Mountain bike kit is expensive, mountain biking is expensive. We get it.
If you’re going to spend your hard earned cash on a pair of mountain bike shorts you want them to work well and last ages, right?
Here’s our pick of our favourite mountain bike shorts right now… and our best of the bunch.
It takes a lot to make a truly great mountain bike short, so we’ve brought together our favourites to see which pair rule the roost.
This bunch is our pick of the mountain bike shorts that we’ve ridden over the last few months. They’re all great choices and for one reason or another, we’d be happy to ride in all of them. Think of this as a round up of our favourites… with one pair picked as the best of the bunch.
We’ve focussed on shorts that are best for trail riding and enduro riding, rather than the heavier duty sorts that are more suited to downhill stuff.
What makes a good pair of mountain bike shorts?
We’ll be taking plenty of things into consideration here.
Quality is our top consideration first and foremost. If you sacrifice the quality, everything else is effected. We’ll also consider performance (how well they work and how long they last), style (how good they look) and value (how much they cost versus how well they perform).
We usually pick a single favourite and any products we feel are worthy of note get honorary mentions in the conclusion.
So read on to see which one of our favourite shorts came out on top.
In this test, we’ll be looking at the following shorts: Altura Chaos, Madison Trail, Morvelo Rise and Descend, Alpkit Floe, Leatt DBX 3.0, Alpinestars Drop Pro, Troy Lee Designs Skyline and Giro Havoc shorts.
For each item we’ve listed the best price we can find them online at the time we hit ‘publish’ and the link (where there is one) to find your local dealer.
Just so you know, Wideopen uses software that allows us to receive a small cut from any sales you make when you click to an online store and buy online.
Madison Trail – £41.89 at Cyclestore
- £59.99 RRP
- Stretch outer fabric.
- DWR Coating.
- Zippered hand and cargo pockets.
- 4-way stretch crotch.
- Elasticated waist.
- Silicone waits grippers.
- Double and triple stitched.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
- Madison.cc
Madison have a habit of making very good shorts that don’t break the bank and the most recent incarnation of the Trail shorts are no different.
Light weight and packed with features for a mere £59.99 means they’re always going to be up there at the sharp end.
Despite the light weight, they don’t seem to have any issues holding up to crash or abrasion and there’s no sign of the double or triple stitching coming away either.
Pockets and zips are chunky and easy to get to even with gloves on, as are the waist poppers.
The solid construction is also backed up by a limited lifetime warranty, meaning Madison have put their faith in the Trail.
My only wish is that Madison would offer them in one slightly more eye-catching colour to compliment the more modest colours currently on offer. A minor complaint if there ever was one though.
The fact that the Trail shorts come with a detachable chamois makes these a serious steal.
Buy online for £37.49 at Cyclestore
Find your local Madison Clothing dealer
Alpinestars Drop Pro – £88.36 at AlpineTrek
- £110.00 RRP.
- Advanced poly-fabric construction..
- Side patches on high abrasion areas.
- Waist adjustment with TPR pullers.
- Zippered pockets.
- Stretch material on the crotch and back yoke.
- Laser-cut front air vents.
- Flat snap connection.
- Welded hems for durability.
- Water repellent treatment.
- Alpinestars.com
At £110.00 the Alpinestars Drop Pro are the most expensive shorts on test, but a closer look shows there’s certainly some evidence to support the higher price tag.
Construction has clearly been given some serious thought, and despite the featherweight build, there’s been thought given to where the weight is and isn’t needed.
Welded seams and additional abrasion patches do a sterling job of making sure that the shorts stay together. While the laser cut holes ensure that the fabric isn’t compromised any.
Pockets are easy to get to but anything bulky sits very low as the zips sit low on the short combined with a deep pocket. There are no hand pockets at the hip meaning access to keys or phone isn’t quite as easy as most of the other shorts here.
While the Drop Pro are a supremely comfortable, high performance short for fast blasts or all day missions, the pocket position and price struggle to get them in contention.
Buy online for £88.36 at Alpinetrek
Giro Havoc – £62.99 at Freestyle Extreme
- £99.99 RRP.
- Quiet, 4-way stretch, moisture wicking fabric
- UPF 50+ (non-perforated)
- DWR coating
- Gusseted inseam
- Knee pad quiet glide panel
- Secure zip pocket
- Perforated ventilation
- Exterior waist adjustment
- Belt loops
- Hand pockets
- Giro.com
More known for their helmets, Giro have ventured into the clothing game for a few years now and that shows in the Havoc short.
What’s immediately obvious is how light and comfortable these shorts are. The 4-way stretch fabric is used throughout and makes little to no noise when in the saddle.
Again, low weight hasn’t affected what is clearly a well-constructed short and reliability hasn’t been an issue in both crashes or other use.
At £99.99 I would have preferred to see all the pockets zipped. The shallow hip pockets aren’t the best place for valuables if you’re going for a quick blast, and the soft material does allow things like smart phones to slip out of the pocket with ease. There is a zipped pocket just above the right knee, but it feels like an odd place to put a bulky item like a phone or keys.
I am a big fan of the comfort and ride of the Havoc shorts but the low zip count and that they’re considerably more expensive than the rest, docks some marks in their overall.
Buy online for £62.99 at Freestyle Extreme
Morvelo Rise and Descend – £42 at Wiggle
- £70.00 RRP.
- Lightweight and durable ripstop fabric
- DWR water repellency
- Three Zipped pockets
- Side vents
- Velcro waist adjusters
- Two press stud waist closure with zipped fly
- Silicone waist gripper
- Double stitched
- Reinforced gusset stitching
- Panelled construction
- Morvelo.com
Sitting at the lower end price-wise, but combining all the features we like from the other shorts featured here makes them a favourite.
The shorts are noticeably lighter than some of the traditionally constructed shorts yet feel sturdy enough for all but the heaviest of use. The feel isn’t quite as good as the Giro Havocs but it’s nothing uncomfortable.
Sensibly-sized pockets are easy to reach and have a small-toothed zip on each side to keep your valuables secure. The large waist poppers don’t feel like they’re going anywhere in a hurry either.
Despite having been sat muddy at the bottom of a kit bag after some massive days in the hills, the construction has stayed strong while the light weight and comfy material means they are a pleasure to ride all day in.
Alpkit Faro – £53 at Alpkit
- £53.00 RRP.
- 3 Year Alpine Bond
- Stretchy, wicking, wind resistant softshell
- C6 DWR finish and UPF 50 sun protection
- Technical semi-slim cut
- Diamond crotch for articulation
- Double stitched critical seams for durability
- Alpkit.com
Alpkit are known better for their adventure and camping kit than their riding gear but with their Sonder Bikes in full swing, they’ve ventured into the MTB clothing game as well.
Easily the cheapest on test, the Faro shorts are a no nonsense offering from Alpkit.
Construction is simple, yet effective. A low seam count keeps the shorts light and there’s very little for the shorts to snag on. While light, the Faro shorts lack the comfort of the Giro or Morvelo offerings.
Zipped pockets in the right places make it easy to access your phone and keys, with stash pockets on the lower, outer panels.
My only gripe with the Faro shorts are that they don’t extend far enough down the thigh, leaving your knees feeling exposed. For everyday trail riding, commuting or less hectic riding, the Faro shorts would be an absolute steal.
For more aggressive riding, it would be great to see a similarly-priced short with a slightly longer leg to them.
Leatt DBX 3.0 – £54.36 at Alpinetrek
- £69.99 RRP.
- Lightweight, four-way stretch with DWP coating
- YKK zippers and hidden reinforced stitching
- Pre-curved, tailored fit with 3D shaped,
- Non-snagging knees for comfort when pedalling with protectors
- Soft touch 500D 3-layer seat area
- Rear made of ventilated, stretch mesh yoke
- Soft mesh pocket
- Soft touch waist lining
- Leatt.com
Leatt’s DBX 3.0 short is another personal favourite.
Firstly, it’s one of the few shorts that is available in extra small, meaning they actually fit smaller people.
Construction is excellent as you’d expect with any Leatt product, and the weight, despite the well thought out build is minimal.
Minimal is the order of the day though. While the formed shape and comfy material make the DBX 3.0 shorts a dream to ride in, the single, low-slung pocket means anything you do put in their vanishes around the back of your leg and swing about while riding.
Two small hip pockets would likely see the DBX 3.0 shorts run away with the gold but it seems that the pocket position was a last minute thought or an oversight that had to be rectified later.
Price-wise they are nothing daft either at £69.99.
Buy online at Alpine Trek for £54.36
Altura Chaos – £47.99 at Cyclestore
- £59.99 RRP.
- Altura Dry™ technology
- Altura ErgoFit™ 3D patterning
- Retroreflective trims for increased visibility
- 2 front pockets, 1 security pocket
- Light weight 4 way stretch fabric
- Relaxed Fit
- Altura.com
Altura’s Chaos shot has quietly gone about its business while the other shorts have been singing or crying through the course of this test.
They’re the only short on test to feature any sort of reflective elements which is really quite surprising and the lads and ladies at Altura clearly ride home from a day on the trails on the road.
That isn’t to say the Chaos shorts are perfect though. While the Leatt shorts in XSmall fit me like a glove, the small Chaos shorts are cavernous to say the least. While the shorts do state that they are ‘Relaxed Fit’ you’ll need to be making use of the belt loops if you pick your regular size in these.
Construction is thin and lightweight, as with most of the other shorts here but the material is noticeably noisier than the Giro or Morvelo numbers.
Pockets are decently sized but non-zippered. Only a single, small security pocket behind the right hand pocket will keep your keys or phone secure.
If you ride with a pack and don’t use your phone or keys much, these could well be the ones for you.
Buy online for £47.99 at Cyclestore
Troy Lee Designs Skyline – £55.99 on ChainReaction
- RRP £80 with a liner (£65 without)
- DWR water repelling treatment
- 95% polyester / 5% lycra
- Bluesign approved fabric
- 2 zip up pockets
- Velcro tabs to adjust waist fit
Troy Lee’s Skyline shorts are a perfect example of kit that just cracks on and does a great job without any added guff. They’re a very simple pair of shorts that are light, comfortable and do nothing to make you notice them when you’re tearing down the trail.
The Skyline shorts feel very ‘trail riding’ thanks to a light-weight, comfortable material that has a slight stretch. The length feels good who no gap appearing above your knee pads and the cut is loose fitting but not baggy. As an added bonus, they’re made from Bluesign approved fabric, meaning they’ve been manufactured sustainably.
There’s two zip-up pockets on the sides, subtle logos and velcro tabs for adjustment. Where many shorts simply sew a small square of velcro on to the tab, TLD have put a long and very securely fastened velcro strip – meaning less chances of them falling to pieces.
We really, really like the TLD Skyline shorts and they’re in the running for our favourite of the bunch. Our only hesitation in giving them the ‘best of the bunch’ award is price. Whilst they’re great value at £65 without a liner, they’re £80 with one, which makes them a good few quid more than the competition.
Buy online for £55.99 at Chain Reaction Cycles
Find your local Troy Lee Designs dealer
Best of the bunch.
While there certainly wasn’t any terrible shorts in this test, there was one pair that stood above the rest.
Those are the Madison Trail Short.
At exactly the same price as the Morvelo offering but with a chamois included the value with everything else considered was hard to beat. Sporting low weight with a sensible, durable construction; the pockets are well-positioned, of a good size and with decent zips; they are easy to spend an hour in the woods or a day in the hills with.
Honourable mentions go to the Morvelo Rise and Descend shorts for being thoroughly nice to ride a bicycle in, and to the Alpkit Faro for being a commuter/trail rider’s dream and a few inches of material from running away with the whole thing.
For more product reviews from Wideopen, you can visit our reviews page here.
