There’s no question that the Fusions represent rather a lot of anyone’s money. But from the moment you start to deconstruct them you realise where every penny goes.
The liner, for example, is probably better than most of the skin shorts we own – it really isn’t a ‘secondary’ component. With mesh inserts to keep you cool, a stretch pad that snaps into place and doesn’t move, and even hypoallergenic silicone leg grippers, it has a specification more than worthy of good, standalone road shorts.
The outer, with its mix of heavier stretch and lightweight, durable panels, is the best combination we’ve worn of a relaxed ‘freeride’ style and lightweight rideability of out-and-out cross-country shorts. The fit is superb – if you do have to adjust the waist it’s via continuous-loop webbing and buckle adjusters. This meant we couldn’t do our usual trick of catching Velcro tabs and pulling them undone. Hooray.
Ride and it’s clear attention has been paid to every last detail, because it all just works – from the angle of the pockets across the leg, to the inner grip of the waist-back keeping the shorts in place, to the efficiency of the vents. It’s all excellent.
