Reviewed by Kay Levesque
Tested => Wild Rye Freyah Bike Pant, Color: Olive You, Size 8
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Dates: 11/20 – 12/1
Plus free beanie with $200 purchase on WLW (11/26)
Let me preface this review by noting that I’ve hardly ever worn bike pants. When I lived in Colorado, my cold-weather strategy was knee socks and knee or leg warmers. If I got caught in the rain or hail, I just dealt with it. In Fruita, where I most recently lived, we didn’t ride wet trails because wet trails in Fruita are not rideable. In my new home of Bellingham, WA, wet trails are very much rideable, but you need pants! No doubt about it. You can’t stay inside when the weather is questionable, or you will be inside way too much. Riding is a great year-round option, but there will be splash, slop, muck, and ooze. It will fly in your face, up your pant legs, and all across your rear end. Pants. Must have.
I tested out the Wild Rye Freyah pants in my usual size 10, but they were too big. I’m seriously never a size 8, but in this case, I am. The pants run big. If you’re unsure, find a way to try them on. That said, size 8 is a perfect fit for me. I’m 5’7″ and 150 lbs with an athletic build.
First Impressions
I like a feminine look even when I’m out in the muck, trying to ride gnarly trails. Wild Rye does an excellent job of making bike clothes both functional and cute. The Freyah pants are lovely but not loaded with frilly flowers and pink splashes. They are adorable in a subtle watermark kind of way. In the photo showing the fabulous phone pocket, you can see the tone-on-tone green floral pattern. That pattern shows up across the back just below the belt loops and again along the cuffs, inside and out. I love the floral detail. I also love that the color is Olive You. Very nice. The pants come in black as well. You can find sizes 0 to 18.
The Techy Details
These pants feel durable and abrasion-resistant. I haven’t been abraded in them yet, so I can’t say with 100% certainty, but they did keep me dry when the world wanted me wet. The stretchy fabric allows for excellent mobility, while the knee area is reinforced to protect against crashing, grabby blackberry bushes, or rubbing from your knee pads.
The pants keep the chill out, but I didn’t overheat while climbing. Truly, you don’t need a heavy layer to ride in cooler weather–just something to keep the wind out. These pants have a more breathable fabric on the back of the legs, which explains why I didn’t overheat in them. The front of the pants doesn’t use breathable fabric because you want to keep the wind out, and it’s coming at you from the front.
The cuffs were long for my leg length, but they rolled up really well. There is a natural line between the velcro panels, allowing for a one-velcro or two-velcro roll up for a dialed-in length. The cuffs are also narrow so that they won’t get caught in your drivetrain, and when you roll them up, they stay rolled up.
I rolled the cuffs to the inside, but now that I look closer, I see rolling them outside would work well too. That would explain why the floral pattern carries through on the inside of the pants legs–so that when you roll them up, you still see the pattern. Nice touch. Above the velcro on the cuffs is a generous zipper that allows pulling knee pads on without taking the pants off. Very handy.
The two side pockets are roomy and well-positioned. And belt loops! I like to wear a belt for a snug fit although, in the case of these pants, the fit is such that I don’t actually need a belt. Options are good though. So we’ve got pockets, we’ve got belt loops, we’ve got a bit of femininity. We also have a loop in back for tossing the pants on a hook in the garage to dry out after a ride. Don’t bring those dirty pants inside! These are my new favorite pants, and so I didn’t throw them in the laundry basket after a splishy-splashy ride. I hung them on a hook. Lo and behold, the next day I shook them off, went for a chilly but drier ride, and I swear it looks like I washed the pants. The muck mysteriously fell off. I can keep wearing them until laundry day! It’s not that I’m lazy and couldn’t add another laundry day; the reality is that your clothes will last longer if you wash them just a little less often. I’m all about clothes lasting longer.
Bottom Line
The tag that came on the pants says it all: Bomb-proof durability with a flattering fit. I couldn’t agree more.
The Company
For Women, By Women! Certified B Corporation. Committed to an ethical, sustainable supply chain. All really great.