Essential women’s cycling clothing for spring/summer rides: Gear guide 

As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, plenty of us are starting to think about getting out and about on our bikes a little more often. But whether you’re just getting into cycling, or looking to expand your existing cycling wardrobe, knowing what cycling kit you need can be a bit overwhelming. 

In our comprehensive gear guide, we’ll talk you through the essential spring/summer cycling kit for women that’ll see you through all of your warm weather rides. Plus the added extras to level up your comfort and style! Ready to get geared up to ride with confidence this summer? Keep reading!

Women’s cycling clothing: Essential spring and summer cycling gear

We’ll talk you through some of the added extras you can consider for next level comfort and style later on. But for now, let’s roll through the essentials. Beyond the very obvious things (a bike and helmet), here’s the core women’s cycling apparel and accessories you need to get the most out of your warm weather rides.

Warm weather women’s cycling jerseys

As the weather gets warmer, treating yourself to a few cycling jerseys will help to keep you comfortable through every mile. Cycling jerseys are constructed from technical fabrics which are lightweight, breathable and quick-drying. That means you’re not going to have that horrible t-shirt sticking to your back feeling the second you start working up a sweat. And if the breeze picks up, your jersey will dry quickly so you’re not going to have a soggy, sweaty t-shirt making you chilly! 

Check out our buying guide for more tips on how to find the best women’s cycling jersey to suit your rides, and your style.

Cycling bib shorts or padded cycling underpants 

A good pair of padded cycling shorts or knickers are an all year round essential in our opinion – nothing spoils a ride like an uncomfortable undercarriage! But in warm conditions, making sure you’ve got a great pair of women’s-specific cycling shorts or padded cycling knickers becomes even more important. Warmer weather means you’re likely to be A) riding for longer, more often. And B) working up more of a sweat during your cycling adventures. Those two factors can be the perfect storm for uncomfortable chafing and saddle sores if your cycling ‘bottoms’ of choice aren’t up to the job! 

Shorts (or underpants) with a women’s-specific chamois pad will ensure you’ve got the right protection where you need it, without any excess fabric bunching up (which can lead to chafing and discomfort). For longer rides, we’d suggest going for a pair of cycling bib shorts as these will be breathable, wicking and designed for all day comfort. But for shorter rides where you might want to wear your regular clothes (such as commutes) padded cycling knickers are a great option to ensure you’re comfortable, without having to wear a full cycling kit. 

You can read more about the different types of cycling shorts for women in our buying guide, and learn more about our beloved VeloVixen padded cycling knickers (aka ‘the magic pants’) in this blog post.

Cycling socks 

Cycling socks aren’t just a great way to add a fun flash of colour to your cycling outfit. They also help to keep your feet comfortable in your cycling shoes on all your warm weather rides. Look for breathable, supportive socks to ensure your feet don’t start to overheat and swell – otherwise, you can start getting uncomfortable pressure points and hot spots in your shoes, which really spoils your ride. 

Chamois creme

Alongside a well-fitting pair of cycling shorts or underpants with a female-specific chamois pad, the other essential we’d suggest having to hand is some chamois creme. This is essentially a barrier cream which you can apply either to your skin, or the chamois pad (or a bit of both) to reduce friction between your body and your bicycle saddle. This helps to reduce chafing and the occurrence of saddle sores, and many good chamois cremes also have anti-bacterial properties to prevent any skin issues as a result of sweat and moisture.

Take note! There are a huge number of chamois cremes available, but we’d recommend looking for a women’s specific creme. Some of the unisex options contain harsh ingredients that can be pretty uncomfortable for our female anatomy. We stock the Premax women’s chamois creme, which is pH balanced for women for maximum comfort. 

Sports sunscreen

Long sunny days in the saddle are incredible, but don’t forget to take good care of your skin! It’s important to apply a sports-specific sunscreen before you head out, and if you’re going to be out for several hours take some with you to reapply. Not only can sweat wash away your sunscreen, a study actually found that sweating influences the hydration of the corneal layer of your skin, which can increase the risk of getting sunburnt (Fernandez-Ruiz et al, 2022). Make sure you’re using a water-resistant, sweat-resistant sunscreen with a long-lasting formula. 

Cycling sunglasses 

Our last essential is a good pair of cycling sunglasses. You can, of course, just wear your regular sunnies. But we’d suggest considering a sports-specific pair for riding. These will grip better when you’re sweating, and they tend to have better lenses to ensure maximum clarity and a good level of UV protection.

Nice to haves: the optional extra warm weather cycling accessories

Beyond the essentials, there are a few added extras which are by no means essential – but can help to ramp up the comfort levels. If you’ve got the budget (and the wardrobe space) here’s what you might want to consider:

Fingerless cycling gloves

For spring/summer cycling, your cycling gloves are less about warmth and more about comfort and protection. Fingerless cycling gloves have padding on the palms which will keep your hands and wrists feeling more comfortable on the handlebars and dampen any road rumble. They can also give you some extra grip when the heat is on and you’re getting sweaty. And, while hopefully you won’t take any tumbles while you’re riding this summer, if the worst happens and you come off the bike – your gloves will help to protect your hands from cuts, scrapes and grazes. Practical doesn’t have to mean boring though – we have a range of fingerless cycling gloves in a whole load of stunning colours and designs! 

Lightweight base layer

Planning some big days on the bike or multi-day cycling trips? A lightweight, sleeveless base layer might be a handy addition to your kit drawer! Wear it under your jersey to help wick sweat away for temperature management and keep your jersey feeling fresh. 

Cycling cap

A cycling cap has its obvious uses: keeping the sun out of your eyes and protecting your scalp from UV rays through the vents in your helmet. Wearing a cap can also be a great option if you’re riding in very hot conditions and/or you’re a heavy sweater. The cap can absorb some of that moisture so the foam in your cycling helmet isn’t taking the brunt of it. 

Lightweight cycling arm sleeves 

A versatile option for those who don’t want to commit to wearing a long sleeved cycling jersey, arm sleeves are easy to slip on as and when you need them, but won’t take up too much room in your jersey pocket when you don’t. Use them to take the edge off cooler mornings or chilly descents, or pop them on when you feel you want a bit of extra protection from the sun. For spring/summer cycling, we’d recommend going for something lighter like our Ibex arm sleeves rather than the thicker thermal options.

With the right women’s cycling clothing, you’ve got the freedom to ride with confidence – and do it in style. Time to treat yourself to some new cycling kit? Click here to check out our latest drops and see what’s trending!