Craft Active Bike Shorts Men’s

Review

Superb value cycling shorts for riders of all abilities, Craft’s Active Bike Shorts for men provide that all-important mix of: comfort, support and durability at a superb price. 

 

There is probably one item of cycle clothing that we will always be more familiar with any other: the ubiquitous Lycra cycle short. Much maligned by non-cyclists, the cycle short is the one true give-away sign of an ardent cyclist’s passion – if he’s wearing padded cycle shorts, he must be keen, yeah?

Well that is true, but there is an awful lot of cycle apparel out there that just doesn’t fit the mark, and probably the biggest crime is a pair of Lycra shorts that are simply too big for the wearer. If the shorts are too large they will not offer the support that men need around the groin – it’s that simple.

Cycle shorts are made from manmade fabrics like Polyester and Lycra so they will that stretch in every direction. Let me reiterate: cycle shorts need to be comfortably snug fitting to a man’s groin – baggy Lycra shorts just don’t work.

A good pair of cycle shorts such as Craft’s Active Bike Shorts will make all the difference to your cycling, no if’s or buts’; life without decent cycling shorts is going to be hell. 

So let’s look at something ‘heaven sent’.

Slipping on the Active Bike Shorts instantly makes you feel like a proper cyclist: I’m instantly aware that the snug fit is holding everything in place without me looking like a budgie smuggler strutting around on a beach. I’ve worn plenty of cycle shorts in my time, some good, some bad, and some down-right ugly but when something feels good, you know that it’s going to work.

Starting from the inside out of the Craft Active Bike Short, the padding is an engineering delight in its self. The pad is shaped just like my saddle, there is no wasted material here, and the padding sits on top of the saddle and protects you and supports you just where you need it most; this adds greatly to the level of comfort on offer too.

The padding thickness is graded and shaped to where the protection is most needed, cycle shorts have become big business and any sports clothing manufacture who ventures into the world of cycling needs to be aware that second-rate apparel will no longer be acceptable to today’s discerning rider.

 The Active Shorts have done quite a few miles now, and that means a great deal of rough and tumble in the washing machine (always wash your kit straight after riding) they look as good as new and the reflective Craft logo shows no signs of peeling off.

Length wise they sit somewhere around mid-length on my legs, fine for the warmer weather but I’ll soon be putting leggings on to keep the autumn chill at bay. Their lightweight construction ensures that they sit comfortably under my full-length leggings with no added bulk; I like that.

The real trick here though with Craft’s Active Bike Shorts is their eight panel construction; the more panels there are, the better the contour to your body and the more comfortable the fit. You don’t often see eight panel construction shorts at this sort of price-point, so big kudos to Craft.

The high waist band doesn’t feature an adjustable pull-cord but this isn’t a problem as they they’re such a snug and comfy fit anyhow. The seams are all flatlock construction and don’t cut into your leg. This is important especially around high pressure areas such as around the seat area of the shorts.

The silicone leg grippers are a pretty unobtrusive too, they work by keeping the hem secure to your legs but aren’t that noticeable – always a good sign on a long ride. There’s nothing worse than your kit rubbing you up (quite literally) the wrong way to spoil a good ride.

In a nut shell (excuse the pun) Craft’s Active Bike Shorts for men are terrific value for anyone’s money: supportive where they need to be, and comfortable enough for epic cycling journeys. Keep them clean, and the rewards for wearing a good quality pair of bike shorts go far beyond the family jewels.