O’NEAL TRAILFINDER
£75 www.moorelarge.co.uk
The epitome of ‘simple yet effective’, the Trailfinders are also an excellent price. We really like the cut – tailored but not too close – and, although the legs don’t taper quite as much as on our favourites here, their decent length means the trousers still work well on the bike. There’s no annoying bunching around the ankle, and when covered with caked-on mud, they don’t flap around as you turn the pedals. While the fabric isn’t the softest to touch, it’s pretty stretchy, lightweight and breathable, and still wards off puddle splashes even after a good few cycles in the washing machine. After pedalling for many hours in the Trailfinders, we’ve no complaints when it comes to how well they articulate and glide over knee pads. While these trousers aren’t as feature-laden as some on test, we’re all for the minimalist approach, especially when it works as well as it does here. The two zipped hip pockets will securely stow keys and a phone without issue, and are well-positioned to keep things comfy when you’re on the bike. O’Neal haven’t gone for fancy adjusters, instead opting to partially elasticate the waistband, which, combined with a ratchet buckle, ensures the fit is spot on. There’s no zipped fly, just a small Velcro patch to help prevent the opening from gaping as you move about on the bike. We did find that the seat panel started to discolour quite early on in testing, though, and after a few more months’ worth of riding there’s now a distinct grey bum patch, which does look a little odd. The Pathfinders scored higher when we originally tested them, but since then, the competition has really stepped up. However, they still offer great value and comfort.