19.05.12
Gusset. Go on, say it with me. It is not, let's face it, the most inviting word in the English language. But for cyclists who want to wear jeans (which includes most of us at one time or another), it's a very welcome concept. Normal jeans don't have one, you see; specially tailored cycling jeans like these from Swrve do. And a gusset (say it again) transforms a usually restrictive item of clothing into one that moves and performs much better .
Swrve was, if I'm correct, the first manufacturer on to the UK market with cycling jeans, and this winter they're offering both a regular cut and a new skinny fit. Both are now made with a new denim from tough-as-old-boots material manufacturer Cordura, which the company claims is hard-wearing, abrasion resistant and contains some stretch. In the month or so I've been testing them, the first two are difficult to gauge - but Cordura are better known for their bag canvases, which last for ever, so I'll give them that. All the important seams are triple-stitched, too, so it's fair to say these jeans are pretty robust. As for the stretch, that's more obvious. Yes, they do stretch a bit, while still feeling and looking like a lightweight denim. Which means that, combined with the gusset (Wikipedia: "A triangular or rhomboid piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing"), they give you glorious freedom of movement to swing your legs in any direction you care to choose. Or indeed, pedal.
Source: road.cc