Indoor Cycling Clothes for Maximum Indoor Performance

Indoor training and spin classes have been a go-to off-season cycling workout for decades. Over that time, a whole niche of indoor cycling apparel has made those miles to nowhere more comfortable. The idea behind them is to take the lightest weight, most breathable cycling jerseys and cycling shorts and bibs and turn up their breathability quotient to eleven — in some cases, the jerseys and shorts serve more to retain a sense of modesty in public spin classes than anything else. The gear uses hydrophobic fabrics that shed sweat quickly and dry even faster, both attributes that will leave you feeling charged and comfortable throughout your Zwift or Peloton workout sessions. Below are key attributes to consider when choosing the ideal kit for the great indoors.

How Cool Is That? The Perfect Indoor Cycling Jersey

The criteria for an indoor cycling workout starts with the fabric — or the lack thereof. Choose a jersey with a mesh or almost-mesh fabric made from hydrophobic yarns. The yarns won’t absorb your sweat, and the mesh fabric’s breathability ensures your perspiration leaves your skin fast, especially when the bike’s fan is blowing air over your skin. A snug fit lessens the chance for moisture to get trapped in fabric folds. At its most basic, an indoor cycling top can be as simple as a stretch mesh tank cycling top. If that’s too little coverage for you, try a snug summer-weight cycling jersey or mesh jersey, but be sure it has a full zipper down the front to allow you to unzip it for maximum cooling. 

A Guide to Purpose-Built Indoor Cycling Bibs or Shorts

Unlike regular cycling bibs or shorts, indoor bottoms are designed and stitched together for long bouts of saddle time with minimal airflow through the shorts to help keep your privates dry. To mitigate that squishy feeling, indoor cycling bibs often use mesh side panels, mesh bib straps, and a special chamois pad that prioritizes sweat wicking over cushioning. The chamois switch makes sense because riding a trainer is a much smoother experience than bouncing over cracks and potholes in the road.

Your Comfort Zone: The Megmeister Indoor Cycling Kit

Start with a pair of L8 Bib Shorts for men or women, which use a high-tech warp-knitted suspension system instead of the traditional foam chamois pad that retains heat and sweat. The result improves breathability and moisture-wicking performance along with the fabric system’s ability to disburse pressure and reduce hot spots down there. Up top, pull on the Drynamo™ Sleeveless Base Layer for men or women for maximum comfort during your indoor session. The moisture-wicking knit top excels at pulling sweat off your skin. Its high-tech body-mapped knit features large swaths of open weaves to boost ventilation in key areas of the torso: back, chest, and sides. Not into showing off your shoulders? Opt for the short-sleeved version.

If you’re a woman riding in a particularly warm indoor setting, our fast-drying Drynamo Seamless Sports Bra offers even more versatility. With body mapped ventilation zones for outstanding breathability during high intensity training, its high-neck design provides enough coverage to be comfortably worn alone with bib shorts.

PRO-TIP: Double up on fans for your indoor cycling training; you’ll be able to ride harder and longer. One fan should force air across your face and chest, and the other should blow air over your back.