Troy Lee Designs released their new women’s lineup for 2020 with three new collections, and I got to check out pieces from all of them. Each item is designed for trail riding, so I took the Lilium Top, Luxe Shorts, and Gambit Gloves to my local trails to give them a try.
Luxe Shorts
The Luxe Shorts appear to be modeled after women’s yoga-pants. A stretchy waistband and adjustable drawstring seem all too familiar, but once you get a closer look, you can see that these were made to withstand an all day shred on the trails. These shorts offer flexibility with superior comfort, and even work well off the saddle.
Don’t let the comfortability fool you, these shorts seem meant to last, and should provide good protection in the event of a nasty spill. The fitted design ensures they don’t get snagged on the saddle when moving around on the bike, and the ventilation holes on the inner thighs kept me cool throughout an 8-mile ride in 90-degree weather.
The fit is true to size, comfortably hugging the body at the waist and hips and opening up right above the knee. There’s also plenty of room for wearing knee pads (G-Form Pro pictured). At 5’7” and 155 lbs, a size Medium fit me nicely.
It’s great to have two zippered pockets, one in the back and one on the side. There’s a small zippered pocket in the back of the waistband just big enough to fit a Clif Bar. But the more useful pocket is located on the back of the right leg. This zippered pocket can fit a large screen smartphone (iPhone XR pictured) and the position behind your leg helps keep the object(s) out of your way while pedaling. Stash your ID, cards, cash or some snacks. (Tip: always store sharp objects in a backpack or hip bag to avoid injury!)
Luxe Shorts pros and cons
Pros: Comfort, design, durableness. The yoga pants style never pinches, rolls, or squeezes in the wrong place, making these perfect for all day wear.
Cons: Cost. The $129 MSRP price may be steep for some, especially as these shorts don’t come with a chamois liner.
These shorts paired well with the Lilium shirt, described below, and my black, purple, and teal Santa Cruz 5010.
There are three colors available for these shorts: Floral Black, Fig and Solid Black.
Details from the Troy Lee website:
- 4-way Stretch Woven body
- 4-Way Stretch Knit waist and side panels
- Upf 50+
- Comfort easy on wear system
- Strategic laser perforated zones
- Stretch drawstring waist adjust system
- Hold snug phone specific pocket
- Silicone print on inside waistband
- Reflective heat transfers
- Fabric is certified Bluesign® approved
- $129 MSRP
- Colors: Floral Black, Fig and Solid Black
⭐️ Find the Troy Lee Luxe Shorts at Troy Lee Designs, REI, and other online retailers.
Check out our mountain bike shorts buyers guide and our picks for the best mountain bike shorts.
Lilium Top
The Lilium Top jersey features a floral, stretchy, well ventilated, and quick-drying (cotton blend) fabric. The subtle floral patterns are made of mesh that add stylish ventilation. From far away, you can’t really see the floral designs; it is only when you’re up close and personal that you can admire the details.
The top is slim-fitting but not skin-tight. The stretchiness in the underarms area was great, and given the good cut and fit, it did not restrict movement during my ride. The top doesn’t ride up while wearing a hydration backpack, but it would be nice to have a longer fit to cover my back just in case. The round neckline was a little tighter than I’m used to but sits nicely snug for a fitted look, and helps protect your chest from the sun with a 20 UPF in the solid areas.
Overall it’s versatile, can be mixed and matched with other pieces, and is a good summer top.
At $75, this is somewhat expensive for a short sleeve jersey, but the subtle details in the style make it a good buy.
There are two floral colors: Floral Black and Floral Charcoal. They also have two solid colors: Solid Black and Solid Deep Fig.
Lilim Top details from Troy Lee’s website:
- 4-way Stretch Knit
- Upf 20+ (solid areas)
- Wicking and quick dry finishes
- Drop tail hem
- Flatlocked comfort seams
- Jacquard styles- added ventilation due to engineered mesh
- Fabric is certified Bluesign® approved
- $60-75 MSRP
- 2 floral colors: Floral Black and Floral Charcoal
- 2 solid colors: Solid Black and Solid Deep Fig
⭐️ Find the Lilium Top at Troy Lee Designs, Competitive Cyclist, REI, and other online retailers.
Gambit Gloves
The Gambit Floral gloves are the perfect match with the Luxe Shorts. The knuckle protection is well-integrated and feels durable enough to protect from any scrapes against trees. The ventilation holes keep your hands cool during your ride. The gloves are true to size and a medium size fits me well. For reference, my hand is about 7-inches long (from the tip of my middle finger to my wrist), and about 3 inches wide (side to side).
A great bonus is the touch screen compatible pointer finger and thumb. I can quickly use my phone without having to take off my gloves to snap a photo or two on the trails!
⭐️ Find the Gambit Gloves at Troy Lee Designs, Backcountry, and other online retailers.
Thanks to Troy Lee Designs for providing this gear for testing.
The Feel Good, Ride Good series is an effort to help women find mountain bike gear and clothing that just feels right. We recognize women have different body shapes, styles, and needs so we hope to help them discover women’s products that fit those unique requirements so we can just focus on the ride. While we are all different, we all want gear that fits, that works, and matches the energy and personality we bring to the bike. We’ll be back on #FeelGoodFriday with more women’s MTB products.
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