9 Biker Shorts in Test

If, a few years ago, you could still recognize the ambitious touring biker by his tight cycling shorts and the adventurous single-trail mountain biker by his rather loose biker shorts, the clothing code predefined by the bike scene is becoming increasingly blurred. The reason for this is sometimes the constantly growing types of bicycles.

Trekking, Touring, Randonneur, Gravel, Cyclocross, Singlespeed, Fixie, Fatbike, Cross-Country, All-Mountain, Enduro, Downhill—just to name a few Then there are models with electric motors. Then, slowly but surely, the choice of outfit becomes difficult. The good thing is that all cyclists have one thing in common: they like to wear cycling shorts.

And that in a wide variety of lengths and shapes, as well as made of a wide variety of materials. For them, it is more than just essential that the biker shorts fit well and are comfortable to wear. Other properties such as breathability, dirt and water repellency, and a quick-drying outer material are also becoming increasingly important. In the end, it is often the small and fine technical details that decide which pair of pants you put in your physical or virtual shopping cart.

In addition to the outer pants, well-fitting, padded inner pants are also important for many cyclists. Especially on long multi-day tours where you spend a lot of time in the saddle, you can experience painful hours with the wrong choice of inner pants. It is important to find the right model for you.
find, and this is only possible through testing.

Some bicycle dealers, as well as performance diagnosticians, now offer bike fittings not only for professionals. Recreational bikers in particular can do themselves a lot of good by having their bikes measured. Sometimes the pain in the buttocks does not come from the biker shorts but from the wrong saddle or an incorrect sitting position.

Biker shorts: Our test field

Since bike pants are now also available at discount prices, we decided to test a wide range of bike shorts on the market. The cheapest in the test comes from Decathlon, from the bike brand Rockrider. With well-known brands such as Endura, Gonso, Gore, Löffler, Schöffel, Shimano, and Vaude, we have arrived at a retail price of around 280 euros for the high-end bike pants from SQlab.

Bike shorts: This is how we tested them

Each pair of cycling shorts worn in the test, including the inner shorts, was tested on several day trips. In addition to the typical stress tests, attention was paid to small details, such as a cell phone pocket, that are important to cyclists. To ensure that the quality is right, a special look was taken at the workmanship and the seat pad. Finally, we went to the test laboratory to subject the trousers to a saddle pressure measurement. Here it was shown how strongly and in which areas the pressure on the saddle is distributed.

Test criteria

Our point system with a maximum of 20 points has proven itself very well in recent years. A maximum of five points can be achieved in each test category. This is divided as follows: wearing comfort, special and useful details, workmanship of the biker shorts, and quality of the seat pad.

Check out more articles on Accessories categories.

Conclusion

In this test, we put trousers through their paces in a price range of 34.95 to 279.90 euros. We noticed that trousers are something very individual, which is why we definitely recommend trying them on before you buy them. Since the differences in this test field are also very large, we decided against awarding a test win.

Rather, with the Rockrider, we have named a price-performance winner that offers a carefree entry into cycling with well-thought-out details and a top price. Thanks to beautiful details, outstanding wearing comfort, or clever technology.

The models from Endura, Gore, or SQlab get a recommendation.