Just a few years ago, there were almost no women’s mountain bike pant options available. Today, there are plenty. But even in a crowd, the Wild Rye Freyah stands out.
Like all the pieces from Wild Rye, the Freyah mountain bike pant is designed specifically for women. They are beautiful, fit well, and perform flawlessly on the bike.
If I could only have one pair of mountain bike pants, the Freyah would be it. Read on to find out why.
Review In A Nutshell
Pros:
- Adjustable cuff means the length works regardless of how long your legs are
- Huge zippered pockets
- Flattering cut
- Works with knee pads
- Super stretchy
- Offered in a wide range of sizes
Cons:
- Fabric has faded with time
- Waist is not adjustable
Price & Where To Buy:
Beautiful Design, Flattering Cut
Okay, first things first. My favorite thing about the Wild Rye Freyah pants is that they look good.
No matter how technically fabulous a pair of mountain bike pants are, if I don’t feel great wearing them, I’m not going to wear them. (Fortunately, the Freyah pants are technically fabulous as well, which we’ll get to in a moment).
The bottom of the pant has a colorful cuff which looks cute, but helps with the fit as well. The cuff means that no matter how short (or long) your legs are, the Freyah will probably fit.
You can wear the cuff down for a longer fit or up for a shorter fit, or folded somewhere in between. The cuff secures nicely via velcro.
The fit is slim but not tight. If you’re familiar with moto pants, these are the same style. I find the look quite tailored and pulled together.
There is plenty of room in the knee for pads, and I wore both my POC Joint VPD pads as well as my 7idp Flex knee pads under these pants. The pant is more tailored at the ankle so that they stay out of the way of your chain.
The waist is cut fairly high so you don’t have to worry about plumber’s crack. The only unfortunate thing about the design is that the waist is not adjustable.
They worked well for me, but I have heard from other women that the waist was too large or too small. There are loops for a belt, but it would be nice if there was a built in waist adjustment as well.
The waist closes via double buttons (that stayed buttoned), a snap (that stayed snapped), and a zipper (that stayed zipped).
Stretchy, Durable Fabric
The Wild Rye Freyah pant is made of highly flexible nylon. This means you get a full range of motion and never feel restricted.
In addition to being stretchy, the fabric is highly durable. I’ve had several crashes in these now.
The fabric not only helped protect my skin, it also held up well–no rips or tears. The fabric at the knee is reinforced as well.
Finally, like the Wild Rye shorts, the fabric on the Freyah does a great job of shedding water and dirt. I’ve ridden both wet PNW trails in these this summer as well as dusty Idaho trails, and they worked well on both.
At Whistler, I wanted to wear these pants a couple days in a row, but Day 1 was wet and muddy. When I got back to camp in the evening, I wiped down the pants with a wet wash cloth, and they were *almost* good as new for Day 2.
Huge Zippered Pockets
If you love pocket space, you’ll be hearing angels sing when you try the Freyah pants for the first time. There are HUGE zippered pockets on the outside of both legs.
There’s really no limit to what you can fit in these pockets and, most days, they eliminated my need to carry a hip pack when at the bike park. I was able to carry my oversized phone, my lift pass, a van key, credit card, granola bar, and more.
How They’ve Held Up
I’ve done a bunch of downhill mountain biking this summer and have worn the Wild Rye Freyah pants almost exclusively. That adds up to a bunch of sessions in the washing machine.
Overall, I’m impressed by how well the pants have held up. Despite crashes and muddy conditions, there are no holes, stains, rips, or worn spots. The zippers and seams are in good condition.
The only thing of note is that the black fabric has started to fade. Not a huge deal, but they aren’t quite as crisp looking as when I first got them.
Wide Range Of Sizes
Like all Wild Rye bottoms, the Freyah pants are offered in a wide range of sizes and are sized like regular street pants (size 0, 2, 4, etc). This helps you get a lot better fit than simply offering a S, M, and L.
For reference, I am 125-130 pounds and am 5’5″. I wore the size 6, which is what I wear in the Wild Rye Freel as well.
From Lift To Trail
The most obvious use of the Wild Rye Freyah pants is for downhill mountain biking. The reinforced knee, space for pads, and moto cut are all gravity oriented.
That said, there is no reason these pants won’t work well for trail riding as well. They are stretchy, comfortable to pedal in, and there is room for a chamois underneath.
I could also see myself using these pants for winter fat biking with a pair of fleece-lined leggings underneath.
Bottom-Line: The BEST Women’s Mountain Bike Pant Around
Clothing is obviously a very personal thing and what works well for me might not work well for you. But as far as I’m concerned, the Wild Rye Freyah are THE best women’s mountain bike pants around.
They look good and they fit well. On the bike, they are flexible, comfortable, and work well with knee pads.
A pair of pants that look good and ride well? I’m not sure what more you can ask for in a pair of mountain bike pants.
Podcast Episode: Why Women Deserve Better Cycling Clothing With Cassie Abel From Wild Rye