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The 7Mesh WK2 shorts are a premium short that feels like a second skin to wear. These really are a road short only though, wear them with baggy over shorts and you’ll damage the outer edge causing it to stretch and roll up.

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The WK2 shorts area supremely comfortable, the 80% nylon/20% spandex lycra is soft to the touch and feels great against the skin. The shape and pattern used by 7Mesh is great, there has been some real thought given to the riders shape and the position adopted on the bike. The waistband is large and wide and doesn’t dig in at all and the legs are constructed from largely just two panels which shape to the thighs without causing any pressure points at the seams.

Rather than attach a separate lower leg cuff the shorts have a raw, rather unfinished hem. To hold the shorts in the place the lower edge (about an inch) of this is backed with a gripper. The premise of this is good, it means less seams are present and is sleek, tapered and understated in look but there are some performance issues if you want to wear these shorts with an over short. The sliding action of cycling in a baggy short causes the bottom of the WK2 short to roll up and therefore over time, stretch until it does not lie flat against the leg any more. I’d suggest only buying these shorts if you know that you will use them in isolation from other shorts or baggies. After quickly realising this consequence, I kept a second pair of shorts away from baggies and have not encountered the same problem.

The chamois in the short is of premium quality, it's on the more padded side of things rather than the less and it is sewn into place in a way that completely hides the seams internally. It proved very comfortable over long and short days, when wet or dry, the hammock design suspends the chamois and adds an extra layer which is able to move slightly to further prevent rubbing and chafing. 

With regards to size, my experience of the 7Mesh shorts is that they size up rather small, I’m usually a size 10 bottoms and wore a medium short for a 29” waist. My thigh, using the size guide measures 21.5” where the medium short is supposed to fit a 23.5” thigh, I’d suggest you size up if buying.

Some features of the 7Mesh WK2 women’s shorts are superb, the issue with the lower leg hem lets them down though, stopping them being a really versatile short. At £100 you’d expect them to be a better all-rounder despite the very comfortable chamois and fabric.

• www.7mesh.com

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