Do you enjoy the cool vibes that come from riding in skin tight, cut off jean shorts? Nah, me neither. But I do love the tailored fit of the Specialized Trail Cargo short.

Product Overview

Overall rating:

Score 8

Specialized Trail Cargo Short

Pros:

  • Good fit, and the soft, stretchy material feels great. They've lasted well too

Cons:

  • Could be an inch longer on the leg, for taller riders

Product:

Specialized Trail Cargo Short review

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£75.00

 

Zippered thigh vents really give the short an advantage, cooler when it’s hot but less windy in the winter months

The Trail Cargo has a few decent features that bump it up my short pecking order, there are two hand pockets for lolling about in between rides, and two zippered pockets – one of which is just the right shape and size to snug your phone to your upper thigh without it budging. Keeping these slacks around your waist is a simple button closure, and adjustment straps either side on your hips. There’s no zip, instead you just get a sliver of mesh fabric, I suppose as a bug guard to fend off summer intruders.

Read more: Best mountain bike shorts – baggy, waterproof and storage liners

There are no fancy zippered vents on the thighs to cool you down, but Specialized has laser cut small holes into the legs. I’m not a fan of this approach – plenty of us still like riding shorts in cooler weather, and there’s no way to stop the wind whistling through the gaps. That said, in spring and summer conditions the Specialized Trail Cargo Short is ideal.

Verdict

If the Trail Cargo was just an inch longer I’d be bumping it up a mark, but it just comes up short if you’re over 6ft tall, sometimes revealing the dreaded gap between pad and short. As it stands though, this is a great option for the less gangly out there.

Details

Sizes :30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40in
Contact:specialized.com