The 9 Best Bike Apparel & Accessories for Ladies

DAKINE Faye Short-Sleeve Jersey - Women's

Wearing the Women's Dakine Short-Sleeve Faye Jersey, the trail ahead is yours and yours alone, so take it away. This sleek everyday jersey uses a combination of pin-hole mesh and four-way stretch mesh to whisk moisture away from your skin as you ride. Better yet, its regular fit and scoop-neck style blend well when you're stopping in town for a bite to eat, and Polygiene odor control will hide the fact that you've spent the day deep in the woods, riding hard.

Backcountry Full Suspension Jersey - Women's

The only thing missing from the picture when you're wearing the Backcountry Women's Full Suspension Jersey is your trusty trail bike and miles of desolate singletrack just begging for your attention as you slalom around switchbacks high in the mountains and plunge into rocky descents funneling into the lush valley below. This easy-going trail jersey emphasizes wearing comfort and freedom of motion with its sculpted hem and articulated patterning. It's neither skin-tight like something you'd find on an XC starting line nor overly baggy like apparel you'd wear to the bike park, meaning you won't feel out of place when you ride into town for a tasty bite to eat afterwards.

We designed it after a three-button Henley, which remains a classic silhouette for all the right reasons with its scooped neckline, woven placket, and custom snap details. The soft knit fabric is comprised of lightweight, quick-drying polyester with a touch of added stretch, so you can ride hard without overheating issues or restriction holding you back. It's finished with a Polygiene treatment that maximizes freshness after a long ride, so you'll be ready to get back to town without immediately needing to change out of your jersey.

Giordana Lungo Short-Sleeve Jersey - Women's

When we heard that Giordana restructured its apparel line for 2016, we were curious about the new distinctions the brand, known for its consistently classic, elegant aesthetics, had introduced. We found out that after deciding to tailor each of its kits around a specific rider type, Giordana reworked construction and fit on nearly its entire line for 2016. The brand now distinguishes the Lungo as its kit for the "refined" rider, which in Giordana's words, means that it's made for a cyclist who isn't looking to wear race kit on every ride, or ever, but who isn't willing to make sacrifices in fabric, construction, and fit to get a more everyday-appropriate kit.

Out of all of its updates, we'd argue the Lungo best fills a void not commonly made apparent in cycling kit: that between race kit and everything else. Rather than bestowing the highest quality fabrics and greatest attention to detail on its race pieces, Giordana gave the same luxurious treatment to the Lungo, relaxing its fit only slightly to accommodate more everyday riding comfort. We won't hesitate to voice our opinion that the Lungo Jersey beautifully exemplifies the Italian brand's goals, and might be the most versatile kit the brand released this year.

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 arms 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.

Along the arms, Giordana added 4.5cm grippers to hold the sleeves in place. Like the rest of the jersey, they remain impossibly thin and breathable without feeling delicate. 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 Lungo, Giordana adds another option to the growing list of commendably well-tailored women's kit.

Terry Bicycles Chill 5in Short - Women's

Terry Bicycles takes to the seamless revolution with the new Chill 5in Short. These sleek shorts pack in all of the latest fabric technologies, with a balanced blend of nylon and spandex that support your muscles while you work through the miles, and omit the pesky hems at the bottom that are notorious for causing the sausage-casing-effect. Instead, you'll find a crisp raw-edge that's backed with tacky silicone grippers that lock the hem into place, without the bulge and pinch of tight seams. To support your range of motion, the shorts are built with 4-panel construction that moves with you whether you're going for a casual jaunt around the neighborhood, or pushing for a PR up a steep canyon climb. The Chill shorts are finished off with Terry's Italian crafted Flex Air Lite chamois that uses an elastic interface to enable comfortable range of motion, while multi-density padding takes the sting out of rough road vibrations. The pad is perforated to boost breathability, so you can stay fresh from the start of your ride, to mile 100.

Pearl Izumi ELITE Escape Long-Sleeve Shrug - Women's

Spring and fall days can create a wardrobe dilemma. The mornings are frosty, and warrant a jacket, but as soon as the sun peeks its head over the mountains you warm right up, regretting the bulky extra layer you've got to stow away. The Pearl Izumi ELITE Escape Long-Sleeve Shrug offers you the perfect in-between, with just enough extra coverage to take the chill off of your shoulders, while keeping your core from being loaded with too many layers. Like some of Pearl Izumi's base layers, the ELITE Escape Shrug serves a purpose both as a warmer and a cooler, fashioned from Pearl's ELITE Transfer In-R-Cool fabric powered by Ice-fil and IR Block, this shrug does its best to avoid overheating by wicking away perspiration, and is ideal for taking the sun off of your shoulders sans sunscreen, while you work your way up long and tiresome ascents. If you do find the breeze is just the right temperature, and you'd rather ditch the extra layer, its compact enough that it can be easily stashed in your jersey's back pocket until the mercury takes a dip again.

Sportful Giara Over Short - Women's

Bringing versatile simplicity to your mountain bike kit, the Sportful Giara Over Short flawlessy blends techy features with clean, casual style. Crafted from a flexible four-way stretch fabric, this short allows you to move freely through demanding hill climbs and tight berm sections, while its DWR-treatment helps repel water, dirt, and dust when you're riding gravel. Then, lightweight mesh inserts and an internal fabric structure help you stay cool and dry through their reliable moisture-wicking properties, while subtle reflective details enhance your visibility for rides that go after the sun's set.

Fox Racing Attack Water Jacket - Women's

We've all had those days when a surprise downpour puts a damper on an otherwise perfect singletrack mission, forcing a retreat into the trees to wait out the storm. With a proper rain shell like the Attack Water Jacket from Fox Racing, you can pedal onward while staying dry and protected from the elements, enjoying the heroic dirt that some much-needed needed moisture brings to the right kind of trail.

Fox designers use their TruSeal fabric to block wind and rain, with three layers of waterproof protection shielding you from the storm, and fully sealed seams so you'll stay totally dry underneath. Across your underarms and shoulders you'll find stretchy panels that provide the mobility you need to finesse your steed through rock gardens and over slick roots. Also tucked in the jacket's underarm area are side vents that allow you to control your temperature and dump heat when mashing your way up climbs, or riding in warm summer rain. The fabric itself remains breathable despite the waterproof construction, ensuring any hard aerobic effort won't leave you clammy inside the jacket.

The Attack Water Jacket is designed to keep you comfortable in your riding position, which may feel a little awkward if you try to wear the jacket as a casual piece around town, but drop down into your attack position on the bike and everything sits just where it should for comfort and coverage. A draw cord seals the bottom hem to keep wheel spray out from underneath, and hook and loop cuffs tighten around your wrists to close the gap from your wrist to glove. High-vis logos hit the back and chest, illuminating under headlights, so when you have to head from trailhead to post-ride beverages with your crew you don't have to stress the road sections of your ride.

Gore Bike Wear Element Lady Gore-Tex Active Jacket - Women's

Whether it's barreling down tunnels of changing orange and red leaves, enjoying crisp and cool air on an alpine ascent, or simply loving life as you commute to work without the blaring sun and oppressive heat blazing down on you, autumn makes for some of our favorite riding. All of these pleasures, however, are challenged by temperamental weather that can 180 from pleasant to nearly torrential downpours in a matter of minutes. Not to worry, though, Gore Bike Wear's got our back with their Element Lady Gore-Tex Active jacket, so we can stay dry and warm through the fall months.

With 2.5 layer construction, Gore combines water repelling, wind slicing, moisture wicking, and style into one fashionable jacket. The Gore-Tex layer is perhaps the most important part of this jacket, and really what sets it apart from other options, with exceptional moisture transfer, allowing perspiration to escape, and external water to roll off with ease. With durable polyester backing it, it maintains strength, slight stretch, and warmth as you roll through icy gusts, or get snagged by branches on your descents.

The fit of the Element Lady Gore-Tex Active Jacket offers more room than their slimmer options, so you can layer up if you're going for a late afternoon ride loaded with shady spots and brisk chills. It's equipped with two front zippered pockets to secure the gear you need easy access to in the saddle, adjustable cuffs to keep moisture and wind outside, and a cord adjustable hem to keep your mid-section toasty. Boosting your visibility to motorists, reflective accents highlight your collar bones, arms, and lower back, along with reflective logos so you can ride with confidence in low light situations.

Pearl Izumi Elite Cycling Thermal Tight - Women's

When temperatures start to plummet and winter rolls, in it's easy to want to curl up in the fetal position and rock back and forth, waiting for it all to blow over—but we've tried that and found it doesn't lead to either happiness or the fitness we want going into the next cycling season. The best solution may just be to throw on a pair of Pearl Izumi's Elite Cycling Thermal Tights and bang out chilly winter miles.

With a soft brushed thermal fleece fabric, these tights are happy to keep you cozy into the low 40s, and an eight-panel anatomic cut hugs your muscles to keep you supported while the tights keep you warm. Pearl's women's specific Elite 3D chamois offers a smooth next-to-skin fabric with four-way stretch, beneath which high-density foam provides comfort in the saddle from mile one to 100.