MallRee

Giro's ever-expanding line of New Road kit has added a new -- and welcome -- member with the Women's Ride Shorts. While we're big fans of both the men's and women's kit (the former is reviewed here), we felt that Giro's New Road and "performance" road kit were blending in a way that made the lack of a pair of Lycra shorts a glaring omission. Now we have the simple styling that underwrites the New Road design in a pair of shorts that can handle charity rides, training, and even races. The body is made from 100% Italian M. I. T. I. Lycra. These guys are leaders in the Lycra industry; chances are that if you've ever pulled on a stretchy piece of material for any activity, then you've been touched by their innovation. The fabric's combination of gentle compression and soft touch make for a supportive ride that helps to eliminate fatigue caused by road vibrations while keeping you comfortable for hours at a time in the saddle. The number of panels used is kept to a minimum to alleviate chafing at the joints, and what little thread Giro does use is applied with a skin-friendly flatlock stitching design, so not even the seams are abrasive. More compressive bands at the waist and cuffs keep both the body and the chamois of the shorts in place. The latter is especially important, as CyTech, yet another leader in cycling technology, designed it with a variable topography of high-density foam padding to keep pressure where you want it while protecting sensitive areas. The face material is soft, stretchy, and antimicrobial. While those aren't the typical qualities we look for in a riding companion, we certainly wouldn't recommend leaving home without them.