BUYING RIDING JEANS
Bin those old Wranglers and invest in the latest riding denim.
ABRASION RESISTANCE
Abrasion-resistant European Standard materials EN 13595-1, are tested which to has two levels. For Level 1, jeans must survive for five seconds on an 18mph abrasion test. To achieve Level 2, they must trump seven seconds. Draggin’s Roomoto MR7+ material is a Level 2 performer. A new CE standard – EN 17092 – is arriving soon with a new five-level rating: C, B, A, AA, AAA. Expect it in 2018, but brands such as Bull-it are already scoring products with it. Their SP120 SR6 fabric is AAA.
ARMOUR
Knee rather jeans purchasing. armour come than with abrasion The is for armour a set, impact resistance. but will check protection have Most when an bike EN 1621-1 specified. rating, Level with 2 is either better: Level its force 1 or 2 transference is exactly half that required to pass Level 1. You can buy replacement armour to upgrade or equip your jeans: Forcefield do Isolator Level 2 armour sets for £26. Most jeans make armour insertion a faff: roll back hem, feed it up the leg. However, Knox jeans have a zip on the inside leg making armour easy to remove when off the bike.
BUNG IT IN THE WASH!
Most the label material rest first. motorcycle of Covec Owners your claim wash, jeans of abrasion-resistant that but can read aramid be tossed the fibres, garment’s in with like Kevlar, high flex are fatigue damaged – the by loss detergents of strength and due have to folding or bending. Despite this, no manufacturers stipulate a ‘best by’ date for their jeans, so take responsibility for checking your own kit. Fraying seams or rips in fabric mean it’s time for a new pair.
ZIP INTO JACKET
Some brands now offer belts that zip your jeans into your leather jacket – just like two-piece leathers. However, designs do differ: the £70 Rev’it Safeway zips to a jacket using its short section zip, while the £35 Dainese Union is held in place by weaving a conventional belt through it and the trouser loops. This means it gives you a full-circumference zip. RST’S Zip belt is just £13 and works like the Union.
FIT
Most riding jeans are baggy, which means in-built armour could twist out of place in a crash. This is a bigger issue with baggy jeans such as the £123 Knox Richmond than skinny things such as Draggin’s £196 Twista. Make sure knee armour doesn’t sit too high or too low. Some jeans come with adjustable-height knee pockets – the Klim K Fifty 2 has Velcro chambers in the pocket that undo to drop armour lower. The safest option is to wear limb tubes. Forcefield’s Action Shorts (£80) and Pro Pants (£140) both hold armour in place with breathable fabric.
COVERS AND LAYERS
denim Most material inner outer. riding with layer like Jeans the jeans aramid of inner, come abrasion-resistant are dual fibre, part-lined either layer: and fullylined the an or patched. £236 Fully-lined Draggin Holeshot jeans such give as more the protection, but cost more than patched offerings such as ARMR’S Moto M799 Tron. Brands are now doing single-skin jeans, with the abrasion-resistant material woven into the denim outer. The result feels more like a normal pair of jeans. Check out the £250 Bull-it Stealth One Skin with Covec yarn.