Vulpine Men’s Omnia Cycling Jeans

The Vulpine Men's Omnia Cycling Jeans are comfortable on and off the bike, practical, and fitted me very well – in fact I found myself wearing them more than my regular jeans.

The first thing to note about them is that they don't look any different to a normal pair of jeans, at first glance, anyway. In my opinion this is 50 per cent of the problem that companies face when making jeans for cycling – people wear them because they don't look like cycling kit; so they need to include all the features that make them practical for cycling while also minimising signs that that's what they're for.

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Just below the knees there are two more seams than usual, there's an extra panel on the crotch, and on the waistband, an additional loop. Aside from these relatively subtle elements, there is no way to tell that these are cycling-specific jeans, and unless you're looking very carefully you wouldn't notice.

There are several elements that separate cycling jeans from regular jeans, and one of the most important is freedom of movement. The Omnias manage this through the 98% denim and 2% elastane fabric mix, which helps them keep their shape well like non-cycling jeans, but also have some stretch that lets them move comfortably with the pedal stroke, with little resistance.

Helping with comfort is the diamond gusset, with its soft cotton inner. This single panel runs across the crotch to midway down your thighs, removing the high concentration of seams and thick material you get in this sensitive area on regular jeans, making these much more comfortable to ride in.

It also adds a robustness to the jeans, as there is less rubbing and abrasion against seams, so they should last longer than regular ones when used for cycling.

Another feature that helps with comfort on the bike is that the outer leg seam, the tightest and most uncomfortable when riding, is lined with cotton on the inside.

Putting these elements to the test on my 16-mile round trip between home and office, I didn't ever find myself wishing I had worn something else. Even some of the issues you can find with jeans, such as them slipping down, isn't much of a problem as these have a relatively high waistband.

There's also a handy lock loop on the waistband – unnoticeable to the layman…

The jeans also have reflective piping on the outside of the back pockets. This is very subtle compared to some cycling-specific jeans, but it lights up when caught in car headlights. You also get reflective detailing on the lower leg when it's rolled up.

One question I have about the jeans is their sustainability, as Vulpine doesn't make any claims about this. Personally, if I were to consider buying these jeans I would want some indication that they were environmentally friendly.

With an RRP of £100 they're pretty much bang in the middle of other cycling jeans we've tested over the last few years. The Osloh Lane jeans Dave tested a couple of years ago were £116, while Endura's Urban jeans that Iwein tested in 2018 came in at £89.99.

> Best casual cycling commuter wear – check out our buyer’s guide

Overall, I think these Vulpine jeans are great; they look good, they're comfortable, and they're proving robust. The only thing I'd like is some information about their environmental impact before I parted with my cash.

Verdict

Very good jeans with subtle cycling features, comfortable on the bike and off