Best way not to sacrifice protection is to have great gear that works. Shorts have nothing on Venture Air pants. Upper legs, above knee panels, have Armor Link Mesh for maximum ventilation that does not sacrifice abrasion resistance. Hip pads, with CE approve knee armor, reduce bumps and bruises incurred during rides. There are a few things happening at the waist. Two Velcro straps customize fit with two front main snaps, with an eight-inch zipper to attach them to a Tour master jacket. If you have another brand of jacket, the other half of zipper is included to sew into that jacket. A two-stage liner stops rain that gets through and it keeps heat in with Polyfil.