Clothing Questions

Xommul

Hi Folks,

Im new to road cycling, ive been mountain biking most my adult life but i never really bought much in the way of dedicated cycling clothing

Now i have ordered my first road bike im looking at the array of clothing on offer for cyclists.

For the summer im looking mainly at jersey and padded bib shorts plus gloves.

Morning rides can still be pretty nippy so should i consider base layers or thicker jerseys? Or bib tights or thermal tights for under bib shorts.

Then i want to buy some winter clothes while they are discounted in the summer so i dont have to pay full wack in the autumn.

If anyone is extra tall like me (198cm) advice on brands that will not come up too small.

A little guidance for best combos would be good, i currently have a wigle shopping basket with 180 quid sitting there, would like to trim it down a little on items i wont need.

Cheers

Xom

red dragon

Have a look at www.encove.co.uk/, I have bought a pair of shorts from them. Take care on the sizing though, please read notes. It might save you a bit of cash, quality wise it is okay.

sungod

don't get tights, get leg/knee warmers, and/or arm warmers, knee warmers are fine most of the year

you wear them with regular shorts and jerseys, much more versatile, cheaper too

a windproof gilet or shell jacket is well worth it, get one that packs very small and you can always take it off and stuff it in a rear pocket if/when you warm up, go for a breathable one otherwise you end up wet inside it

planning ahead for serious winter weather, a pair of non-padded tights can be worn over shorts, then you can wash the shorts daily but the tights will do a few days between washes, ones with a water repellent coating and windblock will keep you going even below zero (celcius), a decent jacket is also a good buy for freezing weather, i love my castelli quantum radiation jacket, but they are pricey

some base layers, a mesh vest is good, and something long sleeved for under jackets

sizing varies a lot by brand, aim for snug, otherwise at speed the flapping will drive you insane

you do tend to get what you pay for, but there's bad stuff at all prices!

Xommul

Thanks for the advice,

Do you always wear tights over shorts?

Are there any brands to avoid?

Philby

Some of the Italian brands come up small so you may need to size up.

IME there are no bad brands - I have dhb (from Wiggle), Gore and Giordana bib shorts and Gore arm and knee warmers and all perform well, and none are too expensive. For winter I have some unpadded Shutt bib longs without a pad which work well.

I also have a couple of softshell tops for when it gets slightly colder, which I also use with a merino base layer in winter. Also agree on a gilet and / or a small showerproof top such as a Montane Featherlite.

For summer fingerless gloves are good. You may also want some full finger ones for when its cooler and some thick ones for the depths of winter. Also for winter don't forget a decent skull cap or hat to keep you head and ears warm. And also overshoes for winter will be a wise investment.

The problem with this cycling lark is its a never ending opportunity to use your credit card!

sungod

Xommul wrote:

Thanks for the advice,

Do you always wear tights over shorts?

Are there any brands to avoid?

yep, nothing goes twixt bum and pad

you wear leg/knee warmers under the shorts, the better ones have grippers on both inside and outside so they grip on your leg and on the inside of the shorts leg

all the well known brands are ok, even the best produce the odd lemon (at all price levels)

prendas are good for variety and quality is fine, they have some excellent retro kit in modern materials http://www.prendas.co.uk/ good service too