SPECIALIZED TRAIL
£110 www.specialized.com
For us, Specialized’s Trail pants offer the best cut of all the trousers here (although riders with long legs may find them too short). The heavily-tapered lower legs might make them look a bit like jogging bottoms off the bike, but you can slather them with mud and water and they’ll simply stay put while you pedal, with no flapping or crank rub. They’re easy enough to take off, too, thanks to half the ankle cuff being elasticated. While some testers would prefer a little more stretch here, we don’t think it’s a big enough issue to complain about. When it comes to fit, again the Trail pants are hard to knock, with six sizes on offer and a decent amount of waist adjustment via a ratchet buckle (and zipped fly) closure. Plus, the VapoRize fabric offers a bit of extra give, which not only makes for a snug, secure fit, but also ensures the trousers are really comfortable while riding. Because the material is both breathable and water repellent, it keeps you dry that bit longer. And, as Spesh have added perforations down the inner thigh panels, these pants feel light and airy enough even on milder days, which boosts their do-it-all credentials and helps justify the relatively high price tag. There are three zipped pockets; the hip pockets are both bigger than the rear-facing left thigh pocket, which is perfect for stashing a phone in and holds it securely against your leg when pedalling. It’s a combination of all these factors that makes the Trail pants some of the comfiest riding trousers we’ve ever worn. We simply love them. Specialized have kept the styling subtle and you’ll need a keen eye to spot the little ‘S’ on the lower right thigh, which many will appreciate.