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The Aussie Grit Apparel Women’s Quartz 2 in 1 bike shorts are a lycra chamois and summer over short combined. The thin, flexible material is super light and breathable, the chamois is comfortable and then hem of the legs are shaped nicely over the knee. They aren’t quite long enough to pair with knee pads but for cross-country, gravel and recreational rides these are a good hot weather short.

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A combined short and chamois that are sewn together are not all that common these days with many riders opting to wear a quality road chamois and a different mountain bike baggy short together. The former solution means a comfortable waistband that is designed to keep the two garments sitting together in harmony on the waist but it won’t allow the chamois to be washed separately whilst the over short gets a second airing, perhaps making it less versatile.

The 2 in 1 shorts from Aussie Grit are uber comfortable to wear, the wide elastic waistband combining both pairs of shorts is supremely comfortable and sits high on the waist staying in place well it's smooth against the skin too. The lycra is light but still with a well-padded chamois (it's the same as the one we tested in these Aussie Grit shorts) which was comfortable for my 3 to 4 hour mountain bike rides. The rear and most padded part of the chamois isn’t bulky which suited me down to the ground. The lycra features a side leg pocket on the left hand which is supposed to be a phone pocket but I think it’d be better used to store gels or snacks, although you'd have to hitch up the outer short leg first. 

The over short is stretchy and breathable, this is a summer short that dries quickly and won’t restrict movement when you are sweaty. The anti-abrasion fabric has laser cut ventilation holes and small reflective details if you happen to find yourself out in the dark.

Elsewhere there is a large zipped pocket that hangs to the rear of the right leg and the hem of the legs are shaped longer at the front to better cover the knees and knee pads.

I’m 5’3, usually a size 10 bottoms and wore a size small short, in this size I found the chamois shorts to be supportive whilst the outer was still baggy and didn’t cling to my thighs as other more trail orientated shorts do. The shorts are just about long enough to wear with knee pads without exposing skin between the kneepad and the short when pedalling as long as the upper part of the knee pad is longer than average, if the Aussie Grit shorts were an inch or two longer, they’d be spot on for wearing with protection.

As it is these shorts are a great lightweight partner for trail rides, cross country missions and gravel riders where you’d like a little more coverage than just lycra offers and don’t mind washing both at once. The price isn't bad either considering the quality of the lycra chamois.

Great for the summer these will keep you cool and comfortable, they just probably won’t suit the gravity orientated enduro riders out there.

• www.aussiegritapparel.com

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