In this article I’m going to give you the best women’s cycling shorts for spin class.
Truth be told, any cycling short will obviously do the trick, considering riding a spinning bike is pretty similar to riding a road bike.
That being said, the average spin class is roughly an hour and features a lot of movement out of the saddle. And it’s indoors as well, so breathability and enhanced cooling properties do come into play as well.
With that in mind I’ve chosen a number of both cycling bibs and cycling shorts. Shorts having the advantage of not having extra straps that add to your body heat. I’ve even thrown in a cycling bib liner you can wear underneath another piece of clothing.
So without further ado, here are my top picks for the best women’s cycling shorts for spin class.
Pearl Izumi Women's INTERVAL Bib Short
The Pearl Izumi Women’s INTERVAL Bib Short are high-quality cycling bibs offering a wealth of comfort for long rides.
The shorts has the dual-layer ELITE Escape 1:1® chamois, which sits one level below their pro offerings. It means there are dual layers with different densities to spread load away from the sit bones.
Attached front and back they can move independently from each other, offering flexibility while riding while at the same time reducing friction.
The Elite chamois does not have an added soft top layer for the longest of rides. But the pad does offer tapered edges sealed seamlessly where it connects to the bib.
The INTERVAL bib short is made from ELITE Transfer In-R-Cool® fabric, which is a cool name to describe a material that transfers heat and adds added sun reflectiveness.
It also features the drop tail technology, a horizontal cut at the lower back to enable a quick bathroom stop without the need to take off your cycling jersey and undo the straps. The cut is wide enough to uncover that part of the body you wish to uncover when nature calls.
The hems are laser cut and seamless, so the shorts don’t pinch your thighs, but do stay in place thanks to the silicone gripper.
- Comfortable performance-oriented hot-weather bib short
- None
Giordana Women's Fusion Bib Short
The Giordana Women’s Fusion Bib Short offers their thicker 3-layer 13 m. Cirro-W chamois.
The rest of the shorts offer a lot of the same characteristics. The same overall shape with clipless straps ending in a comfortable large back panel, with tall laser cut hems that grip comfortably. It’s a high-waist short to provide appropriate coverage and support for a flattering figure.
The chamois has an Aloe Vera infused layer that prevents bacteria build-up and offers cooling factors, is sewn atop a tick 8mm. layer of memory foam. This open waffle-textured layer offers excellent moisture-wicking and ventilation properties, preventing it from becoming a damp, attention-grabbing patch on longer rides.
A bit less performance oriented for the casual rider, these shorts will still amaze when staying many hours in the saddle.
- Durable, great-looking mid-tier bib short
- None
Castelli Free Aero Race 4 W Short
The Castelli Free Aero Race 4 W Short is probably one of the best cycling shorts out there.
Featuring their high-end Progetto X2 Air Donna chamois, you’re ensured of a comfortable ride. The chamois featured additional inserts for female-specific pressure areas, underneath a soft skin layer, and a multi-density foam layer.
The short has a very lightweight construction with dimpled thigh panels for female cyclists ambitious enough to care about minimal aerodynamic gains. Flatlock stitching ensures a seamless feel and large GIRO4 leg grippers with vertical silicone strips keep the short in the correct place without pinching.
One of the best strapless cycling shorts your money can buy.
- One of the very few performance shorts on the market
- None
Castelli Prima Short
The Castelli Prima Short is an ultra-breathable cycling short made for hot weather conditions.
The short is made from Pro Dry Soft Lycra® which makes it a perfect choice for hot summer riding and indoor cycling.
Furthermore with the KISS Air2 Donna you get more than enough comfort for your average cycling trip. And the short has a snug fit without feeling overly tight.
- Hot weather shorts for weekend warriors
- None
Castelli Unlimited DT W Liner Bibshort
Should you, for whatever reason, decide to run your bib shorts underneath another piece of clothing, you simply cannot go wrong with the Castelli Unlimited DT W Liner Bibshort.
They offer Castelli’s best-in-class Progetto X2 Air Donna, a multi-layered, variable thickness chamois, which offers pressure relief characteristics specifically oriented for the female anatomy. Besides an ultra-soft skin layer, and dual density foam layer, there are gel inserts.
Since it’s a liner, it offers superb levels of breathability with large perforated leg panels, and everything else made from form-fitting compression fabric to keep the short in the correct place.
The drop tail bib straps are so elastic they can be pulled down entirely for pee brakes without fully undressing. The shorts are finished with Giro Air leg grippers.
- Lightweight liner with the best chamois the Italian brand has to offer
- It's a liner
Sportful Neo W Bibshort
One of their more affordable options, the Sportful Neo W Bibshort still packs a lot of features necessary for comfortable rides.
The classically designed cycling bib offers mesh straps and a large mesh back panel. These are connected to 4-way stretch Lycra®, and finished with elastic long hems with an elastic band.
The no-fuss design minimizes the use of seams and features Bodyfit Pro W MD chamois, which is a dual-layered pad where a soft skin layer is seamlessly attached to a soft foam layer.
Sportful has been at the top of their game when it comes to offering high-quality cycling bibs, and the Sportful Neo W Bibshort is a great entry-level option.
- Affordable, entry-level bib short
- None
Craft Essense Bib Shorts
The Craft Essence Bib Shorts are a great allround choice for budget-minded female cyclists.
One of Craft’s most affordable cycling bibs feature their C3 chamois, which still provides ample levels of comfort with a hollow-fiber pad.
Craft displays a high degree of corporate responsibility, with this short being created with recycled polyamide. So if that’s something you value and look for in a product, Craft is definitely worth choosing.
The cycling bib has a wide center front strap, which ends in a large back panel. It’s up to you whether or not you like such a configuration.
Highly affordable and with sustainability in mind, the Craft Essence Bib Shorts is a great choice for the recreational female rider.
- Extremely budget-friendly bib shorts made from recycled polyamide
- None
Specifications women's cycling shorts for spin class
Name | Price | Chamois | Straps | Material | Hems | Pockets | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pearl Izumi Women’s INTERVAL Bib Short | 150 USD | dual-density Women’s ELITE Escape 1:1® | clipped straps w. drop tail | ELITE Transfer In-R-Cool® fabric | laser-cut w. silicone gripper | none | |
Giordana Women’s Fusion Bib Short | 130 USD | 3-layer 13 mm. Cirro-W | seamless straps w. mesh back panel | Lycra® | tall laser-cut | none | |
Castelli Free Aero Race 4 W Short | 126 USD | Progetto X2 Air Donna | none | Forza fabric | GIRO4 leg gripper | none | |
Castelli Prima Short | 100 USD | KISS Air2 Donna | none | Pro Dry Soft Lycra® | GIRO3 leg gripper | none | |
Castelli Unlimited DT W Liner Bibshort | 170 USD | Progetto X2 Air Donna | drop tail bib straps | Forza 2 compression fabric | Giro Air leg grippers | none | |
Sportful Neo W Bibshort | 110 USD | Bodyfit Pro W MD | clipless | Lycra® | laser-cut w. silicone gripper | none | |
Craft Essense Bib Shorts | 90 euros | C3 | center strap w. back panel | Lycra® Sport Energy | elastic woven w. silicone | none |
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