From Concept to Saddle: The Evolution of the Perfect Cycling Shorts for Women

At No Gods No Masters, designing cycling apparel isn’t just a job – it’s our passion. With women's cycling shorts – our hero product here at NGNM – we’re constantly evolving. From the first sketches to hours of real-world testing, we’re committed to making sure the final version isn't only something that works, but it's the best cycling bib shorts for women. And right now, we think we’re onto something really special for women’s cycling shorts.

The first sample will never be right.
No design is perfect the first time around. We can admit that. It's all about refining and tweaking with cycling shorts, as with any product in our collection. Milly, our founder and designer, is the perfect size small, so she starts her designs based on her own fit. From there, we scale up and down, fine-tuning proportions to ensure every size achieves the same balance of comfort and performance. After the initial sample, we dive straight into testing – first on Milly, then on our most trusted (and hardest-to-please) riders who provide critical feedback on what works and what doesn’t.

The evolution of our bib straps
One element that’s been through constant refinement is the design of the bib straps. Here, it’s all about getting the balance of elasticity just right in both the mesh and the piping while keeping the straps as lightweight, breathable, and stable as possible. You need a secure fit that anchors the chamois perfectly in place without pulling on the shoulders. This balance is an essential, but often invisible, detail that can make a huge difference on longer rides. For those who’ve been wearing No Gods No Masters since the beginning – you’ll agree that we’re onto something good.

Dialing in the Perfect Leg Length
We’ve always been big fans of longer-legged bib shorts, and in 2018, we were the first brand to introduce them to the market for women. Since then, we’ve listened to your feedback and refined the lengths to ensure a better fit for real-world proportions. Now, you can choose between our longer and shorter options!

The NGNM nature break solution
Perhaps one of our biggest breakthroughs was the cross-over design for the QuickStop Bib Shorts - the pull-down function of our shorts, which makes nature breaks quicker and easier than ever. How so? Because you don’t have to remove your jersey or jacket, you can simply pull down your shorts. What might seem like a small design feature at the rear of the shorts was, in fact, a real challenge to perfect. After extensive testing with women of all shapes, we’ve refined a design that not only allows for effortless removal but also snaps back into shape once you’re back on the bike, again. It’s a small yet crucial detail that ensures durability and longevity, ride after ride, season after season.

XS to XXXL: Because every-body deserves the perfect fit
Creating the best pair of cycling shorts is an ongoing process—but for us, it’s also about ensuring that every woman, no matter her size, gets the same high-performance fit. As a small independent brand, offering XXS to XXXL takes extra effort, from fine-tuning proportions to testing across different body types. And while we might be close, we’re still not settling. 
Just wait until you see what’s launching this summer 2025!