The Race Face Ruxton trousers are the brand’s best MTB pants and are designed to be rugged enough for all manners of gravity riding. They’re simple, yet breathable and certainly comfortable though their simplicity makes them seem a little pricey.
- Best tried and tested waterproof and insulated winter mountain bike trousers
- Fasthouse Fastline 2.0 MTB Pant Review
- 5 tips to make winter riding easier
Race Face Ruxton Pants – Specification
The Ruxton pants from Race Face get a straightforward, no-frills build based on a nylon blend fabric. Within that, there are laser-cut perforations to encourage airflow, a surf-inspired zipperless fly with a ratchet closure, and external adjustment.
Joined to a stretchy lumbar panel is a raised back panel to offer a bit more coverage against spray and there’s a silicone gripper all around to keep the trousers from slipping. As for pockets, there’s one on either thigh.
Race Face Ruxton Pants – On the trail
As for the fit, it’s rather good. I wear a medium (32-inch) waist and have no complaints save for the baggier-than-usual fit. While riding, this didn’t pose an issue but does leave them prone to snags on trailside twigs and the like. What the extra material rewards you with, however, is excellent mobility over the bike not to mention extra space inside for all kinds of things – which is handy if you like to carry tools on your person.
Though it’s the simplicity and quality build that results in a great garment, the perforations on the top front sections of the pants make them comfortable to wear through to the summer months.
Race Face Ruxton Pants – Verdict
For a rough-and-ready pair of pants like these, £140 isn’t a bad price. The best MTB pants category, however, is filled with some stand-out products such as the Rapha Men’s Trail Pants, for example, at £130. When testing these, I found them to be incredibly comfortable and they’re built with a range of features that have proven to be very useful on the bike to the point that they overshadow the Ruxton pants, somewhat.
Then there’s Leatt’s Pant MTB 4.0. Although I found some wear around the seat area, they suitably fit the bill for gravity riding thanks to abrasion-resistant panels and plenty of space for pads. These are priced at £120.
If you’re after a simple pair of riding trousers with a slightly baggier fit, the Race Race Ruxtons do just the trick. However, they don’t quite stand up against a raft of cheaper, and more feature-packed offerings from other brands.
You might also like:
- Bare bar riding: Ditch the devices and start riding free
- Buyer’s guide to waterproof mountain bike and gravel jackets
- Your complete guide to SRAM MTB drivetrains, from AXS and XX1 Eagle to NX
Product purpose:
I’d agree but won’t necessarily says that they provide protection. Perhaps this is more a nod to their durability.
Build extra:
Product construction
Product construction extra:
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product comfort
Product comfort extra:
product value
All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.
