Gravel specific shorts - really?

[Bearbonesnorm]

They look outstanding value at a bag of chips shy of hundred quid.

https://www.pedaled.com/#!/products/kyo ... hort/black

[JohnClimber]

Just saw the same email.

Unbelievable......

[Ian]

So, a close fit baggy short, so you don't look too much like a mountain biker, and not a tight Lycra short so you don't look too much like roadie. Niche

[Bearbonesnorm]

All topped off with a lace up fastening - added surf bum appeal perhaps?

[JohnClimber]

"You can use it with ......... a bib short layered underneath for additional comfort. Its slim fit ensures the rider the perfect match between aerodynamic needs and comfort during long rides"

So is it saying bib shorts are or are not comfortable?

[GregMay]

Sounds legit.

*hangs head in shame at the bike industry*

[whitestone]

On my legs they'd just look like lycra anyway Then again, so do "baggies".

[Gari]

I think you are all under estimating the work, design and product development that goes into this kind of thing. It's easy to sit here in the comfort of our (insert workspace-home space etc) and pass judgement, but it's not like you can just take any old stretchy walking/biking type short and shove the word "gravel" in the product name now is it!?


They may have been meant for "enduro", and the samples came in a bit...... Unbaggy? Copy change, good to go.

[johnnystorm]

Literally all the rage:

http://www.vulpine.cc/uk/mens-gravel-short-in-black

https://www.showerspass.com/products/mens-gravel-shorts

[Gari]

Now I've seen that picture of the guy on the bike in the Vulpine ad, it all makes sense

[Kumquat]

Hahaha snigger snort chortle.
Oh no I've been doing it all wrong.
Please tell me what to wear.
This reminds me of the time I saw an ad for a bike "constructed from weapons grade materials".
Marketing is great isn't it?
We all get sucked in sometimes though.
I had an elevated chainstay bike once............

[jameso]

I'll always be a failure in marketing. When I was asking the Evans clothing product guy about making some normal touring shorts, you know, non-enduro, no roadie lycra type of simple legwear, not too flappy, a plain fabric style, etc .. never thought of calling them Gravel Shorts. Been riding the FWE samples for almost a year and still call them 'shorts'. Failure, I say.

[HaYWiRe]

Am I the only one who thinks they're a fantastic idea?

So you take a niche within a niche, populated mostly hipsters that like said niche for sake of it being such. Hipsters by their very nature have lots of money to spend on niche things which allows much higher margins. Create a product that is no different from what we in the industry like to call....'shorts' and make them completely unique by calling them something else.
Sell product, make money, win win right?

Is this not just (insert hipster business) whole marketing? I'm looking at you Crikey, how much *ahem*

Aside from that, I do quite like the look of them, almost identical to my Montane shorts I paid £20 in a sale

[johnnystorm]

Am I the only one who thinks they're a fantastic idea?

So you take a niche within a niche, populated mostly hipsters that like said niche for sake of it being such. Hipsters by their very nature have lots of money to spend on niche things which allows much higher margins. Create a product that is no different from what we in the industry like to call....'shorts' and make them completely unique by calling them something else.
Sell product, make money, win win right?

Is this not just (insert hipster business) whole marketing? I'm looking at you Crikey, how much *ahem*

Aside from that, I do quite like the look of them, almost identical to my Montane shorts I paid £20 in a sale

Hmm, just a little bit of lazy stereotyping there?

[Alpinum]

So, a close fit baggy short, so you don't look too much like a mountain biker, and not a tight Lycra short so you don't look too much like roadie. Niche

I thought the Endura MTR to be rather close fit baggy. Love them. Thin, elastic, rather close fit, dry really quick and the features I like and none of the features I don't like

I didn't like the one seam open up after about 500 km riding. Quite sure they would've gotten replaced, but then I was happy to fix it my self and use a seam that will last.

They have since seen about 5000 km. MTBing, not gravel cycling. But must admit, a third of it must have been HAB
Actually the postie will bring me a second pair of MTR's, that's how much I like them.

[GregMay]

I've had some MTR shorts since release - unders and baggies - love them and the fit is great. Made me laugh to see how long it's taken others to copy and rebrand them.

[giryan]

For all I'm definitely happy to ridicule the concept somewhat as well, I do like the links as I've been looking for some more shorts that I could wear regularly which work well with cycling and those vulpine ones look great

[Pyro]

Does this mean I'm no longer allowed to ride on gravel in either a) my Endura baggies or b) my bib tights? Damnit...

[jameso]

For all I'm definitely happy to ridicule the concept somewhat as well, I do like the links as I've been looking for some more shorts that I could wear regularly which work well with cycling and those vulpine ones look great

They do look good but I hope the fabric used lasts longer than the other Vulpine shorts I had, went through the seat in just over 3 months average riding. Other shorts have lasted me a number of years of the same use. They were really nice apart from that though, so if the fabric is sorted they should be good.

[mountainbaker]

Ignoring the 'gravel' hipsterism, they look like a good compromise. Lycra is horrible, enduro-flouro stuff is even more horrible. Why can't cycling clothes be like normal clothes more.

The pedalEd ones are nasty though, but I like the vulpine ones.

[Ray Young]

Think I'll patent "Tussock Trews" before someone else decides to do it before me, .

[mountainbaker]

How about shorts with a chamois on both sides, for bikepacking, so you can turn them inside out day after day?

[benp1]

When are you doing the cuben bikepacking shorts then?

Needs a cake pocket obvs

[Bearbonesnorm]

Now I've seen that picture of the guy on the bike in the Vulpine ad, it all makes sense

Yes, quite what is going on there - turbo trainer, indoors yet in a staged outdoor setting and no gravel in sight. Surely they're turbo shorts?

[Gari]

Ooooh, bet there's a market right there!