Women specific cycle clothing

Continuing the shifting weather/clothing theme, I pondering splashing out on an actual decent waterproof jacket, rather than the ill fitting Madison one I've got now or the not that breathable better fitting thing from Decathlon.

What's everyone else got? I'm tempted by the Rapha Women's Rain Jacket - anyone here got it/rate it?
I've got the Rapha one and though I'd love to be saying this about a cheaper brand...it really is the most effective, best cut, nicest colour rainjacket I've owned, and so lightweight.

I see they're £80 cheaper at the moment - do it! http://www.rapha.cc/womens-rain-jacket

further to previous post, the jackets that are waiting for me are:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gore-bike-wear/power-ladies-jacket-ec020039 (straight replacement for lost one)
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gore-bike-wear/oxygen-gore-tex-active-shell-lady-jacket-ec029229 (pricier, prepared to be persuaded in the cloth)
going to check them out now!

Paramo Pasco jacket

Breathable, waterproof, hi viz trim, pit zips, looks like a good one for winter. Other half has bought one.

I have the Rapha rain jacket in the blue colour and I love it. Fits like a glove and is very lightweight. No probs so far...

Really feeling the Giro New Road Collection for Women, WANT WANT WANT! http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/giro-new-road-womens-clothing-38368/

Also love the new Maloja collection but can't find any good links :(

In other news, I got interviewed by The Guardian today about women's cycling clothing and the marketing that goes with them. Might be an interesting article overall (probs not my bit), will be posted on the bike blog sometime soon. Hope I don't get misquoted, as seems to happen a lot of late :/

Here it is (assuming you meant this one): http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/bike-blog/2013/sep/11/cycling-women-pink

This bit is amazing:

As a fan of black kit and A roads...

:)

Here it is (assuming you meant this one): http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/bike-blog/2013/sep/11/cycling-women-pink

I'm only here to post that because Emmy's NOTONHERE. And you've beaten me to it. Damn.

Giro's stuff is looking good.
Why not using someone that looks more like a cyclist as a model though?
I like the shorts for example, but i doubt they will fit anyone with more meat on thighs.
http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2013/09/10/1378836514182-a9b58acvn88m-670-75.jpg

Someone tell me what 'looks like a cyclist' means? I look at that model with lean muscle tone in her leg and I think 'Road Cyclist'... she is not a sample size, no way.

I'm so bored of this 'real woman' and reverse sizism nonsense too. I was accused by a reporter of being a model in the Adidas video because I am 'too thin'. I ride 200+ miles a week, of course I'm thin but I also have a healthy diet. As any normal athlete would. So because I'm not a curvy size 14, I'm not a real woman? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

By the way, the shorts have a 4 way stretch, I'm pretty sure they will fit someone with bigger thighs.

It usually just means bigger thighs.
Most of the manufacturers keep forgeting about that and make shorts with too tight grippers.
Do you think that girl from that photo rolled the hem up because she wanted to show nice red gripper? No, rapha made them so tight that they are uncomfortable. I got rid of mine after one ride.

Actually I think Rapha do two versions of those shorts - I've got the ones with the red only on the inside, but Two Omegas had a pair the other day with the red on the outside and I'm pretty sure she hadn't rolled them.

I do have this problem with some shorts though... I've got fairly chunky thighs anyway and a proper muscle bulge above my knees which makes Gore shorts not great for me (which is a shame as I love their top half stuff and gloves, and get on well with their chamois). Pearl Izumi, Sugoi and Assos are all fine for me. Rapha I can't comment on as I sized up when I bought them, so they're a bit big all round.

I got the http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-ladies-sync-waterproof-jacket/

tl,dr summary:
Pros: Price, quite waterproof, hood, cut and features (pockets, vents)
Cons: Bulky (not a put in your back pocket), bit sweaty

I ordered one of these as my old waterproof isn't very waterproof anymore, and it arrived today - I think I ordered a size too big for me but having worn it around the office and asked everyone for opinions (one colleague said "but you're not actually going to wear that out, are you?!") we think it's alright and it'll be good to be able to layer underneath it when it gets cold. I look forward (hmm...) to testing it out in the rain.

I am liking my new gore oxygen something or other jacket. Of the two i ordered, i kept the more expensive one, natch. It's just marginally better than the one I lost. Lighter, more packable, better cut. Might need to add some high vis ness though.

Re: women/cyclist sizes - sizism in any direction is rubbish, and the reality is that women come in a pretty wide range of shapes and sizes. I have seen a couple instances of brands saying "leg opening widened in response to customer feedback" on cycling shorts. Dhb is one I think. Not seen the other way around, seems to make sense that the average cycling thighs are a bit bigger than the equiv fashion sizes, but like all things it won't be universal. Also - re: turning up the edges, I'm doing this as a temporary measure since I found I react to the silicon grippers on things...

Oh, also acquired some second-hand rapha 3/4s, the ones with tweed tab so quite old I thing. I LOVE them. So comfy and light compared with the swrve 3/4 skinny (less "structure", fewer seams) and they are the only trousers I can wear without a belt. It's a revelation. My new favourite outfit for autumn is these shorts with howies running leggings underneath (part of their clever high tech black machine knitted range) and long socks over. Got that the wrong way around, you know what I mean. It's ace, anyway.

...I look forward (hmm...) to testing it out in the rain.
Now you've sad this is will stay dry until Christma....aaaand maybe not!

Hmm, clearly fate's not been tempted enough. Perhaps you should also get the trousers? http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-minima-waterproof-trousers/

;)

A friend of mine, a bike polo player from Toronto, is launching her own women's cycling jeans brand.

Check out her page, and enter her competition, if you want to win a pair: https://www.facebook.com/RYBDenim

.... howies running leggings underneath (part of their clever high tech black machine knitted range)

Ooow. Show me?! Intrigued...

Jim has just told me they've got 30% off rrp on women's Gore jackets at Brixton Cycles at the moment. Might be of interest to some of you?

Hi ladies! So I don't really have any cycle clothes for winter as I come from hot and sunny Australia. I'm looking to invest in some winter tights and some sort of jacket as well (softshell/winter jersey). Naturally I like the look of Rapha's winter tights and the softshell, also quite like the look of Castelli's stuff especially the Elemento 7XAir Jacket (http://www.castellicafe.co.uk/castelli-elemento-7xair-womens-jacket?var=3193)

Are there any particular brands or items of clothing that you swear by for keeping you warm? Also will need a few base layers, are there any good synthetic (not merino) ones out there?

Thanks
Shelby

Hi Shelby, for winter, it's all about the layers rather than specifc brands for warmth. I love merino cos I am a sweaty, menopausal femme. I've used Helly Hensen synthetic tops for running and have used running tops bought in Decathlon in recent years. Use them for cycling too. You can use winter running leggings teamed with 40/60 denier regular tights if just moving around London.

I love Rapha too, especially at sale time! Gore is another brand to take a look at.

It all depends on your budget. We wear stuff by Uniqlo, Decathlon, M&S, Howies, Primark as well as specific cycling types during the winter. Others will have more suggestions.

L8rs

Hey Ladies, is there anywhere in East-ish London that has stock of women-specific cheap/mid-range bibshorts? Miss Hammer has left things far too late for a ride tomorrow and may end up borrowing my stuff, which is definitely not going to fit!

Decathlon in Surrey Quays! It's open til 7 this evening so she's got plenty of time.

That's the only one I could think of! I'll try and convince her it's worth the trip!

There is also a big one on the retail park at Lakeside if you have four wheels.

This might interest someone. Annoyingly the men only pay twenny quid for theirs!

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/1783/trousers.aspx

I bought a pair and managed to get them over my thighs without a problem. The waist gapes a bit but I've never managed to buy a pair of trousers/jeans without one.

So far, only managed to ride in a light shower of rain whilst wearing them and it was fine. Secretly hoping for a heavy shower to see what happens.

I have another Howies merino jersey that I just don't wear- would anyone like it? It's gorgeous wool, olive green with cream sections on the shoulders. It's a generous size 10, long sleeves, got 2 great pockets on the back.
I think it was in the region of £60 new, does £15 seem fair? (I've hardly worn it)
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1060/j96z.jpg

I also have a pair of Decathlon shiny-ish grey 3/4 padded tights, also a size 10, that are comfy as hell but I don't wear them anymore as they're my back-up and I ride so rarely that my beloved Gore bibs suffice! Anyone want to take them off my hands for free?

Pick up in Peckham or Covent Garden weekdays (from Monday)