Published by Andrew on 11 December 2020
Richard Peace reviews BAM 73 Zero slim leg bamboo jeans to see if they work for the rider both on and off the bike.
BAM 73 zero slim leg bamboo jeans
RRP £85 from Bamboo Clothing
I’ve been wearing these narrow fit – but stretchy – jeans from BAM Bamboo Clothing while riding around in some chilly autumn UK weather for the past few weeks and love them.
I wanted to try them out as I like wearing everyday clothes while cycling, but at the same time I want clothes to be suitable for the movement and exercise you get with cycling. These stretchy jeans caught my eye as they were advertised as being suitable for rock climbing, so there was a good chance they would be comfy for cycling.
They are made of 74% organic cotton, 25% bamboo viscose and 1% elastane. This combination, along with the cut, makes them tight fitting but with plenty of stretch; they feel almost like tracksuit bottoms when cycling. Despite that, they look pretty much like regular ‘skinny’ jeans.
There’s plenty of room in the two front and two rear pockets and there’s a small coin/key-style pocket on the front too. They are zipped at the front with a single button fastening (the button is unscrewable so it can be recycled) and there are also belt loops.
Despite the leg-hugging fit, they are very comfortable both on and off the bike. There is also enough stretch in the jeans to accommodate a base layer underneath, so they feel extra warm even when the temperature plummets, as it has done on a couple of occasions. By contrast, in warmer weather they don’t feel overly hot or heavy.
They come in sizes 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38 and 40 inches to fit waist sizes between 76cm and 103cm. My only plea would be for a range of leg lengths – especially for the short and stocky like me as I ended up ordering on the large size so as to fit my bulky legs but then needed to roll up the bottoms of the jeans as the leg length was too long.
Price-wise they sit in the middle of other stretchy jeans I spotted on the internet. My one caveat would be that it's difficult to comment extensively on the value for money without wearing them for at least several more months to see how they stand up to the wear and tear of a full season of winter cycling.
All I can say for the moment is that they look well made and the stitching looks solid. I can also say that the company’s base layer I tested back in 2018 is still going strong.
BAM espouse their sustainable credentials, saying their organic cotton and bamboo needs "no additional irrigation, saving thousands of litres of water. That classic indigo colour not only looks good, it means no bleach washing is needed." The cotton and bamboo elements also do not require pesticides. On a wider front, BAM have a goal to be impact positive by 2030.
BAM 73 zero slim leg bamboo jeans
RRP £85 from Bamboo Clothing
About our reviewer
Richard Peace is the author of the official English-language guidebook to the Veloscenie Paris-Mont-Saint Michel bike route and the Sustrans guide to the London-Paris Avenue Verte. He also contributes to A to B magazine, Bike Europe and Eurobike Show Daily. You can see all Richard's books here.
