Help on Clothing Gear .

Kupepe

Goodmonring and Merry Christmas.

I have bought my forst road bike and after deciding on SPD pedals and shoes I am looking to buy my clothes. I am kinda lost since the layers concepts give you so many solutions that it is troubling. Moreover, begging road biking its kinda expensive, since you need gear besides the bike, so I am in a budget.

I have selected

Tights:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=34857

L/S Base layer:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=26756

I got a budget for one more item to help me stay warm.

I am cycling by the sea, so there will be mild winds, under temperatures 10-22 Celsious.

Should I go for a long sleeve jersey? What caracteristics should it have? Or a winter Jersey is better?

I would really like some input.

Merry Christmas

napoleond

Sounds like a long sleeved jersey will be ideal. Most have a thin fleece or 'roubaix' lining. Get a gilet or rain cape too and you're sorted.

sungod

from bitter experience of buying the wrong stuff when i started out...

for 10 degrees upwards, as suggested above, a long sleeve jersey with light fleece/roubaix plus a windproof shell will be fine

plus a mesh (i.e. string-vest type) base layer at the lower end of the temperature range, the mesh traps air next to your skin, and allows moisture to get to the next layer

those tights you link to, hmm, they're unpadded and not bibs, sorry if i'm telling you the obvious, but do you know that they are to wear over padded bib shorts? also, for the temperature range you mention they are going to be way too much i think

assuming you have some padded bib shorts, just get some knee warmers or leg warmers, you wear these with the shorts, they'll still be ok below 10 celcius, i use them down to about 5-6

in summary...

don't buy the tights and baselayer

if you've not got padded bib shorts, get some, they really are the essential roadie clothing item
get some knee/leg warmers to use with the shorts
get a mesh baselayer, for instance http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=62103
get a lightweight windproof shell

shop around, there are umpteen sales on, some places are offering extra discount if you put in a voucher code

wiggle is excellent for reading reviews of different items, but *not* always the cheapest site... http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ ...some of their own-brand dhb stuff is pretty good

once you narrow down to a few items, use google shopping to find best prices!

Monty Dog

I wouldn't recommend lycra shorts and legwarmers for winter - unless you don't expect to see your 'old man' until spring - lycra has naff-all thermal properties and the front of your shorts catches a lot of wind. I'm going to contradict the above poster and suggest you'd be better off with a pair of padded bib-longs from the like of DHB (Wiggle) plus long-sleeve jersey. I'm not a big fan of flappy-nylon, but a lightweight gilet or jacket should see you sorted for cooler conditions or light rain. Also, don't forget your extremities - decent gloves and overshoes make a cold ride more tolerable than anything else

sungod

Monty Dog wrote:

I wouldn't recommend lycra shorts and legwarmers for winter - unless you don't expect to see your 'old man' until spring - lycra has naff-all thermal properties and the front of your shorts catches a lot of wind. I'm going to contradict the above poster and suggest you'd be better off with a pair of padded bib-longs from the like of DHB (Wiggle) plus long-sleeve jersey. I'm not a big fan of flappy-nylon, but a lightweight gilet or jacket should see you sorted for cooler conditions or light rain. Also, don't forget your extremities - decent gloves and overshoes make a cold ride more tolerable than anything else

for 'winter' i quite agree, but if you look, you'll see that the op said for 10 degrees upwards, maybe i run hot, but i'd still be happy in warmers for a few degrees cooler than that

cougie

It's mild here at the moment but when winter kicks in and it will you do need thermal tights and a wind proof jacket. It's not just the temperatures out but the wind and the windchill from your riding speed.
You'll also need winter gloves and overshoes and some buff type headgear.
Have a look in aldi they have some snowboard kit - so you can get your layers there for buttons. And their ski gloves will keep you really toasty.

essjaydee

I have not long got into road cycling, live in Blackpool, and commute 24 miles a day right along a coast road, so feel qualified to comment

Can highly recommend these tights http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=biemme+tights&_sacat=See-All-Categories Good value for money, padded with windproof panels 8)

As for tops, I bought a LUSSO baselayer from RIBBLE (£18) and it's superb. Wear this with a DHB core S jersey from Wiggle (£30), and if it's below 5 degrees C, wear a thin windproof/showerproof jacket (ALTURA).

This combo has worked fine for me so far, but a windproof gillet would be nice to have too