Osloh Lane Jean

Osloh's Lane Jeans are very high quality, and have a wealth of bike-specific features. In spite of that they're not obviously bikey, and you can wear them out and about without getting a second glance. They're comfortable both on and off the bike and fitted very well. They're not without their issues, but they're easy to recommend and currently my favourite jeans.

• Pros: High-quality construction, comfortable on and off the bike
• Cons: Pockets aren't quite right, double button fly doesn't work well with a belt

The Lane jeans are available in either black cavalry twill or the indigo denim we have here, which is a 12oz fabric with 1% elastane. They're noticeably heavier than the Resolute Bay J1 jeans I've also tested and the fabric isn't as stretchy, but it's stretchy enough, and the jeans fitted very well.

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They're a straight leg cut but a reasonably slim one, so you're not likely to have too many problems with the leg fouling the chain.

There's a belt-and-braces solution if you do, though: a tab at the ankle allows you to cinch the leg to make it tighter on the drive side, and there's a reinforced panel on the leg where the chain might rub.

Like most jeans designed to be comfortable on the bike, the Lane jeans avoid a big seam junction in the crotch area. Unlike any others I've tried, though, they have an actual pad. It's not very thick, just a bit of quilted material sewn in, but it does make a difference: these jeans are the comfiest I've tried on the bike, especially when you're riding something with a more race-orientated saddle.

Osloh says they have a 'bacteria and water resistant coating'; they're not too bad in the rain, but they are jeans, and once they get wet they stay wet for a long time. The jeans have internal drying loops for hanging them up should you get caught in a downpour.

> Buyer's Guide: Best casual cycling gear for commuting

The jeans have a button fly, which I'm happy enough with. There's a double button strap at the waistband, and the second button is very close to the front belt loop, which makes a belt a tight fit; the belt presses down on the second button which can be an issue. Moving the belt loop away from the fly or doing away with the second button would fix it.

The Lane jeans have a lot of pockets. There's a deep one in the front at either side, and a smaller coin pocket above that. At the back there are two deep rear pockets, with another smaller pocket sewn inside.

The jeans also have a phone pocket on the right hand side at the front, but it's really not big enough; my Google Pixel 2 sticks a long way out and I wouldn't be comfortable riding with it in that pocket. It sits fine in the front pocket anyway, so the extra pocket is a bit redundant.

I found the rear pockets a little too deep at times, so I was sitting on my wallet when in the saddle. A few tweaks would improve matters.

Neither the fly nor the pockets are a deal breaker here. I've got on very well with these jeans, and they're currently my favourites for commuting, or just general wear. They're comfortable and well cut, the material is durable (much more so than the Resolute Bay jeans, which are starting to tire a little now) and they're the best I've found for time in the saddle. They could be improved, but I'd be happy to recommend them. At about £116 including delivery they're not cheap, but then neither were your favourite Lycra shorts, were they?

Verdict

Hardwearing cycle-friendly jeans that look good on and off the bike