The Specialized Demo pant is a lightweight but tough pair of mountain bike trousers that are comfortable, well-fitting and sensibly priced. With their subtle looks, they provide breathable coverage which is well suited for autumnal and spring conditions - making them a worthy consideration among the best MTB pants.
Specialized Demo Pant - Technical details
The Specialized Demo pant sits in between the lightweight Trail Pant and the tougher Gravity Pant. These are aimed at those autumnal and spring rides when it's warm and wet requiring a breathable and protective pair of trousers.
> Buy now: Specialized Demo Pant from Cycle Store for £93.50
The Demo pant is constructed from a lightweight and stretchy material called VaporRize (90% nylon, 10% elastane), which gets a water-repellent treatment. There are small breathing holes around the top of the thigh and back of the knees to help with ventilation. Zipped pockets are located on the top of each thigh and there is one very small pocket on the waistband at the back.
The cut is on the slimmer side but I’d describe it as “athletic”. Yes, they’ll even fit those with bigger legs thanks to the stretch in the material. That said, they still tend to hug the thigh and taper down at the ankle with very little in the way of excess material. These have been designed with the best MTB knee pads in mind and therefore have plenty of room to house most knee pads. The waist has a hook-and-loop cinch band which provides plenty of adjustment.
Specialized Demo Pant - Performance
Out on the trials, the trousers impressed me. It's fair to say they become my new go-to trousers as autumn rolls in. Although they’re a slim fit, at no point did they feel pinching or restrictive. The 32-inch waist fitted as expected and the leg length was spot on, too. I was initially sceptical of the pockets on the top of the thighs - I’d normally favour storing my phone underneath the thigh, however, due to the stretchy material, I was pleasantly surprised to find the pocket location didn’t hamper pedalling comfort.
The pockets are plenty big enough to house a phone (iPhone 11) as well as a few snacks for a decent ride. I’ve had a couple of spills while riding with these trousers (I blame the autumnal grease) but can report, although thin, the material is impressively tough and abrasion resistant. Even after a few crashes, the material has shown no signs of damage, but the rear section or saddle area has - expectedly - started to show signs of use. The water-repellent treatment was short-lived and is all but non-existent after a handful of washes, this is to be expected and would recommend re-treating regularly if you want to keep this protection going.
Specialized Demo Pant - Verdict
At £110, the Specialized Demo pants are right on the money. For £130, the Rapha Men’s Trail Pants received a good review from Liam, and they come in a variety of colours. At the cheaper end of the scale, the £75 Altura Esker Trail Trouser received some good praise from Jess and Liam (men’s and women’s versions available) although they do lack adjustability and have a poor pocket placement.
The Specialized Demo pants have become my new go-to riding trousers for the wetter seasons. They have proven to be comfortable, tough and sensibly priced – I can't fault them.
