‘Comfy, highquality and cool’
Tested by Ben Clarke for 3 years / 5000 miles I’ve reviewed a few of pairs of riding jeans for MCN now and, despite most looking pretty similar, there is a massive range of difference between them. Some use multiple layers to achieve a higher safety rating, which obviously improves their performance in a crash but also means they’re bulky looking, hot and heavy to wear. Others look pretty much like a normal pair of jeans but achieve this to the detriment of safety.
This pair from Oxford manages to walk the line between the two perfectly – they don’t look strange when you’re off the bike, keep you cool in hot weather but still retain an AA safety rating.
So, when I open my wardrobe to pick out gear before I go for a ride, these are usually the first pair I pick up. Over thousands of miles on various test bikes these have remained comfortable and aside from a little discolouration on the knees from crawling around securing chains and padlocks they look pretty much new.
They come with CE level 2 armour at the knees and hips although for most of the time I must confess I do without the slightly bulky hip armour. This isn’t a criticism of these jeans in particular, though, as I do the same in other jeans, too. The knee armour is sewn into a fixed position rather than the adjustable arrangement on some other pairs but they sit in the right place for me in my usual trouser size.
Riding a motorbike requires a certain level of flexibility (quite a high level on some sportsbikes) and the stretchy property of the denim used in these jeans means this is simple. Whether you’re swinging your leg over a tall bike seat, flexing to reach an awkward sidestand lug or unexpectedly chucking out a leg to steady yourself during slow speed manoeuvres these jeans have got you covered. It also makes them very comfortable over distance as the fabric doesn’t constrict at the joints and cause any numbness. Over a very long distance – a whole day of riding – you start to get a little saddle sore in sensitive places but that is true of every pair of denim jeans I’ve ever worn on a bike (including Matalan’s finest!).
Quality ★★★★★Value ★★★★★ www.oxfordproducts.com