The folks at Club Ride realized a long time ago that just because you ride a bike, it doesn't mean you have to look like a logo-covered, neon sausage casing or like you're wearing your 7-year-old kid's pajamas. Club Ride started by simply wanting riding gear that could transition from the trail to a casual work meeting or hanging with friends at the bar.
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Club Ride Mountain Surf short features
- Midweight stretch, double-weave fabric
- 95% polyester / 5% Spandex fabric
- UPF 30 UV protection
- WR finish for water and dirt repellent
- Velcro interior waistband adjustment
- Seamless crotch gusset
- RideLight reflective accents
- 30.5cm / 12 inches inseam
Hidden in plain sight
Club Ride hits its mark with the Mountain Surf shorts. They're fantastically subtle, even well-seasoned cyclists would be hard pressed to know they're MTB gear. The key though is that they're dialed with riding features.
The material is an excellent summer weight and the slight stretch makes on-bike shenanigans easy with no binding or constriction. Durability has been fine so far, and the water resistant finish has repelled stains.
The inside of the waistband features Velcro adjustment tabs. Smartly, the tabs themselves are not elastic so snugging them up is a more permanent fit than with stretchy waist adjusters. The Mountain Surf shorts also feature belt loops if more adjustment is needed.
The pockets are well placed and lean more towards the casual side of things rather than technical. The thigh pockets are just big enough for an iPhone 6s, so if you have a mini-tablet smartphone that's worth noting. The insides of the thigh pockets double as vents, too.
Waist button and leg length could be improved
Despite the light, mildly stretchy material, I did have the waist button pop open when contorting my body through some crazy riding situation. It's a downfall of many MTB shorts and one that I have a hard time believing still exists. A double snap, or a button, or a locking snap are all simple solutions.
Inseam length is a personal thing and while I'm under the impression that the core audience for the Mountain Surf shorts probably isn't the knee pad type, my personal preference would be to have another inch or so to prevent the thigh gaper gap.
Club Ride Mountain Surf shorts bottom line
These are the type of riding shorts I wish 90 percent of the cycling world wore. A lot of anti-cyclist angst begins from the fact that bikers don't look like everybody else (yes, that's so very stupid, but it's true). They're easy to pedal in, durable, and boast the appearance of casual clothes.
