ION Products Avid Bike Short 2014
Reviews / Shorts
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At Eurobike this year it was obvious that the ION bike range is growing, and also that the momentum around the brand is increasing. The stand had doubled in size, going upwards with a second floor, and it seemed to be permanently busy. A positive sign for a relative newcomer to the bike market indeed!
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The Avid bike shorts are part of the Scrub Series line up, which is their range aimed at the freeride market, though as we found they fit so many more roles than just this.
On first impressions you could be forgiven for thinking these are merely a regular pair of beachside boardshorts. The lightweight fabric, casual appearance and surf style Velcro and lace up fly front all fitting that image perfectly. Delve a little deeper though and you realise that there has been some considerable thought gone into creating a brilliant bike-specific short behind the surf frontier.
The loose style is not so much baggy, more a case of wide and long, so the hem comes just below the kneecap yet doesn’t restrict pedalling effort. The nylon and spandex blend fabric has an amazing amount of stretch, coupled with a neoprene panel at the back and we found that freedom of movement is pretty much limitless. I’m fairly sure a gymnast could still perform in these shorts!
As well as this 4-way flex, the material boasts other properties too; water-repellent, breathable and durable, and it has been treated with ION’s anti-smell magic potion ‘Sanitized’ which should keep them from becoming quarantined should you wear them a little too much…
The front zip pockets are handy, particularly as one features a neoprene phone pouch, designed to protect your device from dirt, dust, rain showers and minor knocks. An adjustable waistband, belt loops, crotch air vents, additional inner thigh seam, all these features prove there is more to these shorts than initially meets the eye.
You will probably find yourself reaching for them on beach days, as well as biking days, and probably some of the casual days in between too. They’re comfy, functional and great looking. As the likes of Antoine Bizet and Thomas Genon proved at this years Red Bull Rampage, the Avid shorts have certainly been built to stand up to some gnarly riding too!
For more information visit ION Products Related
By Rou Chater
Rou Chater is the Publishing Editor of IMB Magazine; he’s a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, but his passion for bikes knows no bounds. His first mountain bike was a Trek 820, which he bought in 1990. It didn’t take him long to earn himself a trip to the hospital on it, and he’s never looked back since. These days he’s keeping it rubber side down, riding locally and overseas as much as possible.
