Here’s what the manufacturer say’s

NEW for summer 2020 – Engineered to be perfect on and off the bike, the new and improved Gravel Shorts are our most versatile and lightest shorts to date. Delivering 4-way stretch articulation, an adjustable waist strap and a more comfortable yet tailored fit, the Gravel shorts bridge the gap between casual and performance.

The new and improved Gravel Shorts, our most versatile and lightest shorts to date, are engineered to be perfect on and off the bike. Size specific with the addition of an internal micro-adjustable waist cinch, stretch articulation and silicon grip on the low back for the perfect stay in place fit. Utilizing an exceptionally breathable, lightweight nylon-spandex blend which delivers amazing touch and a 4X the durability of competing polyester products. The Gravel Shorts provides 4-way stretch articulation which delivers a more comfortable, yet tailored fit and feel, while thigh pockets can be used as vents offering enhanced cooling when temperatures rise. These shorts will deliver whatever adventure lies ahead.

Here’s my view after 200 miles riding in them on both gravel and MTB bikes. 76 miles + 25-mile gravel rides and a 100-mile XC on my singlespeed hard tail.

My pair are a 38” waist which is probably 2” too big, the reason behind this was 1. They are a tailored fit, and 2. In most riding kit I’m a L or XL so using this train of thought I went a lil bigger. This isn’t an issue as they have an adjustable waist and the gripper works well. I wear my jersey’s over the top, I don’t tuck owt in so you can’t see the bunching and it is not noticeable on or off the bike. They are comfy to wear and I didn’t think that the tailored fit was ‘that’ tailored.

The shorts are light in weight, have a nice feel to them and look smart for casual off the bike wear, so would be great down the pub etc.

One the bike the material moves in the way I expect a cycling short to do and they allow for free movement and I haven’t had any snagging moments on the saddle. They do come up a little short above the knee, my bib shorts where visible when riding, this for me isn’t much of a problem when riding gravel, but for MTB I’d prefer them a little longer to hide the top of any protection I may be wearing. This is a personal choice and doesn’t take away from the way the shorts feel or move.

I always wear quality bib shorts (Endura Pro) especially when doing long gravel or XC rides and the shorts glide over these with no friction or snagging.

I’ve never really thought about how warm a set of shorts are but these seem fine for UK riding. The 76 mile gravel ride was around 12c and the 100 mile MTB ride was 26c, at no point did I feel too cold or too hot, I used the vent zips and didn’t feel much of a difference, then again I never do.

So, from a styling point I like them, though I’d use them for more relaxed general MTB riding, gravel rides or nipping out in them, for comfort they tick all the boxes, they fit well and move nicely. From a practical side I found the pockets accommodating and spot on for my needs. I own a Samsung A71 with 6.71” screen size and it’s carried around in a leather fold around case which contains my bank cards. This fitted into the open side pockets with ease and it did not impede my ride, it didn’t move around and when hitting a few small (ish) jumps stayed put. There are times when I like to take the odd photo or purchase the odd coffee or bit of cake. Being able to access my phone without the hassle of removing a pack (bum or back) is important to me and these shorts were spot on for this.

The only downside I have after 200 miles is that the material where my bum is in contact with my saddle has started to bobble, plus the stitching in that area is starting to fray, not much but I wasn’t expecting this to happen over such a short mileage. I do a lot of longer 60 mile plus rides, both gravel and MTB, which is why I wear good quality bib shorts. These rides mean a lot of time actually pedalling so I’m concerned over this and will keep an eye on it.

To summarise.
Styling off bike 5 / 5
Styling on bike 3 / 5
Comfort 5 / 5
Practicality 5 / 5
Durability 3 / 5

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