MTB Freeride shorts?
Discussion
There's so much choice out there.
I quite like the Bontrager Rhythm shorts but they come with a padded liner. I think I'm after a tough pair of shorts with the padding already in the arse bit.
Do you know if the Troy Lee designs have this, or will they also need a padded liner?
Bontrager Rhythm

TL Moto

TL Sprint

Any other suggestions...
Cheers
GruFF
I quite like the Bontrager Rhythm shorts but they come with a padded liner. I think I'm after a tough pair of shorts with the padding already in the arse bit.
Do you know if the Troy Lee designs have this, or will they also need a padded liner?
Bontrager Rhythm

TL Moto

TL Sprint

Any other suggestions...
Cheers
GruFF
Sombrio make some great stuff, their shorts are unbelievably stretchy in all directions which makes them confortable and wear resistant IMHO.
Owned by the guy who road gapped over the TDF a couple of years back.
Also there's a place on the web (might be JE James) selling '09 model Royal Racing stuff stupidly cheaply, you can match the DH shorts with a plain jersey to avoid the 'lost power ranger' look.
Owned by the guy who road gapped over the TDF a couple of years back.
Also there's a place on the web (might be JE James) selling '09 model Royal Racing stuff stupidly cheaply, you can match the DH shorts with a plain jersey to avoid the 'lost power ranger' look.
Gumstabber said:
I got some of those royal racing ones for JE James. £25 reduced from £90! They arrived and then bought a second pair as they are quite nice items. Tough, well thought out, fit me well.
+1 to the royal racing shorts.
Cool, Royal Racing is my next stop on eBay... Do they have padding in them or is it best to just wear the padded Lycra shorts underneath. I've been out of the game for a few years and want my bum protected for when my new bike arrives!!! +1 to the royal racing shorts.

GruFFnuTT said:
Gumstabber said:
I got some of those royal racing ones for JE James. £25 reduced from £90! They arrived and then bought a second pair as they are quite nice items. Tough, well thought out, fit me well.
+1 to the royal racing shorts.
Cool, Royal Racing is my next stop on eBay... Do they have padding in them or is it best to just wear the padded Lycra shorts underneath. I've been out of the game for a few years and want my bum protected for when my new bike arrives!!! +1 to the royal racing shorts.

Edited by P-Jay on Wednesday 20th February 10:17
missing the VR6 said:
Could someone please explain to me the big deal about MTB shorts?
I just wear the same pair of Nike/Addidas shorts I wear to the gym and they seem to work fine.
Depends what sort of riding you do and what you 'want' from a pair of shorts. Mate of mine rides everything from Road to Downhill in a pair of cargo shorts from tesco.I just wear the same pair of Nike/Addidas shorts I wear to the gym and they seem to work fine.
The big differences between your Gym shorts and the Royal Racing ones:
If you come off and land on your arse or sides, your shorts will probably rip / tear, DH shorts are pretty tough and offer a small amount of abrasion resistance, but mostly mean you won't be walking back to your car in your pants or cupping your junk. This is especially important if you "do a Rich" as we call it, and land a drop so hard that your arse hits the back tyre and you end up trapped humping the seat post with your tyre sawing you between the legs (true story, and it's only called a "Rich" because he did it first, by no means isolated)
They're 'waterproof' not in so much as they'll stop you getting wet but in that the material itself won't become saturated, heavy and draw all the heat from your body.
Fit / cut means they can be strong without being restrictive.
Strong zip pockets, if you do keep your keys in your pockets rather than your bag you don't want them bouncing out mid trail, plus they're made so your stuff is kept on the front of your leg rather than the side to minimise potential injury.
Adjustable side straps and flexible panel on the arse means they'll stay put rather than slowly side down from the motion of your legs and/or 'trail rattle'.
You don't need them, but they're nice to have.
Royal Racing shorts, trousers and jersey all brought from JE James and thoroughly recommended. Really comfortable, hardwaring and stand up to downhill abuse. Had them all a year or so now and no rips or tears despite many, many crashes including a slight unconscious incident at new year.
Yes, I sometimes look like a power ranger...
Yes, I sometimes look like a power ranger...

P-Jay said:
Depends what sort of riding you do and what you 'want' from a pair of shorts. Mate of mine rides everything from Road to Downhill in a pair of cargo shorts from tesco.
The big differences between your Gym shorts and the Royal Racing ones:
If you come off and land on your arse or sides, your shorts will probably rip / tear, DH shorts are pretty tough and offer a small amount of abrasion resistance, but mostly mean you won't be walking back to your car in your pants or cupping your junk. This is especially important if you "do a Rich" as we call it, and land a drop so hard that your arse hits the back tyre and you end up trapped humping the seat post with your tyre sawing you between the legs (true story, and it's only called a "Rich" because he did it first, by no means isolated)
They're 'waterproof' not in so much as they'll stop you getting wet but in that the material itself won't become saturated, heavy and draw all the heat from your body.
Fit / cut means they can be strong without being restrictive.
Strong zip pockets, if you do keep your keys in your pockets rather than your bag you don't want them bouncing out mid trail, plus they're made so your stuff is kept on the front of your leg rather than the side to minimise potential injury.
Adjustable side straps and flexible panel on the arse means they'll stay put rather than slowly side down from the motion of your legs and/or 'trail rattle'.
You don't need them, but they're nice to have.
P-Jay thank you very much for that very informative. I think I'm going to browse chain reaction and wiggle this weekend and try and pick a pair up on the cheap. The big differences between your Gym shorts and the Royal Racing ones:
If you come off and land on your arse or sides, your shorts will probably rip / tear, DH shorts are pretty tough and offer a small amount of abrasion resistance, but mostly mean you won't be walking back to your car in your pants or cupping your junk. This is especially important if you "do a Rich" as we call it, and land a drop so hard that your arse hits the back tyre and you end up trapped humping the seat post with your tyre sawing you between the legs (true story, and it's only called a "Rich" because he did it first, by no means isolated)
They're 'waterproof' not in so much as they'll stop you getting wet but in that the material itself won't become saturated, heavy and draw all the heat from your body.
Fit / cut means they can be strong without being restrictive.
Strong zip pockets, if you do keep your keys in your pockets rather than your bag you don't want them bouncing out mid trail, plus they're made so your stuff is kept on the front of your leg rather than the side to minimise potential injury.
Adjustable side straps and flexible panel on the arse means they'll stay put rather than slowly side down from the motion of your legs and/or 'trail rattle'.
You don't need them, but they're nice to have.
GruFFnuTT said:
There's so much choice out there.
I quite like the Bontrager Rhythm shorts but they come with a padded liner. I think I'm after a tough pair of shorts with the padding already in the arse bit.
Do you know if the Troy Lee designs have this, or will they also need a padded liner?
GruFF
The pad (chamois) is with the (padded) inner shorts, as it's the inner shorts that hold the pad where it needs to be i.e. up yer' arse and around yer' balls! To have it on the outer shorts would render it pointless.I quite like the Bontrager Rhythm shorts but they come with a padded liner. I think I'm after a tough pair of shorts with the padding already in the arse bit.
Do you know if the Troy Lee designs have this, or will they also need a padded liner?
GruFF
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