A new Toronto startup that makes cycling jeans for women is telling Toronto mayor Rob Ford that if it succeeds in meeting its crowdfunding goal, the company will “personally fit and deliver” a pair of RYB Denim jeans to the Mayor.
It’s a jab at Ford’s notoriously cold-shouldered approach to cyclists in his city. In 2009 he called cyclists a “pain in the ass to the motorists.”
And so the jean-making startup, RYB (“Ride Your Bike”) Denim, is taking a clever approach to PR, calling out the mayor for his long-held platform of creating more jobs and helping the local economy.
“If we succeed we’ll potentially be creating hundreds of jobs in this city. We want the Mayor to know that supporting a cycling inspired company means more good jobs in this city,” said cofounder Chandel Bodner.
And the hipster startup is proving that being cool pays off too: with 34 days left in its Indiegogo campaign, Bodner and fellow cofounder (and Modrobes founder) Steven Sal Debus have already raised $15,277.
The pants in question are a comfortable, cycling-friendly denim jean specifically designed for women who ride bikes. They feature a unique seamless, seat gusset, moisture wicking denim and “technical features” to make cycling a more comfortable and fashionable experience for women. They’ll sell for $149 retail value.
In this nice video of several hip-looking women riding their bikes, Bodner said that the startup consulted cyclists from around the globe. “The attributes that we have with our jeans have been consulted with on all continents and we’ve been getting feedback from everywhere.”
The idea for the pants came from Bodner’s frustrations in seeking out an appropriate pant for women using cycling as their main form of transportation. The RYD Denim company claims that most jeans wear through in the seat and saddle area (usually very quickly) and the standard centre seam placement in the seat makes them uncomfortable to sit on.
More over, “the back rise is generally too low and can expose you lower back..and even your butt..not good! There is not enough room designed for the movement of your thigh and calf muscles, and your knees. They lack other features that are benefits as you ride, like deeper pockets, a lock holder, a key holder, pocket placement, and reflective seam piping,” reads the crowdfunding page.
The startup’s denim solves those issues, making it a “a one-of-a-kind, unique, double-reinforced seat gusset specifically designed to eliminate saddle wear.”
While Ford doesn’t seem like the biggest cycling enthusiast around, it certainly will be interesting to see if this story gets more coverage among other media outlets, and if the cofounders of RYB Denim will finally get to see the mayor in the fancy cycling jeans.