Troy Lee Designs Ruckus 2015 review
June 17th, 2015
By Andrew Dodd in Reviews
Super stylish riding kit
Troy Lee Designs make some of the most popular riding kit and helmets around, and the 2015 Ruckus shorts and 3/4 jersey are some of their best selling items on the market for good reason – they are well designed, good looking and clean up well, which is just as well with the conditions we usually have here in the UK.
Troy Lee Designs always come up with super cool graphics and colours – and the attention to detail is second to none.
Targeted at the all round rider that looks for comfort, protection and durability without things being too heavy duty, the Ruckus kit is light enough for hot weather trail riding, and equally happy with some pads and a full face for smashing it in a bike park. There are a few different colour ways going – some bold like the TLD Ops Rekon , and others stealthy like the TLD Ops Camo Midnight .
We settled for the in-your-face TLD Ops Camo.
Location | Tidworth Freeride Centre. Photo | Owen Bird
Ruckus jersey
Product Full Name: Ruckus Jersey TLD Ops Desert
Retail Price: £44.99
Available From: www.troyleedesigns.com
With a 3/4 sleeve cut the Ruckus will suit the type of rider looking for additional protection from the sun, as well skin-snagging bushes and branches. People often assume that the longer sleeves can be warmer in use, but they actually help keep you cool too.
The polyester material does a good job of drying fast when sweaty, and also has ventilated mesh side panels to keep air flow high. The tail is nice and long to avoid builders bum, and the overall cut is fairly loose, but without being too baggy. There’s also a hidden zippered stash pocket big enough for a few quid or some keys and a card.
Photo | Owen Bird
Ruckus shorts
Product Full Name: Ruckus shorts TLD Ops Desert
Retail Price: £99.99
Available From: www.troyleedesigns.com
The Ruckus short has always been a great short in the Troy Lee Designs bike range, but the cut has changed over the years. Last year’s short was one of the best to date, but was a little short in the leg for us taller folk. I’m 6’3″ and look for a short that hangs just below the knee when stood up, and on the knee pad when seated to avoid the dreaded gap that often becomes target for mid-ride abuse amongst mates.
Made from an ultra comfortable 2-way stretch mix of polyester and spandex, the 2015 Ruckus has the best cut yet for taller folk, and is slightly looser overall. As with most of TLD’s trail focussed shorts, the Ruckus comes with one of the best short liners on the market, making the £100 short feel a lot better value for money than at first glance. Many clothing manufacturers don’t include short liners to keep costing down, or include barely useable liners as a value-for-money bonus. Kind of like the basic get-you-going cables in the box when you buy hi-fi components – non of that disappointment here.
The zippered pocket sits by the small of your back and is perfect for car keys as the inside of the short is padded. The inside also has a nice wicking material.
The Ruckus has a zip fly with a single popper, and adjustable hook and loop waist cinchers for customising the fit – and plenty of pockets. There are two hand pockets – one with a zip; a mobile phone pocket with zip closure and a horizontally zipped and padded pocket on the top or the short at the back – ideal for your car keys. There are also two zippered vents on the inside of the thighs – though we’ve not yet needed to use them – and a nice vented stretch panel on the rear of the short. All the pockets are sensibly placed and you can load them up well without feeling odd in the saddle.
Photo | Owen Bird
We say
The Troy Lee Designs Ruckus 2015 kit is a great combination. The jersey will wear well, and the short is tough wearing and super comfortable for riding in most conditions. The ventilation is great and overall fit is excellent – definitely the best yet. And the cream on the cake is the excellent removable short liner.
I’ve literally been living in this kit since it came in to the Factory Jackson office – and have ordered another set in the darker colour too as I like them so much.
Highly recommended.
Location | Oblivion trail, Tidworth Freeride Park. Photo | Owen Bird
