Buying Cycling Clothes as a Gift: How to Get the Size Right
You cannot get a cycling jersey or bib size right without the rider's chest, waist and hip measurements, checked against our size chart. Ask them, or ask a partner who can measure them. Our jerseys have a club fit cut and run small, so size up if between sizes. No measurements? Give socks, a cap or a gift card.
In short
- A jersey or bib size needs the rider's own chest, waist and hip measurements, checked against our size chart.
- Ask them, plan a fitting, or ask a partner or close friend who can measure them.
- Our jerseys have a club fit cut and run small, so size up if between sizes.
- No measurements? Our socks and caps are one size, and a gift card lets the rider choose.
Can you guess a cycling jersey size for a gift?
No. This is the point we repeat to every gift buyer. Our size chart works from body measurements: the chest, the waist (or the stomach, if it is bigger) and the hips, taken on the person with a soft tape. Without those numbers, any size you choose is a guess.
The usual shortcuts do not work either. Our size chart page says it plainly: sports apparel usually fits smaller than regular clothing, so someone who wears a medium T-shirt can easily need a large cycling jersey. A size label from another brand tells you little, because sizes differ from one brand to the next. Measuring one of their jerseys on a table does not help, because the chart describes the rider, not a piece of clothing.
So you have two good options. Get their measurements, or pick a gift where the size question goes away (socks, caps and gift cards, further down).
How do you get a cyclist's measurements for a gift?
There is no trick that replaces a tape measure, but getting the numbers is easier than it sounds:
- Plan a "surprise" fitting. Tell them a cycling gift is on its way and you need three numbers, then hand them a soft tape. The size is no longer a secret, but the design still is.
- Ask the person who knows. A partner, a parent or a close riding friend may already know their chest and waist, or can take the measurements for you.
- Look for numbers they have already given someone. A tailor's fitting for a suit or a wedding outfit records chest, waist and hips, and so do made-to-measure shirt orders where they typed in their own measurements.
If none of these work, do not buy a jersey or bibs on a hunch. A cap, a pair of socks or a gift card makes a better present than a jersey in the wrong size.
How do you match their measurements to our size chart?
Open our size chart and pick the chart for the garment you are buying: men's or women's, short sleeve or long sleeve. Find the size whose chest range covers their chest measurement. The chart page adds one more rule: if the rider's stomach is larger than their chest, go by the stomach. For bib shorts, the waist and hip measurements matter most.
Whoever takes the measurements, the method is simple. Wrap a soft tape around the fullest part of the chest, under the arms. Then go around the natural waist, or around the stomach if it is bigger. Last, measure around the widest part of the hips. The tape should sit snug and level, without squeezing. On the back view, D is the back length, measured from the base of the collar down to the hem. It shows how far the jersey reaches down the back, and you do not need it to pick a size, because the chart works from the chest, waist and hips.
Our guide to how a cycling jersey should fit shows what a good fit looks like on the bike, so you know what to look for when they try the gift on. For women's kit, read our guide to women's cycling jersey and bib fit first, because each cut has its own chart.
Should you size up or down for a cycling jersey gift?
Up, when their measurements fall between two sizes. Our jerseys have a club fit cut and run small, and our chart page says that when you are in between sizes it is usually best to choose the larger of the two. A jersey that is a little roomy still gets worn. One that will not zip over the stomach goes back in the box.
Bib shorts are harder. They depend on waist, hips and torso length, and the fit is personal enough that most riders want to choose their own. Unless you have their waist and hip measurements, give the jersey and let them pick the bibs later with a gift card.
Every jersey we sell is made to order and available in sizes XXS-7XL on most designs, so there is room on the chart for nearly everyone. Our long sleeve jerseys, such as the Men's Ugly Christmas Sweater Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey and the Women's Ugly Christmas Sweater Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey, use the same long sleeve charts as the rest of the range.
What can you give if you cannot get their measurements?
Something that does not depend on chest or waist size. A cycling cap is the easiest win: our Unisex Ride Forever Infinity Quick Dry Cycling Cap is listed as adult, one size fits most, and our cycling caps collection has plenty more designs (check the size line on each page). It fits under a helmet and makes a good stocking stuffer.
Socks need only one quick check. Every pair in our cycling socks collection, including the Unisex Six Stripe Mid Length Cycling Socks, comes in one unisex size for feet 8.9 to 10.6 in long, which the product pages put at about US men's 4 to 9 and women's 6 to 10.5. A glance at their shoe size is enough.
For everything else there is the OCG Gift Card. It goes out by email, comes in values from $50 to $200 and never expires, so the rider picks the design and orders the size their own measurements point to. My guess is that most cyclists would rather choose their own bibs anyway.
Gifts that are easy to size
Unisex Ride Forever Infinity Quick Dry Cycling Cap
$28.99$32.99
Unisex Six Stripe Mid Length Cycling Socks
$16.99$21.99
Unisex Polka Dot Mid Length Cycling Socks
$16.99$21.99
$50.00
For a full list of ideas by budget and rider, see our gift guide for cyclists or browse the Gifts for Cyclists collection.
What happens if the gift does not fit?
Non-customized items come with 60-day store-credit returns. The window starts on the day of delivery, and the item has to come back unworn with the tags still attached, so ask them to try it on soon. We do not do direct exchanges: the store credit covers 100% of the item price (shipping is not included) and they place a new order in the right size.
If the item was marked as a gift when you bought it and shipped straight to the rider, the gift credit goes to them, not to you. Our returns policy has the details.
| Situation | Can it be returned for a different size? |
|---|---|
| Standard jersey, cap or socks, unworn, tags on, within 60 days of delivery | Yes, for 100% store credit on the item price |
| Marked as a gift and shipped to the rider | Yes, the gift credit goes to the rider |
| Customized order (any change made through the customization options, or a custom design) | No, customized orders are final |
| Gift card | Nothing to return, the rider chooses the size |
The customized row is the one to remember. Customization options are tempting for a gift, but a customized order cannot come back for a size change, so only order one when you have the rider's measurements. Without them, give a gift card and let the rider order the custom piece in their own size.
When should you order cycling clothes for Christmas?
Early. Everything we sell is made to order and then shipped, and December is the busiest month of the year for every postal network. Our Christmas delivery post says to order by December 6 to receive your gear in time for Christmas. Orders placed after that are still made and shipped as quickly as possible, but there is no promise they arrive before the holiday, and there is no express option to switch to.
Ordering in November also leaves time to sort out a size that does not work. If the fit is off, the store credit is there before the holidays rather than after. A shared order can also clear free shipping on orders over $125, so a jersey with a cap and socks for the same rider is worth putting in one cart.
Missed the date? The gift card arrives by email, so it works right up to Christmas morning.
Frequently asked questions
What size cycling jersey should I buy for my husband or boyfriend?
The size his own measurements point to. Get his chest and stomach measurements (ask him, or ask someone who can measure him), then match them to the men's chart on our size chart page. Our jerseys run small, so choose the larger size if he is in between.
Can I pick a cycling jersey size without their measurements?
Not reliably. Our size chart lists body measurements, so without the rider's chest, waist and hips you are guessing. If you cannot get them, give socks, a one-size cap or an OCG Gift Card.
Is a cycling jersey size the same as a T-shirt size?
No. Sports apparel usually fits smaller than regular clothing, so the T-shirt size is only a rough hint. Go by their chest, waist and hip measurements on our size chart.
Can I return a cycling jersey that was a gift?
Yes, if it is a non-customized item, unworn with tags on and within 60 days of delivery. The return is for 100% store credit on the item price. If the order was marked as a gift and shipped to the rider, the gift credit goes to them.
Can I order a customized jersey as a gift?
You can, but customized orders are final, so only do it when you have the rider's measurements. Otherwise, give a gift card and let the rider order it.
What is the safest cycling gift if I do not know their size?
A gift card, a one-size cycling cap or a pair of our one-size cycling socks. None of them needs chest or waist measurements.
Sources
- Online Cycling Gear sizing charts
- Online Cycling Gear returns policy
- Online Cycling Gear, Christmas Delivery: Order by December 6
- Online Cycling Gear, OCG Gift Cards
- Online Cycling Gear, Unisex Six Stripe Mid Length Cycling Socks
- Online Cycling Gear, Unisex Ride Forever Infinity Quick Dry Cycling Cap
