Review: Flare Clothing Solar T-Shirt And Stage Shorts

Flare has been making an attractive range of women’s riding gear for three years now, and promoting it with pictures of real looking women riding everything from round the park to scary technical stuff. I like to see their brand ambassadors because they look real – people with lives away from bikes, as well as the ‘livin’ the dream’ pros and van dwellers. The Solar T-shirt and Stage Shorts were my first taste of wearing Flare kit. So how has it been?

The T-shirt is quite different from the usual ride shirts. It is 100% polyester, but feels almost like a normal cotton t-shirt. It’s not particularly stretchy, particularly at the seams, and it is quite a slim cut, so you might want to size up. I wore the Medium/12 and found it fitted perfectly, although it does take a little more of a wriggle to get it over my shoulders than some of my t-shirts. Once on, it’s comfortable and stylish, and hasn’t gone whiffy under the arms despite plenty of sweaty climbs. It’s stayed true to size and shape in the wash, and hasn’t gone bobbly over time – in fact it still looks as good as it did on day one.

The shorts are made of a four way stretch fabric which is quite tough but not heavy. There’s a big blue reinforced bum area, which is perhaps not to everyone’s taste – I’m not sure it’s terribly flattering, but then neither is a great spread of mud up your backside so perhaps a baboon bum is nothing to worry about. The inside of the fabric is soft against your skin, and the waistband is fleece lined for extra softness. I like the big fly overlap – it keeps mud away from your zip so it doesn’t get damaged, and also creates a flattering finish at the front. The big velcro strap keeps the waist securely done up (but do remember to do it up for washing too, our your socks will stick to it).

There’s no way of adjusting the waist, but I found that the Mediums fitted me nicely, giving an evenly loose fit all over – more generously cut than the t-shirt. They are quite low cut – something I found comfortable, but paired up with the skinny fit Solar top it could leave my lower back exposed when combined with a pack. They’re a nice long length with plenty of room for pads and there are a couple of zipped pockets on the front of the hips. Simple shorts with clean lines and neat and secure stitching that have stood up to plenty of riding and washing. Oh, and there are plenty of similar options for blokes too, so if you like the design, take a look.

Overall

I like how this outfit looks and feels, which makes it one I regularly reach for.

Review Info

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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