Sometimes flashy gear makes you feel faster. Sure, your more practical self might say to stick with basic black or white. But let’s face it, at some point we all throw practicality out the window and satisfy our need for that extra special, double-take inducing kit. For us here at AG, Betty Designs had that exact effect.

When we first discovered Betty Designs we knew we had to experience the pink Betty kit. The super bright colors and eye-catching graphics were unlike anything we’d ever seen before. And after sporting this kit on a few weekend rides, we think Betty Designs has nailed it with amazingly comfortable and functional gear paired with unique designs (the company’s signature logo features butterflies and skulls—how sweet is that?!) that will turn more than just a few heads. While Betty Designs is well known for its women specific gear (we only tested the women’s kit here), it does also offer an equally awesome men’s line of triathlon and cycling clothing as well.

Launched in the fall of 2010 by Kristin Mayer, Betty Designs offers sports and swimwear pieces with bold designs for the endurance athlete. A mom, athlete, and freelance graphic designer, Kristin created Betty Designs with the goal of bringing something different to women’s triathlon and cycling clothing. And after one glance at Kristin’s killer gear we’re sure you’ll agree that she’s accomplished just that.

According to Kristin during a recent interview with Slowtwitch, she found traditional tri suits and tri shorts to be anything but feminine. The cuts on these pieces of clothing were made with men in mind, so they certainly weren’t flattering on the female frame. What’s more, most clothing only came in solid colors.

Obviously Betty Designs’ line will not leave you wanting for color! We loved how Betty Designs combined aggressive but feminine touches throughout the entire kit. Our female editor was happy to report receiving a few compliments and second glances out on the road while testing the pink Betty kit. Kristin’s personal business card (enclosed in our shipment of Betty gear) was emblazoned with the phrase “kick butt,” and that’s exactly how we felt wearing this kit. It will easily provide that extra confidence boost on race day or during a grueling training ride.

Looks aside, this kit was unbelievably comfortable. Also, this was actually our female editor’s first set of bibs, and after falling in love with Betty Designs’ bib shorts she may never go back! We found the fit to be absolutely perfect. Both the jersey and bibs stay put. There was never a time where we felt the need to readjust or pull and tug to get a piece of clothing back into place.

Betty Designs uses ExoComp compression fabric throughout their bibs. We found the fabric to be very breathable and never felt as though we were overheating due to the material—even during a few rides in 80-degree heat. The bibs also feature Powerband leg closures, which were especially nice (no silicone sticking to skin). The only downside to this material was the fact that it seemed to pull easily. In fact, the bibs’ care tag advises you to avoid washing them with other garments that include Velcro. We’d recommend that you definitely take their advice. Unfortunately our RoadIDs use Velcro closures, so we did manage to get a small pull in one of the leg closures. However, we feel like this is a small price to pay for the superior comfort and functionality of the Powerband leg closures. To further prevent chafing, Betty Designs uses a process called “flat lock” stitching. So far we have yet to experience any chafing or discomfort in our bibs. And of course the bibs also feature a women’s specific chamois.

The jersey fit/cut was perfectly snug and features a full zipper. We never felt like it was flapping in the wind or restricting movement on the bike. Betty Designs uses a technical fabric called Ti-Ex for their jerseys, which seemed to breathe and wick away moisture exceptionally well. The Raglan sleeve cut was excellent—not too snug and not too loose. The three rear pockets were a good size allowing us to stow our nutrition, a phone, sunglasses…just about anything we needed to take along the ride. We also loved how Betty Designs took the time to add extra flair by adding a special detail to the zipper pull.

Overall we’d give the Betty Designs kit two thumbs up for the pure perfection of the fit as well as the fun we had just from wearing it. We think the pink Betty kit will not only improve the comfort of your ride but will also give your attitude a boost as well.