Womens Cycling Jerseys – What’s The Difference?
Well, what is it that makes them women’s cycling jerseys, not men’s cycling jerseys, or even android cycling jerseys? I’ll try to keep the discussion as muddied as possible by mixing generic cycling jersey info with ‘women’s cycling jerseys’ specific information.
A full rundown on cycling jerseys can be seen at my page on bicycle jerseys. The gist of the matter is that cycling jerseys are made of materials that are designed to wick moisture away from the body, fit rather tightly and have a few accouterments to help you ride a bit more comfortably.
Accouterments- I rely heavily on the three pockets across the back of a cycling jersey. The left one is the communication center, containing my cell phone when a breakdown on the road necessitates a call for a ride home. It also holds my MP3 player. The middle pocket contains my tire changing equipment and an all-purpose cycling tool (can get one
here). The right pocket is my kitchen, containing energy bars, goo packs, t-bone steaks, souffles, and Italian sodas.
Cycling Gear?
Some womens cycling jerseys now have special pockets for i-pods (or more accurately called MP3 players). There are also zippered rear pockets for the over enthusiastic mountain bike crew.
Fit- All cycling jerseys are cut differently than other shirts/jerseys because the bicyclist is riding all bent forward. If the jerseys weren’t cut more generously in the back, we’d all be riding up on other cyclists, experiencing the thrill of seeing what clever tatoos adorn the supra-buttcrack of our fellow riders.
Here’s an important point (unlike the rest of the previous items of discussion in this article)- women’s cycling jerseys are unique in several ways. Firstly, they may have an elasticized waistband to accommodate an hourglass figure. They are usually fuller in the chest and hips, while being tapered in the waist. So…in order to accomplish said differences, womens cycling jerseys may be sewed together with more panels.
Another difference is that womens cycling jerseys may be designed for a shorter torso, since shorter torsos and longer legs seem to define the woman cyclist. These are generalizations, of course, but what is a clothing designer to do?
One thing I’ve noticed about cycling jerseys, women’s or men’s, is that there are often a lot of closeout deals at places like Performance
Bicycle and BikeNashbar. It must be hard for them to second guess the style preferences of cyclists. That leaves them holding a lot of unsold inventory.
Colors- It doesn’t take an environmental scientist (or even Al Gore, for that matter) to notice that womens cycling jerseys are often offered in classically feminine colors. Pinks, turquoises, light greens…you know, all the colors that the guys wear in the Giro de Italia.
Zippers are offered in lengths which vary from above-cleavage length, half length, full length, and a few other lengths in between.
About the only length of zipper that I have trouble with is the zipper that goes down to about one inch from the bottom. If it went full length I could put it on like a regular shirt. If it went down no more than half way, it would keep its ‘jersey shape’ and the arm holes would be where they’re supposed to be when I’m trying to put it on. I’m assuming that women would have the same preference regarding zipper length, but I’ve been wrong one other time regarding the preferences of women.
Summary- Womens cycling jerseys may be cut shorter for a shorter torso, may be cut to accommodate an hourglass figure, may have an elasticized waistband, and may be offered in feminine colors like the ones favored by riders in the Giro de Italia.
