Best women's cycling shorts 2023 ridden and rated
A good pair of women's cycling shorts can make all the difference to your comfort on the bike - here's what to look for and some of our favourite pairs


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A good pair of women's cycling shorts can make all the difference to the comfort of your derrière.
While a large proportion of your comfort on the bike will come from finding a quality women's bike saddle that suits you, what sits between that and the most delicate part of your body is just as important.
With a plethora of cycling shorts on the market, finding the best women's cycling shorts for you can be a minefield. It's not just the chamois that matters when it comes to comfort – you'll want leg grippers that sit well and fabrics that provide ample, but not over, compression.
We’re here to help you find that pair that allows you to freely ride your bike without the worry of sore bits or a builder's bum making an appearance. Below are all the favourite shorts we've ridden and rated.
If you're here just for advice on what makes a great pair of cycling shorts, you can jump straight to the bottom of the page for that.
Ridden and rated: the best women's cycling shorts
Specifications
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The Core Collection from Rapha is designed for the everyday; less fancy, more rugged and more affordable than most of the Rapha range.
The Women's Core Bib Shorts are a straightforward design and we found they were extremely comfortable; everything just does what its supposed to. The chamois is a dense dual-foam which we found copes well with a few hours in the saddle.
The Core's material is quite thick which makes them nice and durable and up to the lack of care and attention that comes with the daily commute or mid-week ride. The design of the bib section gives you quite a tucked-in and snug feeling which could be a bit too much if you're riding in warmer weather.
Read more: Rapha Women's Core Bib Shorts full review
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In its 2022 UMA GTV shorts, Assos has moved the easy-pee access from the front to the rear, and used two clasps rather than one. It all makes for a simpler comfort break and helps distribute any strain on fabrics more evenly. Our tester found it to be one of the easier-to-use designs she's experienced.
It's not surprising that the shorts feature Assos' classic X-frame and the chamois boasts Golden Gate; both are winning features and make for a supremely comfortable short.
The Elastic Interface chamois is exceptionally supportive - certainly suited to endurance riding.
Fabrics are robust while still remaining light and breathable, the medium pair only weighs 35g more than Velocio's Ultralights. Odour control and active cooling are integrated into the fabric, rather than via any kind of treatment. The overall finish is a deep, dark black, and UPF 50 protection. We loved that the leg grippers anchor the shorts firmly in place without over-compressing the thighs.
While anyone who appreciates quality and comfort will enjoy using these shorts, we think that out of the four we've tested recently, these are the best choice for performance orientated endurance riders.
Read more: Assos Women's UMA GTV Bib Shorts C2 full review
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Understated comfort jumps to mind when you pull on Velocio's Ultralight Bib Shorts. The medium we tested weighed just 150g, making them perfect for those who enjoy warm weather training on a regular basis, or who ride indoors a lot.
Velocio's FlyFree makes comfort breaks possible, though we'd advise sizing up to make things less of a wriggle affair.
The pad's breathability matches the fabric's, so it's ideal for intense workouts while still offering decent support for longer rides.
Unlike most of Velocio's range, the Ultralights don't use recycled fabrics. We thought the shorts felt rougher than the others we reviewed, though it wasn't noticeable once we were riding in them. Velocio claims that the fabric is only 140 grams per metre, yet totally opaque.
Our tester had a few issues at a side seam, thankfully none at the rear, so we'd definitely recommend sizing up if you think your hips are bigger than average - Velocio's chart only uses height and weight, no hip or waist metrics. If you are concerned about potential transparency Velocio's own Signature Bibs might be worth considering, though they won't be quite as breathable.
Read more: Velocio Women's Ultralight Bib Short full review
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At first glance it would be easy to overlook the Sportful Women's Classic Bib Shorts. There's no fancy fabrics, no new-fangled features and no elaborate easy-pee system. Even Sportful has held back on the marketing hyperbole. But don't let this mislead you, the Sportful Classics are an outstanding set of bib shorts.
We found that the material used is nice and lightweight with a gentle compressive feel, they just slip on your legs and feel like they should have always been there. The long leg has the silicon gripper applied straight to it so there's no hem or band to be overly restrictive, overly loose or chafe.
The bibs are a lightweight mesh and sit comfortably over the shoulder. If I was being really picky I'd say the straps were a little tight and some riders may prefer white so its less noticeable under pale jerseys. Other than that, these are a very solid choice at the mid-range price point.
Read more: Sportful Women's Classic Bib Shorts full review
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The Foundation is the most affordable of Velocio's bib shorts. Based on the design of the flagship Signature the Foundation has a thinner chamois but the same high proportion of recycled materials.
We found the Foundation shorts to be comfortable and supportive, with the panelled design easily accommodating all the lumps and bumps of your legs and bum. The compression-fit makes the bibs appear a little on the small side and we did find the leg grippers and shoulder elastic a bit on the tight side.
The FlyFree easy-pee design is brilliantly simple and effective, we were very impressed with its performance - there if you need it, completely unobtrusive if you don't.
Read more: Velocio Women's Foundation Bib Short full review
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Australian brand MAAP focus producing kit which is both high performing and sustainable. As the name suggests, the MAAP also now has a shorter-legged version to sit alongside its popular Team Bib Evo.
The Evos have a compressive design with relatively thick but highly breathable material. The bibs themselves have wide, comfortable elastic straps and a ribbed waist band. There's a broad elastic leg hem with silicon gripper to hold everything in place.
We found the Evos were comfortable and the chamois low-bulk chamois performed excellently rides of various duration. In line with MAAP’s ethos, the bibs are constructed from bluesign materials that are produced by sustainable methods. This is great to see, however the finishing of our test sample lacked the quality that we'd expect at this price.
Read more: MAAP Women's Team Bib Evo (short version) full review
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With an understated design and minimal branding, the Signature shorts from the American brand Velocio are stylish in their subtly, yet highly functional.
The top notch performance is delivered thanks to a chamois pad that is designed to provide comfort on long rides and Lycra that is both figure hugging and breathable.
Practicality isn’t overlooked with the FlyFree design allowing you to go to the loo without having to take all your layers off, and the mesh front panel which is an additional highly breathable layer, ideal for added support when un-zipping your jersey on a hot ride.
They aren't the cheapest on test, especially when compared to the likes of the dhb Aeron bib shorts, but we feel that the performance and practicality of the shorts easily justified the splurge.
Read more: Velocio Women’s Signature Bib Short full review
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The FS260-Pro shorts really impressed, as when lined up with the other three shorts above, they are less than half the price of them and still have a lot to offer.
Our tester felt that there were very few compromises with chamois comfort; the pad (using gel inserts) might be marginally weightier, wider and less breathable, but its pressure relieving capabilities are just as good as the others.
The fabrics are exceptionally soft, with hardly any sign of compression. However, unlike Cafe du Cycliste's Adeline (which also offered very little compression), the FS260 Pros didn't budge thanks to some very effective leg grippers.
Endura's DropSeat™ function is one of the only zip/clasp-free systems that doesn't put excess strain through seams and fabrics. However, there's a trade-off in terms of breathability; you might well suffer from a sweaty lower back in warmer conditions due to the layered fabrics that make up DS. It's worth knowing that Endura also has a zip-verson of the FS260-Pros though.
We felt that these were the most inclusive pair of shorts in our test; ideal for newcomers to the sport with their modest price tag, three color options, a decent chamois and an easy bio-break system. Only compression and breathability fell short, elements that aren't necessarily everyone's priorities.
Read more: Endura Women's FS260-Pro Bib Shorts DS full review