The Mountain Bike Shorts For Every Bumpy Trail and Downhill Ride
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Whether you’re riding the renowned mountain trails on Whistler or Cotopaxi, or simply weekending down more modest hills closer to home, you want to be comfortable when you ride off-road. A great pair of mountain bike shorts makes all the difference on that kind of ride, considering how much time you end up spending on the seat.
There was a time when mountain biking attire was cobbled together using motocross pads and loose-fitting “baggies,” but the modern sport has become more competitive and refined, and the dress has evolved accordingly. Modern mountain biking apparel is relatively tight-fitting clothes to reduce drag, and breathable and lightweight to keep you cool.
The best mountain bike shorts, specifically, are tailor-cut, but they look a bit more casual than spandex bike shorts. They use light, moisture-wicking nylon- and polyester-based fabrics, but fit a little looser than standard cycling shorts to leave a little room for extra mobility… and knee guards.
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Best Mountain Bike Shorts
The Expert: I’ve been riding bikes in a range of capacities for over 30 years, with a particular passion for off-road trail rides. I’ve also reviewed bikes and outdoor gear for Bicycling, Runner’s World, Popular Science, the Manual, and more. When I hit the trails, I prefer shorts and apparel that are a bit looser to provide plenty of room for movement.
What to Consider When Picking Out Mountain Bike Shorts
Material
Most modern bike shorts are made of nylon, polyester, or a similar technical fabric that will provide a snug, aerodynamic fit. Though they may feel similar, more advanced, proprietary materials may be more breathable, allowing more air to flow through them and cool you off. Some may also feature moisture-wicking properties that keep sweat from absorbing into your clothes.
We specifically recommend steering clear of cotton shorts and other thicker materials that soak up moisture.
Padding
To pad or not to pad? That is a personal question. Posterior padding, typically provided by thin and often removable pieces of foam, helps absorb the shock of a bumpy ride. Padded shorts rarely impact how it feels to sit on your bike, but they can be a bit uncomfortable before and after the ride.
Many riders prefer to avoid shorts with built-in pads and instead wear a chamois, a separate undergarment that prevents chafing and offers a small amount of padding. Whether you use padded shorts or a chamois, padding is purely optional, but can really help if you typically walk away from a downhill ride feeling sore.
Features
Mountain bike shorts can boast a variety of special features, such as secure waist snaps and buckles, pockets on the side or rear for your phone, micro waist adjustment capabilities, added ventilation, and more. You might not need any of these, or maybe you want all of them.
I typically look for a zippered pocket or two to stash my phone, and an adjustable waist so I can always achieve the perfect fit on ride day. I also avoid shorts that have too many small hanging features, like hoops for carabiner clips, that might get caught on something.
How We Tested The Best Mountain Bike Shorts
For our initial round of testing, the Bicycling test team rode multiple laps in each pair of shorts on one of our local trail systems. Each was around 9 miles, included roughly 1,000 feet of climbing, and took about an hour and a half. We did when temps were in the high 70s or low 80s on most rides. We evaluated the shorts on their fit, ventilation, comfort, and utility. And our women testers evaluated the women-specific shorts on a similar loop in similar conditions.
We also performed targeted testing on most models’ durable water repellent (DWR) treatment. DWR won’t make polyester or nylon shorts waterproof (liquid can still penetrate seams and zippers), but even we were surprised to see how well the coatings prevent water from passing through.
And because it’s a treatment that sticks to the fibers, not between them, DWR won’t affect breathability too much. In fact, it can help, given it keeps your shorts from becoming soggy with sweat or rain (which can inhibit breathability).
To perform this test, we formed a small “cup” in the fabric and secured it over a jar. Then we poured in 50ml of water and started the stopwatch. We timed how long the fabric on the front side of the mid-thigh prevented water from leaking through, avoiding any seams or pockets in our test area.
Because chemicals and dyes in detergent can make DWR treatments less effective, we did this to new shorts, then again after one wash and after five. The models below lasted for our max time of five minutes without a drop of water leaking through, even after all five washes.
Most, but not all, of the shorts we tested came with a padded liner. But since these are usually low quality and many riders prefer tossing those and wearing better-fitting bib shorts, we didn’t evaluate them during this test—except in the cases of our specifically padded picks.
In subsequent updates, our experts have selected new shorts based on hands-on testing and insights from user reviews on Amazon and other online retailers.
Skyline Bike Shorts with Liner
$69.00
amazon.com
In the past couple of years, mountain bike short designers have started to blend the super-tight technical cycling materials with the baggy look of shorts from the early scene. Troy Lee Designs’ Skyline shorts offer the best version of that blend with a looser fit that’s still streamlined for high performance.
They’re snug in all the right places, ensuring a comfortable fit that won’t snag on the pedals, bike, or branches, but feel a bit more relaxed in the thighs to provide easy mobility and a wear-all-day look. Their Coolmax material keeps you cool, and silicone inner-waist bands keep them in place. The zippered pockets are both functional and practical.
At 230 grams, these shorts are a little heavier than more cycling-inspired MTB shorts, but it’s a fair trade for a more practical and stylish fit that should work well for most trail riders, most of the time. We prefer the version with a padded liner, but you can also get them unlined if you prefer.
4D-Padded MTB Mountain Bike Shorts
$43.99
amazon.com
While most of our picks cost over $100, these padded mountain bike shorts deliver the essentials at less than $50. They’re durably made and fit fairly well, allowing you to stay comfortable on long rides.
The removable and reasonably well-padded moisture-wicking underwear liner keeps you dry and well-protected. If you’re hauling a lot of gear, these shorts have six pockets, making them the top cargo-hauler on our list.
Dirt Roamer Bike Shorts
$99.00
competitivecyclist.com
The Dirt Roamer is Patagonia’s lightest (160 grams), most breathable, and stretchy mountain bike short. With a “contoured” fit, they’re slimmer than a relaxed-fit short—if they were any slimmer, you’d basically be wearing spandex. Because they’re a snugger fit, the leg openings only work with slim-profile knee pads (Example: Troy Lee’s Speed Sleeve).
Zippered cargo pockets on each leg keep snacks and other small items at hand. Being a Patagonia product, the Dirt Roamer features recycled polyester with manufacturing taking place in a Fair Trade Certified factory. The Dirt Roamer comes in nine sizes, with two adjustable toggles on the waist to fine-tune the fit. There’s also a women’s version with an 11.75-inch inseam.
Turq Dot Air Shorts
$160.00
yeticycles.com
If you’ve got the budget for it, Yeti Cycle’s Turq Dot Air shorts are incredibly comfortable and, dare I say, stylish enough to wear all day long. Made from DWR-coated polyester, they’re designed to strategically direct airflow from front to back to keep things cool and aerodynamic.
A silicone grip built into the adjustable waistband keeps everything in place once you’ve tailored the perfect fit. The shorts are as durable as they are comfortable, and feature a pair of zippered pockets for your phone and anything else you may need to keep on you.
MT500 Spray Short II
$139.99
amazon.com
Offering an outstanding level of comfort and protection in a sleek, good-looking package, these shorts from Endura are particularly great if you’re going to be zipping along trails with lots of stray branches as they’re tough and provide solid coverage.
They’re also flexible, allowing for plenty of movement as you navigate technical trail features. Plus, you get a set of zippered pockets to ensure your phone stays with you.
Summit Shorts
$110.00
competitivecyclist.com
These impressive shorts scored well across the board. They’re comfortable, fit well, and have good water repellency and smartly placed pockets. At 191 grams, they’re relatively light, and the nylon fabric breathes well, though not quite as well as top models like the Bontrager.
That said, the four-way-stretch ripstop nylon is a little sturdier and should stand up to tears or rips better over a season or two of hard use. Pearl makes women’s Summit Shorts with a 12-inch inseam—they cost $80 and use polyester instead of nylon material.
Essential Enduro
$79.96
backcountry.com
These shorts impressed all of our testers. Despite the enduro name, they’re light enough for sweaty pedal-fests, weighing in at 233 grams. The DWR-coated fabric withstood our water penetration test, even after multiple washes. POC included patches of abrasion-resistant material on the hips, but the shorts feel airy and breathable.
Two zippered pockets on the thigh provide space to store your phone or food. The longer inseam and articulated knees make them compatible with pads, giving these shorts the versatility for short XC rides or ripping laps on your favorite descents.
Flexair Lite Shorts
$119.95
foxracing.com
For the competitive downhillers out there, Fox Racing’s Flexiair shorts feature a sleek, slim fit that maximizes speed and maneuverability. Stretchy and superlight, they’re made to let you slip down the trail like a fish through water.
Speaking of which, they feature solid waterproofing. The ratcheted waistband system makes it easy to adjust your fit mid-ride if your shorts start slipping as you move and sweat. They only have a single zippered pocket, but that’s enough room for the bare essentials.
Q+A With Expert Nick Hilden
Bicycling: How do you clean mountain biking shorts?
NH: No one wants to stand near the smelly guy at the head or foot of the trail, so you need to wash your shorts regularly. Check the care instructions in the shorts for exact instructions, but most shorts are machine-washable. If they have padding or a liner, make sure to remove them before starting the cycle.
Bicycling: What is the ideal length for mountain biking shorts?
NH: While an exact length comes down to a matter of preference, you should use shorts that are long enough to protect you from scratches, but not so long that they catch on pedals and branches. Most riders I’ve spoken to prefer shorts that fall just above the knee, which makes it easy to wear knee pads. An inseam of between 9-11 inches is pretty common, but you wouldn’t want to go longer than 14 inches.
Bicycling: Should I wear chamois under my MTB shorts?
NH: Since mountain bike shorts are often baggier than standard cycling shorts, riders often choose to wear a set of chamois underneath them to reduce chafing. If your thighs rub together when you ride, a Chamois may be more useful than the padding built into your shorts.
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