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review

Gore Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants

8
£149.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Expensive, but for casual commuting trousers you can wear on and off the bike, a strong contender
Weight: 
398g

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Gore's Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants are an interesting and practical set of casual commuting trousers. As windproof and waterproof as you would expect from Gore, with several practical, high-vis elements, they're very good – once you've found the right size.

Wearing Lycra doesn't suit every situation. Try walking into a proper London pub, going to a football match or going clubbing in bib shorts – you get strange looks. So having a set of trousers that can do most of what Lycra can but without the social stigma that the 'uninitiated' put on it is nice. Step forward the Element Urban Windstoppers.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy these online here

As you might suspect from the name, the trousers are designed to be both windproof and waterproof. Given that these are a Gore product, it's not surprising to hear that they excel in these areas. The rain beads against the material and the wind batters it but nothing gets through.

Smart casual

They also need to look like casual trousers, and to an extent they do. I normally wear black jeans, and it wasn't until I turned around that people could see the reflective elements and realised they weren't just another pair. The softshell material means they don't quite hang the same as regular jeans, but the chances of you getting strange looks because of them are slim.

Gore Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants - front.jpg

The high-vis elements of the trousers are also very impressive: two large strips on the rear pockets, a relatively large logo on the back pocket and a band around the bottom on the right leg. This band on the right leg is exposed when you turn it up to keep it away from the chain, and held in place with a strap and two buttons. The system works well, but I would have liked to have it on both sides, for symmetry if nothing else.

Reinforcements

As well as being waterproof and practical, the trousers are also designed to be hardwearing, and one of the key areas for this is the reinforced seat area. Here there is extra durable material which covers roughly the same area as a regular bib short pad and extends about midway towards the knee. It is a nice touch that means the most vulnerable place for trousers when cycling is well protected, so they are likely to last for a long time.

Gore Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants - back pockets.jpg

There are other good practical touches too, which show that real thought has been put into the design. For instance, there is gripper on the inside of the waistband at the back to stop the trousers riding up or down, and on a belt loop on the outside to stop shirts moving too. There is also a loop for hanging a lock or keys, plus several pockets: two large rear, zippable pockets, two regular front pockets and a concealed pocked on the right.

Gore Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants - pockets.jpg

Fit for purpose

The only problem I had was with fit: they come up really small. The medium that I initially received, which was meant to be my exact size, was far too small and even when I received a large pair they weren't as large as I would have thought. If you can, try these on before buying, or at least expect to go one or two sizes larger than you'd expect. That said, this is purely on the waist, I didn't feel restricted at all when pedalling, thanks to the stretchy and supple material.

> Check out our guide to the best winter cycling bib tights and trousers here

Overall, I really like these trousers. They provide good protection against the elements, look the part off the bike, and have all the features you would want when on it. They are likely to last a long time, and they include useful safety features with high-vis areas all over the place. Some might find the £149.99 RRP steep, but for this kind of quality I think they're worth it.

Verdict

Expensive, but for casual commuting trousers you can wear on and off the bike, a strong contender

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Gore Element Urban Windstopper Soft Shell Pants

Size tested: Large, black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Gore says: "The Gore Bike Wear Element Urban Wind Stopper SO Trouser combines the best technical features with a stylish, everyday look. The superior engineering of Windstopper Soft Shell technology protects from wind, moisture and flying water. Strategically positioned reflective touches ensure visibility."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Fabric:

Main fabric – 100% Polyester and Windstopper Membrane. Shell inside – 100% Polyester, Robust shell – 94% Polyamide, 6% Elastane and Windstopper Membrane

Cut:

Comfort Fit

Construction:

Water-resistant seat reinforcement and pre-shaped knees

Fastening:

Front zip with zip tag for easy opening

Pockets:

2 back pockets and a concealed back zip pocket, 2 front pockets and a smart phone pocket

Reflectivity:

Reflective insert detail on back pocket, reflective print on waistband and an adjustable right hem with reflective detail on inside which can be turned out for improved visibility

Upper:

Grippy insert at the waistband and belt loops

Notes:

Do not use fabric softener. Wash inside out and with similar colours only

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very well made, with extra material used where it is needed and innovative features.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Did everything they needed to, kept the wind and rain out and the warmth in without being too sweaty.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Extra care taken to protect the areas that really need it on trousers.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Fit nicely in all the areas that matter, not too tight and not too baggy.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
6/10

Once you find the correct size they are fine, but finding this correct size can be a challenge unless you buy in store.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

Commuting trousers aren't designed for climbing the Galibier, so despite being heavier than bibs, it can easily be forgiven. (Weight given is for the original medium size.)

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Comfortable fabric used that doesn't restrict movement. Windproofing and waterproofing also help when riding in adverse conditions.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Possibly more than many would want to pay, but those who do won't be disappointed.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Fine, no shrinking or fraying. Need to make sure that fabric softener isn't used though.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well, on and off the bike.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The combination of casual looks with weather protection is a real plus.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Sizing is off, makes you feel fat.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

Perform very well, only really lose marks over the sizing issues.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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7 comments

Avatar
lukea-d | 8 years ago
0 likes

I could see these being useful for touring, where you might want to keep stopping and wandering around towns and attractions en route.  

For me they'd be more useful for 'utility' cycling, e.g. riding to shops, friends' houses, etc, where I don't necessarily want to be in lycra when I get there.  However,  since most of that sort of cycling will be over shortish distances, I'd find it hard to justify even half the £150 RRP for the additional cycle-specific features compared to a pair of waterproof trousers (or overtrousers) from any outdoor sports store. 

Avatar
bendertherobot | 8 years ago
0 likes

I have something similar from Trespass. They were £30.

Avatar
jaymack | 8 years ago
0 likes

How do they cope in the Netherlands without specialist "casual" cycle clothing?

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macrophotofly | 8 years ago
0 likes

I agree the label sticks out as a very poor design for multi-use trousers. Would put me off buying them. The rest of the trouser design looks really good and I would want to wear something like this when cycling round casually.

I have the camo jacket from Gore which you reviewed a week or two back and the combo  could be my go-to in winter weather to cycle locally to shops/friends/etc,  if it weren't for that label. As it is, I will stick with the Pearl Izumi's I have which, whilst not water-proof, are great trousers with no silly markings on them

Avatar
cyclisto | 8 years ago
0 likes

I have to agree with the other folks, these pants are very expensive and definitely not casual, something like a loose-loose situation.

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whizzzz | 8 years ago
0 likes

Theres casual riding and theres this.  No shoe riding, is that a thing now ? 

Avatar
recurs | 8 years ago
1 like

If these are meant to be casual, and are intended to be worn in non-cycling situations, then Gore has to wake up and realize that the logos just have to go, or placed in an understated way. Nothing screams technical clothing, and makes people take negative notice, more than garish and unnecessary branding. 

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