ION Scrub AMP Short-Sleeve Jersey - Women's

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and it's a perfect day to get your tires a little dirty at your local trailhead, so grab the Ion Scrub AMP Short-Sleeve Jersey for the lightweight coverage you need on a pleasant day on the dirt. It offers a front panel of DriRelease polyester-cotton blend that wears and looks like your favorite cotton tee, with the added benefit of breathability and quick-drying properties to keep you feeling fresh. The sleeves and back are made of a mesh polyester jersey that wicks away sweat and breathes so you can focus on the rock garden ahead or you, instead of the clammy sweat on your back. The jersey is cut relaxed and long, so you don't end up with crack-back when you're mashing on your pedals out of the saddle, and don't feel restricted when weaving your way through tight switchbacks.

Norrona Fjora Flex1 Shorts - Women's

Tough, functional, and attractive, the Norrona Women's Fjora Flex1 Mountain Biking Shorts have just the right blend of features to keep you riding hard without getting uncomfortable. The main body of the Fjoras are made from 175D nylon, an abrasion-resistant fabric that's lightweight and quick drying. The articulated knees, inseam, and back are built from Norrona's Flex1, which is a stretchy and breathable softshell that lets you move freely without overheating. The Fjora shorts also have mesh-lined outseam vents to help you cool down. The shorts are finished with a hook-and-loop Custom-fit waist adjustment system and three zippered pockets to keep key items easily accessible so you can gobble down a quick snack while you're on the go.

Louis Garneau Stream Zappa Shorts - Women's

Bomb descents, rail corners, and grind up climbs in the Louis Garneau women's Stream Zappa Shorts. With a more relaxed fit than your traditional spandex fare, these shorts are made from a durable blend of polyester and spandex that moves comfortably as you shift your weight on the bike to navigate technical trails. Seamless inner legs reduce friction and chafing, while a snap and hook-and-eye closure pairs with a partially elasticized waist to keep these shorts securely in place. To cap things off, the Stream Zappa's feature a snap loop system that's compatible with Louis Garneau's separately sold padded innershorts for extra comfort and protection.

Castelli Prisma Full-Zip Jersey - Women's

Giordana Lungo Compression Bib Shorts - Women's

Your taste is refined, and when it comes to craft, you're unwilling to compromise — but that doesn't mean you want to squeeze into race-day bibs every time you embark on a coffee ride or weekend cruise along the coast. That's why Giordana's Women's Lungo Compression Bib Shorts are a fast favorite here at Competitive — they showcase beautiful craftsmanship, keen eye for detail, top level fabrics, and a cut that's a little less aggressive for every-day rides and maybe a gran fondo once in a while. Cut from remarkably soft fabric that offers gentle compression and an anatomic fit, the Lungo Compression Bibs are a reminder that Giordana's classic styling and clean silhouettes are, much like a fine wine, getting better with age.

The shorts begin with a single piece of fabric used for each leg, minimizing the number of seams that can come in contact with skin for a fit that not only reduces abrasion, but also creates an incredibly smooth aesthetic. The legs are held in place with silky bands that feature a raw edge, and honeycomb patterned interior to grip into place for a hem that won't cut in, and doesn't waiver and wrinkle while you ride. Updating the core on the shorts, designers at Giordana employ a double-woven and textured system which elevates comfort and support around the hips and waist. This double-weave helps assist in moisture management, while providing excellent breathability to keep you comfortable and cool when you're pushing up a steep alpine climb before you meet your well-earned descent.

Though the Lungo was crafted to fit its best in the riding position, specific fit tweaks were made to allow it to still feel comfortable while standing up and walking around, including changes made to bib strap construction. The perforated straps are whisper-thin yet maintain stability and structure by stretching more along the front of the bib for shoulder and arm mobility. They have significantly less stretch along the back of the bib, helping to achieve a more natural fit when standing while maintaining support when you're in the saddle.

The Lungo Bibs are finished off with Giordana's Cirro S-W chamois. It equips you with what you would expect from a top-tier chamois — multi-density foam to support and cushion, without bulking, pressure-relieving cutouts for your sensitive anatomy, a women's-specific cut that places support where we need it most, and a buttery-smooth finish that fights odor, while wicking away moisture. To top it off, the chamois is infused with Aloe Vera that Giordana claims can reduce healing time and fight saddle sores, and while we don't have the proof, we're quick to adopt just about anything that might shorten healing time and get us back on the bike faster.

Showers Pass Transit Pant - Women's

Showers Pass hails from Portland, OR so they are pretty well versed in riding in wet weather. If you are a 365-day commuter and won't let the weather dictate your riding plans, the Women's Transit Pant is for you. These pants are rugged and keep water out with the 3-layer waterproof, yet highly breathable Artex material. The women's specific sizing improves the fit and the pants features many design elements for great on the bike use. Showers Pass includes a full length reflective stripe down the side of each leg for maximum visibility during the heaviest deluges. Ankle zippers help these rain pants slide on and off over shoes quite easily, and one of our favorite parts is the ankle cinch strap keeping the cuffs out of the chain's way. These pants include a mesh stuff sack for storage or if the skies decide to change their mind. This style runs small, so size up if you are layering over street clothes.

POC Essential Full Length Sock - Women's

Pearl Izumi Transfer Short-Sleeve Baselayer - Women's

Giordana Moda Arts Short-Sleeve Jersey - Women's

The Moda Arts Short-Sleeve Jersey from Giordana allows you to express your artistic side on the ride while still providing the fine craftsmanship and technical materials you've come to expect from the brand. Utilizing bright, vibrant colors and interesting patterns, the jersey looks great on and off the bike so you'll feel fantastic on the weekend century ride as well as the mid-ride coffee shop stop. Its advanced fabrics help promote moisture transfer, keeping you cooler and drier.

This Arts Jersey features a slightly relaxed fit, giving you ample space in the saddle, and a full-length CamLock Zipper letting you adjust the airflow on long, stifling climbs. The rear of the jersey gets three ample sized pockets for hauling ride essentials and a reflective tab helps increase your visibility to motorists. It, like all of Giordana's Women apparel, is cut using its Women's Contour Fit system, modeling the paneling and construction to better fit the female form while in the riding position.

ION Short IN Short - Women's

You'd love it if you could just toss on some hot pants under your baggies before hitting the trail, but your sit bones would give you some serious punishment after barreling down jarring rock gardens. Fortunately you can still achieve the comfort and fit of hot pants, but with chatter-absorbing support in Ion's Short IN Short for Women. These liner shorts combine breathable fabrics with a Vuelta women's-specific chamois that offers just enough vibration damping to keep your most sensitive anatomy comfortable on long days on the dirt.

Castelli Emergency Jacket - Women's

Menacing clouds on the horizon shouldn't deter you from heading out for your base miles, and with the Castelli Emergency Jacket for Women stashed in your back pocket you'll be ready to take on whatever elements Mother Nature might throw your way. Lightweight and compact, the Emergency Jacket is ideal to keep in your pocket on just about any ride, and with Deluge 2.5-layer fabric, you can count on it to keep water and wind on the outside while you pedal through the downpour.

As the name would have you guessing, the Emergency Jacket is intended for emergency rain situations when you need to buy some time to pedal back to the car, or to the nearest café for a warm-up. It features a 10,000mm waterproof rating to keeps water rolling off, backed with waterproof zippers and sealed seams to keep moisture from sneaking in through the cracks. Since it is intended to be an emergency piece, it lacks the breathability that some of the pricier jackets designed for all-day rain rides possess, but its pocket-friendly price and weatherproof demeanor more than make up for it.

The Emergency Jacket offers a cut that sits close enough to avoid obnoxious wind flaps, but stretches just enough for comfortable layering underneath. It packs down to a minuscule half-pocket size, so you don't have to give up too much space in your critical snack-stash to stay covered. The jacket features innovative gutters near the sleeves and lower back to let water drain away from your hands and back, helping you keep dry during serious rainfall, and since rainy days often pair with poor lighting, two large reflective strips hit the back to help you stay illuminated while you hammer your way home.

Club Ride Apparel Ventura Plaid Short - Women's

Club Ride Apparel makes a case for plaid belonging on the trail with its versatile Ventura Plaid Shorts. Cut with an 11in inseam, the Ventura will protect your legs whether you're sneaking in a quick ride on your favorite trail or spending the day riding lifts. Club Ride uses its stretchy, quick-drying double-weave fabric to construct the shorts, treating it with a water-repellent coating to keep you dry and paying careful attention to waist construction.

Extending the back of the waist higher than the front effectively prevents annoying gaps while you're stretched out over the bars, while Club Ride's inner adjustment system allows you to further fine-tune the waistband's fit to make sure it stays secure. You'll have plenty of space to store ride essentials in the Ventura's dual pockets, and zippers help ensure you don't leave anything behind on the trail. The shorts are finished with reflective accents that make sure you stay visible in case you find yourself crossing onto the roads on your way back from the trails.

SheBeest Daisy Short - Women's

Upgrade your go-to shorts with a pop of color with Shebeest's Daisy Shorts. These bright shorts may look like they are all fun and games, and we won't debate that the bold and bright colors certainly bring a smile to our faces, but all of the fun is backed up by the serious structure of the shorts that doesn't fall short. Shebeest prides itself on crafting its riding gear with integrity, using serious fabrics that can hold up to long miles, and it's easy to see with the multi-material construction on the Daisy Shorts. They start with a whopping 41% spandex content throughout the black fabric, generously stretching with you to support your muscles comfortably, while the colorful side panels offer 20% of spandex that lets you enjoy a bit of give, but still gives a touch of compression.

To keep you supported from beneath, Shebeest employs its signature Shelastic 2.0 chamois. The Shelastic uses 4-way stretch that allows the pad to conform to your body without interfering with your pedal stroke. It packs in multi-density foam designed to absorb jarring vibrations from damaged roads, cushioning your sit bones along the way. Wide fabric wings extend beyond the padded zone to move stitching away from your most sensitive anatomy, elevating your comfort while you ride. A wide, elastic-free waistband finishes off the shorts on top, designed for a secure fit that avoids the dreaded muffin top, while wide, 3-inch cuffs finish off the bottom to lock your hems in place with a seamless hold.

Giordana Lungo Sleeveless Jersey - Women's

While the more traditional cyclists in the Competitive office might turn up their noses at a sleeveless jersey, those of us who just like riding our bikes can't deny the comfort of ditching the sleeves on occasion. Giordana's Lungo Sleeveless Jersey indulges this impulse, letting us cool off on particularly hot summer days or even out our tan lines when that upper arm boundary is getting a bit too sharp. Except for the obvious difference, the Lungo sleeveless is largely the same as its sleeved counterpart: a jersey built for comfortable miles in a non-race silhouette that doesn't dilute the experience of a ride with sub-par craftsmanship and materials.

Giordana has long been known for its FormaRed line, which has been joined on the luxury/racing spectrum by the EXO and NXG lines of late. The Lungo kit enjoys that same devotion to the highest quality fabrics and attention to detail, but with a more accommodating fit that priveleges everyday comfort.

Unsatisfied with fabric options when designing the Lungo, Giordana stepped away from its previous choices to chart new territory within the swim and undergarment industry. While it makes no specific information available on fabric composition, we do know that the silky, soft fabric that constitutes the Lungo represents a significant step forward for the brand for its lightness and breathability and perhaps marks an indication of what the future of cycling kit will look like. Giordana succeeded admirably in achieving a truly contoured fit for the Lungo that feels tailored around the shoulders and waist, complete with a short torso with a wide gripper in back and a slim folded seam along the front. The construction is ideal for following your body movements in the saddle and staying in place without fuss.

Three roomy rear pockets and a smooth zipper that ends at a well-shaped, comfortable collar round out the rest of the design and give it long and short-ride functionality. Most of us have experienced making some compromises in fit when buying cycling apparel, and it's frustrating and unsatisfying. With the sleeveless Lungo, Giordana adds another option to the growing list of commendably well-tailored women's kit that leave little to be desired and lets you leave the sleeves at home.