CUBE Action Team Shorts

The CUBE Action Team is not Germany’s less successful version of the Power Rangers: it’s CUBE’s sponsored group of enduro riders, who mainly race, tend not to fight baddies, and, as far as I am aware, do not have a catchy/annoying theme tune. They also like lots of logos on their shorts, which are available to us non-Action Teamers and are probably another example of ‘enduro’ becoming a neat way of marketing products for the kind of riding many of us do week in, week out.

So, if you can get over the dubious branded logos (and put up with the associated ribbing from mates), you are left with a pair of tough shorts, with a design remit leaning towards padded-up, gravity-based riding, but not overly compromised for pedalling around in all day.

The fabric is fairly heavy (and hence warmer than many shorts in my collection), with a mesh lining (although no padded liner short) and a reassuring toughness to it. They are long enough to reach below my knees, and combined with a fairly baggy cut and neat stitching are practical for everyday riding – whether wearing pads or not. The only flaw in the design is the popper closure. I’ve had a couple of mid-ride malfunctions, usually when the shorts are wet and heavy. Frustrating on an otherwise sturdy short.

I’ve been happy doing non-competitive-enduro-lite (i.e. riding my bike) in them for a while… In fact, I can see them becoming my preferred choice of riding short for dry, cooler days, as long as those poppers hold out. Now I just need some baddies, and a theme tune.