Our pick of the best women’s mountain bike shorts, as rated and reviewed by the BikeRadar test team

By Finlay Anderson

2023-07-26 08:00:25


The best women’s mountain bike shorts combine comfort, style and practicality, allowing for long days in the saddle with easy access to pockets and fasteners.

The range of women’s mountain bike shorts is greater than ever, with styles available for all disciplines of mountain biking, from cross-country to downhill.

Women’s mountain bike shorts tend to comprise two layers, with an inner padded liner helping to prevent chafing and an outer short that usually features pockets.

Apart from employing a more contoured cut, many women’s-specific mountain bike shorts will feature a different waist from men’s mountain bike shorts, usually with a pull-on design.

The following women’s mountain bike shorts have been rated on overall comfort, construction, practicality and fitment, while highlighting any women’s-specific design features.

You can jump to our buyer’s guide to women’s MTB shorts at the end of this article.

Best women’s mountain bikes shorts

Endura Women’s SingleTrack Lite Shorts

5.0 out of 5 star rating
"Endura
The Endura SingleTrack Lite Shorts have an exceptional fit.
Ian Linton / Our Media
  • £80 as tested
  • Sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL – regular and short lengths
  • Colours: ‘Berry’, black, ‘cayenne’, ‘harvest’, ‘kingfisher’, ‘saffron’

The Lite version of the popular SingleTrack II shorts features a familiar tailored fit and length with a ‘barely there’ feel, being lightweight and breathable without compromising durability.

A zippered fly with a popper closure gives the shorts a clean look and elasticated Velcro adjuster tabs enable you to fine-tune the fit around the waist.

There are three well-sized zippered pockets – two on the front and one on the rear.

The high elastane content ensures stretch in all directions for an excellent fit, which can be altered via the adjuster tabs on the waistband.

The 13-inch inseam length of the regular version works perfectly with knee pads, and the shorter 10-inch version is great without protection.

The PFC-free DWR coating worked well to ward off the worst summer showers and puddles, with the water beading on the shorts’ surface.

The Endura SingleTrack Lite shorts offer the perfect balance between keeping you cool in the heat, providing protection from the odd scrape and splash on the trail, and offering an exceptional fit.