Women's (non lycra) Cycle Wear

I like merino - it's great and I too steal my other half's Rapha baselayers.

Re the bamboo, I have two pairs of bamboo leggings - they are great for cycling, and so comfortable. They wear/age really well too - have had them for over 2 years.

What is missing - I would really like a plain tunic dress - something you can wear cycling shorts/leggings with and look normal off the bike as well as being practical.

hi all,

after many years of frustration at the lack of women's specific 'urban' cycling clothing, i am finally making my dream a reality.

I am in the latter stages of developing a small women's specific clothing range! I am initially developing the items of clothing that i love to wear when cycling. My aim is to make women's clothing that is practical, functional and understated in its style. I want to be able to look good on and off my bike, but i don't want to wear floral prints or lycra!

At the beginning it will feature great fabrics in natural fibres, a few key cycling specific features and the following items: Full length and 3/4 length trousers, base layer and snood.

I wanted to gauge interest initially, and also to do some more research into what are your most important cycling items of clothing.

My samples are nearly ready, and i will spend some time testing the fit and the fabrics. In the meantime, please let me know your thoughts on the existing women's cycle clothing, what do you love, what drives you mad, what works, what doesn't, what's missing, what items you wish were made for women and not just men!

So please get back to me if you are potentially interested in this venture of mine. It's something that i'm really passionate about, and really hope that i can make some cycling clothes that other women enjoy wearing too.

Thanks so much, and i would love to hear from you all - if only to register your interest.

Carolyn
Hey Carolyn

Are you happy for me to share this post with Southwark Cyclists/LCC?

Corny sent me here, I'm just a sex pest too..
#notreally #allpowertoyou #winning!

What is missing - I would really like a plain tunic dress - something you can wear cycling shorts/leggings with and look normal off the bike as well as being practical.

Ooh, I can agree with that! One issue is the fabric, then; must not be the kind of fabric that will catch on leggings and thus ride up all over the place - or be lined?

I don't mean the clothing though! Mostly not my cup of tea but I like a couple of the clothes (purple starry top and big starry neckwarmer thing... I like starry things) it's the website I don't like. apart from lola, of course.

Ah, I haven't seen the site. Not into/can't afford most of the clothes. Though that said, looking at some of the photos Lola's been posting it may now just be a case of can't afford. : )

Hey Carolyn

Are you happy for me to share this post with Southwark Cyclists/LCC?

Hey missmouse, definitely repost... That would be great. Thanks, Carolyn

^ Do you have an email address so people can contact you?

^ Do you have an email address so people can contact you?

yes, it's

Its generally not advised to leave your email in it's full form on a public forum, otherwise you're likely to get lots of automated spam :(

Its generally not advised to leave your email in it's full form on a public forum, otherwise you're likely to get lots of automated spam :(

cheers... that's my special spam email address - but don't really want any more!

aha fair enough :)

have edited it now...

have you all seen this?
http://www.hmpressrelease.com/?path=/en-gb/2012/12/hm-for-brick-lane-bikes-a-men%25e2%2580%2599s-collection-inspired-by-the-urban-cycling-scene-4/

more men's clothes...

Haven't seen the H&M range myself, but have heard that it's not at all technical, so it probably won't offer any additional choice to guys who are currently buying Swrve, Rapha etc.

Anyway, I'm the wrong gender for this thread! Like the sound of what you're doing though, Carolyn - good luck with it...

Good stuff, Carolyn, the more the merrier in this sector.

I want my clothes to be:

Wool rich, stylish yet timeless, flattering, hard-wearing, affordable, as suitable for the office as the bike...and to have clean lines, lots of pockets, the option of dark colours (no mauve, no pink), attention to detail. And as others have said, trousers please!

I like mauve

A crack appears in the united front. :)

she said "the option of dark colours"
so I think no crack.
anyway, don't you have other things to be doing?

• definitely no crack desired, that we can all agree on.
  

she said "the option of dark colours"
so I think no crack.

Ah, 'mauve' referred to the colour. I see. :)

anyway, don't you have other things to be doing?

If you mean why I show an interest in this thread, that's simply because the problem of many women somehow being made to feel that cycling is not for them has vexed me immensely. Most of the time, when something appears that attempts to redress that injustice, I am extremely interested in it, although I should also point out that there have been some objectionable and pointless attempts in this direction, like patronising web-sites, and I certainly don't support those.

If you mean why I show an interest in this thread...

nope, I didn't

Indeed, no cracks, no camel toes, no tops which expose midriff, or pinched shoulders which result in arm flaps, or white fabric which becomes see-through when wet, or cheesy logos/slogans.

+1 for more trousers - preferably skinny-ish Swrve type, jeans or similar. I haven't managed to get to a store to try the mens ones.

Whilst it might not be practical, a choice of leg lengths please! I end up having to hack off several inches from the bottom of most trousers. We don't all have 32 inch inside legs!

thanks again for this feedback, it's really helpful.

I pick up my full length trouser sample on Monday! I'm really excited and will be posting some pictures soon. I can confirm that there will be no cracks, camel toes or muffin tops - and if there are the pattern will be changing! Same with the fabric - i've chosen some with a long history of workwear strength - but if it doesn't stand up to cycling, then it's back to the drawing board.

Trouser fabrics are all dark colours - I've never really understood light colours for cycling trousers. Although I am looking into 'wine' coloured cotton... which I really like.

I am hoping that I have got all the necessary cycling specific features to make them really functional, without too many stylised functions to make them unaffordable. I'm looking forward to your feedback anyway.

I have a 'Ninja Style' black merino base layer and snood sample on the way too - with long arms and long body! Can't wait...

By the way - do people like to wear their trousers on their hips - waist, or somewhere in between? I'm a hips girl myself, but realise that I might not be in the majority.

On the hips is comfortable off the bike, but on the bike is nice to have something higher at the back from obvious reasons.
So ideally, hip height on the front and higher on the back.
I think that swrve trs are designed like that, this way the waist is not digging in and your back is protected.