REAL BARGAIN?

byke68

Just brought the following items from Sports Direct:

1 Muddy Fox jacket
1 Muddy Fox L/S jersey
1 pair Muddy Fox tights.
1 pairs of Puma ankle socks
Total cost?

£39!

I brought them for commuting, they are only going to get filthy for the next couple of months. Will they last? Have I found some really bargainous gear or just some cheap tat?

Watch this space!

christ that suns hot/yes that's right sir

ilm_zero7

bargain

richVSrich

the "MFX elite" bib short / tights from sports direct are really good value - the quality is good in my opinion...much better that tenn outdoor ...especially with their sale on)

are these the normal muddy fox tights, or the MFX elite you're talking about?

walkingbootweather

Bargain - you will no longer have the inconvenience and cost of having to microwave yourself after every ride.



Jacket's look OK, but will get uncomfortably sweaty. I've found the rest of the kit works well for commuting.

SimonAH

You've probably got a bargain - but don't be fooled by the Muddy Fox name. It used to have cachet as an early mountain bike brand, but I think that it's been bought by sports direct for their own brand stuff? Certainly I looked at a pair of MF branded road shoes the other day and the soles were almost (but not quite) as stiff as a pair of Dunlop Green Flash.

It's a shame (but inevitable) when old 'quality' names get sold and attached to tat. Lonsdale and Carerra are other ones that spring to mind.

Still, for basic commuting purposes I'm sure the stuff you got will be fine, and the price is excellent. I've a pair of tights from SD and two years on they're still fine (although I had to cut out the 'orrible chamois on day one)

PBo

SimonAH wrote:

You've probably got a bargain - but don't be fooled by the Muddy Fox name. It used to have cachet as an early mountain bike brand, but I think that it's been bought by sports direct for their own brand stuff? Certainly I looked at a pair of MF branded road shoes the other day and the soles were almost (but not quite) as stiff as a pair of Dunlop Green Flash.

It's a shame (but inevitable) when old 'quality' names get sold and attached to tat. Lonsdale and Carerra are other ones that spring to mind.

Still, for basic commuting purposes I'm sure the stuff you got will be fine, and the price is excellent. I've a pair of tights from SD and two years on they're still fine (although I had to cut out the 'orrible chamois on day one)

sorry, but i've got to stick up for carrera......they are not tat bikes.
the variable quality of the set up from halfords is another issue, but the bikes are definitely not tat.
apollo on the other hand.....(although my dad in law is still riding around on one i originally brought in 1984.....!)

SimonAH

Sorry PBo, you are absolutely correct - that was badly worded. I have a Vanquish in the fleet and it's a damn good bike. Tat it is not.

What I should have said is something along the lines of 'take a classic name and apply it to something it ain't trading on the original quality of the name in its first incarnation'. Or something like that.

Maxticate

Like Lillywhites in London.

Just a large sports direct but still trading under the name Lillywhites.

Also Karrimor, now just a brand name for more sports direct pile em high sell em cheap type merchandise.

Applespider

Part of me admires Sports Direct - their staff share in their profits and not just a token amount generally. But I do loathe what they've done to some of the great brands of the past. Then again, they own them so what matter if they trash them.

UndercoverElephant

Applespider wrote:

Part of me admires Sports Direct - their staff share in their profits and not just a token amount generally. But I do loathe what they've done to some of the great brands of the past. Then again, they own them so what matter if they trash them.

Plus, you have to admire how much they upset Newcastle fans... well I do anyway.

Headhuunter

Applespider wrote:

Part of me admires Sports Direct - their staff share in their profits and not just a token amount generally. But I do loathe what they've done to some of the great brands of the past. Then again, they own them so what matter if they trash them.

Trashing great brands of the past is not uncommon... Look what's happened with Wedgewood china and Waterfood crystal - both names still exist but the quality has long gone....

Applespider

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Plus, you have to admire how much they upset Newcastle fans... well I do anyway.

That made me chuckle

byke68

richVSrich wrote:

the "MFX elite" bib short / tights from sports direct are really good value - the quality is good in my opinion...much better that tenn outdoor ...especially with their sale on)

are these the normal muddy fox tights, or the MFX elite you're talking about?

The normal tights. not worn them yet. Tested the jacket on thursday, even though it was very cold, still ended up a bit sweaty despite the neck not being very snug. Very visible though.

velohutts

can only go by some karrimor running kit bought last year , it has worn well , held most of it's shape , washed ok , not as good as some of the more expensive kit i have owned in the past but as they say 'you pay for what you get'.

I would buy it again as a cheap use it till it dies and buy some more kit , use it for layering but still buy better quality / brand kit for on the bike as on it longer , more 'comfort' needed in certain area's and running is a part time thing and despite the best efforts of nike / asics etc the only real money spent for running is a decent set of trainers which i normally pick up from sports direct in last years model/colour anyway.

petemadoc

I bought some of those muddyfox bib tights a few months ago.

I too thought I had a bargain

I'm afraid the old sayings are true. Buy cheap buy twice, you get what you pay for an all that.

I too bought them for commuting but I've relegated them to last resort, nothing clean, oh sh1t I'll have to wear those. The pad is more like a torture device designed to tear your ball sack to pieces and the second they get just a little bit wet from sweat or rain the become very very uncomfortable.

Worth the extra for something like dhb for commuting

veronese68

Slightly off topic, but I find Sports Direct invaluable. Trying to keep 2 rapidly growing kids in trainers and hiking boots without them would be a right pain.
Now the boy is cycling more I will probably get him some of their kit. He'll out grow it soon enough.

gareth1234

I have plenty of Muddy Fox shirts and the Karrimor padded shorts (paid £2 a pair in their winter sale). They are fine for everyday commuting, didn't find the tights matched my DHB ones though, the material isn't as soft and they are bloody itchy on a long ride!

byke68

byke68 wrote:

richVSrich wrote:

the "MFX elite" bib short / tights from sports direct are really good value - the quality is good in my opinion...much better that tenn outdoor ...especially with their sale on)

are these the normal muddy fox tights, or the MFX elite you're talking about?

The normal tights. not worn them yet. Tested the jacket on thursday, even though it was very cold, still ended up a bit sweaty despite the neck not being very snug. Very visible though.

Tested the long sleeve jersey this morning, spot-on! Haven't tried the tights yet!

asprilla

Applespider wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Plus, you have to admire how much they upset Newcastle fans... well I do anyway.

That made me chuckle

Grrrrrrr

/shakes fist