What Chicks Want - Gear for Grrls

Author: Bikergrl

I've always said that if you can't be fast you should at least look good while you're trying. True, speed is great, but style is EVERYTHING! While guys have gazillions of choices when it comes to solid technical wear for mountain biking, women are often faced with having to decide between plain and frumpy or more flowers than you can sneeze your head off at. Well, things are finally changing. So guys, read up, here's what WE want for Christmas.

DeFeet Socks

DeFeet socks come with a huge downside; you have to actually choose between designs. Their 2003 fall catalogue lists 69 designs alone, plus they do custom socks so you can match your team uniform or dog or flame boots.

Comfort is one area where DeFeet socks excel, however don't be fooled by their soft side- these socks are a technical product built to withstand the harshest cycling conditions. The sock's architecture incorporates special abrasion-resistant materials in the high-wear areas (read Achilles, toe and heel), yet even DeFeet's Wooleator socks are lightweight and nonbulky. How DO they do it? Clammy feet can once again belong to the mollusks - with some solid Coolmax content, your tootsies are gonna breathe better than naked skin at the oxygen bar.

Sugoi SubZero Tights

These are pretty much a classic- everybody should have at least one pair in their cold-weather cycling wardrobe. Now all you freerider types out there might think tights look- well- TIGHT! But if you're gonna ride your bike in the freezing cold, tights are a necessary evil (and if you're too much of a wimp to ride in the cold you have no business making fun of people in tights anyway). Most other potential legwear is likely to trap moisture against your lengthy limbs and that means you'll end up cold and wet. Besides that, if you land in the snow in jeans you end up looking like you wet your pants. Land in snow in tights, you brush them off and nobody's the wiser.

What makes the SubZero so special is a brushed inner lining that feels really, really good against your skin (I mean REALLY good...mmmmmmmm, tights!) Heavier than regular tights, Sugoi's SubZero's are still light enough to wick moisture efficiently and to feel comfortable under a second layer if you really MUST wear those baggy jeans.

You don't have to admit you own tights, but if you don't have a pair you'd better admit you need them. These are just the ticket.

Sombrio Lotus Shorts

These shorts have style written all over them. They're one of the few women specific pieces on the market that look cool enough to be guy's shorts, and Sombrio hasn't skipped on the technical aspects that make them as great on the bike as they are off. A built in mesh liner lets these shorts breathe and a tacky rubber waistband keeps them from slipping around. This year Sombrio has also eliminated that ever-annoying Velcro fly (which ALWAYS wears out, no matter how carefully you wash things) and replaced it with a stretchy hidden spandex panel. This make for a design that's not only easier to deal with, but it also means the front panel lies flat, a definite bonus in women's shorts.

With adjustable Velcro bands at the waist and a big-ass ass pocket, these are the kind of shorts you'll never take off.

Nema LS Trixie jersey

This is the perfect piece for making the fall-to-winter transition, or for layering under a shell for winter ripping. The lightweight mesh-like weave of the Trixie makes for a comfortable yet incredibly hot looking piece of gear. The colours are less-than-girlie (that's a GOOD thing) and a generous zipper plus vented pits means moisture evaporation where you most need it. The Trixie addresses the need for a pocket in a much more acceptable manner than most jerseys - instead of the silly-looking puckery elastic pockets that grace most cycling tops, the Trixie has a well-placed zip pocket off to the side in the back. It's fairly unobtrusive and big enough to stash a tube, a wallet and at least 3 cream-filled donuts. Not that you ever eat donuts, but still...

Nema Gem "Freedom" Short

Choosing to eschew the "freeride" catchphrase, Nema produced the Gem "Freedom" short. This 12 panel baby is the ultimate in baggy comfort – a soft yet durable nylon outer shell hides a stretchy inner liner with a built in Super Suede Chamois. Two zippered side pockets provide just enough room to store keys or cash without taking up too much room and an ingenious thin stretchy back panel means the shorts bend with you instead of shifting when you're in the saddle. Although the chamois may be a little bulky for some women's liking, if you can get past it this is one radical short. The colours match the Trixie jerseys – that's a good thing...no pink polka dots here.

Where to Buy it:

-Nema Vital Garments are available online at http://www.nema-usa.com
-Sombrio and Sugoi are available from Cyclesmith in Halifax and Dartmouth
-DeFeet Socks are available at Mountain Equipment Co-op

Posted by bikergrl at November 27, 2003 10:22 PM

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