Club Ride Joy Ride Capri Women’s Shorts

The Joy Ride capri shorts from Club Ride are casual three-quarter-length riding trousers that are both comfortable and practical on the bike and good looking off it. They are clearly designed more for leisure riders than racers, with jeans-style press studs and lots of handy pockets, which makes them ideal for touring and commuting.

The Joy Rides are made from a stretchy, hardwearing material – 94% nylon and 6% Spandex – which is fairly thin yet warm enough to protect your legs from cool winds. The upper is warmer still, with its four good-sized mesh-lined pockets.

 

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The fabric has plenty of give so you don't feel at all restricted when pedalling. A clever and stylish detail is the slit at the back of the knee, which allows the material to move freely over your knee. Inside is a pretty magenta trim – it's a pity it doesn't show through.

The crotch is seamless thanks to the one-piece gusset, so there's no discomfort if you ride without padded cycling undies. Another bike-specific aspect of the design is that the waist is cut higher at the back, so your lower back isn't exposed when riding. But not only that, you can adjust the back of the waist between two positions using the internal buttons. I found I needed to pull it in to prevent the back gaping – my one issue with the cut is this tendency to gape – but then the buttons sometimes pressed against my hip bone, although this happened more when I was off the bike. Moving the position of the buttons inside the waistband by a couple of inches would solve this.

The two rear pockets have diagonal zips with useful toggles to make them easier to use. The open hand pockets at the front are equally generous in size. I like the small zipped pocket on the right leg – it's perfect for stashing a lip salve or train ticket.

There is minimal reflective detailing, with a CR logo on the left rear hip and a brand tag on the left leg – because Club Ride is American, so they're designed for right lane drivers to see. There's also a little loop on the hip to hook a carabiner or key chain onto.

Sizing

Unlike other Club Ride clothing I have been testing, the Joy Ride shorts are indeed a sport fit as described, and I took a size larger than normal – USA medium/EU large rather then USA small/EU medium. They are cut quite slim on the leg but more generously around the hips and waist, so if you have a very narrow waist you might find they gape too much, even with the internal adjustment.

They come in a dark grey 'Raven', as well as this Caravan colour.

If you have the body shape to suit, though, these are a great pair of capri shorts at a fair price.

Verdict

A stylish and comfortable pair of capri shorts, if the cut suits your body shape