The New Zealand brand Mons Royale hardly needs to be introduced to anyone in mountain biking today: It started with merino underwear. Cooling merino underwear. Presented on good-looking models in rather unusual poses for the outdoor industry at the time. It continued with baselayers and functional underwear for skiing and snowboarding with the legendary slogan “First on last off”.
Short & sweet:
- Material:
- Virage & Momentum 2.0 Bike Shorts: Polyester, Merino wool & Spandex
- Redwood Enduro VT Bike Shirt: Merino wool, nylon & elastane
- Details:
- Virage Bike Shorts: Lightweight, heat-regulating, low-odour, zipped pocket on the right, elastic belt
- Momentum 2.0 Bike Shorts: Robust, heat-regulating, low-odour, two side pockets
- Redwood Enduro VT Bike Shirt: Heat-regulating, low-odour, perforated at the back, Merino Air-Con
- Range of use: Mountain & Gravel
Bergzeit author Lisa gets to ride the Momentum 2.0 Bike Shorts…
As well as the Virage bike shorts and the Redwood Enduro VT bike shirt by Mons Royale on the trails.
Mons Royale products are mountain bike products that exclusively hang in my closet. That’s why I was more than pleased to be allowed to test the latest bike wear from Mons Royale with the Momentum and Virage Shorts for Bergzeit.
Mountainbiking or Gravel: Why not both?
First of all, a brief introduction concerning my person: I ride my bike almost all year round. I like to use my gravel bike for long distances, commuting, or small bikepacking adventures. But my real love is still my mountain bike. I love to go on trail adventures. I always work my way up the trail with my body power. By definition, I’m a classic enduro or trail rider. I’ve been mountain biking since I was about ten years old. I’m 1.78 metres tall, and I wear size L with most brands. That’s also the case with Mons Royale.
Virage Bike Shorts by Mons Royale: A review
But now to the actual main attraction of my test: the Virage and Momentum Shorts. I will start with the Virage Shorts. As the product description in our Bergzeit shop says: “The Virage bike shorts from Mons Royale have everything that mountain bike shorts should have”. And that’s precisely how it is: they are lightweight and therefore incredibly comfortable to wear. I also think it’s cool that Mons Royale has used recycled polyester from PET bottles, so the shorts are made of 81% polyester, 14% wool and 5% elastane.
The Virage Shorts are light, snug and therefore especially suitable for warm summer days.
I could never really imagine how bike pants with merino wool would work in the past. Here, the outer material is polyester, and merino wool is incorporated. This brings the typical warmth regulation, and above all, you never have the feeling of wearing a polyester bag on your skin. Thanks to the merino wool, you can wear the pants for several days at a time without bothering yourself or others with unpleasant odours.
The side pocket of the Virage Bike Shorts is a quick and easy place to stash your smartphone.
In my eyes, the Virage shorts tend to be a bit shorter and tighter than the Momentum shorts. Since I am tall and have long legs, the unpopular protector gap arose with knee protectors. However, I also have very large protectors with my Race Face protectors. With narrower ones, it might look quite different. That’s why the Virage shorts are my companion for a quick mountain bike tour on the home trail, where I go without knee protectors, and above all, a perfect companion for long gravel tours.
The shorts have a zipped pocket that sits on the outside of the right thigh. An iPhone 11 fits in there without any problems, but at first, I was a bit surprised about the placement of the pocket because the mobile phone, for example, sticks out strangely on the thigh, and if you fall, you’ll probably fall right on it. I noticed how practical the bag’s position on the bike itself was. Without fumbling around, you can take out your mobile phone or cereal bar or whatever while riding. There is even a tiny opening in the bag where you can thread the headphone cable.
In addition, each pair of Virage shorts comes with an elastic belt that allows you to adjust the shorts individually without any problems. I have now tried the shorts for mountain and gravel biking and think they are great. Especially for hot summer days, they are a pleasantly light option. I would perhaps wish for an additional classic trouser pocket because the trousers are also an ideal all-rounder that you can wear on the next hiking tour.
Die Mons Royale Momentum 2.0 Bikeshorts Review
The second pair of shorts in the test was the Momentum 2.0 bike shorts. 2.0, because there was already a Momentum before. Since then, as with almost all Mons Royale products, the cut and fit have been fundamentally revised. Compared to the Virage, the Momentum has a much more robust design with its so-called Micro-Grid upper construction. Similar to the Virage, it also features merino wool on the inside for optimal moisture and warmth control. The material composition is 52 per cent polyester, 39 per cent wool and nine per cent elastane.
The Momentum 2.0 bike shorts are designed for rugged trails and enduro adventures.
I was particularly looking forward to testing the new Momentum because I already have the first Momentum Shorts. Since 2019, they have been my absolute favourite companion on the trails, which means I wear them a lot. At first, I was worried that the material was too thick and unsuitable for summer in the Mediterranean regions. It proved me wrong. I also had to be convinced of the original cut. At first, they seemed rather baggy and like an old school version of bike shorts. And yet, after a few rides, I found them insane. That’s why I’ve hardly worn any other shorts in the last two years.
I can also confirm the promise of the material: Except for one fall, where I tore a small hole in the material on a branch, it withstood everything without any problems. But I could patch up the spot quickly, and then I was off again.
The material of the Momentum 2.0 Bike Shorts is significantly more robust compared to the Virage shorts – but just as stretchy.
So now the new Momentum. The material is still the same, and here, I have no concerns that I might feel uncomfortable in any way or that it would not withstand trails or wearing passages. HOWEVER, when I first slipped them on, I immediately felt the difference to my old shorts in terms of cut and fit: the fit has become much tighter. After some initial hesitation and then trying them out on the trails, this feeling immediately disappeared. The shorts fit much better now.
I think it’s a shame that Mons Royale has dispensed with the ventilation openings in the Momentum 2.0, which my first Momentum still has. I find this almost essential, especially for warm temperatures and extended tours. But the Virage is probably supposed to be the trousers for warm days. For me, however, this almost takes away from the all-season Momentum trousers that I’ve been wearing till now. Whether someone needs the vents or not is always a matter of taste, of course.
Mons Royale has also been quite economical with the Momentum in terms of pockets. I know that every added pocket has its price and that it’s best not to put your mobile phone in your pocket anyway, but the Momentum only comes with two regular trouser pockets and a small zipped pocket hidden inside for your keys. With bike shorts, I always want a zipped pocket on the thigh.
In the test: Mons Royale Redwood Enduro VT Bike Shirt
Mons Royale provided me with the Redwood Enduro VT Shirt to complement the two pairs of trousers. A brief introduction: I love this shirt and have already bought its predecessor in 2019. Since then, the fit has been adjusted and revised, and it no longer sits quite as loosely as my model from two years ago. Otherwise, the shirt is the perfect bike shirt for me, and I don’t wear anything else but Mons Royale on the trails.
For Lisa, the all-rounder among the mountain bike shirts: the Redwood Enduro VT.
I don’t need to tell you much about the advantages of merino wool here, so just briefly: low odour, quick-drying, cooling and warming in cold weather all apply. As Mons Royale calls it, thanks to the ultra-light Merino Air-Con, the shirt is comfortable to wear and is never too warm but well ventilated. In addition, it is perforated at the back to allow even more air to circulate here.
What many people don’t like about merino wool, but I find essential for mountain biking, is that the shirts are made of 83 per cent of merino wool, 13 per cent of nylon, and four per cent of spandex. This makes it more challenging to recycle and reprocess after its lifetime, but this mix of materials also makes the shirts last much longer. I have a Mons Royale bike shirt from 2015 that has seen it all: Crashes, Velcro straps from my backpack that wouldn’t let go of it, nasty flat pedals that got caught in it, and none of that nothing at all has harmed the shirt. After a fall, it had a small hole sewn shut at the campsite, holding without any problems.
For mountain bike shirts to last, I think it’s essential to use materials that can withstand falls and everything biking brings. Oh, and about the style of the Mons Royale shirts: In my eyes, it couldn’t be more extraordinary. Beautiful bike shirts with class and understatement, in which you feel well dressed on the trails even as a thirty-something.
I always find the sewn-in glasses cleaning cloth and the little key pocket on the back of Mons Royale bike shirts an excellent additional feature.
Conclusion: Bergzeit performance tip
Mountain Time Performance Tip for Mons Royale bikewear
One pair of bikeshorts is versatile and lightweight, the other robust and ready for any weather. In my opinion, Mons Royale covers the spectrum for bike shorts perfectly with the Virage and the Momentum. Every now and then I would like to see a few more extra pockets or, for example, ventilation openings, but that’s just my personal opinion on bike shorts. Otherwise, I think the combination of polyester and merino wool is great for mountain biking. Both trousers are very comfortable to wear and, above all, they don’t start to smell because of the wool. This also applies to the Redwood Enduro Shirt. I can’t find fault with them at all, I can only give them a clear recommendation to buy. Of course, merino products always have their price, but here you are rewarded with longevity. As far as style is concerned, there’s nothing to add to Mons Royale: simple, cool and understated.
With the Virage and Momentum 2.0, Mons Royale has sent two bike trousers into the race that make all others superfluous. The Redwood Enduro VT Shirt is the ideal, low-odour addition.
I’m pleased with my test products, and I’m already looking forward to starting the new biking season with them. The Momentum is and remains my absolute favourite bike pants, regardless of whether they are 1.0 or 2.0. Although I might still have one wish: I would also like recycled polyester for the Momentum 3.0.