Kit me out!

porlyworly

Hi guys, new to the cycling game but am really enjoying it (despite the cold weather) and have decided to invest in some cycling gear as my footy socks & shorts don't really cut it at this time of year. I have a 10 mile commute which is mainly a mix of road & cycle path and already have a helmet & sealskinz hat, sealskinz winter gloves & a reuter rucksack. I also have a cheap pair of padded cycling shorts (muddyfox) but they don't fit very well despite me sizing up.

I don't have a lot to spend, probably no more than £200 altogether so am wondering what you guys think I am best investing in and ideally include a link to the items that you've tried and can confirm are good quality & value.

Also LBS offers a service for £35 + parts so will be taking them up on the offer this weekend as I built the bike myself and don't think I did a great job...

Many thanks in advance!

UndercoverElephant

What do you ride, and are you happy with looking like the Tesco-Value Spiderman?

porlyworly

Iron horse hybrid and work for a fashion company so whilst I don't want to pay for cutting edge gear I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little vain!

Apologies for the vagueness, I guess I'm asking "if your entire cycling wardrobe was nicked and you had to replace it on a realistic budget which essentials would you buy right now?"

UndercoverElephant

Right-ho, well I'd go with bib-tights, Biemme Coronado have done me very well for the past two winters, more comfortable and warmer than anything I've tried, even things twice the price:

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/15058377 ... s&var=sbar

Prenda's do some superb winter cycling socks:

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... =18&ID=773

Then I'd buy a Soft-shell jacket, mine was from Aldi, but they're all gone now. Tenn outdoors do some good ones:

http://www.tenn-outdoors.co.uk/soft-she ... et-red-sml

Under which you can just wear a base-layer.

Total cost of about 100 quid.

porlyworly

Superb thanks this is exactly what I'm after will check it out!

kelsen

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Right-ho, well I'd go with bib-tights, Biemme Coronado have done me very well for the past two winters, more comfortable and warmer than anything I've tried, even things twice the price:

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/15058377 ... s&var=sbar

Prenda's do some superb winter cycling socks:

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... =18&ID=773

Then I'd buy a Soft-shell jacket, mine was from Aldi, but they're all gone now. Tenn outdoors do some good ones:

http://www.tenn-outdoors.co.uk/soft-she ... et-red-sml

Under which you can just wear a base-layer.

Total cost of about 100 quid.

How do those Biemme bib tights size up UE?

pangolin

If you want any shorts over the tights I have these and think they're great, so do a few others on here.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/surface/liquistretch-shorts-ec022563

I also have their jacket which is nice looking, very light, quite small, not waterproof but good enough in a shower.
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/42934/Surface_Pertex_Jacket

My best buy for winter was probably some ronhill bikesters (unpadded tights basically) a couple of years ago. About £10 and lasted ages (still have them). Seem to have more than doubled in price now though.

SimonAH

The DHB eVent stuff from Wiggle is top gear, good looking and won't break the bank.

pangolin

I think this is the thread that made me get some bikesters!

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12647779

This one should be useful too

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40052&t=12791437

UndercoverElephant

kelsen wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Right-ho, well I'd go with bib-tights, Biemme Coronado have done me very well for the past two winters, more comfortable and warmer than anything I've tried, even things twice the price:

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/15058377 ... s&var=sbar

Prenda's do some superb winter cycling socks:

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... =18&ID=773

Then I'd buy a Soft-shell jacket, mine was from Aldi, but they're all gone now. Tenn outdoors do some good ones:

http://www.tenn-outdoors.co.uk/soft-she ... et-red-sml

Under which you can just wear a base-layer.

Total cost of about 100 quid.

How do those Biemme bib tights size up UE?

I had to size up, because I'm tall ( 6'3" ), would be happy enough to wear a regular large if I was a couple of inches shorter, which is what I wear in non-cycling clothes.

CyclingBantam

Sorry I can't be of great help but please, please don't buy any Ronhills!!!

It is worth looking at Shutt VR (Google them). Not super cheap but excellent quality. You can probably get a couple of bits from them.

The only other advice I would give is to get only the absolute essentials but get the best quality you can afford. Otherwise, you will find yourself replacing your stuff for better kit in a few months anyway.

pangolin

CyclingBantam wrote:

Sorry I can't be of great help but please, please don't buy any Ronhills!!!

Why?

CyclingBantam

Because they look hidious, sorry.

Also, flapping around they are not great for cycling especially if it gets wet. They guy said he was slightly vain, as are a lot of us. There is a reason not many people under 50 wear Ron Hills.

They also make hair grow out of your ears.

pangolin

Well I'm not trying to sell them as a fashion accessory. I think we all agree you wouldn't wear them on a night out but I don't take many mirrors with me on my commute, so I guess I don't mind too much. When I started cycling (not even half way to 50) and didn't have enough cash to buy lots of expensive clothes all at once they got me through winter very happily. Not sure what you mean by flapping around? Did you buy some massive ones and get put off?

Anyway, I refer you to my other 2 suggestions which were extremely stylish

CyclingBantam

Ha ha, no offence meant at all. I am a complete tart and would happily cycle round with mirrors given half a chance!

Compared to leg warmers/bibtights they positively do flap about!!

You often see threads like this about what kit to buy (I started one myself years ago) and there is often a lot of stuff that is quite cheap advised. You will then see a thread a few months later looking to upgrade the kit. I am absolutely of the belief that you should buy as little as you can get away with but spend as much as possible on it (as in get the best quality).

I appreciate plenty of people sneer at this and claim the cheap stuff is just as good etc, and that is absolutely great for them however, I am yet to have a singly peice of 'cheap' kit that is as good as any of my more expensive stuff. When I have nice kit on, it makes me want to ride more as it is so comfortable/warm/well fit etc.

Even if the budget would only stretch to a pair of bibtights and a jacket of decent quality I think it is then better to make do with tshirts etc underneath and gradually build up.

All the cheap stuff I bought has all broken/been thrown out and replaced. If I had bought less but paid more I would still be using some of it years later.

pangolin

Lol fair enough. I think uggcoupon is probably his best bet in this case!

clarkey cat

+1 for Shutt.

Most of my stuff is Shutt. Its great stuff.

t4tomo

CyclingBantam wrote:

Because they look hidious, sorry.

Also, flapping around they are not great for cycling especially if it gets wet. They guy said he was slightly vain, as are a lot of us. There is a reason not many people under 50 wear Ron Hills.

They also make hair grow out of your ears.

I have a pair of ronhills for commuting in under baggy shorts. They don't flap at all, maybe you have weedy little legs bantam?

Too much time spent preening infront of the mirror and not enough miles in the legs me thinks!!

porlyworly

Thanks for all the responses guys, am currently working my way through them! Agree with the ethos of buying fewer higher quality items rather than many cheaper ones.

On a separate note there is a small section of my commute that cuts through farm land where the road is pretty dire, my front torch came off going over the cattle grid which is now broken so another thing to add to the need list! Any opinions on:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knog-Boomer-Usb ... 641&sr=8-1

Also need some mud guards... Apologies for the noob questions which I'm sure have been covered 1000 times before but just want to get it all down in the same thread so I can compile a shopping list!

gosport_commuter

Those knog lights, from what I have seen are some fashion driven junk. I have two bikes on my commute with them, and unless you get right up to them, and directly in-line with them, you sometimes wouldn't even believe they were even on. Useless. spend your money on something better.

SKS guards are fantastic - I have the 35mm chromoplastic ones on my commuter (over some 28mm tyres) and they are simply fantastic! I do NOT know how I did without them!

FeynmanC

Another +1 for Shutt.

If you join their forum you can get a code for 10% off (club10 I think) and they are doing free delivery in December.

Check out @shuttvelorapide on twitter if you want a chat about sizing and what they'd recommend on your budget. They are great at customer service, and British.

I'd also get a cheap buff, which you can wear around your neck to keep the chill out, and pull up over your mouth, ears and nose, when it gets proper cold!

jds_1981

FYI,
A little icky, but can get away with one pair of bib tights and a wool base layer for a week. A get to Friday without any pong problems....

porlyworly

Ok gents, this is what I've come up with so far:

DHB Buff
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/home/37/dhb_Buff/5360050526/

DHB Bib (with the free delivery will order another of these if it fits ok)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/home/37/dhb_A ... 360056922/

Cheap front light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/home/37/LifeL ... 360044128/

Then when searching for cheap GORE windstopper found this by Adidas that looks nice:
http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/ADI4596/

Thoughts on the above compared to a cycling specific brand soft shell?

wyadvd

for feet and hands: shimano mw81s, and castelli diluvio gloves. these two things alone will make you feel happy in winter . but I agree, go for decent roubaix bib tights and a jacket like the endura windchill which I love. its all meant to be tight not just to be aero, but mainly because when the clothes are tight, they keep you much warmer, block the wind and wick sweat better. plus if you are slim and ripped, you look awesome.

EKE_38BPM

I have a confession to make. I'm a bit of an adidas fanboy.
I own zero pairs of Nike trainers as all of mine are adidas. The other day I went out and realised I was dressed head (beanie hat) to toe (trainers and socks) in adidas. BUT, that was off the bike. I own a adidas ss jersey and an adidas climawarm cycling jumper, but none of the non-cycling specific adidas stuff I've seen is up to the job for on the bike.

I'm not sure if that softshell is cycling specific. If it is, I'd probably go for it (in a different colour). If it isn't, I'd probably steer clear.

Cycling specific clothing has a slightly different cut from general sports stuff that makes it more comfortable when on the bike, so I'd go along that road. I don't own any Shutt stuff, but it is VERY popular on this forum.

Edit: Just did some further reading on that jacket and it is cycling specific. Go for it.

porlyworly

Ordered the following:

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/ADI4 ... or-jacket/

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/GOR2 ... ib-tights/

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/GOR2 ... y-t~shirt/

Now off to wiggle for a front light, buff & other bits and bobs!

Thanks for your advice chaps

medoramas

Regarding gloves: if you're on a budget instead of spending little money on cheap winter cycling gloves (which will put you off cycling in cold and wet) search eBay for "military goretex mittens". I bought a pair some time ago for less than a tenner. Not very comfortable with rapidfire shifters and you can't really cover your brakes with just two fingers, but that's the price you pay for outstanding waterproofness and warm keeping. I tested them in few horrible downpours. Excellent stuff! Combined with seal skinz mid socks on my feet i don't care if it's thunderstorm as I know I'll be enjoying my hourish long commute in dry :-)
Full mudguards also changed my life totally...

porlyworly

I'm covered for gloves, have a pair of sealskinz winter gloves and they are fine so far!

Regarding mudguards, how do I know if they will fit my bike?

EKE_38BPM

What kind of bike do you ride?
Mudguards that say 700c should fit road bikes. I say should as if the bike has narrow clearances between the seat stays/forks and the wheel/tyre, it may be very fiddly to fit.
If you ride a hybrid or MTB, you shouldn't have a problem if you get the right ones for the size of wheel you have. MTBs have 26" wheels, hybrids could have either 26" or 700c. Check your wheel size and buy the appropriate mudguard.

On the off chance that you have a 29er (MTB with 29" wheels), get mudguards for 700c wheels.

porlyworly

It's an iron horse hybrid but has very skinny tyres, most commuter bikes I've seen have something inbetween mtb & racer tyres but mine looks more like racer tyres. Was absolutely pitted last night, definitely need to get some guards sorted ASAP as well as a cheapo front light from halfrauds or somewhere to keep me on the road until I order a decent one online (that 30 odd quid dealextreme one looks promising from the lights thread)

Talking about overly vain cyclists a mate is selling his limited edition Fred perry cycling jersey and it's very nice!

porlyworly

All my gear turned up - YAY

None of it fits - BOO

Back to the drawing board lol! Looking for the following and am going to trawl the net on my lunch break:

Long sleeve base layer Medium
Short sleeve base layer Medium
Long leg bib XL
Short leg bib XL
Soft Shell Jacket Medium (Gore phantom SO seems to be popular on here?)
Neck warmer

You're probably all bored of me by now but any suggestions welcome!