Womens Cycling Clothing Runs Small!

[Koronin]

I pretty much just buy men's cloths in general anymore. I'm 5ft even, have short legs, and thicker shoulders. My regular every day clothes are mostly men's. For cycling, I've found some bike shorts at Performance that are women's I like, everything else is men's, including the gloves. I have yet to find a pair of women's glove I can wear. So at this point I basically just shop in the men's section. Heck my blue jeans are men's. (I also have to drive 2 hours to Raleigh to get to a LBS I actually like, which there are two of Performance and there's a Trek dealer I like that is the upstairs of a two story building.)

[hirakukibou]

I am broad in the shoulders and sometimes I take a larger women's size in cycling clothing than I do in regular clothes. I can wear a men's small but often they are too long and hang over my rear in a way that the stuff in my pockets bounces around too much. I guess it is a matter of trying different brands too see which fits the best. The reality is that I have sizes of regular clothes that range from 0 - 8 -- right now I am mostly a 6, but it seems to depend.

[emily_in_nc]

I pretty much just buy men's cloths in general anymore. I'm 5ft even, have short legs, and thicker shoulders. My regular every day clothes are mostly men's. For cycling, I've found some bike shorts at Performance that are women's I like, everything else is men's, including the gloves. I have yet to find a pair of women's glove I can wear. So at this point I basically just shop in the men's section. Heck my blue jeans are men's. (I also have to drive 2 hours to Raleigh to get to a LBS I actually like, which there are two of Performance and there's a Trek dealer I like that is the upstairs of a two story building.)

Curious where do you find men's jeans short enough, or do you buy boy's sizes? I am 5'2" and wear women's petites. Had no idea any men's pants would be made in short enough sizes for me!

[Koronin]

Men's jeans that are the 29 length fit without needing hemmed. Now if I don't have shoes on they are slightly too long, but with shoes on they are fine. Men's jeans, well pants in general are done in length as well as waist sizes, so no small, medium, large, ect. Figure out which waist size you need and try a couple of length sizes. 29 is the smallest length size. I bought one pair at the Levi Outlet store at Concord Mills, the other pair I bought was at Target, but it seems men's jean sizes stay truer between brands than women's sizes do.

[emily_in_nc]

Men's jeans that are the 29 length fit without needing hemmed. Now if I don't have shoes on they are slightly too long, but with shoes on they are fine. Men's jeans, well pants in general are done in length as well as waist sizes, so no small, medium, large, ect. Figure out which waist size you need and try a couple of length sizes. 29 is the smallest length size. I bought one pair at the Levi Outlet store at Concord Mills, the other pair I bought was at Target, but it seems men's jean sizes stay truer between brands than women's sizes do.

29 length would work for me (that's the inseam I look for in women's petites), but I'm set on jeans for now. Moving to Belize, I won't need many warmer pants, but that is good to know. I haven't ever tried on a pair of mens' pants!

[sarahkonamojo]

I am always frustrated with women's clothes sizing. The range that a medium must fit is huge. Or a small. Or an XL. Men's cycling clothes are the same broad range, but many of their other choices are not. The idea that men can specify the waist, length, neck, sleeve, is amazing.
If only the manufacturers expanded their women's options to include: Regular, tall, and petite would be something. (Small regular, small tall, small petite, etc)
If you find a fit in something that you like, buy two...

S

[jlnc]

Amen to Reg/Tall/Petite Sarah! I'd clean them outta talls!

[Koronin]

You're welcome.