- There are lots of things about cycling
that are just the same for men and women,
but one area where we do see
some differences is in clothing,
which is kind of obvious really, because there are
some fundamental differences in body shape.
So let's look at how to change your kit if you're a woman.
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I get loads of questions from women
who are taking up cycling
about what is the best kit to wear on the bike?
And there really is so much choice
out there these days that it can be super confusing.
Sometimes the advantages and disadvantages
of certain kinds of kit aren't
really that obvious until you've been for a few rides.
So here is the lowdown, well, okay,
my lowdown, on the kit options for women.
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The clothing you wear on the bike is
one of the most important things affecting
your comfort, so if you want to enjoy
your cycling, then it's really important
that you feel good in it.
Now, part of that should, of course,
also be looking good, because let's face it
everybody wants to look good.
But for my money, looking good is
not as important as being comfortable,
which is kind of just as well for me, really.
Your kit is what is in direct contact
with your skin, that, and especially the chamois,
the padding in the shorts,
makes it the first thing you notice on the bike.
Plus, your clothing protects you
from external influences,
be that the sun, rain, snow, or hopefully not
the road, if you crash.
And I'm afraid that most cyclists
have a little tumble (bicycle boings)
every now and then.
I seem to have one crash a month, at least.
Cycling clothing which you don't find comfortable,
or which does not protect you from the elements,
will leave you feeling miserable on the bike,
but it's a hugely personal choice
what is comfortable, even me.
Let's dive into some detail.
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First, the cycling jersey.
Now, thankfully, these days,
no longer usually made from knitted wool, but instead,
from sleek and lightweight Lycra.
Now, I have to confess that I'm
quite a fan of baggy clothing, and I would much rather,
usually, wear a loose-fitting t-shirt than tight Lycra.
That body-hugging shape, though,
is actually a really good thing on the bike,
because as well as being more aero,
which is very important if you wanna go faster,
it actually also stops your jersey flopping around
due to all the stuff in the back pockets,
which is where you keep your food,
your pump, your telephone.
So actually, on the bike, tight is a good thing.
Now, with your cycling jersey,
you have loads of options.
First of all, you've got long sleeves for when it's cold,
short sleeves for when it's hot, full-length zip,
and in some jerseys, a half-length zip.
Now why a zip at all, I hear you ask.
Well, a full-length zip
allows you to unzip your jersey totally
to take it on and off,
and also for cooling when it's hot.
The half-length zip is slightly more aerodynamic,
but a lot more hassle to get changed.
You can actually, of course,
use a cycling jersey without a zip,
it's just harder to get dressed.
Personally, I find that men's, or unisex jerseys
actually fit fine,
except that they're often too long,
which means that the pockets hang really low at the back,
which is not a good look.
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Next, cycling shorts.
This is a very important topic,
so take a seat, and settle down for some details.
Firstly, let's talk about the chamois.
Now, this is the padding in the shorts
that protects your undercarriage from the saddle.
A good quality chamois,
like the ones in these UMA GT shorts,
or this is ASSOS's women specific laalaLai shorts,
they can really help you to be comfortable
for long days in the saddle.
There's a huge variety in fit of shorts
and shape and thickness of the chamois out there.
Now is women's specific shorts and chamois better for you?
Maybe, but not necessarily.
For example, I've found that some women specific shorts
are fantastic, but also some unisex shorts.
The important thing is to find something that works for you
and that your shorts fit right
and that the chamois is the right shape,
that doesn't move around when you're riding.
Now we come to underwear
and some people are gonna find this really gross,
but no, most cyclists do not wear underwear
under their cycling shorts.
Now, I can see how this seems really weird
and I can still remember being appalled to find this out
when I took up cycling,
but the thing is that underwear only creates extra friction
and chafing in the area where you need it least.
Chafing is really bad,
so you don't actually need underwear,
you just make sure you wash your cycling shorts
after every ride.
Easy.
Now we come to another major question,
half shorts or bib shorts?
Bib shorts have this brace system to hold them up
and you might well ask, why have braces on cycling shorts?
Well the reason is, that if you have the braces,
you don't need to have a waist band,
which some people find a bit uncomfortable
when they're hunched over on the bike.
On the other hand,
the waist band shorts,
allow you take them off, frankly a lot quicker,
than with the bibs,
Because you don't have to undo your jersey first
to take off your shorts,
those can be valuable seconds to lose
if you're desperate for the toilet.
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Now we come to the undervest
which is commonly worn under a cycling jersey,
not just for insulation but also,
and this is absolutely vital,
to stop rogue bees and wasps from flying down your cleavage.
Very unpleasant experience, I can tell you.
Undervests come in various thicknesses,
and shapes and sizes,
for example this is ASSOS's summer skinFoil vest
and it's really thin
and it wicks the sweat away from your skin
whereas this is ASSOS's spring/fall evo7 base layer,
not only has it got long sleeves obviously,
but it's very thin,
and yet super insulated to keep you warm
on slightly cooler mornings.
There's a wealth of different kinds of gloves
for different weather conditions,
starting from the summer track mitts with short fingers
through to neoprene for the pouring rain,
to keep your hands warm,
windproof when it's cold but not raining,
and these are my personal favorites,
these are the tiBuru autumn or spring glove,
it's very thin but nice and warm
and it even has conductive patches on the fingertips
so you can use your phone
without taking them off.
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Accessories.
There is a plethora of accessories in cycling.
This is not a comprehensive guide,
but just a quick overview.
Let's divide it into accessories for the rain,
and accessories to stay warm.
Sometimes you need both.
For example, this is the sturmPrinz evo ASSOS jacket
and that is properly waterproof,
that will keep you dry in a massive rain storm.
To go with it,
you could use a rain cap,
keeps the rain out of your eyes when it's pouring down.
Whereas this is the UMA GT wind jacket.
Now it's not waterproof but it is totally windproof
and it packs down much smaller than a rain jacket.
Then we've also go knee warmers, leg warmers, arm warmers,
those are super versatile ways to keep warm
when it's chilly in the morning or the evening for example.
You can strip them off when it gets warmer
and you want to have short sleeves.
Moving on you also have booties,
now these go over your shoes and socks
to keep your toes warm.
Very, very useful.
There are also waterproof versions available.
And of course the trusty headband
to keep your ears and head warm in the winter.
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Sock length is a surprisingly heated topic of debate
among cyclists who love to mock triathletes
for not wearing any socks at all.
There was actually a time in road cycling
when it was fashionable to wear your socks
so long they almost came up to your knees,
although maybe that was just on me.
But actually now that some pros have outed themselves
as preferring short socks in training
to avoid the mid calf tan line,
I think that any cyclist should be able to be open
and proud of whatever sock length they choose.
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And now to style,
and who cares about style?
Well okay, we all care about style.
But the thing is, it's way more important
to be comfortable and enjoy your cycling
than to look good.
There are though, some really, really stylish
and elegant women's cycling outfits out there,
and they're also functional,
so why not enjoy how you look on the bike?
I hope this video helps you
if you are in a bit of a dilemma about what kind of shorts
or what cut of jersey to go for.
Why not let us know down in the comments
what style of kit you prefer
and of course if you'd like to buy
our awesome ASSOS GCN kit,
you can find it by clicking in the shop
and you can see how ASSOS
make their beautiful cycling clothing
by watching this video down here.