Women’s mountain biking pants – a mini-guide

Riding pants are making a comeback. While they never went away for the downhill crowd, more and more riders are wearing them for less extreme pursuits. Maybe it’s because the new crop of well-fitted pants no longer look like borrowed moto gear. Maybe it’s because they’re warmer in cold weather, and offer more protection in the summer.

If you want find out more about why riding pants are gaining momentum, and what to look for in women’s pants (even when there isn’t always a women’s specific version available), read on. Elyse Nieuwold of Pendrel Racing, and Erin Carolan, a Vancouver shredder who works at Knolly Bikes share what to look for in fit and function for women’s mountain bike pants.

Why choose pants over leggings or shorts?

There are several different reasons to wear pants instead of shorts. The classic reason is protection from abrasion and scraping when you hit the deck. When the weather is cooler, or inconsistent, pants can also be warmer. In wet weather, they make post ride cleaning easier.

“It’s nice to have one dirty outer layer that you can remove once you get back to the car. Then you can drive home relatively clean,” says Elyse Nieuwold. The Pendrel Racing rider spends much of her winters on Vancouver Island training through cold, wet west coast winters.

Add in warmer options, and pants appeal is growing beyond the world of gravity racing.

“I’m by no means a downhill racer,” says Kristen Kit. A coxwain with the Canadian national rowing team, Kit spends hours cross training on the bike through the winter. For her, Fox’s Defend Fire Pant have made those cold hours comfortable. “Fleece lined pants changed winter riding for me.”

Pants are just part of cold weather riding. Nieuwold adds that proper winter shoes, like Shimano’s MW5 and MW7, help too.

“Winter shoes with merino wool socks was another game changer for me. Not having to mess around with booties, but still having my feet stay warm in pouring rain and two-degrees Celsius is awesome,” say Nieuwold. “That, plus neoprene gloves and I stay warm even when it’s wet.”

Women’s fit vs. Unisex

When it comes to women’s clothing in the mountain bike industry, fit is always an issue. The riders I talked to were split between women’s specific designs and unisex options.

“Fox’s are actually designed for women,” says Kit. “The hips fit, while still fitting correctly across the quads.”

Erin Carolan, who rides Vancouver’s North Shore when not working at Knolly, swears by NF’s DP3 pants. “If riding apparel is designed well and has a wide enough size range, a women’s version is not always necessary,” says Carolan. “NF has done their homework on fit, functionality, comfort and aesthetics,” she says of the Vancouver brand, “and the result is a high quality pair of pants that riders trust.”

There’s a few key details that she says make the NF pants stand out. They’re true to size, “I wear a size 25 women’s, or 28 men’s pants.” They also use a high-rise waist and an unconventional pull-on style with a wide elastic waist band. “There’s no gaping, no sand in your undies, and no hot spots,” details Carolan. “The pants settle at your true waist, are roomy in the butt and thighs, and they’re easy to get on and off.”

Other fit considerations involve whether you’re wearing pads under the pants or not.

“I enjoy having space for knee pads under my current pants,” says Nieuwold, “but still have them be fitted enough that they don’t hook on the saddle.”

What season can be important too. Some more waterproof pants use a less stretchy fabric than apparel designed for all-season riding.

The NF DP3’s, says Carolan, “use a stretchy material that doesn’t restrict movement, and are versatile enough for year-round PNW riding – even summer pedal days.”

As the rest of Canada moves into riding weather that the west coast would describe as “wintery,” pants are an excellent bit of apparel to ride comfortably until summer arrives. Once it does, they’re a great option for cooler days, bike parks or shuttle laps, or days where you just don’t feel like wearing shorts.