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When you're new to cycling, you need to build the perfect cyclist's outfit to ride safely. For each garment or accessory, it is important to select the right size. Indeed, too big or too small, a garment could quickly prove to be uncomfortable. For this, it is necessary to refer to the size guide of the brand. Today, we suggest you discover how to measure your waistline.
Why should you measure your waistline?
Knowing your waist size is necessary to be able to purchase certain clothing, whether for the upper body (jersey, undershirt, jacket, etc.) or for the lower body (shorts).
In the case of choosing a shorts for example, too small of a shorts will be uncomfortable and cut off blood flow, while too large of a shorts could cause chafing and therefore injury to the buttocks, which could be very painful to sit in the saddle.
How to measure your waist size.
To be able to measure your waist, you need a flexible dressmaker's tape measure (or tape measure). For ease of use, you can have someone else help you with this step, but you can do it just fine on your own. Eventually, use an ice pack to make sure you hold the tape measure horizontally.
To take your waist measurements, get into your underwear. The waist measurement is taken above the hips, below the ribs, at the narrowest point.
Position your tape measure around your waist. Stand up straight, breathe normally (don't puff up or pull in your stomach). Place the end of the tape measure on your belly button, go all the way around your waist, passing through your back, making sure the tape measure stays level, hasn't twisted, and isn't too deep into your flesh. Pick up the measurement where the tape measure crosses the 0 at your belly button.
Repeat the process to verify that the measurement is accurate.
Depending on the clothing or brand, you will also need to take your hip circumference. The technique is quite similar to measuring the chest size, except that the hip measurement is taken on the hips, at the widest point.
How to choose the right size based on your waist size.
Once you have taken your waist measurement, to find out your garment size, you will need to refer to the size correspondence chart of the brand in order to choose the right garment size. Beware, this correspondence table varies from brand to brand. So, depending on the brand you choose, you may not buy the same size as in another brand.
Depending on the brand, upper body (jersey, undershirt, jacket, etc.) and lower body (shorts) apparel comes in sizes ranging from XXS to XXXL to fit the widest range of people. With some brands, clothing will only be available in S to XL. Choose the brand where the sizes fit you best so that you have perfectly fitting clothes. If you are hesitating between two sizes or if you find yourself at the limit between two sizes, we advise you to choose the size above.
Another parameter that can influence the size of clothes is the gender of it: man or woman. Indeed, since the morphology of men and women are different, the cuts of clothing are not similar.
If we take into account the measurement of hip circumference, here is what each size corresponds to (size to be checked according to clothing brands of course):
- Size XS corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 86 to 90 centimeters;
- The size S corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 90 to 94 centimeters;
- The size M corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 94 to 98 centimeters;
- The size L corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 98 to 104 centimeters;
- The size XL corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 104 to 108 centimeters;
- The size XXL corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 108 to 112 centimeters;
- The size XXXL corresponds approximately to a hip circumference of 112 to 116 centimeters.
To choose a garment perfectly suited to your size, and knowing that no two people have the same morphology, in addition to the waist size, do not forget to match this measurement with your hip size also to choose the right size of shorts or with the chest size for upper body clothing.
Now that you're able to measure your waist size, how about finding out how to measure your head size? How to measure your chest size? And how to find out your hand size for gloves?
