Admittedly, rain trousers over short or knee-length cycling shorts don't exactly look sexy and are the opposite of streamlined. Nevertheless, especially in autumn and spring, they offer flexible rain protection that can be slipped on quickly, keep your thighs and bottom dry and effectively protect your legs, bottom and knees from cooling down, even on fast and wet mountain pass descents.
Our five test candidates cost between 65 and 140 euros, the models from Gore, Löffler and Protective were tested in the short version, Craft and Vaude as three-quarter trousers.
Gore and Löffler's fabric of choice against wind and water is called "Gore Tex Paclite Shell". It is waterproof, very light and keeps the pack size small. Vaude uses PU-coated polyamide, Protective and Craft both use polyester; the latter model is the only one with an integrated mesh lining and feels the softest overall. The Protective trousers are slightly inflexible due to the thick fabric. The waist and leg cuffs of all the trousers can be adjusted using a drawstring, with Vaude being the only exception with a Velcro fastener at the leg cuffs.
All candidates were tested in an extensive laboratory and practical test. We increased the test requirements for this area because the trousers are subjected to greater stress on the seat due to rain, splashed water and saddle pressure.
SHORT & SHORT
Short or three-quarter length rain trousers also offer road cyclists flexible protection against water and wind. The "Serpa" from Protective starts at 65 euros, while Gore's "Alp-X GT Shorts" cost more than twice as much at 140 euros. The models from Gore, Löffler and Vaude are so light and thin that they fit easily into a jersey pocket. Cyclists with knee problems in the cold should choose three-quarter trousers.
The test results of these rain trousers can be found below as a PDF download:
Craft Performance Rain Knickers M
Gore Alp-X GT Shorts
Löffler Bike Short Colibri
Protective Serpa
Vaude Men's Spray 3/4 Pants II
Downloads:
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