At a first glance these are a neat little pair of capris aimed – I assume – at the commuter market. The cut is more fashion/leisure wear than serious bikewear, and they’re unpadded. So more suited to short distances, perhaps. In theory you could pop these over a pair of padded shorts or knickers but in practice you’d need a very different bodyshape to me.
The fit and cut of these is completely wrong for me. The waist sits super-high and is very tight for a size 12. It also drags the gusset up, leading to an uncomfortable camel-toe. And the light material over white sports shorts unfortunately equals major VPL.
I really don’t want to be 100% negative about these capris and in fairness to Polaris I do find it extremely hard to even find ordinary trousers or capris that fit well, let alone cycling-specific clothing.
If you’re of the right body shape – hourglass as opposed to strong and athletic – these could be a nice little addition to a summer commuter’s wardrobe. The capris are light and have a touch of stretch, and feature a very narrow reflective trim at the sides and a zipped pocket at the front hip. In a basic unfussy style, these could be smart enough for a day at work. You could certainly wear these at the weekend, and hop on and off the bike without having to change.
The ‘urban’ bikewear category is a difficult one for brands to crack for women. It’s hard to create something functional that also has fashion credentials. This is a nice attempt by Polaris and you can’t really go wrong with black pants – unless you’re shaped like me, of course.
Verdict
Try before you buy
Pros:
Neat and simple design
Light
Touch of stretch
Cons:
Fit does not flatter an athletic build
Waist very high and feels tight
VPL
Price: £44.99, Available from Polaris.
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