Hasta La Ideas

Clothing brand Levi’s is introducing garments adapted for commuter cyclists, including jeans featuring storage for a bike lock.

The Commuter by Levi’s® concept goes on sale this week and features jeans and a jacket – based on the classic 511 and Trucker Jacket respectively – customised with water- and odour- resistant stretch fabric.

Cuffs on the jacket, which features a pocked for an iPod, are trimmed with reflective strips (above).

The jeans feature a utility waist band that holds a D-lock and a strengthened crotch to prevent tearing.

Here’s some more info from Levi’s:

THE LEVI’S® BRAND INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE MEN’S COMMUTER CYCLING PRODUCTS
The Levi’s® 511™ Commuter Skinny and Trucker Jacket for Cyclists Hits Stores This Week

SAN FRANCISCO (JULY 11, 2011) – The Levi’s® brand is proud to introduce Commuter by Levi’s® – clothing designed and optimized specifically for the needs of the urban commuter cyclist.

Arriving in select Levi’s® Stores this week, the 511™ and Trucker Commuter products integrate an array of features that address cyclists performance, convenience, safety, mobility and protection needs while maintaining the durability and classic styling that people expect from the Levi’s® brand.

The launch of these products builds upon the Levi’s® brand’s commitment to innovation while tying back to the new global ‘Go Forth’ campaign which is a rally cry to create positive change in the world.

Erik Joule, senior vice president of Levi’s® Men’s Merchandising & Design says, “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.”

Built around the 511™ Skinny Jean, the Levi’s® brand’s most popular skinny fit for men, the 511™ Commuter features fabric and construction upgrades that increase mobility and durability, while protecting cyclists from the potential hazards of their daily commute.  The 511™ Commuter comes in two styles – a full length and cropped version – and both denim and non-denim fabrics.  The series also includes a Commuter version of the classic Levi’s® Trucker Jacket, an iconic work wear style that was first introduced in 1962 and has now been updated for the modern worker who demands performance and style on and off the road.

All Commuter by Levi’s® products blend form and function by utilizing the most cutting-edge performance apparel technologies.  The Levi’s® brand partnered with Swiss-based Schoeller Technologies AG to be the first to introduce NanoSphere® treatment into denim fabrication.  NanoSphere® technology makes denim fabric water resistant, dirt repellant and more durable.

The Levi’s® brand also consulted with technology-expert Clariant, a global supplier of specialty effects for textile, in order to implement the invisible but powerful technology that makes Commuter by Levi’s® clothing so unique.  All Commuter products feature Sanitized™ hygiene function, which provides protection against odors for long-lasting freshness and comfort, and 3M Scotchlite™ which subtly integrates 300,000 candle watt reflectivity into key areas of the garments.

In addition to these performance technologies, the Levi’s® brand also leveraged its own insights and superior construction techniques to make their new cycling products more commuter-friendly.  Both the Commuter by Levi’s® Trucker Jacket and the 511™ Commuter Skinny feature just the right amount of stretch to increase mobility while maintaining their signature fit.  The 511™ Commuter Skinny also features a raised back yolk that minimizes lower back gap, a reinforced crotch gusset that protects against ripping in this high stress area, double back layer pockets, a U-lock storage system and fabric reinforcements throughout.  The Trucker has extra utility pockets and modifications to the sleeves, cuffs and tail that enable more comfortable movement while cycling.

“As an avid cyclist myself, I am confident this line has all of the key cycling-specific performance features cyclists value, but haven’t been able to find in other lifestyle clothing options,” added Joule.

Commuter by Levi’s® clothing can be found at select independent bike shops in major metro cities as well as select Levi’s® Stores and at www.levi.com beginning this July. The line will also be available in select Urban Outfitters beginning in August.  The 511™ Commuter Skinny and 511™ Commuter Cropped Skinny retail for $78 and the Commuter Trucker Jacket retails for $128.To coincide with the introduction of the new Commuter by Levi’s® collection, the Levi’s® brand is partnering with Urban Outfitters  to launch the “Get in the Saddle” bike shop tour. The bike shop will go to where cyclists are and create temporary resource centers around the country complete with a bicycle tuning center, a custom commuter tailoring shop and a bicycle photo-booth. The tour kicks off in early August in New York City and ends in Portland in late September with stops in major cities along the way.

Commuter by Levi’s® 511™ Skinny product features:

• Utility waist band – specially designed for u-lock storage
• Higher back rise – providing additional coverage when riding
• NanoSphere® Technology – applied to make fabric water resistant, dirt repellant and durable
• 3M Reflectivity – 3M Scotchlite™ Reflective Tape on interior cuff offers high level of visibility
• Sanitized® built-in hygiene function – for long-lasting protection against odors
• Reinforced Fabric – in crotch, back pockets and belt loop for durability
• Performance Stretch Fabric – more stretchable for added mobility and comfort

Commuter by Levi’s® Trucker Jacket product features:

• NanoSphere® Technology – water resistant, dirt repellant, durable and protective
• 3M Reflectivity – 3M Scotchlite™ Reflective Tape integrated on waistband adjusters and concealed for off the bike utility
• Sanitized® built-in hygiene function – for long-lasting protection against odors
• iPod front pocket – for modern convenience
• Slight Drop tail – provides additional coverage
• Touring Pockets – easy to reach rear storage with low-profile pockets
• Accordion Sleeves – additional fabric that expands when in the riding stance for increased mobility
• Angled front pockets – for easy access in all modes
• Elongated cuffs – covers partial hand when riding

ABOUT THE LEVI’S® BRAND
The Levi’s® brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool.  Since their invention by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873, Levi’s® jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world – capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi’s® brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry.  This range of leading jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style.  For more information about the Levi’s® brand, its products and stores, visit www.levi.com.

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Juxtapose by Gluejeans	Plastic Polo for Lacoste by Michael Young	Ski suits by Willy Bogner

Bicycles are displayed in backlit boxes at this Barcelona bike store designed by architect Joan Sandoval.

Called Pave, the store includes a library where shoppers can drink coffee and read magazines on cycling, lounge where they can watch important races on TV and showers where they can refresh after training.

More retail projects on Dezeen »

More about cycling on Dezeen »

Branding for the store by Marcel Batlle, who provided the description below:

The project started with the owner of the shop, a bicycle and cycling enthusiast called Javier Maya, 9 months ago.

The architecture project is made by Joan Sandoval.

There is a paved entry, making reference to the name of the shop and the classic bicycle race. The shop is 700m2 with lots of space where you can enjoy all the products.

The idea is to offer much more than just a cycling shop. We have showers for use after training, a nice TV to watch Giro, Le Tour, Paris Roubaix…

There’s a little library where you can drink good coffee while you read books and magazines about cycling.

The shop is focussed on road bicycles.

See also:

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Neo Collection by Made.com	LDN by Ross Lovegrove	2010 Puma Bikes by Biomega

The ultimate socks and gloves for pushing the limits when cycling the city

by Scott Cooke

As an avid city cyclist and man constantly on the move, finding accessories that can keep up with my lifestyle is a challenge within itself. Although I’d heard good things about the brand, I was reluctant to try DeFeet socks and gloves at first, due to their ultra sporty appearance. But after three weeks of wearing them through my daily urban triathlon, I am amazed by how useful they really are.

Made from CoolMax performance fabric, the Dura gloves are the perfect weight for riding my bike. The finger grips are not only great for switching gears, but they function so well I can easily grab stuff out of my pocket, mash buttons on my Blackberry and most impressively, pull credit cards out of my wallet all without taking the gloves off. The extremely comfortable fit improves with incessant wear, and the bright neon color helps keep me visible when signaling through NYC traffic.

The machine-washable Dura gloves come in 4 sizes and cost $15 from DeFeet

Cushioned in all the right spots, DeFeet’s $12 Cyclismo socks actually do help with my pedal pushing, balance and stability. They are comfortable, higher than an ankle sock and lower than a basketball sock, and they don’t grab manly leg hair. I also like the colorways, with the red and blue stripes and white base they keep a classic look suitable for casual days at the office.

Defeet is a world-class cycling company founded by a group of cyclists to meet the needs of road warriors everywhere. Their collection of socks, gloves and other bike accessories all sell online from the DeFeet website.

A new photo blog turns its back on traditional street style portraiture

Casting the lens on NYC’s backside, Downtown From Behind stands out from among the fashion-blog mayhem for its altogether unconventional spin on this increasingly standard form of style photography. The newly-launched site showcases back views of bicycle riders on the streets of lower Manhattan, creating “an environmental portrait for each street and its subject.”

The upshot of photographer Bridget Fleming’s effort to document the 200-plus streets of Manhattan located below 14th street, Downtown From Behind showcases an eclectic cast of individuals ranging from local architects and designers to stylists, decorators, musicians, artists, hoteliers, chefs—anyone who has an impact on their specific downtown neighborhood, be it through their profession or just by living in the area, Fleming notes.

Despite her subjects’ faces not being visible, Fleming’s particular brand of photography is revelatory in an entirely different way—the surrounding streetscapes not only convey a sense of where they are, but their belongings also tend to indicate where they’re headed. The approach further reinforces the connection between subject and destination, such as the shot of designer Frank Alexander balancing a massive bouquet of flowers over his shoulder, or chef Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde captured with a whole baby pig strapped across his back as he pedals his way to his soon-to-open restaurant, The Dutch. The compositions are particular and make a lasting impression without falling back on devices of typical figurative work.

Downtown From Behind also encourages “green awareness through cycling,” partnering with philanthropic organization Little Ambitious, who lends support to young inventors and designer using sustainable processes.

For extreme sports enthusiasts in search of the utmost protection year-round, Bern recently developed a carbon fiber version of their stylish Macon, Baker and Watts styles. Taking advantage of the high-tech material, the extremely lightweight carbon shell withstands powerful punches.

The matte carbon models are available either as an EPS-certified helmet (the standard protection level for action sports) or as a Hard Hat—an ultra-ventilated helmet that uses resilient Brock foam technology to survive multiple impacts. Bern offers appropriate sizes for men and women, and their simple snap-in upgrade system easily transitions helmets from summer to winter sports.

The new shells sell from Bern’s online shop or outdoor sports stores worldwide for about $215.