Isadore Urban Jeans

Isadore’s Urban Jeans are, as you’d expect for £150, pretty good. Unfortunately, they’re probably not good enough to justify that price.

• Pros: Good in-saddle design, very useful cycling-friendly details, look good off the bike
• Cons: High price, some manufacturing issues

First impressions of the Urban Jeans are a little mixed. In general, they have a good shape to them – there’s no stupid tapering at the ankle – and you could quite happily wear them off the bike, with only the reflective elements suggesting they’re not ‘normal’ clothes. Meanwhile, the denim is a nice colour and there is no shortage of clever design features, including being both dirt and water-repellent.

Isadore says its Urban Jeans are made from abrasion-resistant Swiss denim and manufactured in Slovakia, which brings us to our initial blip – construction quality. In all, it’s OK, but there are noticeable rogue threads around the top section where the button and buttonhole meet, and more on the seam of one leg. The stitching around the buttonhole itself looks like it has been done inside out – the finish inside the jeans is better than the area you actually see. Normally, I wouldn’t be overly fussed, but did I mention these are £150 jeans?

In terms of features, there is little to complain about. The inside seam has reflective detailing, so your turn-ups turn into a night-time safety factor. Likewise, there are reflective belt hoops. And the rear pockets have anti-slip silicone-style tape to stop things sliding out. It’s all good. Possibly the only thing these jeans are missing is a D-lock loop.

Performance in the saddle is very decent, too. The four-way stretch denim is comfortable and the overall cut is well thought out, with both the seat and knee areas ergonomically designed for cycling. In combination, it adds up to a very secure riding experience: there’s no slip at the rear of the waistband to reveal the crack of doom, while, like the most well-bred Victorian lady, your ankles remain resolutely covered up. Obviously there is no in-built padding, but otherwise there really is nothing to fault.

In summary then, Isadore’s Urban Jeans do what they set out to achieve well. They’re very comfortable to ride in, they look good, and they provide some features that are particularly helpful for urban riders. But when you can have similar garments from reputable brands such as Giro, Endura and Resolute Bay, all available for well below £100, it’s a real shame that Isadore’s production quality can’t live up to the excessive price tag.

> Buyer’s Guide: The best casual cycling commuting wear

The fact that Isadore has added some water- and dirt-repellency to the denim is one factor that stands these jeans apart from rivals. However, because they only really offer any kind of protection up to light rain, I’m still not convinced that ability is enough to warrant the substantial price difference between these and other similar products.

Verdict

Good features, comfort and style – but the price is too high and production quality not high enough

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