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Jerseys/Jackets

Pearl Izumi Women’s Quest Jersey - Simple, lightweight, and comfy. I wore this for Unbound Gravel and was happy through 50 miles of hot hot Kansas gravel.

Pearl Izumi Quest Barrier Convertible Jacket - Spend long enough following my Instagram and you’ll see that this is basically the only jacket I wear anymore. Perfect for days between 40-80 degrees because the sleeves come off and into a vest, plus it’s cute!

Pearl Izumi WxB Rain Jacket - Goes up to a 3XL, has space for your helmet when the hood is on - a definite winner!!

Bottoms

Pearl iZUMi PRO Bib Short - I don’t wear shorts super often, but these are really nice. The chamois is especially comfortable and the grip around the leg is just snug enough to stay in place. I wear the XXL in these which fits well.

Disclaimer - these are my personal recommendations. I’m a fat, short woman with a large bust, big butt and hips and athletic legs. I’m 5’2 and typically wear a XXL top and size 18-20 pants.

I’m going to start by talking about underwear. I’ve actually never seen this talked about anywhere in the cycling world, and I don’t understand why. It’s like this little secret we don’t tell each other, but then as soon as anybody brings it up, everybody has a horror story about when they first started riding.

Never…or very very very rarely do I wear underwear when I ride bikes. Regardless of what kind of pants I’m wearing, I’ve found that wearing underwear while biking is an excellent way to get chafing, saddle sores and wedgies from hell. This is especially true when I’m wearing bike shorts/pants/bibs – no undies necessary!

When I have a long day in the saddle with a chamois, like when I’m on tour or camping, this is first piece of clothing I take off when I’m done riding. Airing out the downstairs area and getting the sweaty clothes off are crucial in making sure I don’t get any ingrown hairs or angry skin.

Ok…back to bike clothing.

If I’m just bopping around the city running errands or casually riding, I don’t typically wear anything specific. This includes footwear – I ride with flat pedals for this reason on my Surly so that my shoes can match whatever I happen to be wearing. More about Footwear on this page.

Often in the summer you’ll see me in sundresses and sandals and happy as a clam.

Casual winter riding presents a few more challenges and I do have a few pieces of gear I absolutely love and recommend:

·       Wool socks – keep your feet warm and dry

·       Merino Infinity Scarf – I especially love this one from Redfrog Athletics

·       Waterproof gloves – These are the best

For rides where I’m working up a sweat or planning to be on my bike for more than an hour, I like to wear purpose-built bike clothing. This can be challenging, especially as a fat woman, as not all the clothes I need are made in my size. For those pieces of gear, I’ve found substitutions that do the job, but I’m hoping more brands will make extended sizing soon!

All of the brands I’ve listed are fairly limited in sizing, which is definitely a bummer. I believe that to be truly inclusive, all gear should be made in many more sizes, up to at least a 6x or 7x. For folks who are in this size range and who are looking for active wear, RSport makes gear up to a 6x, as does SuperFit Hero, though I don’t believe these are bike specific yet.