No ads. The RS Pro Bib outperformed all other shorts and bibs included in this review (shown here in the all-black version). However, if you're seeking a value short that still offers plenty of performance for long rides or serious races, we think the Optimum is a great choice. Great for shorter excursions, we decided that we didn't want to stray too far away from home in this pair. What's more, the best women's cycling shorts are usually designed with minimal seams to prevent any rubbing or friction. How can we improve GearLab? This feature is a cushioned pad that protects your sit bones from the hard saddle and from "road chatter," a.k.a. Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike. Our testers agree that every model tested is suitable for rides under 40 miles or around two hours. These days, cycling chamois employ foam compounds and other synthetic materials to maximize the amount of padding where you need it most (again, under your sit bones). In the worst conditions (either a sudden downpour or a lot of sweat), what are a short's hydrophobic qualities? With their super stretchy, lightweight fabric, they're ideal for wearing in hot weather, they're excellent at wicking away sweat and keeping you feeling fresh and dry. Sometimes style demerits can point to overall design flaws, but the Optimum's shortcomings are aesthetic. Bath We didn't like the fabric as much as other shorts in this review, but it does have a lot going for it. The six-panel design is ideal for female riders who look for both fitness and fun in the saddle. The resulting bib shorts from Castelli are super lightweight, thin, comfortable and deliciously airy when it's hot. While "style" is a subjective measure (should I wear polka dots or plaid today? The shorts are designed for long-distance riding, so the chamois is also designed for long-term comfort in mind. This comparison of women's bike shorts is brought to you by a former marathoner and Ironman triathlete turned cyclist Rebecca Eckland. Got feedback? Read review: Louis Garneau Optimum - Women's. In fact, Rapha claims they wick away moisture twice as fast than with knitted fabrics. Admittedly, because they offer a lot of compression, you do have to do a bit of dancing to get in them, but once they're on they fit like a second skin. These caveats aside, the SheBeest Petunia Bib is our recommendation for a high-quality bib that is plain fun to look at and easy to get on and off. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense that you might feel sore downstairs after a day on the bike, because you're resting all your body weight on a small object (your saddle). We offer our favorite recommendations that'll have you logging miles with comfort, without breaking the bank. These days, she's all about exploring the world by bike. The style performance metric should also include a discussion of a short's color. Unlike their unisex counterparts, women's specific bib shorts are designed to fit around hips and curves, and they feature a chamois (the pad, pronounced 'shammy') that is engineered for the female anatomy. If you don't believe us, put on a pair of cotton shorts, jump on your road bike and ride around the block five times during the hottest part of the day. These shorts are so comfortable you likely won't mind taking a nice relaxing break in them before hopping back on the bike for the next leg of your adventure. Wearing padded shorts can help ease this discomfort, as it creates a cushioned barrier between your sensitive skin and the firm surface of a saddle. Finding the best women's cycling shorts for your body will be most dependent on finding a pad that you find comfortable, and that is a very personal affair. We've also published a separate men's bike shorts review. All rights reserved. With fun colors, patterns, and overall stylish design, this short knocked the competition out of the park with its innovative and fun approach to designing a women's cycling short. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. Our favorite in the style category is the SheBeest Petunia Bib. Are you looking for an exceptionally protective chamois? Whether you're clipping into the pedals for the first time or have thousands of miles under your belt, we know the perfect short makes all the difference. The Escape Quest is built well enough for a fun, summertime ride with friends on lonely country roads. The dialed fit of the SUGOi RS Pro Bib added to its high performance and high comfort. It works exceptionally well and makes these another great option for all-day riding. The Terry Hi-Rise Holster is also worth mentioning in this metric; unlike other shorts in this review, Terry offers unparalleled modesty and coverage with a casual short that transitions more easily between bike and coffeehouse. For a short that rates highly in the style department, the SheBeest Petunia Bib has an unexpectedly high comfort level. We found the SUGOi RS Bib useful in all kinds of situations. The pad has a slight taper on it, which will stop the bunching up of excess padding when riding on the drops or hoods. So while we're recommending these women's cycling shorts based on our testers' experiences, it's worth bearing in mind that your experience of them may differ greatly. Finally, as an added bonus, these Expedition shorts also come with a spacious pocket on each leg, so you've got extra room to carry your essentials. This is your go-to short for quick trips to your local coffee kiosk when you need that extra jolt of espresso between your Pilates class and your next important meeting at work. The only downside of these otherwise lovely shorts is the fact that you have to completely disrobe when nature calls. We were big fans of the breathable fabric and also the stretch in the shoulder straps that allowed for more convenient pit stops than traditional bibs. Be sure to consider how much leg coverage you want before making a final decision on your next bike shorts. Or, worse: can you tell if the short will lose support and loosen up over time? If all else fails, wear what you like and what you like yourself in. Let us know! And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. If you feel good and confident, you will want to spend more time on the bike, and ultimately that's the goal. Also, the warranty policy is more stringent than other shorts included in this review. Do the bibs make bathroom breaks complicated, or has the garment considered that critical function? Heres why you can trust us. The padding of bike shorts is gender-specific, and preference will vary from person to person depending on individual build and body type. She holds several course records in the Silver State 508. Our highest performing shorts (and bibs) in this metric, such as the SUGOi RS Pro Bib, utilize eight panels to conform to a women's shape by adding extra give in the hips and securing the legs with silicone. This a high-scoring model and is also among the most affordable options in this review, a rare combination. You'll need to look elsewhere if you want flashy colors or a more tailored cut. Subsequently, we bought the black version of the Fit Sensor, which fixed the issue. To address the issues listed above, cycling shorts have come up with solutions such as the use of silicone-coated fabric around the legs (and sometimes waist) to assist the garment with staying in place. These models each demonstrated robust construction through reinforced seams and high-quality fabrics, and all ended the testing period looking brand new. Cyclingnews is supported by its audience. If you're still unsure what to look for we've included a handy guide at the bottom of the page to answer any questions you might have. Raphas Pro Team Powerweave Bib Shorts are the brand's top-end race-ready offering. Outside the cycling world, Rebecca is a published author and holds an MFA degree from Saint Mary's College of California. While athletic shorts come in all sorts of sizes and shapes, the cycling short has one feature the others lack a chamois. Inside is the brand's proprietary EIT chamois that's luxuriously soft and contains varying foam density in strategic zones to provide support exactly where it's needed. The shorts are comfortable enough that you might just ditch the meeting and spend the rest of the day on your bike. The use of synthetic fabrics like nylon, lycra, and spandex allows the cycling short to act with and not against your skin. We tested each model's construction, design, breathability, fabric, and comfort on long rides and during sessions on the training bike. The most outstanding performer (even after a tester crashed on a sandy road in them) was the Pearl Izumi Elite Pursuit. The chamois offers protection where it is needed with less bulk overall. Most use six or eight panels in their construction. Sportful has gone all-in on this, meaning the shorts, unfortunately, do lack a bit of comfort when off the bike (if that is important) but are engineered to sit close to the body on the bike. Velocio is another brand that has perfected the art of women's cycling shorts by adding its own FlyFree design, which essentially equates to a stretch panel at the rear, allowing you to pull the shorts down and pee, without needing to remove your jersey. Granted, when you are wearing bike shorts, they have wind resistance against them to speed the drying, while in our test, they were hanging on a drying rack, but it gave us an idea about how breathable a garment is when compared to others in this review. Is the elastic that holds the waist in place an appropriate width to be functional, or does it dig into your sides? Typically, women's chamois tend to be wider to accommodate wider sit bones and shorter from front to back than male-specific models. designed our testing process around a handful of key performance areas, help you find the short that is perfect for your cycling needs, the world's most carefully tested and objective gear reviews, High-performance chamois lasts for hours, bib straps stretch to allow easy pit stops, multi-panel design tailored to rider's body, Lightweight, comfortable, highly breathable short, great price, Unique halter-bib, colorful patterns and designs, attractive look and fit, Beautifully constructed, reinforced seams, super-soft fabric, value, No-thrills bib too boring for some, stitching shows wear after testing period, Not the most flattering short, 7" inseam too short for taller riders, Pinches leg mid-thigh, "swimsuit" feel, awkward chamois stitching on the outside of the short, These model is our favorite option for high performance in the saddle, High-quality but reasonably priced, if you're looking for a high performer that doesn't break the bank, this pair delivers, This bib's unique design offers both fun style and functional performance, If you want a short that feels tailored and you are allergic to silicone, this pair has you covered, There's much to admire about this short-short, most notably its women's specific chamois, Three different fabrics, stash pockets, flat-lock seams, bib design with halter strap for easy lowering, Huggfit waist and powerband cuffs are women's specific for better fit, Wide, elastic free waistband, silicone leg grippers, This bib handles any condition you will encounter in the saddle, providing long-term, high-end performance, A straightforward, no frills but high-quality short at a reasonable price that gets the job done, Stylish with an innovative halter bib that makes pit stops easy, this bib is professional and party, combined, This high-quality, well-made short offers comfort, protection, and extra warmth for a reasonable price, An all-around strong contender that didn't wow us, but didn't disappoint either, These longer, looser shorts provide more coverage and casual style than others in this review, This durable, well-constructed short is a solid bet for riders looking for across-the-board performance, A no-frills option that works great for shorter days or spin classes, For riders who love bibs, this model offers full coverage in a highly breathable fabric, For cyclists covering 20 miles or less at a time, these budget-oriented shorts will save your wallet. However, as more and more manufacturers are discovering, cycling shorts don't have to be limited to black, but base-black is generally a good idea. Minimal seams across the product reduce chafing points, and after a few hours, we can indeed say we had no chafing. Please take note if you are an endurance rider or racer; in our opinion, this is the best bib we've tested. We compiled all our notes and findings throughout this review to help you find the short that is perfect for your cycling needs. Another aspect we considered is whether a chamois has a 2D or 3D design, meaning that it either has a single, flat plane (2D) or various depths and dimensions to it (a 3D design). We probably wouldn't recommend these for rides or races longer than 40 miles, as the excess fabric may bunch and lead to unpleasant chafing. These could include unfinished seams, raw edges, ironed-on logos (that can peel after multiple wash cycles), and other design flaws that show up in how a short fits on and off the bike. Other shorts that showed adequate breathability were the Canari Pro Gel short (interestingly, the chamois on this short dried the quickest) and the Castelli Velocissima Bib, which performed better on our testers than in the soak test. There's absolutely nothing wrong with opting for the shorts that are flattering over the ones with maybe the slightly better pad. Our Style metrics tell you what our testers think looks "good" and how that relates to its performance in the saddle. However, some riders found that the Shebeest didn't provide the amount of padding to which they were accustomed.
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