The Case for Mountain Biking in Pants (2024)

We designed the new Goodson and Tia Pants with one main objective: protect thy legs.

“I like the look of pants. It’s easy to look less dorky,” says Cody Wilkins, a trail builder and mountain biker from Bellingham, Washington. “I find myself on these crazy adventure rides, riding big terrain or bushwacking. I need to have my skin covered, keep my knee pads in place.”

In the winter, Wilkins says it’s easier to put long underwear under pants. And in the summer, he has no issue with overheating. “The Goodson Pants breathe really well. I used them all last summer,” he says. “The material is really similar to the shorts. I was riding in 100-degree weather all last June in the Pacific Northwest. I have pale Scandinavian skin. So, the pants offer sun protection, too.”

As a trail builder, Wilkins says he needs to wear long sleeves and long pants for work. “A big part of my job is riding, testing, and building in the same day. So, I need a piece of clothing that can transcend those roles,” he says. “I’m always picking ticks off myself or getting stung by bees, so pants offer one more layer of protection.”

It depends on what kind of riding you’re doing. If you’re going on long cross-country rides, maybe shorts are a better fit. But if you find yourself being more adventurous, riding the bike park with knee pads, or in a situation where you might fall and slide, pants are going to offer another layer of defense. “It’s a little bit more when you need a little more,” Wilkins adds.

“I’m such a pants person,” says Jackson, Wyoming-based mountain biker Rachel Long. “I think they look better than shorts. Plus, they offer that protection. When I’m on my bike, I go down and I go down hard, so having that protection on my legs is a good feeling to know that I’m not going to scrape up everything if and when I fall.”