Stolen Goat Gravel shorts review

The Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts join pieces from other brands like Morvelo and Mavic in bringing a different aesthetic to cycle kit for those taking a gravel bike off road. It’s more relaxed and loose fitting than the usual roadie lycra, but still functional on the bike. Plus it will work well off the bike, so it’s good for bikepacking, more casual rides and commuting.

>>> Best gravel bike clothing (opens in new tab)

Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts are made of a polyester/lycra/nylon mix, which gives them plenty of stretch for a comfortable fit when in the saddle. They come down close to the knee and incorporate a strip of more stretchy black material on the inside of the legs. This forms one continuous piece from one leg to the other, so there are no seams under the crotch, which avoids irritation.

Fit is adjusted at the waistband via two Velcro straps. These give you plenty of potential to take in or let out the waist, depending on what you’ve been up to on your ride. I did find that the Velcro hooks tended to catch on overlapping upper half clothing though.

You get masses of pockets in the Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts. There are two at the front, two at the rear and a zipped pocket on each leg. So there is no shortage of options if you want to lug stuff around with you.

Unusually, the zip goes right up to the top of the shorts and is overlapped by the waistband and there’s no cover to the fly at its bottom. It looks slightly odd, but functions just fine despite this.

I found the Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts comfortable to ride in for shorter rides over summer. Wear bib shorts or padded underwear underneath and you’re good for longer rides too. And if you find you’ve spent too long an evening down at the pub, the Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts incorporate grey hi viz strips down the edges of the pockets, to keep you safer on the way home.

>>> Buy now: Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts from Stolen Goat (opens in new tab)

At £65, the Stolen Goat Gravel Shorts are reasonably priced for a technical piece, although that cost might be additional to a set of padded shorts if you’re planning to take longer rides in them.

Top half gravel kit too

Stolen Goat also makes a unisex gravel jersey to match the relaxed look. Also priced at £65, it’s made of a polyester-merino wool mix, with a bit of elastane for additional stretch. The wool comes from sheep roaming the Shetland Islands, so it’s UK sourced. The gravel jersey is comfortable and the fibre mix gives you both lightweight technical performance and a bit of odour prevention, along with good airflow and wicking qualities.

You get reflective darts on the front and rear of each shoulder and a dip to the tail for back coverage when riding. But unlike jerseys in the Morvelo Overland collection, there are no pockets, making the Stolen Goat Gravel Jersey less versatile if you’re planning to go long in it.

The absence of cyclist's pockets and loose, lightweight fit mean that the Stolen Goat Gravel Jersey works well off the bike though.