How fitted do you tend to have your cycling tops?

daniel_b

Chaps and chapesses,

I bought one of these Gill tops from CRC a few weeks ago, in size small.
It's a really nice comfy fit, not too big, but not too small, and I'm really pleased with it.
It's sold as an urban, and has a zipped pocket at the back, so I'm thinking more MTB that roadie orientated:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=4591

Yesterday, I had delivered from Wiggle, 2 of these Gill tops, also size small:
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetailD ... e%20Jersey

These are also sold as urban, but have 3 open pockets as opposed to the zipped variety on the other one.

I ordered the same size, and yes it does fit, but it's a lot more fitting, not to the point of discomfort, but it does fit like a metaphorical glove, though there is a little room left most of the way round.

The fit shoulder wise seems fine though, so I'm torn between sending back and going for the next size up, or sticking with this size and keeping it solely for my roadieing.

What's the general concensus, or people favoured approaches?

Dan

Mog Uk

I tend to go with the following:

MTB - Loose comfy clothing so I can move around the bike...

Road/Commute - Fitted, nothing worse than cycling into a headwind and your top is flapping around in the wind...

daniel_b

Thanks for your reply Mog, much appreciated.

Guess I'm just not used to wearing such fitted tops.

Is it just me, or are they amazingly difficult to get out of - do they loosen up a bit with use?

Any ladies on here, please feel fre to contribute also

Cheers

Dan

Mog Uk

There is definitely a nack to getting out of them, specially if your hot/warm. I now tend to look for tops with a full zip to make it easier......

redddraggon

I got one of those gill jerseys, very good quality for the money. I got an XL and I find it's still very fitting, Most of my clothes are size large. Most of my rugby kit is medium, but I went conservative when I took up cycling and got size large in most things, and then half the things were too small.

Why is cycling stuff so small? (Tight fitting argument doesn't work, as I wear tighting fighting rugby stuff in large and medium)

popette

Reddraggon, I couldn't agree more with you about sizing. I end up having to get XXL in mens stuff, which I why I changed my avatar to She-hulk. I am tall but I feel like a freak giant when I go into cycling shops.

Womens clothes are always too short for me so I have to get mens tops. The problem I have with the mens fit is that they are about right on the chest and baggy round the middle. Better that than constantly having to pull the thing down though.

I've got two pink giro italia tops - one is a CSC one, signed by Ivan Basso (not an actual sig, just printed on). That top is huge on the shoulders and arms, ok on the chest and tight round the middle. It must have been made for Mr Incredible.

Yellow Cliff

Personally I hate stuff that flaps around, so I go for tight fitting. In fact, I hate it when I buy a cycling top and it isn't as tight as I expected.

If you have a developed upper body (rugby player) I think most cycling kit is going to be tight over the shoulders and chest - the "typical" cyclist is pretty weedy.

As for women's sizes, they appear to be random for all types of clothing. I guess there are too many parameters to control.

An easy solution could be to buy something that mostly fits but is baggy somewhere (this usually seems to be be at the stomach), then take it in. I doesn't take long to pin it, tack and then just run a sewing machine over it. Worth it for the right fit, in my opinion.

ricadus

popette wrote:

I've got two pink giro italia tops - one is a CSC one, signed by Ivan Basso (not an actual sig, just printed on). That top is huge on the shoulders and arms, ok on the chest and tight round the middle. It must have been made for Mr Incredible.

That's probably how the average Italian man imagines himself.


Regarding clothing the fit tends to vary between manufacturers and countries of main business, so US, UK and German clothing companies have a more generous fit possibly because the national "average" in these places may be skewed by people with more sedentary lifestyles or poor dietry habits, as well as having different cultural preferences (a certain fit/length/colour may not considered "popular" by US manufacturers but available from Italian ones, for example – I'm thinking of the infamous white bib shorts here).

Ultimately, do you feel comfortable with the fit you have, does it improve the bike riding? Would it matter if it is different in some way to what other cyclists around you are wearing? (Just pondering that peoples' clothing choices are as much about 'fitting in' to a social group as getting the right fit physically).

baudman

Roadbike - fitted (although not as fitted as they used to be - I've dropped a kg or 2)
MTB - baggy, but still tecnical fabrics
Commute - whatever. (Sometimes even what I'm gonna wear that day - dep on the weather

I just can't bring myself to wear fitted lycra if I'm not on the roadie.

richk

I've still got a big fat beer gut (which I'm trying to "remove") so don't go for anything too snug fitting. Probably will when it's gone though.

Mark Alexander

Think about it this way, rugby players are generally bigger than cyclists (unless they're Japanese 72-18 he he) and then you have different makes within the discipline Italian brands tend to be a smaller cut than others. I found that Endura are a larger cut

daniel_b

I'm very confused!

reddraggon makes me wonder whether i need to go for the medium instead......

Where's Jonesy when you need a bit of tight jersey advice eh?! :roll:

I shall have to make a decision this weekend, it's certainly a tough one.

Dan

giant_man

If you want a fitted top choose Assos, believe me everything they produce is fitted lol

unCivilServant

popette wrote:

The problem I have with the mens fit is that they are about right on the chest and baggy round the middle.

This is my experience of women's tops in general. In order that I don't feel like the incredible hulk in the upper part, I end up taking a size that means flappy fabric round the waist.
And, despite only being 5'6" with arms in proportion, I find that moving my arms about (say, to put them in front as for riding a bike) often makes the sleeve disappear alarmingly up the wrist. Even for so-called 'active' clothes--WtF??

(In case there are any blokes here taking *rather too close an interest* in my shirt-fitting problem: it's not what you're probably thinking. Shoulder blades, not Lolo Ferrari tendencies.. )

Mark Alexander

without wanting to be too obvious, go to shops, try them on, then buy.

baudman

Mark Alexander wrote:

without wanting to be too obvious, go to shops, try them on, then buy.

Seconded!

Felix-da-house-mouse

how tight do you go for tho? clingfilm tight or what?

daniel_b

Thanks for all the replies - I ordered 2 mediums, and these fit perfectly, not skin tight, but not loose, and much more comfortable, so I am well chuffed.

Sent the smalls back to Wiggle, and has already been refunded

Dan