‘I get so many messages from women saying thank you for thinking of us’: Building a cycling clothing brand for sizes 6 to 20

Our bodies change over our lifetime - whether we consider ourselves to be cyclists, or not. Women’s bodies especially.

Age, pregnancy, the menopause, and stress can all play a part in the transformation of our body over time. Except, while our bodies fluctuate, you could argue that cycling clothes do not - and have not. Even in a saturated market, it often remains the same strict uniform, with little leeway on sizing, comfort, and accessibility.

Claire Goodman noticed this first-hand, and set out to change the narrative by setting up Petrichor Projects - a size-inclusive, technical, female-first cycling clothing brand.

“I got to the point where I got so fed up with the myth that was perpetuated that, to be a cyclist, you had to look a certain way,” Goodman told me, explaining that she didn’t have an average start into the world of cycling.

An ex-boyfriend introduced her to cycling by cobbling together a mountain bike for her from parts in the backroom of the bike shop where he worked. She fell in love with the freedom and exhilaration that cycling offered. “You’re totally free and can forget about everything,” Goodman described. “I never regret a bike ride, and you come back feeling refreshed and invigorated.”

While Goodman was always sporty, she also had a passion for fashion, which she pursued at university. During the week, she was immersed in the world of beautiful tailoring, while her weekends were spent mountain biking. This unique blend of interests laid the groundwork for her future endeavours.

After graduating, Goodman’s first job was with a mountain bike clothing brand, where she discovered her desire to ride her bike and make cool clothes to match. This path led her to London in 2009, where she joined renowned cycling brand, Rapha - but at a time when it was still very much a start-up.

Throughout her career, Goodman has worked with leading sportswear brands such as dhb, Soar Running, Albion, Innov8, and Madison. But despite her success, she remained focused on her ultimate goal: creating a cycling brand that catered to women of all shapes and sizes. Women like her.

It was her time at Rapha that saw her delve into racing, where she discovered that the emphasis on having the right look and equipment was prevalent. Goodman often found herself at crit races with her second-hand Cannondale, surrounded by riders with far more expensive bikes and coordinated kits. It was then that she realised the disparity in the cycling world.

“Cycling was about money and having the right look, and I thought it was a shame,” Goodman said. “Everyone has got such a different approach to cycling and it means different things to everybody. My second-hand Cannondale has brought me so much joy - you don’t have to have a £5k carbon bike to ride a bike.”

The idea for Petrichor Projects began to take shape in 2019 as Goodman noticed changes in her own body. ‘“I noticed that, as I got older, my boobs, upper arms and hips were getting bigger,” she told me. “Cycling clothing that once fitted and worked for me, suddenly wasn't comfortable any more. Bib straps that were once comfortable, were now restrictive and uncomfortable - and the sleeves on cycling jerseys were too tight.” She shared that she found it increasingly difficult to find cycling clothing that fit well, and made her feel good.

By then, Goodman had gone through various stages within cycling: from training extensively for races, to exploring off-road and gravel bike racing. But still, she felt disconnected from the mainstream cycling culture that demanded a certain look.

“I wanted to create the ultimate pair of bib shorts that were size-inclusive and could be used however you wanted to ride,” Goodman explained. She aimed to design bib shorts that were flattering, comfortable, and practical - with features like a high SPF rating (you still need to wear suncream, though!), easy-access pockets, and a special loop design that facilitated bathroom breaks. “I wanted to create this amazing bib to live in all year round. I needed to pull all of these strands together as no one else was doing it,” she said.

Three years in the making, she sampled as many dress sizes as possible, ensuring the shorts were tested on real women’s bodies to achieve the perfect fit.

The result was a pair of bib shorts that Goodman was confident ticked all the boxes: sourced from sustainable, recycled materials, with non-restrictive straps, reflective elements for visibility, and a raw cut hem that provided a flattering fit. As a woman, you can tell it’s made for women, by a woman - its little details don’t go amiss. “I wanted them to look flattering but not short and girly,” Goodman added. “Even the seam placement going from the waist to the hip has been designed for a woman’s body. If they went straight down, it wouldn't look right and I wanted to make it look more flattering for a woman's shape.”

For example, women's body shapes can be different variations of ‘curvy’, so Goodman's intention was to design with a woman’s body shape in mind. “I wanted to include seam lines that would flatter and work with a woman's shape, rather than a straight vertical seam line, that would fight against curves,” she revealed.

Currently, the shorts go up to an XXXL, a UK size 20, but Goodman recognises the need to cater for all body types, of all sizes. “Everybody can get on a bike and that person is a cyclist,” she told me. “I wanted a wide range of sizes and wanted to make it work for as many different body sizes as possible. This is what I can offer at this time and I hope it enables as many people as possible” - adding that she hopes to cater for more bodies as her project grows.

And since its launch, petrichor projects has made a significant impact. The brand’s first product, the women’s bib short, launched in May 2023 and received rave reviews. “The reaction has been amazing,” Goodman said. “I get so many nice messages from women saying thank you for thinking of us. That was my intention.”

Running Petrichor Projects as a sole founder, Goodman does everything in the business, but also leans on great freelancers and friends when needed. “Running a business is hard, and being on your own is harder,” Goodman admitted. “There’s been no challenges with the product, but generally you have to just keep showing up. I feel like it’s an uphill battle some days, but then I get messages saying thank you, thank you, thank you, and that’s what I’m here for.”

Goodman’s dedication to creating products that fill gaps in the market is unwavering. She emphasises that petrichor projects will not be a brand that churns out products for the sake of it. “There will be no ‘matching whatevers!’ I want to make products for where the gaps are and will launch things when they’re right and when they’re perfect,” she said.

While slow, Cycling Weekly has seen that the industry has started to shift away from the narrow image of a cyclist that was prevalent a decade ago, and Goodman is excited to be part of this change. “It’s a real mess and I get frustrated because you see brands that have tall sizing but a really narrow size range with the perception that it’s a stretchy fabric to fit larger bodies - but it doesn’t always work like that,” Goodman said.

“Right now we’re having great conversations, and I’m really glad that we’re moving away from that specific image of a cyclist we had years ago,’ she added. ‘There’s still quite a way to go, but it’s heading in the right direction.”

While she may not see herself as a figurehead, Petrichor Projects has continued to grow and receive accolades. But still, Goodman’s mission remains clear: to create a welcoming, inclusive space for all women in cycling, proving that it’s for everyone - regardless of size, shape, or the cost of their bike.