Shorts

Gore Bike Wear Fusion SO ¾ baggy shorts – review

Gore Bike Wear Fusion SO ¾ baggy shorts – £99.99

The new Fusion SO ¾ baggy shorts from Gore Bike Wear are made form the excellent Windstopper Soft Shell fabric. Windproof and waterproof, they keep the cold snap of the autumn off your legs, keeping your knees well protected during the winter.

Fit is good, with the leg length judged just right for this tester, falling nicely below the knee. We always find Gore Bike Wear’s sizes come up just right, the medium size we tested needing only a bit of adjustment of the Velcro waist tabs.

Pre-shaped knees and a seamless construction mean freedom of movement is good, with Velcro adjusters on the legs to tailor the width. There’s no discernable hindrance compared to regular length baggy shorts. The length is just right, falling nicely below the knee, keeping the crap off them without hindering your pedalling.

Other features that help these shorts standout include two front zipped pockets, giving you somewhere to play pocket snooker when standing around in the car park, and a side and rear zip pocket as well, providing somewhere to stash your car keys. Large zipped mesh inserts along the inner panel of the legs can be opened to encourage some cooling air to bring your temperature down.

There’s no liner included, which does seem a bit off considering the high price. But it’s made up for by the high standards of design and the excellent Gore Windstopper fabric, which is as good on the legs as it is on the upper body. We’re sure most people will have a preference for using their favourite padded shorts anyway.

We like three quarters a lot here at Bikemagic. Your knees do an incredible amount of work when cycling and it’s important to look after them, and that means keeping them wrapped up in cold weather. 3/4 shorts are ideal, a halfway house between shorts and trousers, they’re perfect for most average winter days, keeping the crap off your knees but without the heat buildup issues and general flappiness of trousers.