Altura Winter Cruisers Trousers
With the weather rapidly closing in, I decided that it was time that I stopped freezing my legs and lower parts off, on these fresh morning cycle rides to the office. So I purchased these ‘trousers’ to solve the problem.
Specifically I wanted something that would keep the cold and the occasional shower out, and not be too gaudy or showy and not have any padding. These are quite understated and loose enough to look OK when you get off the bike.
And yes – I have put this under the title of ‘Gadgets’ but I know it’s not really, but that’s what happens when you try to categorize things!
Wearing them
The first time I put these on I thought they were a little too tight to be called ‘trousers’ and a little too loose to be true cycling ‘tights’.
Think more like clingy tracksuit bottoms and you’ll not be too far off the mark.
Wearing them does feel quite nice though, they’ve got a fleecy feel to the interior, the stirrups keep them in place and they do feel quite stretchy once you get riding.
They have a high waist, and the XL size fits my 6′ 13 Stone frame well.
One downside though, is that they do not have any pockets besides a tiny MP3 style one just inside the waistband.
Features
- Fabric: Stretch thermal fabric
- Fabric Properties: Water repellent treatment
- Reflectivity: Reflective trim
- Extra Features: Foot stirrups
- Padding: Pad/liner not included
Review
I popped these on and jumped on the bike with a little trepidation as it’s literally been years since I wore any style of tights on the bike, and it’s usually either shorts, or jeans that do the trick for my rides.
I needn’t have worried, these were just the right amount of tight without making me look too ridiculous once I reached the office and sat at the desk (though I did carry a pair of trousers with me to change in to).
After a couple of days riding in them, one particular morning was a little chilly and foggy and these did a great job of keeping my legs warm and dry, and I’d like to think that the reflective bits helped me be visible ~ though I do suspect the ‘hi-vis’ vest and lights also helped!
The fourth time I went out in them, the weather decided that they needed to be baptised and the heavens opened. I thought that this would be a great test of the ‘water repellent treatment’, how wrong…
This was a mitigated success, they kept my legs dry for about 1/2 of the ride, but as the downpour continued my legs got wet – though to be fair, so did everything else; including my jersey through the soft-shell jacket I was wearing, as it was quite a rainfall – not really a fair test then…
Conclusion
All in all these trousers perform as you would expect ~ they are comfortable, protect from cold and (light) showers, and don’t make you look like a ATGBNI (All The Gear But No Idea) type or some fluorescent carnival show.
At a very reasonable £35 or so, you can also use them for running too ~ if you are that way inclined!
I’ll give them a 8/10
