Indoor cycling is a thing. A really big thing. So it’s no surprise that top cycling brands have begun to release indoor-specific clothing.
Indoor vs Outdoor Kit: Is there a difference?
You may say it’s a marketing gimmick. And for some brands, you may be right. But other brands are taking it seriously, and you can feel the difference when you’re sweating your way through a Zwift race, or entering that dreaded fourth hour on your Uber Pretzel effort. Any ol’ kit will do for a laid-back 30-60 minute Zwift session. But when you’re looking for maximum cooling and comfort, you’ll have to look beyond yesteryear’s worn-out bib shorts.
When it comes to kit, there are two big differences between indoor and outdoor riding – three, if you want to press the issue:
- You simply don’t have as much air flow indoors as out. Even with a strong fan game, you’ll be sweatier inside. To avoid overheating and reducing your performance, the kit you wear needs to wick sweat from the skin while allowing air to ventilate both the skin (evaporating sweat) and the clothing (to keep it as dry as possible).
- You don’t move around in the saddle as much indoors, and you’re not riding over rough surfaces. So the chamois doesn’t need to absorb vibration – it just needs to provide a bit of anti-friction comfort, and hopefully stay as dry as possible. A thick, sweaty chamois doesn’t help anyone indoors.
- When riding indoors, covering up is less of a concern. Tops are optional for many, many Zwifters.
Over the past several months, I’ve been testing the indoor kits offered by three top cycling brands: Castelli, Rapha, and Le Col. Through many races, group rides, and long solo sessions, I’ve become intimately acquainted with the pros and cons of each kit. And now, humble reader, I’m sharing this Insider info with you.
First, let’s introduce the kits…
Castelli
Castelli’s indoor line has been around longer than Rapha or Le Col x Wahoo’s, and it’s also the simplest line: just two items. The Insider line is only available in men’s.
- Insider Bibshort: a lightweight, low-padding bibshort made with breathability and moisture-wicking in mind. Retail price $139.99US
- Insider Jersey: a super-lightweight jersey, just modest enough for group training sessions while allowing for maximum airflow. Retail price $119.99US
Rapha
Rapha announced its indoor line in early December 2019, consisting of existing Rapha Core shorts plus three new products: a shirt, cap, and towel. The shorts are available in men’s and women’s, while the other items are unisex.
- Core Cargo Shorts: shorts (not bibs), with side pockets to hold your phone, nutrition, or other indoor necessities. Retail price $130USD
- Indoor Training Sleeveless T- Shirt: loose-fitting and lightweight. Retail price $50USD
- Indoor Training Sweat Cap: a sweat-wicking mesh cap with the look of traditional cycling caps. Retail price $40
- Indoor Training Towel: soft, absorbent, Rapha-branded. Retail price $15
Rapha’s Indoor Training page now lists additional items, including women’s Core shorts, base layers, and flyweight jerseys.
Le Col x Wahoo
The newest kit on the block, Le Col and Wahoo announced their collaborative indoor offering in March 2020. The original line consisted of a jersey, bibshorts, and cap. Available in men’s and women’s, in two color schemes.
- Le Col x Wahoo Indoor Training Bib Shorts: highly-breathable bib shorts. Retail price $195USD
- Le Col x Wahoo Indoor Training Jersey: lightweight mesh jersey delivers maximum airflow. Retail price $155USD
- Le Col x Wahoo Cap: complete the look with a traditional cycling cap. Retail price $26USD
The Le Col x Wahoo shop now includes sleeveless jerseys, long sleeve warmup jersey for men and women.
My Testing
My testing protocol for these kits was nothing advanced or scientific: I simply wore them as much as possible, mostly for Zwift sessions, but also for some outdoor rides. With 6-8 rides per week totaling 8-10 hours of weekly ride time, these kits got plenty of play.
By my calculations, each kit got at least 20 hours of ride time, complete with plenty of sweat and laundry cycles. The Le Col x Wahoo kit got the least use, because it was released so late in the season. But I made sure I wore it every chance I got, so it got a fair shake.
[adinserter block=”7″]
My Results
After putting each brand through the weeks-long Zwift Insider patented “sweaty pain cave stress test”, I’ve come to the conclusion that each brand’s indoor line has unique strengths which may make it the best choice for you. So I’ll summarize my experience with each line below, leaving the ultimate buying decision (of course) up to you.
Comfort Leader: Castelli
Confession: I’ve been a fan of Castelli’s chamois fit since my very first Castelli kit years ago. Of course, fit is a very personal thing – but in my experience, Castelli is one brand that gets recommended quite regularly when people ask which kits fit best. (The other brand I see most recommended is Assos – and I really like the way they fit as well. But they don’t have an indoor kit, sadly.)
Of the three kits reviewed here, Castelli’s Insider felt the most comfortable. Heck, I specifically picked it to wear on last Saturday’s “Monica Does 25 Laps of the Volcano Circuit” ride, because I knew it wouldn’t let me down! Their “Kiss Air2” chamois is the same used in Castelli’s (now discontinued?) “Inferno” line – it’s not as thick as their other pads, which I love. We don’t need thick pads for indoor riding! There are no vibrations to dampen here. They just soak up sweat.
In terms of staying cool and dry, this kit does the job. I don’t typically wear a jersey when Zwifting, but if I did, it would be a jersey like the Castelli Insider. Super lightweight – just enough material that it qualifies as a shirt, while letting a lot of air through. The bib shorts have mesh leg cuffs that let air in, and the material which makes up most of the short is very lightweight, wicking moisture away from my skin so my fan’s breeze can evaporate it away.
My one complaint with this kit is that the shorts are so lightweight, I popped a few of the stitches pulling them on over legs that had been made extra-sticky by pre-race PR Lotion. This is probably an edge case, mind you. And it makes sense that super lightweight apparel would be a bit more fragile than its more standard-weight counterpart.
Where to Buy:
Competitive Cyclist (currently 25% off!)
Direct from Castelli
Simplicity Prize: Rapha
Instead of creating a fancy and expensive new kit, Rapha went the other direction. They created a few simple indoors-specific items, then rebranded some of their existing kit as indoor-friendly. The result? A simplified, bare-bones approach to indoor kit.
Their Core cargo shorts are $130USD, and in fact their plain “Core” shorts (no cargo pocket) are just $100. So they’re the most affordable shorts in our test. Rapha’s shirt, which is really just a simple sleeveless mesh T, is much cheaper than the competition’s jerseys.
But it’s not really fair to compare pricing here, since Rapha’s shorts aren’t bib shorts, and the shirt isn’t a real jersey. One would expect them to be priced lower.
If you’re the type of rider who likes a simple indoor setup (no table nearby, for example) Rapha’s cargo shorts may be just the ticket. The pockets works well for holding just about anything – my Clif bars, AppleTV remote, phone. There were two downsides to these shorts, though. First: they are shorts. I don’t like shorts. I literally hadn’t worn “non-bib” cycling shorts for 4+ years, until I got Rapha’s kit and decided to run it through its paces. (Some folks love shorts – and if that’s you, Rapha’s may be just the ticket.) My other complaint is that they aren’t as moisture-wicking and well-ventilated as the competition’s shorts.
Rapha’s Cargo shorts don’t feel like they were made for warm temperatures or indoor riding – and that’s probably because they weren’t.
Of all the items in their original indoor line up, my favorite is actually the towel. Not only does it include a super-cool tag highlighting Mat Hayman’s incredible Zwift-trained Paris-Roubaix victory, it’s also super soft… much softer than the cheap towels which I buy by on Amazon by the double-dozen. When I’m doing a long ride and don’t want to rub my nose raw, I’ve found myself turning to the Rapha towel.
I’m not Rapha’s target market for the cap – I’m bald. That means one of my main sources of cooling is the open top of my head, and I definitely won’t be covering it on tough indoor sessions! But for the “haired” among us who may wear sweatbands indoors, the cap is a stylish option.
Where to Buy:
Direct from Rapha
Style Award: Le Col x Wahoo
Le Col makes some beautiful kit, and the result of their collaboration with Wahoo is no exception. They wisely chose to create two distinct “looks” for their indoor line… the basic “Ride Real” look (mostly black with white lettering and Wahoo blue color blocks) and the “Collective Edition” with its much wilder colors. I got the Collective Edition.
In terms of comfort, this kit is a close second to Castelli’s. The chamois is a bit thicker than Castelli’s, but not as thick as Rapha’s. The laser-cut holes in the thighs are definitely a distinctive feature, and I felt they offered nearly the same level of cooling as Castelli’s ultra-light fabric while feeling a bit more robust.
The jersey is super lightweight, similar in wicking and airflow to Castelli’s.
The cap… well, it’s just a cap. No special mesh or sweat band. It’s just there to complete the look.
Overall, this is a stylish and comfortable indoor kit which would also wear nicely outside for hot-weather riding. It’s the most expensive of the bunch, but it also has the most high-quality look and feel.
Where to Buy:
Direct from Le Col
Questions or Comments?
Share below!
The Velocissimo Castelli shorts have the kiss air 2 pad as well and are reasonably cheap
Where do you buy these items?
Links are in the post.
Is it true these add 50W to one’s FTP? 😉
In that case, I need to order another set!
Complete the following well-known saying….
“All the gear – xx xxxx!
Just checked the Le Col site. Only XS available in the Wahoo short. Doesn’t provide ETA on more stock.
Yeah. My guess is they did one “run” of the new kits, then COVID shutdowns hit in Italy and they haven’t been able to stay on top of demand.
I was out of kits yesterday so I grabbed my mountain bike bib liners for yesterday afternoon’s ride. And they were very cool!!! Paired that with a $10 C9 running shirt from Target for a budget setup!
Whatever works!
https://www.ekoi.com/de/tragerhose/9225-cuissard-ekoi-kriptonite-noir.html
this ekoi bib is extra breathable with the sqlab pad, regular 199€ bought it in sale for 99 € . Ekoi has the bib in sale every few weeks . Enjoy
Funny, my favorite bib for indoor is a old Castelli Endurance with the Kiss Air chamois as well !
I have been saving my nice club kits for outdoor riding and been using the (overall very decent) 40 Dollar generic kits from Amazon for indoor. Because even though I’m riding in an unheated garage in Canada, my kits are completely drenched and have been picking up a lingering smell if washed with the more environmentally friendly detergent… I use chamois cream each time, but still the cheaper cycling shorts have been caused bruises when getting to the point of complete sweatiness. – Painful surprises under the shower! So my thought is to save on chamois cream and invest in better gear.
Good thought. Chamois cream is often the go-to when crappy gear is the culprit.
Funny, the fact that inside I’m not moving around as much is exactly the reason that I’m actually *less* comfortable than when cycling outside. The fact that indoors is sweatier is heavily outweighed by the fact that pressure is always in the same spots, so I prefer a thicker chamois over a chamois that soaks up less sweat. Actually, I never really had any real issues with that…
To me, the reason why my bottom gets sore is always the prolonged pressure, never the vibration. I’ve done the tourist version of Paris-Roubaix 6 times in total now, and I cannot say that that causes more saddle soreness than a regular 6-7 hour ride. (Hands are a different matter, though 😀 )
To me, the best remedy is get out of the saddle more often, I guess…
Superbly put.
Totally agree! I sometimes wear 2 pairs of shorts on the indoor trainer. I almost never need to do that when riding outdoors. I’d rather be sweaty than sore. Club Ride makes nice light weight casual tops for women that are great for indoors. You can also pick up really nice light running T’s at places like Ross and T-J Maxx if you’re on a tight budget. To me, that more comfortable than riding without a shirt.
Why would we need less padding indoors? We move around less. There is probably more moisture and more chance of rub? Are a pair of Wish dot com bibs any worse for indoor and is it worth the extra cost? I must admit, I really like my standard Zwift Castelli bibs.
To each their own. I’ve found the more padding, the more friction. And when that padding is sweaty, that friction sucks even more.
But fit and feel are very individual things…
I wish they would all offer a “no chamois” option, both me and the girlfriend stopped suffering after removal from all our current shorts, its also far easier to locate yourself correctly on the saddle which is really important on the turbo(numbness has also been eradicated)…
Lots of spin class riders use chamois-less shorts, I hear. But I’ve never tried it myself.
Yes, see above…
Oh…and if no ones watching…I think some women may wear just Spanx?
When I don’t want to use a chamois I use CompressionZ:
https://compressionz.com/products/compression-shorts
These are 5-star compression (some of you may even want to size up) and do a fantastic job. Price is reasonable. No chamois means you can even swim in them! Ever use a normal 🚴 bicycle 🚴 bib (or even “minimal padding” for a triathlon swim? LOL not a good idea! And Eric, you thought sweat was bad! Try salty ocean water for a 56-mile ride after swimming 1.2 miles! Anyways…these do the job (especially for anything less than 25 miles or 90 minutes)
how is the castelli bib short size compared to rapha core bibs?
I’d say the Castelli bib is just a bit snugger than the Rapha shorts. I have size large in both, though. I’ve always found Castelli to be a bit snugger than most other brands.
I’ve found fit to be the most important. If your bibs are slightly larger, the pad will chafe with the little movement you do give. I shrunk down a an few pair of bibs to the point that they compress. The pad stays put for the most part. I can’t afford to drop $130 on a pair of shorts that would most likely be worn out after 6 months.Plus I have 8 pair that I cycle through; some in better shape than others. The more worn out, the shorter the ride.
Hi Eric – look into Ciovita’s indoor bib. I think you might have a bib that just actually tops these. As Jaco Venter(ex-Dimension Data) and Jacques Janse Van Rensburg also ex-Dimension Data. They moved from assos into Ciovita for mtb racing. Cheers
Just reached out to Ciovita, we’ll see if I can get a kit!
dhb (house brand of the Wiggle empire)
hashave indoor-specific shorts as well: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-aeron-turbo-womens-shorts/ (and similar for teh menz). Haven’t tried them myself but might get a pair if/when the discount reaches 50% or thereabouts.I can’t see how people can justify the price of these kits or kits in general from brands like Rapha/Castelli etc Yeah, I’m sure they’re nice but I’m still using kits from Ekoi DAILY, no wear and tear, great comfort and for a fraction of the price.
It’s a very personal choice. I know folks like yourself who are happy with the more affordable options. I wish I was that way! But I’ve grown picky the longer I’ve ridden, and I’m willing to pay more for comfort, if required. I’ve never found a cheap bibshort that compares with the pricier offerings from Castelli, Assos, etc.
I like quality options too. Castelli is fantastic!
I also like Primal Helix (high-end of product line) bib shorts.
I’m a huge Rapha fan and even use their blue in game kit in Zwift.
But their indoor line is just ridiculously overpriced. I don’t mind paying extra for really cool stuff, but who needs cargo shorts with storage on their trainer? The last thing I want to do is pedaling with my phone in my shorts. I don’t wear a shirt to ride indoors, but if I would, one of my gazillion running singlets would do at least as well as the Rapha shirt. For a fraction of the cost.
That said, the towel looks really cool. Unfortunately it’s always sold out when I check their website.
The Castelli bib shorts look pretty cool and the price seems to be reasonable. I’ll check them out and see if others have the same durability issue.
Le Col also have a discount for completing a Strava challenge, I got €55 off the Collection bib shorts with this last month. I love the style and wanted to buy a second pair but only the XS left in stock unfortunately. Might pick up the Castelli’s you recommend here.
Yep, picked up the Le Col bibs with the Strava discount. Otherwise probably wouldn’t have considered.
I’ve logged 370 Zwift rides over the past two and a half years and, FWIW, I’ve found that the best cycling shorts for indoor use are cheap £20/$25 shorts off Amazon with a thick gel pad. I’ve tried high end shorts from Castelli, Rapha, and Endura but, as others have noted, I find I need a thicker pad for indoor rides due to there being less movement on the saddle. As regards jerseys, Castelli’s Climbers Jersey is brilliant in the summer as it’s a super lightweight jersey. It’s not cheap but it’s a similar price to the Insider jersey and is usually available at a substantial discount at the end of the summer season. Especially, if you buy the less popular colourways.
GCN Fan Kit bibshorts are very good indoors. The pad isn’t that thick. Only £49.99 too.
The surprise for me is the chamois subject. Personally I want a thicker, more padded chamois. I get much more pressure discomfort, riding for less time, when indoors than outdoors. Yet you want it to be thinner.
I get no friction discomfort even in a 2 hour workout.
I’ve been very happy with shorts and jersey’s from theblackbibs.com. $40 for shorts and jersey’s from $35, although their Summer jersey is my favorite. I’ve got 5 bibs from them for the price of some other brands. And, I’m not affiliated with the outfit. Just happy to share.
Hi! Some time has passed now since Eric’s post but maybe someone still finds it helpful:
After reading through Eric’s review I used this year’s bonus payment to gift me the Le Col kit, bibs and jersey, to compensate for not being able to ride outside as much as usual 🙂
My thoughts would be:
… on the jersey: subjectively, it’s definitely good-looking. But I’m still not sure if it is worth its price compared to a normal net undershirt. The main advantage here is the zipper which provides a bit more flexibility for cooling. The arm seam material is comfortable and quite sticky when sweaty after my training. I thought it may not be as sweat absorbent than I’d liked it to be to prevent sweat running down my arms to the handlebars. But no problems there. Sorry for the details but I hope they are helpful at least 😉
… on the bibs: All in all they feel comfortable at the legs and chamois, especially the air holes provide more comfort than my usual bib. There already are some good comments on chamois thickness here and I would agree that for me the ideal thickness is not dependent on indoor or outdoor use. After training sessions over some hours I realize that I definitely prefer my Assos chamois (but I have to admit I’m an Assos fanboy anyway) while the legs are still more comfortable due to the Le Col’s cooling. The one thing about the Le Col bibs that really puts me off is that they are cut very high at the belly – I mean, ridiculously high. And I don’t get why. This way they aren’t just warmer than necessary but also prevent being able to make a quick break to the bathroom… I know – details, again… But, honestly, just because of this feature I maybe wouldn’t choose them again.
That’s a good point on the high belly cut, C.L.F. I agree, it seems silly if they’re going for max cooling! It feels like perhaps they used a fabric template from some other job, instead of redoing it from scratch for maximum air flow.
Be honest Eric with this one because I love both products in fact are used to work at Rapha so this was a really hard one for me. I think there is obviously a new phase of clothing and practicality about to hit us but reduce not quite ready to have it all at once so we do need to make sure there are some product quality adjustments however. The issue I only had with the local product and it was a fantastic fantastic feel it was just not enough warning about how delicate the actual material was. Other than that it was a fantastically engineered bit of kit and I would definitely recommend.
Now as for the Castelli get it was the only one I didn’t actually might think as high a quality product as they have made in the past. It may need you to the fact that they tend to use only their models on elite athletes now that’s okay if it was shaped like myself or someone that actually training off but if you’re not it ends up being quite snug snug fit. How do you say that because my dad was using the same kit as I on one particular ride. And he’s not the schedule was when he was my age so it’s not okay but he doesn’t want to feel exposed.