Product Review: Dainese Airflux Bike Shorts

MSRP: Around $159

Cordura Soft gives the Dainese Men’s Airflux Bike Short the balls to go huge, without the chafe that most abrasion-resistant fabrics bring to the table. Hook and loop tabs let you adjust the Airflux Short’s waistband without needing a belt, and a rear center zip pocket holds precious accessories close by.

Tech Specs:

Material: Cordura Soft, stretch polyester
Chamois: None
Venting: Side elastic mesh
Pockets: 2 Hand, 1 rear zip
Recommended Use: Mountain biking
Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime

Pros:
First and fore most, the Dainese Air Flux shorts have to be one of the toughest pieces of mountain biking garment I have ever owned. Not sure what it is, but ever since I started riding DH, I’ve crashed more in the 10 months while riding/racing DH than I have in all the years that I’ve been riding XC in mountain biking. Anyhow, these crashes are not limited to soft, pillowy dirt or grassy landing spots, nope, I’ve spent time on rock gardens, loose gravel, super dry and even rainy conditions. With the various terrain that my body and gear have sampled, the Dainese Air Flux shorts proved to be the most rugged out out of any of them. I’ve had jerseys tear, gloves rip, shoes get poked at, but the shorts seemed to have seen the brunt of the abuse. Why? It’s simple really, I’ve worn them in about 80% of the time that I’ve ridden.

Photo taken after a crash.

On the podium

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about the features of the shorts. Did I tell you it has a nice reflective Dainese logo on the legs. On the left is the name, and on the right is a smaller symbol of the brand.

Dainese has some deep pockets! It has two deep pockets to keep your keys and snacks in. In the back there is also a zippered compartment that could be useful in storing a gel pack. But I never chanced getting sticky stuff on my butt so I left it to be used as vent for my rear end.

Rear vent.

One of my favorite features of the shorts would be the adjustable straps. Racing in the 200 club means I have to maintain a weight of…200lbs or more. Well unfortunately my weight fluctuated from 203-210 through out the season. I’m giving that one up to the massive amounts of muscle I gained through training. Anyhow, with my gut getting bigger and smaller on a week to week basis, the adjustable straps allowed me to custom fit my shorts to my immediate needs.

Adjustable straps

Cons:
OK so let’s get down to the lows of the shorts. To be honest with you, the price tag is what got me. $150 is a bit high for shorts. But then again I’ve crashed about a good 5-8 times in the past few months and I know if I were riding with a pair of $50 shorts, they probably wouldn’t survive.

Though a nice chamois liner would have made these shorts even better, they do not come with tights. However, it is lined with a mesh material that allows for breathing room and comfort. I normally wore a pair of tights or bibs when I had these shorts on. If that’s not your style, then wear some boxers or briefs to suit your man needs.

Another con for me is that I can’t just throw them in the washer once I’m done wearing them. Directions on the tag state the shorts have to be handwashed. Though there is a good work around on this issue. What I do is I’ll wear them in the shower with me…voila! Then I hang dry them and they’re ready to roll

Summary:
So lets get down to the nitty gritty. Would I recommend these shorts? Well if I didn’t like them, I wouldn’t be wearing them at the races or any time I rode. So the answer to that question is yes. I’ve seen how Dainese’s quality really exceeded my expectations. I’ve yet to tear or even bust a stitch on these shorts. Sure the price tag can be high, but just think of it as an investment, you won’t have to buy another pair of DH style shorts ever again.

Lower rock garden in Fontana.

For more info about Dainese and its products, you can visit their website or check out the D-STORE ORANGE COUNTY 1645 Superior Avenue 92663 – COSTA MESA – USA Phone: 949.645.9500