The Altura Mayhem Printed are the kind of shorts that suit ‘just going out for a ride’. They’re not reinforced, but not flimsy. They’re not baggy, but not billowing. They’re comfortable for longer hours in the saddle, but don’t scream ‘BIKE!’ when sitting in the beer garden with a post-ride pint.
You also get a (basic) removable padded liner for your £50. I prefer to wear bibshorts under baggies, but the liner was comfortable enough for a couple of hours’ blast. Whatever your preference, if you are planning lots of hours in the saddle, it’s worth investing in some dedicated padded lycra.
The waistband can be cinched in using velcro either side of the hips, but is only really useful for taking an inch or so off the waist measurement. The front pockets are not zipped, but are deep and structured enough to allow you to keep a phone or multitool in without fear of it falling out, or swinging wildly against your knees. They have a neat zip-up rear pocket, maybe to stash a wallet post ride.
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The fabric is at the lighter weight end of the scale – almost like a very thin softshell material. It does a good job of feeling cool, and showed no signs of wear during the test period, despite the odd ‘ground abrasion test’ (it fared better than my elbow, anyway). It hangs a little heavy when wet, but dries quickly and copes with the usual splashes. In reality, for a lot of riders they are the only baggies you’ll need, unless the weather is truly awful, in which case I’d be reaching for something waterproof.
Overall: Decent value all-rounders – even if you don’t use the liner shorts.