Gear Review: Troy Lee Designs Womens Skyline Short Speeda Yellow

First impressions:

When TLD released their 2015 line up, I was stoked to see some awesome new colors and fabric patterns for women. I have a couple pairs of older TLD Skyline shorts and I love them. TLD has been a favorite of mine because of their true American sizing style. I'm sure most of us have struggled with the sizing conundrum of the cycling industry at some point.

Based on the information provided on their web site size chart, I ordered a medium with the hopes that these "baggies" would fit my waist AND still be baggy on my thighs and quads. When the package came, I removed the shorts, and I was immediately pleased with the light, silkiness of the fabric. Perfect for warm weather riding!

Time to try these babies on. I pulled them on with ease. The waist fit great, with a little extra space. The cut was form fitting and flattering on my curvy hips and butt. No non essential waist pocket bulkiness. No sagging crotch. Feeling kind of cute in these things, and the patterned print will definitely catch some attention on and off the trails.

                                                      Pros:

• Cargo pocket - Always a plus in my book. No need to buy the men's design to get the cargo pocket with TLD.

• Fabric - Absolutely love it. Light, silky, and pull resistant.

• Design - All around great features. Two-way stretch in the hip/leg for pedaling. Relaxed, two-way stretch waist to prevent muffin top. Multiple pocket locations for whatever your preference. True waist fit! No hipsters here. Lean into that bike with crack-free confidence, "so you can focus on what you love best: The thrill of the ride."

• Patterned Print - Thank goodness for some bright colors without the overload of girly. I finally have a pair of riding shorts that are not black.

Cons:

• Cargo pocket could be a little bigger/deeper. Big enough for the average smart phone.

• No zipper!? The double button, zip up fly design in my older Skylines was replaced with a double button, velcro fly design for 2015. I'm not a fan. The velcro will wear. It sticks to the inside flap opening, which I'm also not a fan of, and is already creating pulls in that.

• No waist adjustment. I bought the medium based on the measurements. I love the relaxed fit to allow for comfort, gear, and to prevent the dreaded muffin top, but the option to cinch the waist would be most beneficial.

• Baggie not baggie enough. I know not everyone has larger thighs, but not everyone with a small waist has tiny little thin thighs. We ride bikes. We have quads!

Personal fit:

I'm 5'5", 150 lbs. and I have curves, hips and butt. No box figure here. The shorts are extremely flattering on my curves and I love that. With my genetics, plus the quads of a mountain biker, I would prefer a more relaxed fit through the thighs and quads. Personally, I prefer the form fitting waist, hips, and butt, with a slight flare to the legs. Humidity, sweating, and tight legged shorts aren't friendly, but weren't bad in these shorts either. The proposed flare style is also conducive to the shorts moving freely over knee pads, instead of being bunched up above them. 

My measurements:
Waist -  80cm / 31.5 inches (Almost a size Small)
Hips -  101cm 

Thighs - 62cm 

Quads - 52cm

I applaud TLD for taking in the over baggie design to create a more form fitting and flattering cut for women, but we're not all created equal and some thigh/quad room would be great. Maybe look at an additional "relaxed fit" option in the future. I could go up a size and possibly have more leg room, but the waist would be WAY too big at that point. Adding hip and thigh measurements to the size chart would also be beneficial. This lack of information left me second guessing what size to order and delayed my purchase for some time.

Overall, minus my personal cons and personal fit preferences, I love these shorts. I've received a ton of compliments on them and have shared why I love TLD shorts with every compliment. Now to go back on DirtyJane.com and order some more!

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From TLD: 

You spoke up and we answered. No flowers, no butterflies, just the bod, aggressive styling you want and expect from Troy Lee Designs. Unsurpassed fit and quality tailored just for you. No frills and no fuss so you can focus on what you love best: The thrill of the ride.

• 2-way stretch, highly durable 90% Polyester / 10% Spandex mix

• Secure zipper front stash pocket

• Zipped cargo side pocket

• High quality ribbed spandex stretch panel

• Lycra backed fly opening