Engearment

Paul Gallaher

I am a fair-skinned guy that rides my bike at high altitude in frequently sunny areas. I made the jump to pretty much exclusively wearing long-sleeved jerseys for sun protection several years ago. That said, other than wearing insulated bib tights in cold weather, I haven’t thought of wearing pants on a bicycle since wearing jeans while riding my Schwinn Varsity in 10th grade.

I do live in a mountainous area that has a shorter riding season than much of the United States due to latitude and altitude. So, when I discovered the Outdoor Research Freewheel MTB Ride Pants, I jumped at the chance to try them!

Details: These mountain bike specific pants were made with attention to detail:

They are made with a combination of nylon and Spandex (bluesign approved). The fabric has nice stretch and breathability. These pants are wind and water resistant and are quick-drying when they do get wet. The fabric has a UPF50 rating to keep skin protected from UV radiation. They also use something called Duraprint technology on the inside of the ankles that increases abrasion resistance.

Other design details: The legs have 15 inch side-zippers at the bottom hem. These allow freedom to put on and take off knee pads without removing the pants. They also allow for some increased airflow if you need it. The waist has a slide-lock closure at the front (instead of a simple snap that can pop open after a hearty lunch or with tight abs when hucking off a jump).

The waist-band also has bilateral side adjustment tabs that effectively allow the rider to snug in the waist like a built-in belt. Lastly, there are nicely placed zip pockets on both upper thighs that are big enough for a phone, keys, pocket bacon or family photos.

The test rides: First, let me say that after the first test ride, these pants were no longer in the “test” phase. They quickly moved into the “I’m wearing these on every cool weather MTB ride phase”. I was initially concerned that the material would bind and pull at my knees, somehow hindering my mobility on rides.

This concern was assuaged after five minutes of riding on some rough singletrack. As with most gear when I’m on a bike, if I don’t notice it when I’m riding, the item is exactly what I want to be wearing on that ride. A side note, I’ve learned that similar to ski pants, I like to wear these pants with sports suspenders to keep them exactly where I want them to ride on my body. These pants are a great season extender for shoulder season or will even work for some folks on a summer dawn patrol ride, depending upon where you’re riding. I highly recommend making these a part of your mountain bike wardrobe!

The Men’s Freewheel MTB Ride Pants are available in bronze or black and in sizes from a 28 inch to a 42 inch waist. The inseam is advertised as a 32 inch inseam. These are also available in women’s sizes. Find these pants online or at your local sports store!

Paul Gallaher

Paul grew up in Minnesota where he learned to love the outdoors, riding his bike, fishing and canoeing in the summers and skiing in the winters on Minnesota’s 300 foot-tall “mountains”.

After finishing college, he was commissioned as an officer in the USAF eventually becoming a special operations and reconnaissance instructor navigator flying and serving around the world for twenty-two years.

Living and traveling around the world has given Paul opportunities to explore outdoor passions. He is an advanced scuba diver, a pilot, a sailor and has skied in the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.