Why do cycling clothing manufacturers do this...?

[zoom-zoom]

My previous favorite short was the Pearl Izumi Symphony Cut short...6" inseam, really nice, stretchy, flat-paneled front, great chamois (for me).

But after a year my 2 pairs had kind of stretched-out to the point where the back of the chamois would catch on my saddle and the chamois would shift around a bit and chafe. So I ordered 2 new pair in a smaller size, figuring they would be a better fit.

WRONG!

The 2011 version is a FULL INCH shorter. 6" inseam is perfect on my stubby legs, 5" inseam is like short-shorts (the label claims that even the small should have a 6" inseam, but I measured from center seam to the bottom of the leg-band and it's 5") and my inner thigh ends up rubbing the nose of my saddle. Also the material is different, so they are no longer as stretchy and give me horrible sausage-casing legs. The smaller size fits more like 2 sizes smaller.

I love PI's chamois, but their sizing is all over the place. My tri shorts are a large, but fit like my mediums in other PI shorts. My PI compression running shorts are a medium, but fit about the same as my tri shorts. I have a pair of PRO shorts in a M that fit like a S (and these shorts that fit too small cause my inner thighs to pooch out, which rubs on the saddle and destroys the shorts after just a ride or two--I rode TWELVE miles in my one pair of the new shorts and the right inner-thigh is trashed).

For $100 I'd expect some level of consistency in sizing. I've thrown a lot of money away on shorts, lately.

[Biciclista]

it's partially because they hire people to make new styles which will theoretically sell to bored consumers. They don't care that what you bought last time was perfect. They want to keep their jobs as designers so they have to keep designing! terrible... that's what style is all about, making money i guess. That's what is so nice about Levi's they still make the same old thing and people LIKE that.

[zoom-zoom]

That's what is so nice about Levi's they still make the same old thing and people LIKE that.

Ha, but I have several pair of the exact same style of Levi's and have the same weird sizing issues with those, too. All have '32"' inseams, but some are closer to 31" and others are >32". At least when it's a jeans inseam issue I can blame it more on quality control, since the denim and overall fit is still the same.

[OakLeaf]

I don't even get the same overall fit from Levi's. I have three pairs of 515s and every one fits differently. (They're all pretty much the same length though. ) I remember trying on several pairs of 515s when I bought the last one, and each pair in the store was different, too.

[Veronica]

Just bought Thom several pairs of Dockers that are all supposedly 30-30s. None of them fit him the same.

Veronica

[ny biker]

They put a big pile of fabric on the table, and then they cut it with a laser. The pieces at the bottom of the pile wind up bigger than the pieces at the top, even though they all get the same size label.

This is why I take every pair of jeans labeled with my size into the J. Jill fitting room, and try them all on to see which fits best. And the salespeople don't mind having to put all my rejects back on the rack, because they understand why it's necessary.

As for bike shorts, I was so happy with the Shebeest Century shorts. But when they changed the chamois last year to a two-piece thing with seams, I figured I would have to start looking for new favorite shorts, because there is just no reason to have a line of stitches between me and my saddle. Fortunately they've gone back to the old one-piece chamois, so I guess I wasn't the only one who refused to buy their "improved" version.

[Kathi]

I don't know much about other manufacturers but according to the wife of my LBS owner (their clothing buyer whose daughter works for PI) there are something like 600 factories who make clothing for PI. With that number of factories quality control is impossible. By contrast, Sheila Moon, who owns her company, has her clothing made in a factory down the street from her shop can maintain control of her products so the sizes are consistent.

Shimano recently bought PI, so with more money there should be better standardization.

BTW, I have the same problems with Shebeest. I have always worn an XS in the Triple S and the Century Shorts but last year I tried on the Century shorts in an XS and couldn't even get into them. I haven't gained an ounce in 10 years, and my old XS shorts still fit but it's the same issue. The woman who owned Shebeest no longer owns the company so anything goes with the sizing.

This year I've discovered the Hincapie Pro short. Perfect fit and so far consistent sizing.

[Marquise]

I used to work with a woman who had previously sewn for a clothing manufacturer. She said when they ran out of the correct size labels for what they were sewing, they'd just use labels for a size up or down. Hearing that made me lower my expectations with regard consistent sizing.

[zoom-zoom]

I used to work with a woman who had previously sewn for a clothing manufacturer. She said when they ran out of the correct size labels for what they were sewing, they'd just use labels for a size up or down. Hearing that made me lower my expectations with regard consistent sizing.

Cripes, no wonder it's so hard to find stuff to fit!

[loopybunny]

I'm blanking on what the PI shorts I have are, but they are 2 different years (one are 09, the other 10) and they fit differently.

If the design and fit is going to be so different, why do they give the design the same name? Very misleading.

[colorisnt]

I thought the same thing today when I went to replace my helmet. I had a Trek ladies helmet that I LOVED until I took a serious header on Monday. I needed to replace it ASAP so I could ride. Well, they had the "same" helmet and the guy at the store assured me Bontrager had just redesigned the vents, but it sat a lot lower on the back of my head and did not fit in the actual top of the head the same. it seemed as though the band was tight but the helmet was not snug enough. Why do they do that?

I didn't buy that helmet and was really disappointed in Trek/Bontrager for doing that because helmets do fit heads differently. I already cannot wear Giro or LG because of the fit. It's back to specialized alone for now.