I Can't Keep Showing Up With a Ripped Crotch
June 2, 2015 8:15 PM Subscribe
I've recently started bike commuting again now that I'm back in Chicago. However, I have busted 2 pairs of jeans in the past month, including my favorite pair. What bike friendly (or at least thick crotched) jeans are out there?
The two that died were a Levi's Mid-Rise Skinny and a Gap 1969 Real Straight. I loved the Gap pair. Both wore out in the inner thigh/crotch area. Both were great fits, but just couldn't hack my bike saddle.
I've come across the Levi's Commuter for women, but all the reviews are saying it's not reinforced in the crotch and lacks a lot of what makes the men's pair so great. I've also come across BetaBrand's but paying $120 for a pair of jeans is too much for me (though if someone can vouch for their durability, I could be convinced to get a pair).
My work currently allows me to wear jeans as often as I want and has a pretty lax dress code in general.
Are there any jeans that do have a bit of thicker crotch area that aren't advertised as commuter jeans? Any recommendations for bike jeans in general?
The two that died were a Levi's Mid-Rise Skinny and a Gap 1969 Real Straight. I loved the Gap pair. Both wore out in the inner thigh/crotch area. Both were great fits, but just couldn't hack my bike saddle.
I've come across the Levi's Commuter for women, but all the reviews are saying it's not reinforced in the crotch and lacks a lot of what makes the men's pair so great. I've also come across BetaBrand's but paying $120 for a pair of jeans is too much for me (though if someone can vouch for their durability, I could be convinced to get a pair).
My work currently allows me to wear jeans as often as I want and has a pretty lax dress code in general.
Are there any jeans that do have a bit of thicker crotch area that aren't advertised as commuter jeans? Any recommendations for bike jeans in general?
I am a pretty short and tiny woman and when I was biking to work I wore levi's men's commuter 511 jeans every day. I got a smaller size and they fit perfectly - no one but myself knew I was wearing men's jeans instead of women's jeans. I wore a 28 waist and rolled up the jeans for my tiny short legs.
Ok I just checked the reviews for these jeans on the levi's website and many people are reporting that the new 511 commuter jeans do not have a reinforced crotch area anymore. I would suggest looking into these jeans in a levi's store if possible to see if this is true. I owned these jeans probably about 5 or 6 years ago, so it is possible the materials and design have changed since then. I hope not!
posted by ruhroh at 8:28 PM on June 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Ok I just checked the reviews for these jeans on the levi's website and many people are reporting that the new 511 commuter jeans do not have a reinforced crotch area anymore. I would suggest looking into these jeans in a levi's store if possible to see if this is true. I owned these jeans probably about 5 or 6 years ago, so it is possible the materials and design have changed since then. I hope not!
posted by ruhroh at 8:28 PM on June 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have not tried them, but I have seen that Betabrand has a line of bike to work clothing.
posted by matildaben at 8:29 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by matildaben at 8:29 PM on June 2, 2015
I have boyparts and ride a bike in (usually cheap) jeans very frequently - formerly commuting 6 miles each way, now more car oriented, unfortunately. I went through jeans quicker when I rode everywhere, but it was usually the ass and thighs that wore out first, not the crotch.
So, this may be a difference in boy/girl bits, but I'm inclined to suspect the cut/fit of your jeans or the shape/height/angle of your saddle. If your bike is fit properly, you should be resting your weight on your sit-bones and hands, and the crotch of your jeans shouldn't be stressed.
... and this may be even less helpful, but it's a lot easier to find cheap, well-fitting lycra shorts than jeans. For $60 you should be able to get 2 pairs of shorts to commute in, and change into your jeans once you reach your office. A compromise, to be sure, but cheap and practical.
posted by Anoplura at 8:34 PM on June 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
So, this may be a difference in boy/girl bits, but I'm inclined to suspect the cut/fit of your jeans or the shape/height/angle of your saddle. If your bike is fit properly, you should be resting your weight on your sit-bones and hands, and the crotch of your jeans shouldn't be stressed.
... and this may be even less helpful, but it's a lot easier to find cheap, well-fitting lycra shorts than jeans. For $60 you should be able to get 2 pairs of shorts to commute in, and change into your jeans once you reach your office. A compromise, to be sure, but cheap and practical.
posted by Anoplura at 8:34 PM on June 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
Not jeans, precisely, but the Outlier Daily Riding pants are worth every penny. They are even more expensive than the Betabrands (nearly $200 for the pair), however and superlong, so you'll have to hem them.
Tinyfix had a good post on mending blown-out jeans, though, maybe that's a good place to start,
posted by crush-onastick at 8:52 PM on June 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
Tinyfix had a good post on mending blown-out jeans, though, maybe that's a good place to start,
posted by crush-onastick at 8:52 PM on June 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
Seconding bike shorts and changing. I had the same problem; the last straw was the day my crotch gave out around 10am at work. I've never gone the BetaBrand route because they don't have an inseam long enough for me, but I can tell you that swrve's Cordura denim jeans (also $120) started pilling and wearing out almost as soon as I looked at my bike. Awful. They look great though, so I still wear them around town. And Levi's Commuter jeans - I don't think my arm was skinny enough to fit through the pant leg.
The bike that it happened on was fitted (I was fitted onto the bike? a dude had me sit and stand while he adjusted the saddle a million times at the shop). If he did it poorly I don't know, because I haven't worn jeans on a bike since. I think this is in large part a physiological difference - men's and women's thighs are different and rub together in different ways. I think this is also due to your own (and my own) physiological quirks that make us more susceptible to blowouts.
posted by good lorneing at 8:53 PM on June 2, 2015
The bike that it happened on was fitted (I was fitted onto the bike? a dude had me sit and stand while he adjusted the saddle a million times at the shop). If he did it poorly I don't know, because I haven't worn jeans on a bike since. I think this is in large part a physiological difference - men's and women's thighs are different and rub together in different ways. I think this is also due to your own (and my own) physiological quirks that make us more susceptible to blowouts.
posted by good lorneing at 8:53 PM on June 2, 2015
Must you wear jeans?
I'm a woman who sometimes bike commutes. I wear leggings/bike shorts with a kilt (mine are from Sumptown Kilts). The kilt is heavy enough that it doesn't flap around like a lot of skirts/dresses would, and it's considered fairly normal here in Seattle.
I've also just backed a Kickstarter for a wrap dress that has special things for bike commuting, but since it's a Kickstarter, I can't recommend it (yet?).
posted by ethidda at 8:54 PM on June 2, 2015
I'm a woman who sometimes bike commutes. I wear leggings/bike shorts with a kilt (mine are from Sumptown Kilts). The kilt is heavy enough that it doesn't flap around like a lot of skirts/dresses would, and it's considered fairly normal here in Seattle.
I've also just backed a Kickstarter for a wrap dress that has special things for bike commuting, but since it's a Kickstarter, I can't recommend it (yet?).
posted by ethidda at 8:54 PM on June 2, 2015
Ah, rereading your post, I did not know they make Levi's Commuter Jeans for women now. But "and lacks a lot of what makes the men's pair so great" pretty much describes everything having to do with cycling gear.
posted by good lorneing at 8:55 PM on June 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by good lorneing at 8:55 PM on June 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
I don't have Levi's or Gap jeans, but are they fairly soft? It might help to go with thick, old-school denim (raw denim, like APC). Also, I noticed that when I started drying one pair of my jeans in the dryer vs. line drying, recently, they almost immediately started to fall apart. So don't dry your jeans in the dryer, if you are.
I'm a lady bike commuter who has not had this particular problem. But I also often wear a skirt/dress with thick black leggings (like ethidda above, though I don't care if the skirts flap if I have the leggings on). And if you had any crotch issues in that situation when you got to work, no one would have to know, because it would be hidden under the skirt...You could also ride just in the leggings, and then throw a skirt on when you arrive.
posted by three_red_balloons at 9:04 PM on June 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm a lady bike commuter who has not had this particular problem. But I also often wear a skirt/dress with thick black leggings (like ethidda above, though I don't care if the skirts flap if I have the leggings on). And if you had any crotch issues in that situation when you got to work, no one would have to know, because it would be hidden under the skirt...You could also ride just in the leggings, and then throw a skirt on when you arrive.
posted by three_red_balloons at 9:04 PM on June 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
I am also a woman who wears the men's Levi's Commuter jeans (in my case, the 505 ones.) They fit me better than most women's jeans (I ordinarily have to buy the butt-enabled style, whatever they call it in a given year) but the 505s were discontinued around the same time I bought them. They do pop up on eBay new often, so if you feel comfortable buying jeans that way it'd be worth a go.
The old men's 505s have a reinforced crotch, which is nice, but they're kinda hot for non-winter riding. I usually only get to wear jeans to work on Fridays, and ride in dresses otherwise. Much easier than riding in pants and I can layer the underpinnings according to the weather (tights for half the year, bike shorts or undies for the other half).
Also: bike liner shorts are generally much cheaper than regular bike shorts, easily found on clearance because they're not wearable alone, and excellent for using with a non-bike-specific wardrobe since they're less bulky. I'm slowly collecting the things and they're great for making other clothes play nice on my bike -- but of course they don't do anything to prevent wear on the outer layer.
In conclusion, maybe give the REI women's commuter jeans a try? I haven't got any experience with them yet myself, but they've got a reinforced crotch, and are both inexpensive and easily returned in case of product failure since it's REI. That might end up being a good bet for you if they turn out to fit well -- get some jeans with a good return policy!
posted by asperity at 9:05 PM on June 2, 2015
The old men's 505s have a reinforced crotch, which is nice, but they're kinda hot for non-winter riding. I usually only get to wear jeans to work on Fridays, and ride in dresses otherwise. Much easier than riding in pants and I can layer the underpinnings according to the weather (tights for half the year, bike shorts or undies for the other half).
Also: bike liner shorts are generally much cheaper than regular bike shorts, easily found on clearance because they're not wearable alone, and excellent for using with a non-bike-specific wardrobe since they're less bulky. I'm slowly collecting the things and they're great for making other clothes play nice on my bike -- but of course they don't do anything to prevent wear on the outer layer.
In conclusion, maybe give the REI women's commuter jeans a try? I haven't got any experience with them yet myself, but they've got a reinforced crotch, and are both inexpensive and easily returned in case of product failure since it's REI. That might end up being a good bet for you if they turn out to fit well -- get some jeans with a good return policy!
posted by asperity at 9:05 PM on June 2, 2015
I wear uniqlo's leggings jeans for biking a lot (and I've worn them on some longer rides when I really wanted to look presentable the whole time). They're very stretchy compared to most jeans I've worn (male and female). My partner and I end up getting holes after about 6 months of near every-day wear, which is more/less the same lifespan as other pairs we've owned.
They're ostensibly men's pants but I am not very dude shaped and they fit pretty well, so.
posted by you could feel the sky at 10:23 PM on June 2, 2015
They're ostensibly men's pants but I am not very dude shaped and they fit pretty well, so.
posted by you could feel the sky at 10:23 PM on June 2, 2015
I have found that tight jeans wear out in the inner thigh far more quickly than looser ones, so it may be a matter of adjusting jean styles.
posted by ktkt at 10:33 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by ktkt at 10:33 PM on June 2, 2015
Perhaps it's your saddle that's at fault? Any metal parts on the underside that protrude just a little too much can easily rip holes in any pants.
posted by alexei at 10:59 PM on June 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by alexei at 10:59 PM on June 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
I too wear leggings and dresses when riding. I'm anatomically predisposed to wear out the inner thigh seam of my jeans, and cycling makes it worse.
posted by kjs4 at 11:07 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by kjs4 at 11:07 PM on June 2, 2015
I wear a pair of Dickie's work jeans, which are double-layered around the thigh area, and may help. And they are relatively cheap online. Obviously, men's style.
Have you considered adding a pair of shorts ON TOP of your existing jeans just for bike riding?
posted by kschang at 1:42 AM on June 3, 2015
Have you considered adding a pair of shorts ON TOP of your existing jeans just for bike riding?
posted by kschang at 1:42 AM on June 3, 2015
I am of the limited understanding that if there is excessive pressure on the saddle, you need to be on the pedals harder/lower gear. The saddle is a convenience, not a dependence.
posted by toastchee at 5:15 AM on June 3, 2015
posted by toastchee at 5:15 AM on June 3, 2015
Seconding the "check your saddle" recommendation. I was routinely blowing out the crotch in my much-beloved jeans with a Bontrager saddle that had some stitching along the sides. I, too searched high and low (and fruitlessly) for attractive cycling trousers to fix the issue.
And then I got a new bike, with a different saddle (can't recall the brand) that has no stitching, and suddenly my blown-crotch issue went away.
posted by jennyweed at 9:40 AM on June 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
And then I got a new bike, with a different saddle (can't recall the brand) that has no stitching, and suddenly my blown-crotch issue went away.
posted by jennyweed at 9:40 AM on June 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
I just started bike commuting six months ago. Right before which I had all of my jeans repaired, including crotch reinforcement, by Denim Therapy. Even though I too am generous of thigh and tend to wear out all my jeans in the same spot, I haven't noticed any issues, even though I am on my bike an hour a day now.
posted by nat at 12:07 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by nat at 12:07 PM on June 3, 2015
Jeans and bikes don't mix for me. If I want to wear jeans I throw them in a bag and change when I get there.
posted by mike_bling at 12:23 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by mike_bling at 12:23 PM on June 3, 2015
I have some of these and some of the levi commuters.
I'm a guy though, and have heard the womens version got completely fucked up by levis. Check out the swrve's, though.
posted by emptythought at 1:44 PM on June 3, 2015
I'm a guy though, and have heard the womens version got completely fucked up by levis. Check out the swrve's, though.
posted by emptythought at 1:44 PM on June 3, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
I've just been buying regular Levi's and having a friend with a wrecking ball of a sewing machine reinforce the crotch with leftover pant legs in my yearly "let's make shorts out of jeans" cycle.
I don't really advocate the DIY route here; they're not that much better than regular Levi's, but the improvement is there, and it works for the price point.
posted by furnace.heart at 8:28 PM on June 2, 2015