
Levis 502 or 541 are perfect for cycling and the larger thighed man
Aren't lights on a bike reflective enough!
http://www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/mens-jeans/p/295070011?camp=DRSearch_Levis_...(WIP)