A girl can never have enough mountain bike clothing. We need cycling tops in a myriad of colors and materials and we want variety in our MTB shorts, too. Fortunately, Loeka’s line of tech shorts offers an alternative to your basic black or brown baggy short. Although the tech shorts do come in black or brown, I really like the pinstripe and plaid options.
Last month I got myself a pair of brown plaid (Loeka calls this print “Harmony”) capri length tech shorts and a matching Mint Chocolate Chip half sleeve jersey. This jersey and shorts combo takes the guess work out of trying to match plaid with anything in my current mountain biking wardrobe which is pretty awesome. However, I’m not sure what else I could wear the plaid shorts with–maybe a green Singletracks t-shirt if I’m not riding my bike; otherwise, I guess I’ll have to invest in a few additional Loeka tops.
Not that I would mind having more than one Loeka jersey. The colors are great and I could definitely see myself wearing the half sleeve jersey for running or even casual Fridays at work. The fit is close to the body and feminine, but not tight. I usually wear an XS and this jersey was true to size. This jersey is made of a light wicking polyester material, and because it is more fitted than most jerseys, getting adequate ventilation was challenging. This jersey is even designed to accommodate body armor–that is, if I ever was daring enough to have the need for body armor!
As I mentioned earlier, the Mint Chocolate Chip Loeka jersey was a perfect match with the Harmony tech shorts. These stylish shorts have a cute plaid print and fun capri length. They are big and baggy, much looser fitting than the top.
Obviously style is important to me in choosing mountain bike clothing, but function is just as important on the trail, if not more so. My first functional criteria with mountain bike shorts is having a removable chamois or room for your own chamois. Since I’m particular about my chamois, I love the fact that the tech short offers plenty of room to wear whatever you want underneath the shorts. Without a bulky sewn-in chamois, I can wear these shorts comfortably off the trails too.
The Harmony tech shorts are made of a thick micro suede polyester, similar to that of board shorts. This material makes some noise with leg movements which seems like a fair trade-off since it keeps the shorts water resistant (against spring showers or dewy morning rides). Thanks to the soft inner mesh liner and water resistant coating, I can stay cool and dry under any conditions.
Last on my functional requirements list are ample pockets and there are pockets galore on the Loeka tech shorts! With two side, two front, AND two rear pockets, I can take extra goodies like snacks, my cell phone, a mini camera, and chapstick, with me on a ride. I appreciate all the pockets even more when wearing these shorts off the bike since there’s plenty of room for my keys, ID cards, money and other junk.
If you’re looking for functional and feminine on the MTB trail, check out Loeka’s Spring and Summer lines for some great mix-and-match options!
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Mar 10, 2011