Editors Note: Upon receiving the Spidi Lady Lizard suit, Diane discovered it did not fit her. She was given the largest size. Because there are so few one-piece off-the-rack tracksuits available for women, we still wanted to bring you a review of this suit, so Diane brought the suit with her to a track day and asked a couple of women to try it on, ride it around the track and give her their feedback. Here is the review.
I usually wear a size 48 tracksuit, but in the Spidi Lady Lizard model a size 48 didnt provide enough material to cover my plus-size body. The suit was just too small for me. The legs and arms fit, but there was a gap of six to eight inches down the full-length zipper that not even laying down and holding my breath could resolve. Luckily, I found two smaller-size women who agreed to try it out at the BeaveRun track in Pennsylvania.
The Lady Lizard one-piece tracksuit stands out with bold black graphics on white leather, including a spidery lizard on the rear aerodynamic hump. According to the Spidi Web site, the suit was developed by women riders like Katja Poengsen, a professional roadracer who competes in the European road racing series, after years of researching “lady morphology.” The cut and design were made to flatter a womans figure not take away from it.
Sherri Morgan of Warrenton, Virginia was the first to try the suit. “It shows my curves and feels light and comfortable,” Sherri commented as she zipped up. Sherri has been riding motorcycles for four years spending most of it on the track. “I started racing bikes about six months after I passed my MSF Basic Rider course,” she told me, adding “Ive been looking for something like this!”
Another rider, Maria Stephansen of Danbury, Connecticut echoed her comments. Maria was licensed a few months ago, and this was her first time in a tracksuit. “It fits like a glove,” she commented and posed for a few photos under the admiring glances of her husband, Mike. “I don’t feel restricted and can move around easily,” she added.
On the track, protection is very important and the 1.2m leather is abrasion resistant. CE-approved armor covers the back, legs and hip area and knee sliders are included. Keprotech elastic zones on the inner elbow, back of the knee and crotch areas help the suit go on smoothly and allow air to flow through. The leather on the inside leg is perforated for additional ventilation and the zipper on the back of the leg is easy to close. Both women found that there was some extra material in the lower leg area that had to be folded into their track boots. The fit of this particular size suit would be better for someone taller than Maria, who is 5 feet 3 inches. The lining is perforated nylon throughout with easy access to adjust and/or remove the CE certified armor. Neither of the women complained about being too warm on or off the track even with temps hitting 90 degrees in the sun.
There are two roomy inside pockets that Velcro partially closed. An additional back pocket is made to hold a Spidi back protector called the Back Warrior. The leather cleans easily with a soft sponge or cloth and the bindings around the neck, arms and ankles are smooth to the touch. The seams are double-stitched and reinforced in the right places and a tab keeps the zipper pull from snapping up at you.
Spidi has been involved in the manufacture of motorcycle racing products in the European market for 25 years. The Lady Lizard Tracksuit has many design features that benefit from that experience. It is a top-quality product that has the protection you need, a women-specific fit and looks distinctive both on and off the track. As Sherris seven-year-old daughter said when she saw her in the Spidi Lady Lizard, “That’s awesome Mom!”
MSRP: $1,099.99. Available in white only, sizes 42-48. For more information, visit spidiusa.com.