Whether it’s cold outside or you just prefer wearing long pants, cycling tights can be a great alternative to shorts. A good padded cycling tight should keep your bum happy and provide some compression and support to your leg muscles. They should also be well-constructed, comfortable, and able to withstand a bunch of wash cycles.
We’ve tested, reviewed, researched, and surveyed our community to put together a list of what we believe are the best women’s cycling tights on the market. Read on to learn more about each, and also what to consider when making a purchasing decision.
(Note: If you are looking for pant for mountain biking, check out our list of the best women’s mountain bike pants as well).
Our Top Picks
| Bottom | Type Of Bottom | What We Like |
| Velocio Luxe Thermal Bib Knickers or Tights | Thermal (bib) | Fantastic chamois |
| Terry Coolweather Tight | Tight | Tall and petite lengths |
| Terry Winter Bike Tight | Thermal | Wind and water resistant |
| Pearl Izumi Sugar Thermal Cycling Tight | Thermal | Affordable, warm |
| Pactimo Vertex WX-D Bib Tight | Thermal (bib) | Extreme warmth |
| Baleaf Cycling Tights | Tight | Budget pick |
Velocio Luxe Thermal Bib Knicker Or Thermal Tight
Price: $259+
The Velocio Luxe Thermal bibs are my very favorite longer cycling bottoms. They are fleece-lined and come in a calf-length knicker version or a full-length tight.
Like all pieces from Velocio, these are extremely well made and boast a high-end, comfortable chamois. The interior fleece lining is cozy and the exterior is water and wind resistant.
The bib straps are unique in that there’s an entire mesh chest piece to keep them in place. Scared of having to go the bathroom in bibs? No fear! The drop tail on these are incredibly easy to use.
The only bummer is the high price, but considering they are made with ethical and sustainable manufacturing, it’s easy to accept.
If you don’t want the fleece lining, that’s an option as well.
Read Review: Velocio Thermal Bibs
Terry Coolweather Tight
List Price: $165
Terry is a company making great cycling apparel for women. The Terry Coolweather Tight is a medium-weight bottom that is ideal for shoulder season riding (40-60 degrees).
We appreciate that the tight comes in a wide variety of sizes and is offered in plus sizes as well as regular, tall, and petite length! The chamois is on the thinner side and is well suited for women who prefer a more minimalistic chamois or for shorter rides.
It also includes a zippered pocket which is a feature we love!
Read Our Review: Terry Coolweather Tight
Terry Winter Bike Tights
Price: $199
Ready for some serious winter cycling? Get yourself a pair of the Terry Winter Bike tights.
These babies are warm thanks to Polartec fabric with DWR wind and water treatment. They are highly windproof and water resistant, and will keep you toasty on the worst weather days.
Additionally, they have a yoga style waistband which is comfortable and fits well.
Read Our Review: Terry Winter Bike Tight
Pearl Izumi Sugar Thermal Cycling Tight
List Price: $100
The Peal Izumi Sugar Thermal Cycling Tight is one of our favorites because it’s both warm AND affordable. The interior is fleece-lined which feels cozy even on blustery days.
The tight comes in a “cycling” version with built in chamois, as well as regular tight than can be worn without a chamois or over your favorite cycling shorts.
The only thing to note is that these run VERY small, so make sure to order up a size.
Read Our Review: Pearl Izumi Sugar Thermal
Pactimo Storm Bib Tight
Price: $199
The Pactimo Storm Bib Tight is what I grab on days that I really don’t want to ride. These are super warm even in blizzards, high winds, and otherwise miserable conditions.
The exterior of the tight is windproof while the interior is comfy and fleece lined. While winter bibs can sometimes be a beast to get in and out of, these are fairly easy thanks to the long zips at each ankle and the chest snap.
The only bummer with these is the price, but in this case, you get what you pay for.
Read Our Review: Pactimo bibs
Baleaf Cycling Tights
Price: $43.99 at Amazon.com (Last updated: 2023-11-09 at 17:21) – More info
Whether you’re brand new to cycling or just on a tight budget, we recognize that many of the pants listed here may be a bit too pricey. For women looking for something more affordable, we recommend the Baleaf Cycling Tights.
They don’t have the same level of durability or compression as some of the more expensive tights, but they are comfortable and warm.
Read Our Review: Baleaf Cycling Tights
DIY Bike Tights
Bike tights can be awfully expensive. One of my personal favorite solutions is to use a detached chamois (padding cycling underwear) underneath cheap fleece lined leggings.
Fleece lined leggings can be picked up super cheap on Amazon, at Costco, or even at your local drug store. I’ve had a couple of pairs that have lasted around a decade, so they are durable too.
Put these on over a chamois, and voila–you have cycling tights on a budget! This is a particularly budget conscious option if you already have the padded undies.
Another Alternative: Knee or Leg Warmers
If you’re new to cycling, you might also not be aware that you can turn your existing shorts into either capris or pants by using knee or leg warmers. These have the added benefit that you can take them off when the temperature starts to warm up.
That said, warmers can be a bit of a pain when they start to slip down, and may not be as comfortable as a true cycling tight. Still, they are affordable and are great for shoulder season riding in particular.
Things To Consider When Shopping
Type Of Riding
What sort of riding are you doing–road, indoor cycling class, or commuting? In each case, you might prefer a different type of pant. On the road, we prefer a full length tight. This protects against the sun and protect YOU in the event of a crash. It also provides additional compression.
For an indoor class or trainer ride, capris are awesome. They generally aren’t quite as warm as tights, so can be good for sunny spring days as well.
Finally, for commuting, you might prefer a pant that looks like, well, a pant. In this case, it’s important to look for a pant that is plenty stretchy, particularly in the crotch. You also want something that won’t ride down when you’re bent over–nobody wants plumbers crack.
Outdoor Temperature
Everybody is a little bit different in there sensitivity for cold. Personally, I like a traditional tight when the temps are over 40 degrees, and a thermal, fleece lined tight any time the temp drops toward freezing.
And some women like tights even in the summer. They provide additional sun protection and coverage. In this case, a capri or very thin tight will be best.
Chamois
A great tight isn’t that great if the chamois isn’t comfortable. We recommend spending a little more to get a good quality chamois (like the tights on this list). More expensive chamois will have dual density designs, better stitching, and will last a lot longer.
Additionally, choose a chamois that is appropriate for the amount of time you will be riding. A thicker chamois isn’t always better!
The longer you’re riding, the thicker the chamois you will want. But even then, a good saddle can provide a lot of comfort with a minimalistic chamois. In fact, chamois that are too bulky can cause saddle sores. Never something you want!
Compression Level
Tights have the tendency of being, well, tight! Compression can provide a lot of support for your muscles, and can help keep your tights in place. If you haven’t tried a pair of compression tights yet, we totally recommend it.
Still, there are some women who might not like quite so much compression. In this case, look for a tight that fits a little looser.
More Stuff You Might Like
- Best Women’s Bike Saddles & How To Choose!
- Best Chamois Creams for Women & How To Use It!
- How to Heal (and Prevent) Saddle Sores
About The Author / Reviewers
Stacy Ann Smith is a New England-based cyclist who strives to stay upright on her bike. She is the founder of Sascy Cycling, and her mission is to encourage women to love their body and focus on what it can do, not what it looks like. When Stacy’s not cycling she is teaching high school history and eating pizza with her husband and son.
IG: @sascycycling
Malorie Gage has been mountain biking, road, gravel cycling for many years. She lives in Colorado where she’s raising two tiny humans and balancing biking and motherhood.
Kristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.
She’s also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runs Rascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.
She’s been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.
IG: @femme_cyclist
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