Best women's cycling shorts 2025: all tested and approved by women

A pair of the best women's cycling shorts can make all the difference to your comfort on the bike - here's what to look for and our top-rated

Tech Writer Hannah climbing a hill in some of the best women's cycling shorts
(Image credit: Future)

Combining the best women's cycling shorts with one of the best women's saddles is nearly guaranteed to increase your comfort on the bike exponentially. These two elements are now the only two areas where female-specific design and features are recognised as making a difference.

However, the shorts need to fit you well, of course, with padding in the correct place, no irritating seams, leg grippers that don't over-squeeze yet still keep the shorts in place, and fabrics that work well in terms of breathability, wicking, and durability—all within your budget. After that, features like color, reflective details, pockets, etc, can also be considered.

Hannah Bussey

Hannah is Cycling Weekly’s longest-serving tech writer, having started with the magazine back in 2011. She has covered all things technical for both print and digital over multiple seasons representing CW at spring Classics, and Grand Tours and all races in between.

Hannah was a successful road and track racer herself, competing in UCI races all over Europe as well as in China, Pakistan and New Zealand.

For fun, she's ridden LEJOG unaided, a lap of Majorca in a day, won a 24-hour mountain bike race and tackled famous mountain passes in the French Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Himalayas. 

She lives just outside the Peak District National Park near Manchester UK with her partner, daughter and a small but beautifully formed bike collection. 

With contributions from