Help please ladies!

miss notax

Hello

I work for a specialist sports magazine (no, not anything to do with cycling!) and i'm doing a feature on ladies technical clothing. It's all the same problems as I stuff for MTBing - wierd sizes and fits, and the assumption that we'll only wear shades of pink :?

I was going to do a table of the sizes that all the manufacturers offer, plus any specific 'female' features that their products have, along with any new ladies products with pics etc. But am I missing anything? Is there anything that you would like to see in a feature like this (imagine it was for MTBing!)?

I'm not a jounalist so I just want to make sure it's a feature that our girlie readers will actually think 'Wow! This is really useful stuff!'

Thanks for any thoughts!!!

MichelleK

The Specailised Womens Lo team socks come in extra large which is for feet up to size UK 14........I don't know many guys with feet that size let alone girls...anatomical impossibility comes to mind.
Michelle

miss notax

Blimey - that's scary! :shock:

jimih73

proof that the sizes quoted bear some relation to real women would be nice!
since when has size 14 been extra large??

supersonic

A size 14 foot is big for a bloke, never mind a woman!

jimih73

i wonder what that would tell you about the woman?

ketka82

I've been thinking about this for a while...

I'm a size 12 with an thigh measurement of 61cm. According to the papers the other day anything less than 60cm puts you at risk of heart disease so 61cm seems fine to me! That said, when it comes to cycling clothing I always take a size L shorts and tights. The M sizes just about go on but cut in something terrible and look ridiculous.

Since womens sizes only go up to size XL (I guess a 14 as people have suggested) what does that mean for those size 16 and above who want to get into cycling?! We all know that it is impossible to cycle properly for long distances (or sometimes even short ones) without the right clothing. I even wear my padded shorts to nip down the shops! :>)

I think it's crazy that the sizes don't go up higher. Especially since cyclists have larger thighs than normal folk anyway!

supersonic

I doubt many size 14 women have size 14 shoes though! Two different measuring standards.

Stumpjumper25

It's rare that i buy sports wear, I make my own. The only time i buy cycling clothing is if there is a sale on or from Aldi. Reason being is it's cheaper to buy lycra an do myself, fits how i wont it. An it hasn't been imported in from China. Also i can do the colours that i like.

lunaeventer

Manufacturers need reminding that not all women want pink or pastel shades!! Would be useful for me to know which makes offer alternatives.

ketka82

supersonic wrote:

I doubt many size 14 women have size 14 shoes though! Two different measuring standards.

I don't think any women have size 14 shoes! :shock:

Foxglove

i have spend loads of time trying to find a 3/4 lengh pair of baggy shorts which fit nice - the problem im having is that i seem to need an xs, which is never anywhere in stock but apart from that they are def not 3/4 on me. i know they cannot be to long for cycling but compaired to the mens models mine are far to short. so maybe it would be nice to cater for ladies with longer legs? i mean not all ladies who need a smaller waist size are also tiny in height are they? i think the ladies clothing department has some catching up to do lol. sorry about my rant but it can be frustrating to find something which fits lol :oops:

Where are my stabilisers?

There doesn't seem to ever be much on offer when it comes to womens clothes - always dodgy pale pinks (a colour which ever way you wear it doesn't screem I like getting muddy!) and as for sizes..... well the range is just too small.

miss notax

Thanks for all the comments - that's great

I agree with all the comments about the range being too small, and basically no good if your are anything other than 'standard' size, height etc. It's the same in this industry!

Unfortunately I don't have any words of wisdom as I have exactly the same problems myself :?

AMcD

Foxglove wrote:

i have spend loads of time trying to find a 3/4 lengh pair of baggy shorts which fit nice - the problem im having is that i seem to need an xs, which is never anywhere in stock but apart from that they are def not 3/4 on me. i know they cannot be to long for cycling but compaired to the mens models mine are far to short. so maybe it would be nice to cater for ladies with longer legs? i mean not all ladies who need a smaller waist size are also tiny in height are they? i think the ladies clothing department has some catching up to do lol. sorry about my rant but it can be frustrating to find something which fits lol :oops:

I'm at the opposite end - not all large ladies are statuesque in height either. I'm size 18 but short. If Marks and Spencers can do clothes in short, medium and long in all the ladies' sizes why can't sports manufacturers? I recently bought a size 18 cycling jacket and paid an extra £18 to have the sleeves professionally shortened (5in shorter). As for buying winter tights in my size forget it - they'll be 10 inches too long with the knee bits around my ankles .

mea00csf

AMcD, If you can find them give Nike tights a go. I always have to buy short length trousers, and had that same problem when trying to find some tights, the ankles on the tights were way past the end of my toes. Nike seem to be the shortest around, with only a small amount of gathering around my ankle (yep that's right, they don't even cover my heel!! :P )

Also being a very large general sports brand they probably do a much greater range of sizes than smaller cycling specific brands, try running shops as well if you don't mind wearing bike short underneath

AMcD

Thanks for the info about Nike tights. I would never have thought of Nike as I presumed they would stop at size 14. Will definately widen my search now as I'll be looking for winter tights soon . I'd prefer padded ones, but because I'm thinking of getting the DHB all in one bib suite for comfort around the waist line I could then wear unpadded tights over the top.

Just spent the whole day :evil: watching an instructional DVD on how to turn up the sleeves of a lined jacket :twisted: . What with having to cycle into town midway through project to get some 'interfacing' :? I'm beginning to wish I'd just dropped the jacket off at the professionals but something in me thinks I should really learn the basics of sewing .

Ditch Witch

What I'd like to see is the "advertised" size and the "real size". Not all size 14s are created equal.

foxyourself

I always find that tops that fit my frame are too tight on my boobies, apparently size 8's shouldn't be more than a C cup, never mind DD. Not just sports wear, all clothes i have this issue with. Some would say blessed..plagued more like. difficult not to look like you're whoring yourself. tight on the boobies or loose and baggy and not functional everywhere else.

Same applies for lowers, to fit my skinny legs shorts are too tight on my waist.. some people have stomach muscle and lean legs...

just my experience.

SJ

Try being a downhiller with a HH cup. I can't get body armour to fit at all so am constantly injuring myself (being a better rider doesn't seem to be an option, hehe)!

xstrathyx

Pics ladies or it didnt happen.....!

(kidding btw)

foxyourself wrote:

I always find that tops that fit my frame are too tight on my boobies, apparently size 8's shouldn't be more than a C cup, never mind DD. Not just sports wear, all clothes i have this issue with. Some would say blessed..plagued more like. difficult not to look like you're whoring yourself. tight on the boobies or loose and baggy and not functional everywhere else.

Same applies for lowers, to fit my skinny legs shorts are too tight on my waist.. some people have stomach muscle and lean legs...

just my experience.

Matt the Tester

SJ wrote:

Try being a downhiller with a HH cup. I can't get body armour to fit at all so am constantly injuring myself (being a better rider doesn't seem to be an option, hehe)!

bloody hell! be careful lol

ride_whenever

for technical gear for the small but well endowed lady, try some of the rowing tech tops and leggings, my housemate fits that mould and she practically lives in her lycra.

Actually scratch the practically.

skellator3

i think im in love with foxyourself size 8 and a dd i need to meet you lol

Kiblams

skellator3 wrote:

i think im in love with foxyourself size 8 and a dd i need to meet you lol

:roll: I think that it's because of posts like this that are the reason the girls like to have their own forum...

PamPen25

Kiblams wrote:

skellator3 wrote:

i think im in love with foxyourself size 8 and a dd i need to meet you lol

:roll: I think that it's because of posts like this that are the reason the girls like to have their own forum...

There are obviously people who know nothing about MTB (Skellator3) and have to spoil forum threads to try and hide their lack of knowledge.....Saddo!!!!

PamPen25

I am in the process of shopping for new gear as my old sets are ready for the bin. I went into a specialist bike the other day and asked about their women fit gloves and he said they're the same as mens but in 'pretty pastel colours'. I'm not sure if this is true, but I am sure that I have smaller hands then men (and most women) and I would like a compact protective fit.

So I must agree on the reduction of 'pretty pastel colours' please and a more specialise, definitive fit for women.

supersonic

Hand shape varies so much that trying on a few beforehand is always a good idea, whoever they are supposedly designed for. I have small, thin 'girly' hands, but some small 'mens' fit fine. Some don't though.

PamPen25

Got my Sombrio Senza gloves through today, not in 'pretty pastel colours' but black (I could of, but chose not to!) and the Medium fits perfect.
Now I know through trying on mens gloves that they would of been far too big if I got the mens in medium so having specific womens sizing does make a difference. My only disappointment now with my LBS is not stocking womens full fingered gloves full stop (god bless CRC!!!).

P.s - Thanks Supersonic for the PM advice!!!

Thewaylander

Should see the girl who rides with us on the weekends,

She wallops me round the trails and I'm no slouch, the first kona mash up she joined last year she got 4th! woman can be great riders. they just need to push past the whole oo it's mud or the ooo i might get scares and get on with it

PamPen25

Yeah, I'm trying to get myself past that point....But I'm determind to do it!!!

Us women are far toooooo careful unlike you 'fearless' muddy men!!!