Rocday Roc Lite Shorts review

The Roc Lite shorts are – as you would expect – the lighter of the two options in Rocday's lineup. Aimed at all-mountain and trail use, rather than the heavier enduro build of the Rocs, they sport a very neat cut with little excess fabric and a stretchy, soft-touch feel.

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They are the perfect length and weight for a rugged trail short, coming in an inch or so below the knee, and have just enough fabric to accommodate pads.

A nice touch is the mesh sewn into the knee lining, to help slide fabric over your knee pads and protect the inner short face from wear. It certainly seemed to work a treat and just added to what was an excellent, intelligently detailed pair of shorts.

The two deep hip pockets were excellent, with Lycra sides to prevent kit falling out while on the move. They use a fine mesh for the pocket lining, presumably to prevent the multiple fabric layers adding up and reducing breathability.

Generally I'm not a fan of mesh pockets, but the fine mesh on the Roc Lites didn't get caught on keys and other sharp objects, as some do, and Rocday has sewn in a solid panel to the bottom for added durability – nice attention to detail, yet again.

Sitting in the pedalling position was an unrestricted experience, despite the weighty material. This was mainly thanks to a deep corrugated lumbar panel that allowed plenty of stretch for a tug-free bend at the waist. This also meant they kept a good coverage over the lower back rather than pulling down when the going got tough.

The Roc Lites were so comfortable, in fact, that I regularly wore them as everyday shorts around the town between rides, and they fit right in there with their well chosen colours and understated, matt finish.

They are maybe a little heavy to make an ideal long distance pedalling short, but were nonetheless excellent for less energy intensive days out. Plus, they're a reasonable price for the top-quality construction you get.

I found them pretty neat around the legs, which may not suit everyone, and consider a size up because the waist was a smidge on the small side for me.