Reviewed by: Bike Radar, 6 September 2017.
Products Reviewed:
- Relaxed Denim Mountain Bike Shorts (now Dreva Denim Trail Shorts)
FINDRA Relaxed Women’s Denim Mountain Bike Shorts review
Great looking, stylish and comfortable denim shorts but not suited to wet weather riding.
Buy if, You want a good looking pair of mountain bike shorts and plan to ride in dry, cool conditions.
Pros: Good fit and look, denim style, length.
Cons: Denim material warm in hotter temperatures, not suitable for wet trails, colour ran on first wear.
The length of the shorts was just right too, finishing above the knee (I’m a relatively short 5 foot 2 inches), which is a good length if you’re planning to wear knee pads, and they didn’t snag or catch either.
The shorts fasten with a button and zip, fitting with the jeans style, and although I was concerned that the button might dig in while riding this too was comfortable due to the off-set positioning. There is enough material at the back too to avoid any embarrassing gapes.
There are two back pockets as well as pockets on the left and right hip, and a zip pocket on the left leg, which is a great size and position for a phone and keys if you’re riding without a pack.
The British weather
The shorts are described as water repellent, but unfortunately I found that they didn’t perform well in wet trail conditions.
After cycling through a number of wet, muddy puddles, and a few rain showers, the shorts soon soaked up water, especially on the inner thigh.
Obviously, this is not the nicest feeling, particularly when pedalling, and they became increasingly heavy too with water eventually creeping through to my bib shorts — which made the insides of my legs pretty wet.
If you’re riding on already soggy trails or riding out in the rain this means that you feel damp and wet almost immediately and due to the material (5 percent elastane, 32 percent polyamide, 63 percent cotton) the shorts don’t dry off very quickly. It felt a bit like getting caught in the rain in a pair of jeans and trying to stop them from touching your skin.
On hotter, drier days, the shorts can feel a little warm, but still comfortable. I think these shorts would be ideal for riding in mild, dry conditions, but in my experience aren’t ideal for the changeable UK conditions.
