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Jersey sizing

Old 06-25-20, 08:14 PM
  #1  
zacster
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Jersey sizing

For Father's Day I requested new jerseys as I'm running low so my 3 kids and my wife all order some for me. I really like the designs they got, some rock related (Grateful Dead, the Police) and a few Giordana. All is well and good except that none of them even remotely fit me. I'm 5'7" and a little overweight at 185 pounds, but in regular clothes a large always fits. The Giordanas are XL and I couldn't even pull the zipper over me, the others are L and just barely would close. Yes, I get that most pro cyclists are toothpicks even if they are broad shouldered, but there's got to be sizes that fit us mere mortals. I know about race fit vs. club fit, and these are all race fit as far as I can tell. But that little stat isn't always included in the listings. I have 4 jerseys now that don't fit from this, and 2 others that I bought two years ago that I was able to wear back then, but no longer. Either I lose 40 pounds or I need a bigger size. At 65 I doubt I'll lose 40 pounds that easily. It seems silly to need a XXL. Are any brands cut with a little more room?
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Old 06-25-20, 08:32 PM
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I never bother with the letter designations (S,M,L,XL, etc) and always refer to the actual measurements (chest, waist, etc) for sizing since they can vary considerably among manufacturers.
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Old 06-25-20, 08:36 PM
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Depending on brand and cut I have to go up one or two sizes. If there isn't am actual size chart available from the seller/ manufacturer, I don't buy it.
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Old 06-25-20, 08:40 PM
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I'm sure there are more than you and I that wonder about this. Perhaps they think only kids ride bikes and only market in child sizes. <grin>

However one of the organized rides I do regularly here uses Primal https://www.primalwear.com/collections/mens-jerseys to custom make jerseys for the event. And with me being 5' 11" about 175 lbs, a large jersey is a little loose on me. Unlike other cheapo brands I've bought that I'd have to get a XL or XXL.
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Old 06-26-20, 05:53 AM
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You have to go by the manufacturers sizing chart and even then I find it sometimes to be askew. Best thing for families to do is get a gift card to a specific cycling retailer fo you to get your size. I know......it’s a gift and they want to surprise you and gift cards are boring and dull. I am an oddball who likes gift cards.

If they can be returned you can get the size you need. Like I said, I have some jerseys that are XL and some that are XXL because the manufacturers are so different.

I am 6’ and 199 trying to get to 190 myself. Not fat, all my life played baseball and in general sports which involved always weightlifting since the 7th grade which my build is almost bodybuilder type even though I have not lifted a weight in 20 years. I cannot shake the muscle mass as I attribute to lifting during my hormonal years. I would kill for a lean cycling body like Froome!
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Old 06-26-20, 07:37 AM
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I agree with what Germanrazor said about gift cards and sizing differences between manufacturers. I'll take it one step further and add that even different jersey cuts from the same manufacturer can lead one to buy the wrong size. For instance, Specialized makes an RBX jersey which is described as "generous...fits close to the body without being restricting" and the SL jersey which is their race fit. I wear a medium in the SL so I figured I'd also wear a medium in the RBX lineup (they use the same size chart). When I tried the medium in the RBX jersey it was way too big to the point of being almost like a t-shirt. I sized down to a small RBX and it's as described by specialized, not quite as tight around the shoulders and chest as the SL jersey but it doesn't balloon out when riding either.
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Old 06-26-20, 08:04 AM
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Originally Posted by zacster
For Father's Day I requested new jerseys as I'm running low so my 3 kids and my wife all order some for me. I really like the designs they got, some rock related (Grateful Dead, the Police) and a few Giordana. All is well and good except that none of them even remotely fit me. I'm 5'7" and a little overweight at 185 pounds, but in regular clothes a large always fits. The Giordanas are XL and I couldn't even pull the zipper over me, the others are L and just barely would close. Yes, I get that most pro cyclists are toothpicks even if they are broad shouldered, but there's got to be sizes that fit us mere mortals. I know about race fit vs. club fit, and these are all race fit as far as I can tell. But that little stat isn't always included in the listings. I have 4 jerseys now that don't fit from this, and 2 others that I bought two years ago that I was able to wear back then, but no longer. Either I lose 40 pounds or I need a bigger size. At 65 I doubt I'll lose 40 pounds that easily. It seems silly to need a XXL. Are any brands cut with a little more room?
Primal sells giant jerseys.

Regardless, look at the size charts, ignore the letters, and opt for a looser (club vs. race) fit if you don't want your jersey to be snug.

Companies making regular mens clothing adopted vanity sizing allowing us to buy "smaller" clothes and not feel fat although the average American male has 30 pounds more flab than he did in 1960. 36" pants can have waistbands as large as 42".

Bicycle clothing companies have the same problem. Jerseys made for the same measurements can be small, medium, or large depending on the maker.

Most don't even make jerseys for people the size of professional cyclists or at least don't sell them outside their custom program.

As a 5'10", 136 pound climber with a 33" chest and 26" waist you'd be between XXXS and XXS on Louis Garneau's size charts although they don't sell anything smaller than XS to the general public or XXS in their custom program.

Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 06-26-20 at 09:31 AM.
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Old 06-26-20, 08:15 AM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I'm sure there are more than you and I that wonder about this. Perhaps they think only kids ride bikes and only market in child sizes. <grin>

However one of the organized rides I do regularly here uses Primal https://www.primalwear.com/collections/mens-jerseys to custom make jerseys for the event. And with me being 5' 11" about 175 lbs, a large jersey is a little loose on me. Unlike other cheapo brands I've bought that I'd have to get a XL or XXL.
I have a few jerseys in large that fit well and now a few in XL that look more like a small. I looked at exchanging them but the shop where the Giordana jerseys came from is out of all but smalls, and how that would fit anyone older than 10 years old is beyond me.
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Old 06-26-20, 08:15 AM
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Italian stuff always seems to be on the small side, to me.

Like mentioned above, I tend to look at measurements more so than indicated size. If a brand doesn't cover your dimensions, look at other brands. American-sized stuff isn't that uncommon. Check out stuff from Twin Six - they have sizing measurements, they cover a wide range and they disclose which are more club fit and which are more slim fit. You could also check out Rapha - I'm 5'11", ~185lb and their Core jersey in a Large fits me well (indicated 41" chest). I think they've got two sizes up from there, though they might start to get a little long...
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Old 06-26-20, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by zacster
I looked at exchanging them but the shop where the Giordana jerseys came from is out of all but smalls, and how that would fit anyone older than 10 years old is beyond me.
Adults fit baggy Giordana skin fit size small aero jerseys because most are overweight, even small people.



Fortunately, Louis Garneau skin fit jerseys run about a size small and they make XS:

Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 06-26-20 at 10:10 AM.
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Old 06-26-20, 01:38 PM
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I tried the XLs on again and the one thing about them is that they have length. My wife, always critical of my spreading middle, didn't think they looked that bad. Maybe I'll just have to lose the 30 pounds and they'll fit well. They do stretch but do you want to see an overweight old guy in a stretchy jersey? I don't, and I'm that old guy! OK, now to get on the bike and try them out on a 90 degree humid day.
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Old 06-26-20, 04:02 PM
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I have the shoulders and chest of a linebacker and usually wear an XL shirt. In most jerseys I need a 3XL to not feel like my shoulders are constrained. About a decade ago, I lost a bunch of weight (mostly overtrained and unhealthy) but still needed a XXL jersey.
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Old 06-27-20, 08:46 AM
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I guess I'm fortunate in that I apparently "distribute" my weight. I started cycling at almost 250, managed my way down to almost 190, and today sit around 215. I've worn the same size bibs and jerseys the whole time.

This is probably most due to (as has been mentioned) the letters in the sizing are meaningless if comparing across manufacturers. One brand's large might be another's small. Canari seems to run bigger.
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Old 06-27-20, 08:55 AM
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Giordana definitely runs small. These are the three I was talking about.
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Old 07-04-20, 10:03 AM
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For moderately sized clothing, I like Gore brand. It is more of a generous cut. Even so, I am 5'7" and between 165-170 lbs normally and I wear an XL jersey...In Castelli, I need a 2XL. I am not fat around the middle either. Just happen to have broad-ish shoulders. When I lived in Italy, my Italian friends always like to call us Americans "Robusto" which means sturdy or solid . We tend to be larger bodied than the rest of the world.
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Old 07-04-20, 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by zacster
I tried the XLs on again and the one thing about them is that they have length. My wife, always critical of my spreading middle, didn't think they looked that bad. Maybe I'll just have to lose the 30 pounds and they'll fit well. They do stretch but do you want to see an overweight old guy in a stretchy jersey? I don't, and I'm that old guy! OK, now to get on the bike and try them out on a 90 degree humid day.
Well, there you go. Sometimes we need a good kick in the butt. Being lighter helps with the living forever thing plus a big help on the domestic side. Personally, I pay very close attention to my wife's preferences. Besides, losing weight is a fun accomplishment.

Low pockets are a good thing, especially as we get older and our shoulders are not quite as flexible as they used to be.
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