O’Neal Pin It shorts

I was quite excited to get my hands on the O’Neal Pin It shorts. I only had moto pants and downhill shorts in my wardrobe of riding kit, and I was missing that all-important pair of lightweight, breathable, easy to ride in shorts. First impressions were good: I liked the design and overall finish of the shorts, finding them clean-looking and practical. At first I wasn’t a massive fan of the colour though, because – let’s face it – it’s bogey green. However, I found after a little while I grew to like it: it didn’t stand out too much but still gave off a bit of character.

The first time I wore the shorts I was really happy with the fit and adjustability, these made the shorts really comfortable right away. At first I thought the shorts might be quite hot when riding because of their thickness. However, after riding and getting a sweat on, I was really pleased with how well ventilated they are. During the cold/windy rides the shorts kept some of the warmth in too, which was of course nice.

I liked the ventilation zips for added breathability and the small microfibre goggle cloth was really useful to clean off any dirt or condensation from your lenses. It makes a nice change from using my T-shirt, which is usually equally as filthy. I didn’t have any issues with the durability of the shorts at all; over the duration of the test I had a few spills and the shorts weren’t damaged in any way. I also haven’t had to pull any loose threads off either.

Overall: For me the Pin It shorts are a must-have, they’re comfortable and breathable to ride in. They don’t burn a hole in your wallet and can be worn for any occasion. [Weddings and funerals? – Ed.]