The Fox Flexair short is new to me and I’ve been riding in it over the cold spring and into summer, hoping to get the same level of solace down below.

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Around your waist is Fox’s brilliant and super-wide elasticated waistband, and that means there’s no unsightly material to bunch up or chafe, and at the front it’s held in place by a moto-style ratchet. I’ve been wearing the size 34 and the closure is about right, I’m neatly in the middle of the range so I could slacken them off if I get fat or drop weight. I mention that now because the original Indicator Pant from Fox that evolved into the Flexair was oversized and you had to tighten the ratchet up fully to prevent a chamois flash. Speaking of chamois, the Flexair Short does not come with a chamois, which for £80 puts it about in contention with other high end brands like Endura or Troy Lee. Pay another £30 and you get the Flexair with a liner included though, and I appreciate the choice Fox gives its customers here.

Fox has laser cut around 40 lozenge-shaped holes onto the inside of each leg to keep things breezy, and it definitely works to keep things cool. Maybe a trifle too cool though, combined with the thin material I struggled to keep warm on a typical spring day (drippy and mild). I’d rather see those holes replaced with a zippered vent to give you have the option to close it when it’s not roasting hot. Fox does the same thing with its Pant, but with the extra leg coverage you really don’t begrudge the breeze.

The Flexair is also a tad on the short side too, it could do with another inch of material to cover the gap between knee and pad. Don’t think upsizing to a larger pair will help you any either, the inseam measurement remains constant throughout the range, Fox say. I do like the angled zipped pockets on either hip though, they’re nice and high and further rearward than on most shorts meaning anything you put in there stays firmly in place.