The North Face Women's Levada Shorts

The North Face Women's Levada Shorts £75 (Size US8- 330g)

North Face's Levada Shorts are designed mainly with mountain bikers in mind, (there's a men's version too), offering a looser fit, more casual alternative to lycra shorts. It is however, that more casual look and fit that also make these an option that recreational cyclists, urban riders, commuters, and bicycle tourers might want to consider as well.

As mountain bike shorts go, the Levada are pretty straightforward, offering good features but without some of the more overt styling of some options. They comprise a standard tough baggy outer and lightweight padded inner liner combo. Outside, lines are clean and uncluttered, with a simple, softly lined, shaped waistband with belt loops, press stud and zip fastening and mesh lined side slanted pockets. The length of the legs isn't too OTT off-road either, finishing just above the knee, and the legs themselves aren't over wide, meaning no excess of fabric to get in the way when pedalling.

One of the features that's a bonus for tourists is a zipped vent on each thigh, allowing for airflow across the legs in hot conditions. There are also two small discrete partially covered mesh vents across the lower back. The fabric of the outer shorts is a tough 4-way stretch nylon/elastane mix, to allow plenty of 'give' across the thighs when pedalling.

The liner shorts that come with the outers are a bit different from many of this type. For starters they have no leg grippers at all, and they are also made of a very lightweight soft touch highly breathable fabric. The pad itself is a relatively simple molded female specific Coolmax pad, with quite light cushioning. The liner shorts secure to the outers at the waist using simple press-stud tabs.

First impressions of the pad had me concerned that it was fairly minimal in cushioning, light and easily compressed. Before putting them on I was also concerned about the lack of leg grippers on the liner shorts. However, I've worn these on some fairly long touring days and found the lack of leg grippers to be something of a bonus (a more relaxed feeling ride) and they didn't contribute to any discomfort from bunching up of the legs or crotch area at all. The pad was fine for a day of reasonable duration as well, although by the end it was definitely compressing slightly, and didn't wick moisture quite as well as some. Tourists will like how quickly the liner short dries when washed, making it easy to wash them out at the end of every day and wear again the next. On the whole, the liner shorts were comfortable and airy, giving a surprising amount of comfort. The outer and inner shorts combined made for an accommodating ride with casual style and decent levels of performance.

An inconvenience of the outer shorts, though, is the waistband. There's some gaping at the back (which is not uncommon for my personal body shape where waist is slightly smaller than standard in relation to thighs) but there's no way of cinching this in other than by wearing a belt, which can be uncomfortable for long days in the saddle. The ideal would have been some sort of adjustment tab, as has appeared in other capris and shorts such as the Bontrager Commuting WSD Knicker, keeping the lines clean but allowing for some customization of fit. Overall, fit is straightforward, with a size US8 being roughly equivalent to a UK12-14.

The main attraction of the Levada is their no-frills casual good looks, the comfort of the padded liner shorts, and their versatility. These shorts will do as well for a bimble down to the shops as they will for a longer day touring or, indeed, for the off-road adventures for which they were designed. If you enjoy lots of different types of riding, and want a pair of shorts in which to do them all (well, most of them) then these might be a pair to consider. For that, they're not bad value at all.

Verdict

Versatile casual styled shorts with a capable liner. Good for recreational or urban riding and touring, as well as mountain biking.