Depending on where you live and ride, Norrona’s mountain bike apparel may or may not be a common sight on your trails. The latter is the case for me, although the Norwegian brand’s winter outerwear has always been on my radar as a backcountry skier. While I’m more familiar with Norrona’s cold-weather gear, the mountain bike apparel that I’ve seen over the years has always left a pretty strong impression. The longer inseams, bold colors, and distinctive styling have always stood out slightly from the crowd of similar-looking mtb apparel.
Norrona added mountain bike apparel to its catalog all the way back in 2008 and has been producing it ever since. As someone who has been obsessed with both skiing and mountain biking for the past few decades, I’m always intrigued by brands that make products for both of my favorite mountain sports. So, when the opportunity to try out a pair of Norrona shorts and a jersey came about, I jumped right on it.
I’ve been testing some of Norrona’s latest mountain bike apparel, the Fjora Flex1 Tech Shorts and the Fjora Equaliser Lightweight T-shirt, for the past month and a half, and I have almost zero complaints. The shorts are comfortable, lightweight, and quick-drying, and the jersey has a great fit, soft fabric, and a reasonable price.
- MSRP: $149
- Material: Flex1: 4-way stretch double weave, 86% Recycled Nylon, 14% Elastane, 125g/m2 PFC free DWR bluesign & GRS certified.
- Weight: 202 g (size M)
- Inseam: 11.5 in. (measured, size M)
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
- Pockets: 3 zippered
- Colors: Caviar Black, Trooper (blue), Boa
Pros
- Easy and secure waist adjustment
- Comfy
- Very quick drying
- Well made
- Eco-conscious materials
Cons
- Moderately expensive
- Vertical loading pockets
One of the reasons Norona’s bike shorts have stood out to me in the past was that they were often very brightly colored and had extra-long, below-the-knee inseams. When the Fjora Flex1 Tech Shorts showed up, I was happy to see that they were a neutral color — black goes with everything — but even happier to see that they had a more “normal” inseam length. Not that I don’t like longer shorts, but it’s been a hot summer, and extra leg coverage isn’t the most appealing right now.
In addition to the “Caviar Black” color that I’ve got, the Flex1 Tech shorts come in a Trooper (light blue) and Boa (kinda khaki-ish). They’re made from a relatively lightweight 125 g/m2 Flex1 fabric, which is a four-way stretch blend of 86% recycled nylon and 14% elastane. It’s been treated with a PFC-free DWR and is Bluesign and GRS certified. My size medium test pair weighed 202 grams on my scale, which is respectably light, but not class-leading. For comparison, the Velocio Ultralight Shorts weigh 135 grams in the same size. Within Norrona’s own shorts lineup, the Flex1 Tech are the “light” model, and the Flex1 “Light” are the “lightweight” option.
Fit and Comfort
I’m 6’0” tall, 170 pounds, and I’ve got a 32-inch waist. I went with a size medium, and it was a perfect fit. According to Norrona’s size chart, I supposedly could’ve fit into a small, but I would’ve been maxing out the waist, and that’s not ideal in my experience. That said, I’m supposedly on the small side of the Medium’s waist size range, and I’m just barely cinching the waist adjustment to fit me. A 35-inch waist seems like it would be pretty tight. Based on this, I’d suggest trying these on if possible, or consider sizing up from the size chart if you’re on the higher end of a size’s fit range.
They’ve got dual snaps at the waist and a zipper fly to facilitate quick and easy nature breaks. Wide external velcro tabs on both sides of the waist are not only easy to access and adjust, but I found them to be very secure without adding any bulk. Like any good mountain bike shorts, they have a broad waistband that rises slightly in the back and is heavily articulated for the seated riding position. The waistband has a soft backing for comfort, along with a thick strip of silicone on the inside that helps keep them from shifting up or down.
Norrona still makes the Fjora Flex1 shorts with a longer cut, but the lighter “Tech” version I’ve been testing has a shorter inseam. The inseam length isn’t specified, but I measured my medium test pair at 11.5”. With my 35-inch inseam, they fall almost exactly at the top of my kneecaps when standing off the bike and rise a couple inches above the knee when seated and pedaling.
The Flex1 Tech shorts have what I would call an athletic fit. They’re form-fitting through my hips and butt, but not restrictive in the slightest. The fit through the legs is relaxed and loose enough, but far from being overly baggy. The hem at the knee is a tad higher in the back to prevent any unwanted calf rub, and there’s plenty of room to fit over low-profile knee pads like the Fox Enduro Pro, too.
The Flex1 material has a fairly tough, durable hand feel, yet it manages to feel comfortable against the skin while pedaling. I wear bib liners, so it really only contacts the skin right above my knee, but the welded seam is smooth and chafe-free. With a gussetted crotch and stretch material, there’s ample freedom of movement. Norrona states that Flex1 fabric is windproof, but it’s relatively lightweight and reasonably breathable, and there are some small laser-cut perforations just below the waistband on the back. These shorts don’t feel hot by any means, but they aren’t the airiest shorts I’ve ever worn, either. Still, I’m willing to wear them on hot days, and they dry very quickly if/when they do get soaked with sweat.
Pockets
Most of the Norrona shorts I remember seeing have always had pocket zippers that stood out from the rest of the shorts, giving them a somewhat “technical” aesthetic, perhaps overly so. Style has changed a little, and the zippers on the black shorts I’m testing are color matched and blend in nicely. There are a total of three mesh-lined zippered pockets to carry items while you ride, with one on the right and two on the left. The right pocket is located up on the hip and is big enough to fit your hand off the bike or hold a phone while you’re riding. On the left side, the upper pocket is fairly small, but a great size for carrying cash, a card, ID, or a gel or two. The lower pocket is much larger, and it includes a phone sleeve.
Among the three pockets, there’s plenty of room to stash things while you ride, and the pocket placement on the outside of the hips/thigh keeps things from bouncing around on top of the leg while pedaling or descending. In recent years, I’ve grown quite fond of and accustomed to pockets with vertically-oriented zippers and back-loading designs, and the top-loading entry to these pockets made them slightly more difficult to access on the bike. They work fine, of course, it just depends on what you’re used to.
Overall, the Fjora Flex1 Tech Shorts are a great all-arounder that works very well for the type of riding that I typically do — spirited, fast-paced trail rides, sometimes more aggressive but other times bordering on full-blown XC. The material has a robust feel, yet is light enough and comfortable. They fit me well, stay in place, and don’t give me much to think about on the trail. They’ve quickly earned a spot in my regular rotation and are staying at or near the top of my stack of shorts.
- MSRP: $59
- Material: 117 g/m2 knitted 100% recycled polyester w/ HeiQ Fresh anti-odor treatment
- Weight: 131 g (size M)
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Colors: Skydiver, Olive Night, Norrona Green, Boa
Pros
- Soft, comfortable fabric
- Athletic, slim fit
- Great cut, drop tail
- Reasonably priced
- Material doesn't look wet when sweaty
- Recycled material
Cons
- Somewhat loud branding
- Anti-odor treatment isn't the most effective
Mountain bike jerseys are a dime a dozen, but many seem like they are far more expensive than they should be. And while the Flex1 Tech Shorts may be fairly expensive, the $59 retail price of the Fjora Equaliser Lightweight T-shirt seems pretty reasonable to me. Norrona says it is “our lightest, most quick-drying mountain biking T-shirt.” I can’t disagree with that, plus the material is soft and comfortable, and it has an athletic fit and bike-oriented cut that works great for me.
Norrona’s Equalizer fabric is a lightweight 117 g/m2 knitted 100% recycled polyester. This material is surprisingly soft and feels great against the skin. To me, it feels as comfortable as cotton, even though I can tell that it’s a synthetic material in my hand. I’ve found it feels light, airy, and breathable on the body and has been a great weight for hot summer rides. It doesn’t feel plastic-y in the slightest, even when wet with sweat, and it dries relatively quickly in my low-humidity environment.
It’s also been treated with an anti-odor finish called HeiQ Fresh in an attempt to keep the stink at bay. I’m a sweaty and somewhat smelly person, and my shirt definitely hasn’t been smelling great after rides. Maybe it’s helping a little, but frankly, I don’t think I’ve found any other anti-odor treatment that can handle my stink. Unlike my merino blend jerseys, I’ll just avoid wearing this shirt more than once between washes.
The Fjora Equaliser shirt comes in four sizes, S-XL. I went with a medium, and the fit is spot-on for me at 6’0” and 170 pounds. The cut is relaxed but slim through the torso with an asymmetric hem that’s dropped pretty significantly in the back. The short sleeves are a good length, and the articulation in the shoulders is comfortable in the riding position. The neck opening is also a good size that’s not excessively loose or overly tight, something I’m weirdly particular about on my riding shirts.
My main complaint about this shirt is the fairly large Norrona logo across the chest. Its color matches the sleeves on the green shirt that I have, so it isn’t too obnoxious, but I’m just not the biggest fan of loud-ish branding. Don’t get me wrong; it’s totally tolerable and nowhere near as bad as some of the old moto-style gear many of us used to wear a decade ago. I dig the Viking head logo, though.
Otherwise, it’s a shirt. There isn’t too much to say. It’s comfy, fits me well, and works well for its intended use.
Norrona MTB Apparel: My Takeaway
This is my first time wearing any Norrona mountain bike apparel, and I’m into it. While it will be very hard for any shorts to unseat the Velocio Ultralight Shorts as my current favorite, the Fjora Flex1 Tech shorts have worked their way into the top of my stack, where I’m basically just rotating through the three pairs on top. They fit me well and are comfortable, well-made, and appear to be quite durable, too.
The same goes for the Fjora Equaliser Lightweight T-shirt. The recycled material is soft, comfortable, and lightweight, and the fit is dialed for the intended purpose of riding a bike. And at $59, I think it’s priced competitively for any shirt made specifically for mountain biking. The $149 price tag for the Fjora Flex1 Tech Shorts does seem a little steep, perhaps, but the price of most other shorts has been going up lately, with some well above that.
All that to say that Norrona makes good stuff and is definitely worthy of consideration when you’re looking for new mountain bike apparel. In addition to the shorts and jersey I tested, the brand makes several other pairs of shorts, pants, jerseys, and outerwear for men and women. Head to the Norrona website to learn more.
