At a glance Bargain-priced tights best-suited for mountain biking
Tested by
Jonathan Manning
Performance
Two months after purchasing these padded cycling tights, my mother's shopping wisdom continues to prey on my mind, "A bargain is only a bargain if you'd have bought it anyway." Would I have bought these tights at their RRP of £35? Probably not. At a penny under £13, though, they seemed too good to refuse even if their acquisition involved a root around the dingy recesses of the local Sports Direct warehouse.
Karrimor has perhaps saved some of the money on the sizing. Where my 33" waist tends to float between a medium and large for most manufacturers, I needed an XL for these tights, and even then they're very snug around the calves and hardly generous around the waist. At least the waist is elasticated and features an additional drawstring to fine-tune the fit. At the other end are hoops for a close fit below your feet, and zipped ankles to allow you to put on or take off the trousers over a pair of shoes. But it's puzzling when this might be useful - if your trousers are so muddy you need to take them off, surely your cycling shoes would be in a similar state?
A nappy style pad cossets your crown jewels, and the cushioning is firm and substantial, and after 500-plus miles and three washes looks as though it will last the course. Personally, I don't find the padding as comfortable as in other shorts I have from Madison and Endura, but it's a subjective preference.
The polyester fabric of the tights, however, is great - warm enough to ward off chilly, spring breezes, quick drying when wet, and very flexible so there's no impediment to cadence. There is also limited use of high-vis piping to help you stand out on the road.
My principal gripe with these budget tights is the low height of the waistband. Crouch low over the handlebars on a road bike, and you're in danger of displaying more crack than the builders filling in last winter's potholes. It makes for a chilly gap across the lower back, and signals the trousers as much better suited to the more upright riding position of the mountain bike world.
Overall, though, at this price it seems churlish to moan. For charging through muddy woods, risking snags on bramble and hawthorn, and general recreational use, £12.99 must be one of the biggest bargains in the cycling world.
Manufacturer's summary:
- Elasticated waist band
- High Vis
- Karrimor Logo to rear
- 93% Polyester
- 7% Elastane
Where can I find out more? Sports Direct www.sportsdirect.com
