Mountain Bike Shorts

Joel asked for a pair of baggies for mountain biking.  Baggies for the uneducated among us, me included, are what I would call cargo shorts.  They are intended to hold all manor of things from bike tools to cell phones.  The problem with Joel buying a pair is the cost for a start for a 14 year old and secondly getting a pair to fit a slender teenager.

The fabric I chose is a mystery stretch woven synthetic fabric from Cotura's winter sale.  The pattern is Jutland Pants from Thread Theory.  I downloaded the pdf for it and printed it at 90% because Joel is too small for their smallest size.




Because the shorts were going to be a birthday present, fitting them wasn't an option, so I measured the size against his school shorts which I knew fit and had some room for growth.












Courteney told me that baggies tend to have an elasticated belt for comfort so I made the waist the same as my ski pants.  I created a tunnel in the outside of the waistband and threaded through elastic with fabric and velcro at each end.  This enable the pants to be adjusted for fit while wearing them.

Being a synthetic, the fabric did not hold a crease well, so I opted to topstitch the pleats on the pocket to ensure they retain their shape. 

Joel really likes the shorts and even though I couldn't fit them, I am pretty happy with the final fit on him.  There is room for growth and being that he is 14, that was a definite concern for me.  I know from experience that in the next twelve months he will shoot up in height.