Cycle Clothing whats cool or not

gareth2134

I have seen many cyclist on the road with all the gear matching clothing to the bikes etc all colour coordinated and personally I think it looks pretty cool as usually I just wear black lycra shorts and a basic cycling top, blue, yellow, red doesn't matter but I also have A TREK 4.9 2010 colours white and red so I now want to get something with mostly red or mostly white and I like the team radioshack colours of red and carbon.

Is it considered uncool to go out cycling wearing tour teams kits like radioshack or astana etc etc or do ppl prefer that.

Also whats a good site to get these off because I keep finding sites in china and they are offering $54 for shorts and jersey but I have a feeling its either a con or just bad material I want my shorts to have good padding etc.

Thanks

macondo01

How about this http://www.cyclingtops.com/?p=124

macondo01

Or http://www.prendas.co.uk/

BBH

Think its up to you what you wear. IMO, if it looks good wear it!
Personally I probably wouldnt go out in the full team kit (either bibs or shirt)

Sites for kit - check out the usual suspects e.g. Evans (I think they have radioshack bibs reduced at the moment), wiggle etc.. You may also want to look at http://www.probikekit.com/index.php

Hope its useful!

gareth2134

BBH wrote:

Think its up to you what you wear. IMO, if it looks good wear it!
Personally I probably wouldnt go out in the full team kit (either bibs or shirt)

Sites for kit - check out the usual suspects e.g. Evans (I think they have radioshack bibs reduced at the moment), wiggle etc.. You may also want to look at http://www.probikekit.com/index.php

Hope its useful!

No I understand what you mean I never used to be to fussed about it but I think it looks pretty cool and would wear it but at the same time I don't want to be out on the road and hear a cycle group calling me lance as the drive past I think I would just drive into on coming traffice ha. It would be better if i could find un named clothing but wuth similar colours but you only ever seem to find boring colours. Must be my lack of shopping skills ha thanks.

sheffsimon

Personally prefer plain colours, certainly black shorts, and usually a black top.

Lusso offer decent quality, good prices and British made.

Astana kit seems to attract more vitriol than most.....cant think why

Percy Vera

Personally I look cool whatever I wear, or so I'm told.

I like plain stuff.
Didn't someone say on here recently that they bought some Lusso gear because it was advertised as British but when they got it the label said Made in Taiwan or somewhere?

macondo01

PX have a half price sale at the moment e.g.

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CLNOLSJ/nonnas-long-sleeve-jersey

BBH

No Its not your shopping skills!!
I know exactly what you mean with the 'lance' comment. I think wearing either a top or bibs is fine and am quite tempted by the radioshack bibs myself

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rad ... r-ec022925

If you were out in full pro kit (i.e. shorts and shirt) and you cant ride like a pro then perhaps it lends itself to a bit of ribbing !! I did see a guy out on Mon with a cervelo top on which looked remarkably good!

cougie

Wear whatever you want to and sod everyone else. I'll happily wear team kit, and also happily wear club kit, and kit with no names on. The ebay kits are cheap but decent quality - I doubt they'll last as long as my assos shorts, or even my DHBs but they are a fraction of the cost.

Monty Dog

As long as it matches and you don't look like someone who fell into the bargain bin at your LBS!

bobtbuilder

cougie wrote:

Wear whatever you want to and sod everyone else. I'll happily wear team kit, and also happily wear club kit, and kit with no names on. The ebay kits are cheap but decent quality - I doubt they'll last as long as my assos shorts, or even my DHBs but they are a fraction of the cost.

+1. It's your hobby, why worry what others think?

The China stuff is all nasty chepa "replicas" pronounced "fake".

Salsamander

I ride in a pair of endura shorts and an icebreaker t-shirt, it's perfect for me (and the icebreaker never smelling is perfect for the office)

Rouge Penguin

Bontrager have a good line in plain tops, arent too expensive and fit well.

I've got 1 team top and as i've got a thing about being seen, one tour leaders yellow jersey and few other bright tops. I dont care if bike snobs think average joe shouldnt wear the leaders top, i like it and it helps me stand out in the lanes.

Spatulala

Having started out with a set of cheapo Aldi specials, I recently upgraded with a new cycling jersey from Shutt VR. Stylish togs, highly recommended, nice people who will go out of their way to help. Just ordered a pair of their Pro Bibs ready for the Dragon Ride at the end of next week.

If you join their Clubroom you can get an extra 10% off their clearance lines if you're after a bargain. Pro bibs are currently 20% off with code bib20

greasedscotsman

A few years ago I saw people dressed in full team kit ride into the "VIP/rider" area at Paris Roubaix. You could tell they were not pros as they were far too chunky and their bikes didn't match their kit. Didn't seem to bother the Gendarmes...

The_Beast

I'm not the skinniest at 13st 10lb so when I went shopping yesterday found a mix and match of fits. I did buy a very nice 2010 Liquigas team jersey but these things aren't cheap!!.

I was in JJB Sports today for some UnderArmour lycras (long sleeve), decent price for a cool gear and hot gear alternate tops.

What I would recommend is a Nike Running Top, I think it would suit people who want a breathable material, very lightweight and quite a nice snug fit. If your a touch paranoid about wearing tight lycra or find some of the team shirts expensive, try JJB sports for this top that I'll link to, it cost me £21.99 and looks well smart. It has short zip and highish neck collar, just like a cycling top.

http://store.nike.com/index.jsp?country=GB&lang_locale=en_GB#l=shop,pdp,ctr-inline/cid-300/pid-293332

garrynolan

Also whats a good site to get these off because I keep finding sites in china and they are offering $54 for shorts and jersey but I have a feeling its either a con or just bad material I want my shorts to have good padding etc.


Hi, I bought stuff from www.lightinthebox.com (China/Hong Kong) and found it very good. Worth a look.

merlie

i take it baggies that I use for mtb'ing are a no no ?

The_Beast

merlie wrote:

i take it baggies that I use for mtb'ing are a no no ?

Wear what yout want I would say, I used to always ride in long canvas cargo shorts/chonglers but now I'm taking it a bit more seriously.

CarleyB

I wear my mountain bike baggy shorts. Won't catch me in lycra shorts lol

LittleB0b

Cool = co-ordinating with your bike or clashing in an good way

cool

cool


not cool - anything pastle

Pigeons in flight

Re team kit - I personally like retro. I find riding in current kit a bit sad.

Plain wins the day for me also. You'll read loads of posts on here about Assos, Rapha etc - I have 1 ss jersey from each brand and they look as good now as the day I bought them. They're a pleasure to wear and have lots of nice touches. But they cost a bloody bomb, so it's up to you. Commuting everyday, I wear my kit hard and have thrown away cheaper Endura, etc stuff that has literally come away at the seams. I think it's the old cliché - you get what you pay for.

rolf_f

Pigeons in flight wrote:

Commuting everyday, I wear my kit hard and have thrown away cheaper Endura, etc stuff that has literally come away at the seams. I think it's the old cliché - you get what you pay for.

The Aldi stuff I bought last Autumn is still fine after a hard winter - doesn't look like it is about to fall apart. The old cliche is wrong. After all, Armani suits are made in the same factories as Matalan ones. Much of what you get when you pay for it is often a logo.

Agreed re retro kit though. Some of the stuff from Prendas is nice. Also like ShuttVR which is very nice.

Bunneh

Get some clingfilm and wrap it all over your naked body. I find there's very little drag and the odd wobbling thing between your legs will only be a problem when the police catch you.

Tell ya, Karrimor gear from Sports Direct - it's good stuff.

Pigeons in flight

Last Autumn is not quite the timescale I was talking about Rolf - but over 3/4 years my Assos/Rapha jerseys are pretty much mint, my lesser priced stuff is a bit shabby to say the least. I would extend that experience to shorts - I recently chucked away a pair of Endura 3/4 bibs as the bib fell to bits. Don't get me wrong - I'm not being elitist. That is simply my experience. At the end of the day, buying more moderately priced kit still works out cheaper over the long run. E.g - dhb do excellent kit - you could buy 4 pairs of their shorts for the price of a pair of Assos. As a brand I find Rapha totally up its behind (not that I'm alone in that) with all their gentleman's caps and everything - but nice gear feels a damn sight better than cheap gear. So as far as I see it - invest for a few years and look after nice stuff...or buy cheap in the knowledge that it has a limited life span. Albeit longer than 9 months.

mattward1979

I circumvented this issue by getting a Black bike with White trim AFTER i bought my black with white trim Lycra.....

I look like a ninja assasin cyclist!

All these fools doing it the other way around and buying the bike before the clothes... LOL! =P

gareth2134

garrynolan wrote:

Also whats a good site to get these off because I keep finding sites in china and they are offering $54 for shorts and jersey but I have a feeling its either a con or just bad material I want my shorts to have good padding etc.


Hi, I bought stuff from www.lightinthebox.com (China/Hong Kong) and found it very good. Worth a look.

yeah thats the site I seen all the prices for the team kits garry. I didn't feel right about it but if you say you have ordered from them yourself then I will have a look. Pretty cheap though so shorts cant have that great a padding I imagine but I will buy some asoss shorts dont want to take a risk with bad padding for LEJOG ha.

Thanks everyone

vernthemerciless

I don't think there's anything wrong with colour ocordinating with your bike. I flattly refuse to wear anything which isn't red white or black for that reason.

As for whole team kit, I think it looks pretty naff in any sport to be honest. But then i'm not very keen on the pro style kits with all the sponsorship all over them, but friends of mine love that stuff so i guess that's personal prefference.

The cheap stuff from China is, saddly, cheap for a reason I fear.

Anonymous

Giordana, Black and white silverline or tech. Nice and Ninja.

rolf_f

Pigeons in flight wrote:

Last Autumn is not quite the timescale I was talking about Rolf - but over 3/4 years my Assos/Rapha jerseys are pretty much mint, my lesser priced stuff is a bit shabby to say the least. I would extend that experience to shorts - I recently chucked away a pair of Endura 3/4 bibs as the bib fell to bits. Don't get me wrong - I'm not being elitist. That is simply my experience. At the end of the day, buying more moderately priced kit still works out cheaper over the long run. E.g - dhb do excellent kit - you could buy 4 pairs of their shorts for the price of a pair of Assos. As a brand I find Rapha totally up its behind (not that I'm alone in that) with all their gentleman's caps and everything - but nice gear feels a damn sight better than cheap gear. So as far as I see it - invest for a few years and look after nice stuff...or buy cheap in the knowledge that it has a limited life span. Albeit longer than 9 months.

I know what you mean and for leisure riding I'll be mostly investing in Shutt I think (both reasonably priced and very nicely made - in the UK out of UK made fabric) - however, I still reckon that £10 worth of Aldi Jersey is probably cheaper in the long run for commuting. Last Autumn might not be that long in time but it does also depend on mileage. And I do a lot of miles often with a heavy rucksack on my back. The only sign of wear and tear in my softshell is a bit of pilling where the rucksack has rubbed (I suspect most kit, however pricey, would suffer a bit there). The stitching is so far fine. I expect it to last several years though hopefully I'll remember to tell you if it doesn't!!