As New Yorkers continue to debate the value of all the new bike lanes that continue to pop up in the city, Levi's is launching a new denim collection aimed at those who have turned to the bicycle to get themselves where they need to go on a daily basis. Available in select Levi's and Urban Outfitters stores this month, the Commuter by Levi's 511 jeans and specially redesigned Trucker Jacket have been subtly infused with a plethora of features, both high and low tech, meant to improve performance, convenience, safety, mobility and protection for bike commuters without their having to turn to athletic performance gear. Senior vice president of Men's Merchandising and design, Erik Joule tells us,
“This product was born from innovation, classic American style and a personal passion for cycling – it’s about designing product for people who ride bikes, by people who ride bikes. We knew that our jeans were already being worn by urban cyclists across the country, including our own designers. We listened to what they wanted and created a product with performance traits for biking that also functions as daily street wear.”
Levi's designers took the brand's most popular men's skinny jean, the 511, and adapted it in both cropped and full-length versions. Why a skinny jean, you ask? Well, it's for cyclists who are usually skinny because they cycle everywhere. It's certainly making us think harder about getting a bike. Also, nobody needs baggy jeans flopping around when they are on a bike. Anyway, the jean has been reconceived with various cutting edge technologies that add stretch, of course, but also repel dirt and water and add resiliency. Special hygiene functions will protect against odors and that's shiny 3M Scotchlite you see in the picture above binding the seam edges for reflectivity and placed in strategic places. A raised back yoke will keep the waistline from falling under the equator while pedaling (no coin slots, please), and reinforced crotch gussets will protect that particular high-stress area. The Trucker Jacket has been adjusted in similar ways with extra pockets, accordion sleeves and other modifications engineered to make it more suitable for cycling. (The fine folks at Cool Hunting were lucky enough to test drive the line a couple of months ago, before it was officially announced. See more pictures HERE) With all those extra added features, the jeans are still retailing for only $78, and the jacket for $128.
To promote the line, Levi's and Urban Outfitters are teaming up to launch the “Get in the Saddle” Bike Shop Tour hitting major U.S. cities starting with New York this August. The mobile shop will include a bicycle tuning center, a custom commuter tailoring shop and that cycling necessity, a bicycle photo-booth. It winds up its journey in Portland, Oregon in late September, so if you aren't in New York, keep an eye out for it in a city near you.