Hopefully it’s not long now before those of us residing in the UK will be able to ditch the leggings and start wering some of our summer kit again.
However, my favourite Nema summer shorts are starting to show their age and looking round for a new pair I’m struggling to find any that are less than knee length. The Nemas reach to about half way down my thigh and on warm days have been very comfortable for many miles. Lots of the new shorts have fancy venting systems but they aren’t going to be as good as the uninterrupted airflow of shorter legs or let you get a tan above the knee.
Now I’m not suggesting we should all ride in 70’s football kit but with the current fashion for male flesh being ever more covered there’ll soon be no difference between shorts and three quarters and in another decade we’ll likely be expected to ride in technical burkas.

More people wearing knee pads maybe?

Kneed pads + short shorts = twatgap

Endura Singletrack?

I like shorts a bit longer myself, stops them bunching up on kneepads.

More people wearing knee pads maybe?

Kneed pads + short shorts = twatgap

This. Also depends on height to width ratio. As a skinny bugger who finds most brand’s “small” fall down if he breathes in, I’m generally on the look out for longer legs rather than shorter ones.

Kneed pads + short shorts = twatgap

Eh? Are you thinking of crotchless shorts? 🙂

Do loads of people really wear knee pads when riding XC?

Same problem Jon, being a slim chap, 27“ waist on a fat day. Hardly any brands around that do anything that small.

When they do however they don’t seem to have the thigh circumference right, ig keeping them the same as the rest of the sizes so not in proportion at all. Slightly annoying having several square feet of a excess material flapping around.

If you have flappy legs on your shorts then I’d suggest you need to work on your guns. 😉

Do loads of people really wear knee pads when riding XC?

Yes.

Rocks can’t tell whether you’re riding XC or DH before they smash into your knees.

I ride with lots of people who wear knee pads for XC, often as a confidence booster. It depends on how risk averse you are and how gnarly your XC rides can be. I don’t have any for anything and my knees have survived so far.
I also prefer shorter shorts.

17″ is the correct answer.

The question should read how long should my shorts be if I have a 31″ inside leg.

Longer is permitted, any shorter is illegal according to fashion statutes put in place by the Baggy Riders Association.

Below 15″ is a hanging offence.

As is wearing knee pads for XC riding.

Edit, this is of course a style thing and jurisdiction for that ends north of the town of Watford in the wastelands.

Never seen anyone wear pads for XC down here.

Depends what you call XC. If it’s anything other than DH, then plenty of stuff I do I’ll wear knee pads for on a trail bike (okay AM full sus and AM/XC-ish hard tail). Mainly because I may blast at speed at a steep rocky & rooty descent and can (and have) come off. Knees are expensive to mess up.

Though mainly I just wear them to keep my knees warm 😀

If it’s a less “gnarly” ride, night ride or proper XC (what the hell is proper XC anyway?), then the pads are left behind. Usually because it’s a longer and/or faster ride with much pedalling and pads get in the way.

DH, pads of course. Maybe even full stormtrooper.

Then you’ve got the question of BPW… 😉

Alcoholic walks into a bar and the barman says:

“Why the long shorts?”

Where are these long shorts of which you speak? I tend to have to buy 3/4s just for them to get to my knees…

I guess its a North/South thing as there is bugger all round here where you need pads – the bottom line is I need to move to an area of the country with bigger hills!

I’d appreciate a recommendation for some knee-pads suitable for XC riding, that won’t bunch up or crease behind the knee. I had an off at walking speed that dumped me directly onto my left knee, and my knee is now causing me a lot of discomfort. I was going slowly, on Tarmac, and both wheels went out from under me, without warning, as a result ive lost all confidence in my riding; a pair of pads with decent padding I think will let me get my confidence back.

So the tip dosnt hang out the bottom.