PEARL IZUMI

Great outfit for short rides with toilet-friendly opening bib shorts

Elite Pursuit Speed jersey £70

The Pearl Izumi Women’s Elite Pursuit Speed jersey is available in sizes XS to XL and in black, blue, purple or high-vis coral, with limited edition patterns too. It has a silky feel to the front and back, with breathable mesh-like side panels and aerodynamic sleeves that are long and secure without silicone. The silicone spots on the inside hem of the back panel do a reasonable job of keeping the jersey pulled taut across the back, but the lack of silicone on the front hem, and a length that seemed better suited to standing up rather than a cycling position, caused the zipper to wrinkle dramatically. While this didn’t hamper performance, it wasn’t flattering and made an otherwise expensive-feeling jersey look cheap. The size small fitted like a standard S/UK10.

Elite Pursuit Drop Tail shorts £89.99

The Women’s Elite Pursuit Drop Tail shorts, available in sizes XS to XXL, were a hit from the moment we slipped them on. The nylon and Lycra fabric is sturdy enough to pull the muscles tight on our thighs, yet flexible enough to feel like a second skin when on the bike. The fabric comes with Coldblack technology that stops the shorts from heating up too much in the sun.

They move like a pair of yoga pants, and the chamois is far from nappy-like. The drop tail feature is effectively a hole at the back of the shorts, which allows for toilet breaks, and it worked very well. Sadly, the chamois wasn’t thick enough, in our opinion, for really long distance endurance rides, leaving us feeling a little sore after two hours in the saddle. For short casual rides they were more than adequate, and made for a light alternative to heavier duty shorts.