A pair of jeans is a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans? Not quite. Especially when you’re riding your bike, as getting denim caught in your bike is a faceplant waiting to happen. These Levi’s Commuter Jeans, however, are made just for riding.
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They look like the typical Levi’s 511 jeans—classic Levi’s stitching on skinny denim—but they hide some sneaky smart features that’ll make you want to wear denim when you ride. The 3M reflective lining on the cuff provides a teensy bit of reflection when you roll up your pants, a U-Lock conveniently fits inside the belt loop as you ride and the water-resistant denim actually keeps your legs dry in light rain. The cell phone pocket inside the right pocket is especially thoughtful, as your iPhone won’t fly out when you huff and pedal. Probably most importantly, after a few wears, the stretchier than usual denim becomes really comfortable (it has extra protection around your crotch area!). It’s like I’ve had these jeans for months and not days They’re skinny jeans so they wont get caught in your chains but they’re not cracked out model anorexic skinny where they’ll choke the circulation out of your junk.
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The commuter jeans aren’t as breathable as you’d like for “athletic gear”—they’re better suited for nighttime riding than a hot summer day. A little more 3M on the jeans would make the reflection feature more useful than gimmick. You might be lazy and not like button flies. Also, they run smaller than typical 511s, so buy a size bigger.
Should I Buy These?
It’s a little silly to think the jeans are “bike specific”, but if you’re a bike rider, you get a pair of normal looking pants that’s chock full of hidden features. For non-bike riders, you get a smart remix on the classic 511.
Levi’s 511 Skinny Commuter Jeans
Price: $78
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