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review

Vulpine Men’s Cycling Jeans

8
£100.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Well-made cycling-friendly jeans that feel great to ride in and look good on and off the bike
Weight: 
737g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Vulpine's Men's Cycling Jeans offer everything you could ever really expect with cycling-friendly denim. They fit well with good coverage at the back; they offer a bit of stretch, so as not to hinder movement; and they even have impressive comfort in the saddle with a seam-free diamond of material at the gusset. Just a little more reflectivity would have been nice.

  • Pros: Very comfy in the saddle, nice high waist at the back, fair price for cycling-specific jeans
  • Cons: Diamond gusset isn't reinforced, could do with more reflectivity

Vulpine has no shortage of stylish kit and I was super-impressed by the Softshell Harrington jacket I tested recently. These jeans follow in very much the same vein and are a classy example of cycling-specific denim.

> Buy these online here

Build quality is superb, with robust fabric and the kind of double-stitching one would hope to see. For cycling, there are a number of important specific touches, most noticeably the extra diamond of material at the gusset so you don't end up sitting on any irritating seams. There are also darts at the knee for easier pedalling, a raised waistband to prevent biker's bum, and a mini D-lock loop. A subtle reflective Vulpine print on the inside of the right leg means you benefit from a bit of extra visibility when you turn to turn-ups.

Vulpine Men's Jeans on bike.jpg

Rounding out the spec, these Vulpines feature two hip pockets, a watch pocket, two rear pockets and rather nice lining around the waist. If it matters to you – and I admit, I far prefer it to the zipped alternative – there's a button fly.

Performance

Fit, for me as a chunkier specimen, isn't quite as good as some of Vulpine's otherwise very flattering kit. These are slim fit-style jeans, so not naturally my bag, but they should keep the vast majority of svelte road.cc readers on trend and in comfort. That's purely an appearance thing, though. Thanks to the stretchy denim with its 2% elastane, wearing them is no hardship. In terms of sizing, they come up just a little on the large side.

Vulpine Men's Jeans back.jpg

Certainly, it's obvious that comfort in all situations is top of the agenda as in-the-saddle performance is excellent. The high waist really does keep your lower back well covered, and the darted knees and pliant fabric mean that pedalling comes just about as naturally as is possible with denim.

Vulpine Men's Jeans badge.jpg

Wind protection is generally good, although if you want to take advantage of that reflective turn-up, you might get chilly ankles. Rolled down, the legs are actually quite protective. There's no waterproofing, although Vulpine does have £140 rain trousers, which are styled a bit more like chinos, should you want that.

> Buyer's Guide: The best casual cycling kit for commuting

Overall, there's very little to criticise. Perhaps my biggest concern is longevity. Although there's that extra material at the gusset for comfort, that diamond isn't reinforced, so I expect it to wear through as quickly as normal jeans would.

My second question mark would be reflectivity. I'm always wary about making too much of reflectivity because one of the beauties of Vulpine's kit is that it doesn't scream 'cyclist', but perhaps a couple of reflective belt loops or more fulsome or obvious turn-up highlights wouldn't go amiss.

Vulpine Men's Jeans reflective turn-up.jpg

Value and conclusion

Considering you can bag yourself a pair of Levi's 501s from Costco for less than £50, I always feel that cycling-specific jeans, with their price tags often in the three digits, seem a little tough to swallow. But to be fair to Vulpine, with these costing 'just' £100 they actually represent a fairly middling way to buy some bike-friendly denim. We've tested no shortage of cycling jeans and you'll see that £100 sits pretty much in the middle of the available price range.

Compared to the Isadore Urban Jeans that I tested earlier in the year, the Vulpines seem equally comfortable, better made, and cost just two-thirds of the RRP. However, if we look at the Giro Transfer Jeans, you'll see that you can get almost equally suitable cycling denim (they don't have the gusset diamond, mind) for £79.99. So you'd have to conclude the Vulpines offer better than average if not absolutely stellar value.

> Read more road.cc reviews of cycling-specific trousers and jeans

With that in mind, it's fair to say these Vulpines are a really solid choice for anybody wanting jeans with a fair dose of cycling ability. They're fine off the bike, and very good on it. Even my question regarding their longevity is only theoretical: so far they haven't shown any signs of wear. Add in the fair price and fab Vulpine build quality, and they're a set of jeans that it's easy to recommend.

Verdict

Well-made cycling-friendly jeans that feel great to ride in and look good on and off the bike

road.cc test report

Make and model: Vulpine Men's Cycling Jeans

Size tested: XXL

Tell us what the product is for

These are cycling-friendly jeans aimed mostly at commuters and urban leisure riders. Vulpine says: "Superbly comfortable everyday slim fit cycling jeans that last. Comfortable, durable, high stretch cycling jeans with outstanding attention to detail. Don't sit on seams, our Diamond Gusset takes the pressure off. Reflective driveside turnup. The slim cut combined with stretch offers style and comfort."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Vulpine lists these features:

Diamond gusset – don't sit on seams that chafe and increase pressure.

Flattering, real world fit, that's comfortable on and off the bike

Reflective print on the driveside turn-up

Raised rear waistband helps keep jeans in place while riding

Knee darts allow ease of movement

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

I've been very impressed with Vulpine build quality and these are no different – they feel like a real quality product.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Excellent pedalling ability and quite good wind resistance.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

No specific problems but I think it's a slight shame the extra diamond gusset isn't made from harder-wearing material.

Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10

Fit was good. I'm not a massive fan of slim-fit jeans, but these adhere to that format perfectly. So if you like to go skinny, you'll like these.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
6/10

Felt just a little big. I needed to fit a belt for daily wear.

Rate the product for weight:
 
6/10

In terms of weight, they feel just a little lighter than a typical pair of jeans.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10

Their strong point – really comfy on and off the bike.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Better than average, but not a super-bargain.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Easy-peasy: turn inside out, wash at 30, tumble at low heat if you really want them back on you.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Really well – they look like normal jeans off the bike, but they feel like cycling kit on the bike.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Build quality. Maybe not quite a boutique product, but not far off.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Slim-fit shape. I'm not slim.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Compared to the Isadore Urban Jeans, the Vulpines seem just as comfortable, better made, and cost only two-thirds of the RRP. However, the Giro Transfer Jeans are almost equally suitable cycling denim (they don't have the gusset diamond, mind) but cost just £79.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

They look the part and perform well on the bike. A couple of areas could perhaps be improved upon, but there's very little to really criticise – they're very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 6'0  Weight: 16 stone

I usually ride: Islabikes Beinn 29  My best bike is: 25-year-old Dawes Galaxy

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mountain biking, leisure

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8 comments

Avatar
Rapha Nadal | 4 years ago
0 likes

I thought Vulpine went out of business?

Avatar
Xenophon2 replied to Rapha Nadal | 4 years ago
0 likes
Rapha Nadal wrote:

I thought Vulpine went out of business?

 

I think they went into insolvency but were then taken over, not sure.  Some of the early kit from Vulpine .1 is very good, then  quality went downhill and stopped purchasing the brand.  No idea about Vulpine .2 but I'm set with Assos and Santini gear, totally different style/audience.

Avatar
Freddy56 replied to Rapha Nadal | 4 years ago
5 likes
Rapha Nadal wrote:

I thought Vulpine went out of business?

They will make a movie about it someday. I invested in Vulpine, the owner squandered the raised cash on his ego and the whole thing went south.

Then Vulpine was bought in a fire sale by some boys who raised money off the back of Mango bikes which unknown to anyone else thay had run into the ground.

 

Now they make dad jeans for Jeremy Clarkson

Avatar
mike the bike replied to Freddy56 | 4 years ago
4 likes
Freddy56 wrote:

 Now they make dad jeans for Jeremy Clarkson  

 

I doubt even Clarkson, the most careless of dressers, would appear in public looking like this.

I am no fashion icon, my wardrobe is mostly full of fresh air to reflect an almost total lack of interest in clothes.  Every time I dress up to go somewhere special my lady gives me the up-and-down inspection, tuts furiously and averts her gaze in case I hurt her eyes.

But even I, sartorially challenged as I am, wouldn't be seen emerging from a burning building in these jeans. They are simply awful.  They are tight in all the wrong places, baggy in most of the others and the rear view resembles a drunk pissing against the wall.  Which is precisely what you will be doing with your hundred notes.

 

Avatar
Rick_Rude replied to mike the bike | 4 years ago
2 likes
mike the bike wrote:
Freddy56 wrote:

 Now they make dad jeans for Jeremy Clarkson  

 

I doubt even Clarkson, the most careless of dressers, would appear in public looking like this.

I am no fashion icon, my wardrobe is mostly full of fresh air to reflect an almost total lack of interest in clothes.  Every time I dress up to go somewhere special my lady gives me the up-and-down inspection, tuts furiously and averts her gaze in case I hurt her eyes.

But even I, sartorially challenged as I am, wouldn't be seen emerging from a burning building in these jeans. They are simply awful.  They are tight in all the wrong places, baggy in most of the others and the rear view resembles a drunk pissing against the wall.  Which is precisely what you will be doing with your hundred notes.

 

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Avatar
Jem PT | 4 years ago
0 likes

I've got some of these jeans and am pleased with them. They fit me well especially with the high rear waist but I can't see that the special gusset makes them any more comfortable than normal jeans and they still wear through on the 'saddle area'. Levis commuter jeans are almost as good but cheaper and strangely no longer available in the UK.

Avatar
Bmblbzzz | 4 years ago
0 likes

I hadn't given much thought about a diamond gusset, was happy riding round town in jeans, till I got a pair from Swrve. So much better for riding! Not just the lack of gusset seam, but the articulation. And definitely under £100. 

Haven't tried the Vulpine, so can't compare. 

Avatar
I love my bike | 4 years ago
0 likes

With so many saddles having a pressure-relief channel or cut-out, is a diamond gusset really that important any more?

 

Durable, casual outdoor/climbing jeans from the likes of Marmot, Prana etc compare well, with no cycling 'tax', so can be bought at the likes of GO Outdoors for comfortably under £100.

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