Sportful Giara Over Shorts

Baggy overshorts are not that common in road cycling, but Sportful reckons there's a market for them with its new adventure and gravel-fuelled Giara range of understated clothing. These Giara Over Shorts are comfortable and provide an extra layer of defence against trail muck and bad weather.

You're likely to encounter plenty of mud and water when riding gravel roads and events, as well as the many miles of bridleways and byways that crisscross the UK landscape, and it's this sort of riding where the DWR treated fabric of the Giara Over Shorts really comes into its own.

The shorts are made from a four-way stretch fabric with a reasonably fitted shape, striking the right balance between enough freedom of movement without being excessively baggy. You don't really notice them when you're pedalling along – there's no tightness or pulling at the waist, and the fabric is soft where it touches exposed skin above the knees.

The fit is great. A low front and raised rear ensure that the shorts sit comfortably around the waist when you're hunched over the handlebar and don't expose you to the indecency of a builder's bum if you happen to pull them over your undies for a dash down to the coffee shop.

There's no padding in the shorts, the idea – as the name suggests – is to wear them over padded Lycra shorts. Do that and they're superbly comfortable with no hint of discomfort in the crotch area at all. I've worn them on some pretty long rides with lots of road and off-road action and they all but disappear. There's a large mesh rear panel to add ventilation on warmer rides.

The waistband has concealed Velcro adjusters that allow you to tune the fit, and there are additional belt loops that could be used off the bike, but I found the fit good enough that I didn't need one. You almost certainly wouldn't want to wear a belt on the bike for fear of it digging in. In my view, Sportful has judged the length of the shorts just right.

There's a short zipped fly and button closure at the front. You get four pockets on the front, two smaller zipped pockets providing a safe place to store some cake money or the house keys, and two larger jeans-style pockets which you can use to stash energy bars while riding or your wallet when buying a round.

Talking of wallets... the Giaras are pretty good value too, comparing well with the likes of Rapha (Cotton Shorts £75, Randonnée £90) and Gore (Rescue WS £69.99, Element GT Paclite £99.99). You can spend less – but as a rough guide, £65 puts you in the lower half of the baggy shorts offerings on Wiggle…

The DWR treatment gives the shorts extra functionality in bad weather and the material is hardwearing and tough enough to withstand being dragged through brambles. When it's raining heavily or you know you're going to encounter some very muddy trails, they provide a good level of extra protection. Simply put, they'll keep you drier for longer.

Though Sportful is aiming the shorts at the gravel bike market, there's no reason why these aren't also well suited to commuting, touring, audaxing, cafe riding and even wearing off the bike, which I have been doing. They would also be ideal for summer bikepacking trips if you want to take some baggy shorts to wear when you arrive at your destination.

> Buyer's Guide: Casual cycle commuting gear

They're stylish and available in two colours, and a couple of reflective logos are a nice touch.

They go perfectly with the Giara bib shorts and jersey that Sportful released at the same time, though the Over Shorts do go well with other jerseys as well.

Verdict

Comfortable and stylish baggy shorts aimed at the gravel market but ideal for a multitude of uses