Troy Lee Designs already has something called the Resist in its range; a waterproof short with taped seams, zipped pockets and a reinforced seat. It was only a matter of time then, before TLD stretched out the concept to include the Resist Pant – a grown-up version boasting many of the same features designed to take on the best mountain bike trousers/pants on the market.

Before that though, let’s talk about sizing. The Resist Pant comes up a little big. I’m usually a 32in waist man, but I had to ratchet up the moto-style waist closure to the max to keep the Resist from falling down. Which means I really need a 30in waist. I’ve mentioned that now because fundamentally the pant is really very good, you just need to be careful with the sizing. *Since testing these, Troy Lee Designs has revised the sizing and now they are much more accurate*

Take a look at the waterproofing and breathability stats – 10k breathability and 10k waterproofing – and the Resist looks good but not exceptional. To put that into some perspective, we’ve found similar pants with this level of permeability to be good for three seasons, and ideal in drippy days rather than torrential downpours.

The first line of defence from the elements is a DWR coating, called Teflon EcoElite it adds a water repellent layer to the fabric and helps water bead and run off. It’s non-PFC (fluorine-free) making the whole thing Bluesign certified, and environmentally friendly. Any waterproof garment worth its salt has this DWR finish going on, but TLD claims its version lasts three times as long. I’m not so sure, after just two washes water was saturating the fabric, and while it didn’t penetrate through to the inside, thanks to the waterproof fabric, it did feel chilly on the inside.

The Resist does clean up better than a regular DWR-coated garment though, after washing it always seems to come out looking sparkling new, despite the gentle wash and detergent cycle I put it through. That’s important, because TLD stuff is so desirable in part because it looks so darned good. The Resist is no exception; the cut is brilliant with a tapered leg that’s bang on trend, and just enough space around the knee for pads. While some waterproofs remind me of tracksuit bottoms with their elasticated waist and baggy ankle material, the Resist is more like a race pant, oozing style.

There’s a ton of features backing up the style too, starting with the taped seams, and reinforced bum area to prevent water ingress. There are two pockets on either side, protected from the elements with zips that are hidden behind flaps of material, and there’s a diddy pocket on the small of your back for the car key. There’s also a regular zippered fly, two zipped vents on the thighs, and grippy letters spelling out Resist inside the waistband to help it stick to your base layer. Finally the bottom six inches of the inside leg on the driveside has a tough strip of material to withstand crank-chafing.

TLD has got plenty right with the Resist, most importantly it remains waterproof even in heavy rain, without any ingress in the hard-wearing seat area. It’s decently breathable too, without a hint of clamminess, despite riding them through a pretty mild Autumn.