Nalini Cycling Clothes for Women: A Review

Spring and early summer are hard times to dress for riding. The mornings are cool, the weather is unpredictable, and you always end up cold or hot. The Italian cycling brand Nalini incorporates fabrics and styles that keep you warm but won’t cause you to overheat.

The Nalini protectionali capri bibs look confusing to put on, but once on they are incredibly comfortable. As opposed to regular bibs that have suspenders; the Nalini bibs go up over your head and then clip with the rest of the pant at your sternum. This new style of bib was uncomfortable at first but you get use to it and it is nice not worrying about having your jersey ride up. The pants are made of polyester with a very thin layer of fleece on the inside. Despite having a fleece lining the pants are incredibly breathable when your ride warms up. The pants also come with a leather chamois, which is a nice feature you do not see in a lot of American cycling clothing and allows for better breathability.

The Nalini (Lady’s Team) protectionalini jacket has the perfect balance of warmth and breathability. The fleece lining is a waffle pattern so the fabric easily breathes. The rubber grip on the inside of the jacket allows the jacket to stay in place even in the most intense ride. The three back pockets are perfect for stashing a GU or a quick snack but they are too small to carry extra water. The jacket also crushes down very small, so you can put it in your jersey pocket. The pink and grey print on the jacket is very cute. You would be able to walk into a restaurant after your ride and still look chic!

The Nalini basewear cycling gloves are full-fingered gloves that would be nice for chilly spring mornings. They are fully lined in fleece so I don’t suggest them for rides where the temperature will quickly rise. The fingers of these gloves were boxy and the seams were very thick. I kept wiggling my fingers in the gloves and I found the seams to be very annoying. The padding on the palm was also lacking and my hands got tired on my 15-mile ride. As a glove for your commute, they wouldn’t be a bad choice for a chilly morning commute.

The Nalini brand is very well crafted cycling gear. The fabric maintained it’s shape ride after ride and smell didn’t build up. The seams were sharp and the small details showed. Nalini is high crafted cycling wear that is an interesting change from the normal American gear.

Product Review by Katherine Stenquist