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I’ve been upgrading my wardrobe a bit recently, but it’s a bit of a lottery. Every outdoor jacket in my wardrobe is size L, so I thought ordering a cycling jacket would be a breeze. Ordered L, but had to change it for XL. Ordered a second different style jacket. Wise from my previous experience I ordered L and XL. I tried on the XL and to be honest it’s marginal. Maybe XXL would be better. I didn’t bother opening the L packet. I have a pair of shorts size M that fit fine, but aware that maybe they stretched a bit in the wash I ordered L. Just returned them for XL. I’m aware that cycling clothing has different criteria than what to wear down tfhe pub, and some os designed for skinny whippets and some for chunky sprinters, but some consistency would be nice! Of course if you could go try stuff on in a real shop you could choose what fits regardless of size label, but around me at least there are no shops with anything like a decent range of products and sizes. Maybe we need a database of real world people and what sizes they choose for different products. Until then I can see I’m going to be getting familiar with my local Connect+ shopkeeper!!
Try looking up your relevant measurements on their size charts, rather than just going by the letters?
U OK [s]hun[/s] fatty?
Ok fatty
Oi. I resemble that remark. And yes, I checked the sizing charts, thanks.
Check out the models in the photos, if they look a similar shape to you then you're a good un 👍
I bought a dhb thermal long sleeve jersey recently, it's an xl. But it is a racy cut where's I'm not so racy. I'm a medium in their mountain bike jerseys and a large in their regular road jerseys. 🤷♂️
Fwiw, Fat Lad at the Back sizing is pretty much bang on. And isn't just for those of us circumferentially challenged. Quality materials, made in Italy rather than Chinese sweatshops, and seems to last forever.
I am no longer connected to them, but still a fan. Though some of the designs are a bit meh!
Fwiw, Fat Lad at the Back
For some strange reason their ads have been appearing on my Facebook feed. Hmm …
For some strange reason their ads have been appearing on my Facebook feed. Hmm
Slimming World ads tomorrow....
187cm and not a biffer, and I need XL or XXL in most biking clothing.
88kg at that height isn’t fat, I hope? Stick your BMI…
I have Endura MT500 spray shorts, waterproof trousers and normal trousers. They range from L to XXL to get the same fit, seems they randomly throw sizing at them.
most xxxl bike clothing is for small blokes with a little 48''chest and 38'' waist.
i need xxxxxxl................. ;o)
Maybe we need a database of real world people and what sizes they choose for different products
Such a thing exists - a few online places I’ve shopped at (North Face?) have a sizing questionnaire which compares sizes to other brands.
But I will also moan about most cycling brands being 1 or 2 sizes out from what I’d wear regularly
Not sure why you'd limit the comment to bike clothing, it's pretty much all clothing (and shoes) - and, for normal clothes IMO linked to the ongoing BMI-increase across the general population.
I'm pretty much the same shape, height etc I've been since my late teens (so the best part of 40 years) and now I'm finding with normal clothes that Medium tops fit well (especially slim-line ones), go back 10 years and before and I was always at least a Large, if not an XL.
Biking-wise, only issue I find is that to get good 'fit' for trousers with a +34" inseam I need to put on 1/2 my weight again 🙂
Check out the models in the photos, if they look a similar shape to you then you’re a good un 👍
This works if you are 6ft tall with a slim, athletic build and wear a size M.
Fwiw, Fat Lad at the Back sizing is pretty much bang on. And isn’t just for those of us circumferentially challenged. Quality materials, made in Italy
yep, I rate their kit, and their customer service.
Whilst I’m not svelte around the middle, I’m not fat either, but I have a 48in chest. Which as far as most brands are concerned means I’m basically from outer space. FLAB’s 48in chest tops actually [b]are[/b] 48in chest tops. And they have sleeves that accommodate more than pencils.
They generally have a really good cut, not just bigger all over.
bikesandboots
Try looking up your relevant measurements on their size charts, rather than just going by the letters?
This is absolutely no indication that the clothes will still fit.
I ordered a Decathlon softshell a couple of years ago - size chart reckoned I was an M - ended up replacing it for XL & it is only just big enough.
Ordered some stuff from Pearl Izumi recently using their size guide. The jersey was laughably small - the zip was about 6" from being able to close without a lot of careful stretching. Once done up, it was like it had been painted on & the slightest movement felt like I was going tear it off like a middle-aged, cut-price, weedy Hulk.
Shorts were even worse - legs only went halfway up my not particularly chunky thighs before feeling like they were going to tear.
Most recently I bought some Sportful stuff from the sale Saddleback had recently. The size guide had be at an L, but MrSmith posted a website (can't remember the store now - sportpursuit, maybe) where you could put your sizes in & it gave you a recommended size. Using this, it recommended XL. And XL only just fits - super comfy when they are on, but very tight fitting & I shan't be wearing them straight after Christmas.
I don't really understand it. It doesn't matter to me if I am S, M, L, XL or OMGXXL - just make the size guide correct, so I can look at it & everyone saves time, money & effort as I get what I want in the size I want it.
Try looking up your relevant measurements on their size charts, rather than just going by the letters?
Never works for me! I'm always 1, 2 or 3 sizes larger than recommended based on chest size. It's always my shoulders that won't fit in and I'm not even broad shouldered.
Really puts me off buying stuff as I know I'll order 2 sizes of everything and still end up sending both back as they're too small. But ordering XXL to start just seems insane given I'm Medium in everything non cycling... I am genuinely XXL in some Rapha jackets. I bought a fleece from Montane recently - I'm size Small in that (which was also a surprise, but it was in a shop so I could just try them all on and pick the best fit).
designed for skinny whippets and some for chunky sprinters
You see that's where you're being misled, even the likes of Wout van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel are slim even though they're frankly massive for cyclists Wout is 1.9m tall and at an absolute maximum (CX weight) 78kg, more likely down to about 74kg in GT mode with legs that look like tree trunks and VdP is 1.84m and at an absolute maximum (CX weight) 75kg, even the seemingly chunky sprinter that is Dylan Groenewegen is 1.77m tall and 70kg.
It doesn't work at the other end of the spectrum either. I'm 5'10", 140-144lb depending on how close I've been allowed to the pies, 36" chest, 30" waist. Rapha and Troy Lee small size up right. Endura ProSL stuff is OK; the mtb stuff is woeful (in a breath in and size small shorts fall off me). Decathlon the cut is all kinds of weird. Yet Castelli I'm medium in shorts, but need large tops to get my (pipecleaner) arms through the sleeves. Which then means they're baggy around the middle. Fox, not as bad as Endura, but not great either.
..and I wouldn't call myself small either - wiry maybe, but I'm average height and smack in the middle of the "healthy" BMI range. What do *actual* small people wear?
Just ordered the IXS carve AW trousers in Medium
Damn ye need to have baguette legs for these bad boys
I though the Fox were tight
Agree with mental sizing in bike kit. The odd one recently I was looking for road bike shoes for my son. I have always been size UK 9/EU 43, but now this is not the case, UK 9 recently I noticed in one case was 45 wta*! He is 11 years old and has gone from 42 to 45+ in less than nine months, and about four parts of cycling shoes/borrowing ours etc
I’m pretty much the same shape, height etc I’ve been since my late teens (so the best part of 40 years) and now I’m finding with normal clothes that Medium tops fit well (especially slim-line ones), go back 10 years and before and I was always at least a Large, if not an XL.
Is this because clothing companies pander to male vanity, and that vanity has changed over the years? Back when you (and I) were teenagers, everyone was skinny and men wanted to be bigger. Not fat, just heftier. They bought L and XL and rode the biggest bike frame they could get. Now, young men, everyone actually, tend to be fatter and spend time in the gym trying to be skinnier. So, if your clothing tells you that you are size M - BONUS!
(I'm just thinking out loud here, so this is probably all cobblers! 😀 )
Try looking up your relevant measurements on their size charts, rather than just going by the letters?
Other than TLD I've not actually seen any proper measurements.
I'd be grateful if anyone had any others...
https://troyleedesigns.eu/pages/fit-guide
Ordered L, but had to change it for XL.
I've noticed this a lot recently too. I blame greedy capitalists for saving a few pennies by undersizing their garments.
the actual garment sized on the website would be useful.
i tried on a pair of trousers that were described as the long legged version of the company’s shorts, that i already have. i couldn’t get the medium past my arse. the large were so much larger that they were proper johnny high pants. frustrating
LAT .. trousers further down the same page above.
It's the hand measurements for gloves that drives me mad. I have big hands, mainly because of wide palms but doing the measuring as indicated in the size guides still gives absurd results. Invariably my measurements show size XL which rarely fit, XXL usually being needed
It’s the hand measurements for gloves that drives me mad
I have really skinny hands but somehow end up having to buy size L or XL to get the necessary finger length...