The Oxford Calgary 2.0 Dry2Dry trousers are best thought of as general-purpose textile trousers rather than something aimed at one narrow type of riding. They are suitable for commuting, touring, day rides and even shorter everyday trips where you still want proper weather protection and on-bike comfort.
Although I used them through winter, I would place them as three-season trousers for spring, summer and autumn. After 900 miles on a BMW R1250RT and Voge DSX900, including several 100-mile-plus journeys for Lincolnshire Blood Bikes Service (LEBBS), they proved to be capable, practical and easy to live with, particularly for the sub-£200 price.
Fit & comfort
The fit around the waist and hips is good, and the trousers felt secure and well-shaped in those areas. I rode in the regular length, though with hindsight I think the short version would have suited me better, particularly in helping the knee armour sit in the ideal position.
Sizing feels broadly true to what I would expect. I wore a small, which did fit, though there was not much room left for additional layers to be tucked inside the trousers. A medium may have given greater flexibility for cold weather layering.
Photography: Jose Mas
The trousers are reasonably comfortable both on and off the bike. They do not cause any irritation over longer rides and they were easy enough to wear throughout the day. They are not the most comfortable trousers I have worn, however they are never uncomfortable.
Adjustment is good, with waist and calf adjusters as well as adjustment at the bottom of each leg to help fit them neatly around boots. That all adds up to trousers that are straightforward to set up and easy to tailor to your riding kit.
Cold & wet weather performance
The Calgary 2.0 trousers have a waterproof layer and a removable thermal liner. The liner is fairly thin, so these are not heavily insulated, however they still performed well enough in colder conditions when used sensibly.
With thermals underneath, I was warm enough down to 3°C. As ever, staying warm in the torso helps here, because if your core temperature is well managed you are much more likely to keep warmth in your legs and extremities.
I did not encounter a great deal of rain while wearing them, and what I did see was mostly light. In those conditions the trousers remained waterproof and did not leak. Based on Oxford’s quoted waterproof rating and my own limited experience, I would expect them to be waterproof enough for the sort of wet-weather riding most riders are likely to encounter.
They also dried quickly once indoors. The outer did not appear to absorb much water, which meant the trousers never became heavy and didn't start to feel cold and saturated.
Hot weather performance
I did not get the chance to use the Calgary 2.0 trousers in genuinely warm weather, so I can’t offer a first-hand verdict on how they perform above 20°C.
In theory, they should be adaptable enough for milder temperatures. The thermal liner can be removed, and there are ventilation zips on the outside of each thigh to let some air in. My expectation is that these vents will provide a modest amount of airflow rather than serious ventilation.
Protection
The trousers carry an AA CE rating and come fitted with CE Level 1 armour at the hips and knees. On paper, that compares well with many alternatives, including some more expensive options.
In use, the armour was comfortable and unobtrusive, which is exactly what you want for day-to-day road riding. The knee armour pockets also allow adjustment, which is particularly welcome given how important correct knee armour placement can be.
Overall, the Calgary 2.0 trousers offer a reassuring level of protection for the price and feel competitive within their class.
Pockets & practicality
Storage is fairly limited, with one pocket on each upper thigh. In principle that sounds useful, though in practice the pockets are not perfect. The openings are quite narrow, and the cut of the pockets makes it awkward to get items in and out while seated on the bike. I found that was still the case even with something as substantial as a phone.
On the plus side, the pocket contents stayed dry in the light rain I encountered.
One of the most useful practical features is the inclusion of braces as standard. I like this a lot, because they help keep the trousers in the right place whether moving around on the bike or walking about off it. Oxford have also designed the braces so they do not prevent you from using the connecting zip to attach the trousers to a jacket, which is a thoughtful touch not every manufacturer gets right.
That connecting zip also turned out to be much easier to use than I expected. Fastening the short zip to the matching jacket was straightforward and much less awkward than I had feared.
Durability
After more than 900 miles, including some poor winter weather and plenty of long runs for LEBBS, the trousers have held up well. There are no visible signs of wear, nothing has needed repair or replacement, and they still look exactly as I would want them to.
Final thoughts
The Oxford Calgary 2.0 Dry2Dry trousers are a good-value, no-nonsense option for riders who want a dependable pair of textile trousers for commuting, touring and general road use. Even without the features or refinement of pricier alternatives, they cover the essentials well.
Their strengths are their sensible all-round design, decent protection, good weather performance and practical touches such as the included braces and easy jacket connection. The weaker points are the limited pocket design and a thermal liner that is useful rather than especially impressive.
Even so, those shortcomings are easy to forgive at this price. For commuting or touring in the UK and northern Europe, the Calgary 2.0 trousers represent a strong value option for a wide range of riders.
