The Workout Wardrobe Gap
Does this ever happen to you? Your workout is planned, and you are psyched to kill it, but you don’t have quite the right gear so you settle for something that is less than ideal. I thought I had all of the workout apparel that I needed until the consistently inconsistent weather this spring made dressing for outdoor cycling very confusing. Do I need shorts? Do I need long pants? Short sleeves? long sleeves? Gloves? Jacket? Shoe covers? You get the idea, and plus I had all of those items. What I needed most frequently but didn’t have was something in between, some mid-length cycling pants that covered my knees but weren’t too heavy or too warm. A very helpful someone suggested that I wear some of my regular capri tights, after all, I have plenty of those. As I explained to the very helpful someone, anyone who has spent a bit of time on a bicycle knows, cycling tights have some special details that make them, well, cycling tights as opposed to just plain tights.
- First, they need to be form fitting and snug for aerodynamics and to avoid chafing.
- Second, the waist needs to be higher in back and lower in front to accommodate the forward lean of a riding position.
- Third, the fabric should be technical and functional with moisture wicking properties and appropriate stretch.
- And finally, one of the most personal parts of cycling bottoms is the chamois to prevent saddle discomfort.
Because I kept digging through my cycling clothes for pants with all of these features and coming up empty handed, I decided it was time to make myself a custom pair. I used a mid-weight black Ultra Flex Lycra fabric with moisture wicking properties, created a low-rise front, a high rise back, made them a capri length and added a woman’s specific chamois This pair of cycling tights have had plenty of use over the last few weeks and are just what I needed to fill the gap in my fitness wardrobe.