When Chandel Bodner launched the Indiegogo for RYB (short for Ride Your Bike) three years ago, women’s “bike life” cycling clothing was nearly non-existent. While larger brands would dedicate full lines to men’s casual collections with full lines of casual pants, shorts knickers, and denim, these brands would offer a single pant or nothing at all to accommodate women and their unique needs on the bike. With women’s non-technical pants being hobbled from a functional standpoint with short or cosmetic (ie. no) front pockets, small rear pockets, and thin, non-durable fabrics, it was common to wear through a pair of pants on a bike within weeks. And as far as fit, women would find themselves struggling to fit athletic calves, glutes, and thighs into standard clothing (speaking from personal experience).
RYB launched via Indiegogo three years ago with the goal to create a durable, functional pant that would address the unique challenges in fit for the unique muscle structure of the woman cyclist- a product that the women’s urban riding community jumped at. Finally, bike life pants designed by women who ride and who understand the urgency and relevance of the product! At the Philly Bike Expo this year, RYB shared their new line, with a refined designed based off of rider feedback and an improved logistics for product delivery. It features ultra-functional pants and shorts in several compelling styles (with more rumored on the way), all made in the USA…
The beauty of RYB pants lies in the features. The back of both the pant and short sits higher up the back of the rider than typical, offering better rear coverage while keeping the integrated U-Lock loop higher on the rider’s back.
All belt loops are reinforced for durability in use. All pockets are actually functional- in that not only are they pockets, but they are deep enough to actually put your whole hands into.
The most interesting feature of the pant is probably the proprietary seat gusset. If you’ve ever had the awkward situation of having the rear of a pair of pants explode while in use, you immediately see the necessity of such a feature. The gusset is cross-grained, meaning that the seat resists tearing in the most critical areas. The gusset also moves the seams away from the saddle area entirely for improved wear and better comfort while riding.
The pants are long but designed to be cuffed with a 3M reflective stripe on the inner seam (a feature shared with the shot). The lower leg on the pant is tapered to keep the material from catching in chain rings, but with ample room for muscular calves.
The current line is available in a lightweight (though durable) dark denim and a heavier weight lighter denim, in pants for $145 MSRP and shorts at $110 MSRP. Though there is a single “feminine” style fit currently, new fits are on the way. The product is designed in Toronto, fabric is made in North Carolina, product is sewn in Los Angeles and distributed from Kansas to ensure fast delivery across the US. The line as described above is available for shipment now.
