Southern California - Had to learn the hard way...

Got a bike jersey on line and it was supposed to be an xxl as im a big guy......it said xxl and when i put it on it would not have fit Billy Barty......never gonna do that again......that's what i get for being cheap...Also ,i just hate the elastic at the bottom...Next time i wont be cheap and go to my lbs and try a few on...My dad was right,cheapness is a disease.

I've found that, unless you know the size you need for a particular manufacturer, you're rolling the dice. Castelli is notoriously inconsistent. Pearl Izumis not so much. Paying the return postage eats into the supposed savings.

Yet...the on-line prices are hard to resist sometimes.

yep ....live and learn

The European brands are at least 1 and sometimes 2 sizes smaller than U.S. equivalents. If you get a jersey that's a "club" or "recreational" fit it will be a little looser, kind of like a golf shirt.

You never need to pay full price for bike clothing. Armed with the right info you can find anything you need at a deep discount.

If possible, email them and ask for a pit to pit and top of collar to hem measurements.

I've found that, unless you know the size you need for a particular manufacturer, you're rolling the dice.

Agreed, find a brand that fits and then start ordering them online. The closeout rack of the bike shop is a good way to find brands that fit at a reasonable price. I can't bring myself to spend $80+ on a jersey. I actually don't like spending more than $40 if I can avoid it.

Some online vendors have good return policies. I just returned a jersey that was too loose to Nashbar and they include a pre-paid return label in all orders. They charge a flat $6.95 fee that gets deducted from your credit. That's very reasonable in my book and beats standing in line at the post office to ship something back.

You can also look for little clues like "race fit" "club fit" or "euro fit" because unless you're a beanpole, you want club fit.

You can return stuff to Amazon for free btw (maybe that's because I sprung for prime)

Pearl Izumi, Canari, Performance, and whatever the REI house brand is definitely are on the larger side.

I ordered 3 jerseys from the TOC website(Small race fit) and all of them were wayyyy too big. Ended up costing me $15 for return shipping.

When it comes to fitness clothing, I shop on the cheap because I don't need anymore than I already have as it more of a want. I have paid no more than $12 for a jersey by Canari that is a tad bit too big for me. If one doesn't care about design, it is always best to purchase from store that either have free shipping/returns or from a store that allows in-store returns like REI.

People talking about jerseys that are too big or too loose sounds like science fiction.

People talking about jerseys that are too big or too loose sounds like science fiction.

Not when your chest is only 28 inches......The only jersey that realy fits me is a BMC jersey I got from a local store: XS Race Fit.

If you have a gut (like me) there's a fine line between something that is loose enough that you don't look like you're wearing a sausage casing off the bike, but not so loose that it flaps around like a t-shirt on the bike. A specialized jersey I recently bought after trying on in the store seemed to shrink after I washed it which is another variable.

Try on different brands and stick to that brand. For a long time I wore Castelli cause it it fit like a glove. Now my shape is more of a boxing glove so I just wear the Performance brand, cheap and durable.

I try to find a sizing chart on the product page. They are not 100% accurate, but better than nothing. I just returned a Canari P2 Jersey to Nashbar. Sizing chart suggested I needed a 2x, though I am wearing a 1X these days. I went with that, knowing cycling clothes tend to be sized small. It was indeed a 2X and too big for me.

Yes, it's a crapshoot when mail ordering.

If you have a gut (like me) there's a fine line between something that is loose enough that you don't look like you're wearing a sausage casing off the bike, but not so loose that it flaps around like a t-shirt on the bike. A specialized jersey I recently bought after trying on in the store seemed to shrink after I washed it which is another variable.

I have the same exact issue (though I'm working on losing the gut, it's still here for the time being). I've found Hincapie jerseys (XL for me, I'm 6'2", 210#) toe that fine line nicely. The Tour of California sometimes has sales on prior year merchandise where you can get them at a great discount.

Also have to consider the gut, some people has a bigger stomach than their chest and with jerseys having the V shape this can be a problem!

If you are an "american" xxl, you might want to skip a road jersey and go with a mountain bike jersey instead. looser fitting(aerodynamics isn't a big issue I'd assume) and you still get to have the pockets in the back.

+1 on Hincapie (though I do a XXL usually), they seem to fit well for a 6'2" 230 frame. PI is similar in that they run true to size or even slightly larger than most. PI has an "outlet" shop down in San Diego area with a ton of jerseys and bibs you can try on. I bought a few there and when I got home I ended up wanting something different and they shipped out the replacement free of charge.

I'm 6'1" ~158lbs, and I've tried tons of jerseys on. Of the ones I bought, I've ended up with 3 sizes:

I wear a SMALL hincapie 'club fit', and it's a little loose.
I wear a MEDIUM hincapie 'race fit' and it's a little loose (wrinkly). MEDIUM PI 'elite', altho I can fit in a small PI pro as well if it weren't for being about 2" too short.
I wear a LARGE castelli 'aero race' fit, and it's just a little wrinkly. Could probably fit in a medium for a time trial.

Point is, if you care about how they fit you either gotta stick with a brand and certain 'fit' within their line, or you have to try before you buy.

I "learned the hard way" with the ATOC jerseys that were on sale last year. Medium club cuts might as well be the jersey equivalent of MC Hammer pants on me.

Who's Billy Barty?

They charge a flat $6.95 fee that gets deducted from your credit. That's very reasonable in my book and beats standing in line at the post office to ship something back.
I have USPS & UPS accounts online, so I can do my own shipping labels, then just drop them in the outbox at work. Saved me about $1.50 sending a jersey back to Nashbar the other day, so was able to do a 1 for 1 exchange without them needing to charge me again. For larger or heavier items the $6.95 might be a good deal.

Who's Billy Barty?

You're from Los Angeles and don't know who Billy Barty is or was? Back in the 60's he had a T.V. kid show. A dwarf or commonly referred to as midget.

You're from Los Angeles and don't know who Billy Barty is or was? Back in the 60's he had a T.V. kid show. A dwarf or commonly referred to as midget.
Uhmmm... I don't think I was born back in 60s...

Uhmmm... I don't think I was born back in 60s...

Best decade, especially the music!! Check out the history books ...;)

Who's Billy Barty?
252351
I dont think a race cut jersey would have fit him.

Being cheap in this economy is smart. You just have to be carefull.

You're from Los Angeles and don't know who Billy Barty is or was? Back in the 60's he had a T.V. kid show. A dwarf or commonly referred to as midget.

Thank you for making me feel young.