Why is this man holding a soccer ball, and what does this have to do with riding bikes? Well, in the summertime I’m always looking for ways to wear less, and to do that sometimes I look outside the bike clothing space, because bike stuff tends to be over-built for hot days. These are my new go-to trail riding pants, the Adidas Tiro 23 3/4 pants, and I absolutely love them.
Of course, I have the ones the Welsh national football team wears.
They’re essentially a pair of tapered, lightweight soccer pants with pockets and drawstring waist that are long enough to just cover your knees. The pockets zip and they’re close-fitting enough that the stuff you put in them, in my case my phone, doesn’t knock around. Because the fabric is so slippery (it’s made not to chafe during a long training session), it doesn’t work its way down your body like many pairs of baggies do.
These shorts, because that’s what they are, just stay put.
I like this longer iteration, because it gives me some protection against passing shrubbery and the nefarious intentions of my saddle. They’re also long enough to overlap a pair of knee pads, which is nice. Also, shorter shorts will ride up on you. These don’t.
They breathe better than any cycling shorts I’ve ever owned, and they’re cheap, $45 (but on sale for $36 right now). Sizing runs from XS to 3XL so most bodies should be able to find a pair that works.
These have piqued my interest as a resolute schpants fan. Does the fit run true to size as I am in b/t and wondering whether to size up or down?
Raymondo, I’m a tried and true medium, and these are “form fitting” on me in that size. That turns out to be a good thing. I think you want to err on the side of small.