Help with clothing!

gosport_commuter

So - I commute 8-10 miles each way daily, have done for over a year. Started off wearing jeans *shudder* and cotton T shirt.

Bought some mountain biking clothing in the sales at begginning of year and currently wear a short sleeve jersey, a long sleeve jersey and some normal non cycle specific combat 3/4 shorts with comfy (seams in the right place) boxers. Also use spd pedals with mtb shoes - best idea ever!

but...it's getting cold! and I'm wearing through the shorts at a rate of about a pair every 2 months!

1. First up I want some advice on cycle specific shorts - lycra or not :- do they last longer in the seat area? Or am I looking at replacing more expensive shorts just as often? I like the look of the endura Humvees / singletracks, but at over £40 a pop I'd have to think twice! recomend me some!

2. how are leg warmers combined with combat / humvee style shorts? worthwhile? irritating? better or worse than tights? (which I'm a little loathe to go for as I work in a machine shop with no facilities to change - yes I'm a little self concious!)

3. jackets, I have had for a few years a halfords "breathable" water proof jacket, is blue, cost about £40 - is actually fairly breathable, but by about mile 5 the sweat starts to build up - also it's not really that waterproof any more, particularly in the arms! I recently also bought a windproof jacket from lidls - having used it twice on colder mornings IMO it's utter cr@p! leave the house absolutely freezing (more so than with a short sleeved + long sleeved jersey) and then by about mile 5 I'm still dripping in sweat - even more so than the waterproof IMO!

SO - recommend me please a budget concious (under £70), warm, but as breathable as possible jacket for winter use - not waterproof, water resistant is fine - warm and breathable are the priority. Also wouldnt mind a recommendation on a highly packable emergency rain jacket.

4. Merino wool? recommend me some products - versatile and long wearing are the important qualities.

5. take a look at my equipment list below and fill in the gaps for me - budget consious quality is the name of the game - what am I missing?

Thanks chaps! sorry for the long post!

Curerntly have:

2x kona MTB short sleeves
1x Mavic captain kirk coloured long sleeve jersey
1x Polaris short sleeve jersey, full length zip (favourite atm)
1x Hind long sleeved jersey, high neck (favourite)
1x endura padded undershorts (used only for longer rides @ weekend)
3x 3/4 standard combat shorts
1x MT42 MTB shoes
1x fingerless gloves (worn out nearly)
1x Specialized sub zero gloves set (warm liners can be worn alone + super warm and water proof outers for use in very cold weather - also very worn)
1x Thermal Hat
1x lidl windproof (going in the bin!)
1x halfords waterproof jacket

PBo

bike specific mtb shorts tend to have reinforced arse bits - several pairs I've had have lasted years, even cheap/mid priced decathlon ones. The humvees are raved about by most.

I have an ok ish breatahable waterproof jacket by Altura, but if you live near an Aldi get yourself down there and see if they have any soft shells left. £16. (Don't be put off by the lidl experience) I cycled 13 miles in it tonight in a persistent drizzle, and stayed warm. The soft shell was wet, but didn't soak all the way through, so I was comfortable and warm.

As regards merino, I don't go cycle specific, I just get merino base layers from TK maxx.

PBo

oh, and i'm also a fan of sealskinz socks - but i think opinion is divided...

SimonAH

I don't know if you heat up fast like I do, but the DHB eVent jacket is 100% waterproof and breathable. Sling that on top of an Aldi merino top and you are warm, dry and have change for a coffee.

On the bottom half I wear Gore baggies when not lycra'ing. Bought two pairs in the Wiggle sale and lived in them through the summer. No appreciable wear to report and the removable (velcro in) chamois has been brilliant.

rubertoe

Plus 1 on the Aldi gear - if you lucky you may get some leg warmers...

Mikey41

gosport_commuter wrote:

1. First up I want some advice on cycle specific shorts - lycra or not :- do they last longer in the seat area? Or am I looking at replacing more expensive shorts just as often? I like the look of the endura Humvees / singletracks, but at over £40 a pop I'd have to think twice! recomend me some!

2. how are leg warmers combined with combat / humvee style shorts? worthwhile? irritating? better or worse than tights? (which I'm a little loathe to go for as I work in a machine shop with no facilities to change - yes I'm a little self concious!)

3. jackets, I have had for a few years a halfords "breathable" water proof jacket, is blue, cost about £40 - is actually fairly breathable, but by about mile 5 the sweat starts to build up - also it's not really that waterproof any more, particularly in the arms! I recently also bought a windproof jacket from lidls - having used it twice on colder mornings IMO it's utter cr@p! leave the house absolutely freezing (more so than with a short sleeved + long sleeved jersey) and then by about mile 5 I'm still dripping in sweat - even more so than the waterproof IMO!

SO - recommend me please a budget concious (under £70), warm, but as breathable as possible jacket for winter use - not waterproof, water resistant is fine - warm and breathable are the priority. Also wouldnt mind a recommendation on a highly packable emergency rain jacket.

1. Cycle specific shorts will last a lot longer. I have some Humvee shorts and use them all the time for commuting with the padded liner underneath. Well worth their money IMO. Get some.

2. Leg warmers work very well with the Humvees, I got some from Lidl and I am starting to use them commuting. They are comfortable and don't slip and keep the legs surprisingly warm without making you sweat. Wear the warmers next to the skin, then the padded shorts over the top of them. If you're not keen on tights, it's a good solution.

3. Thanks for the heads up on the Halfords jacket, puts me straight off it. I have the Lidl windproof too and it's still too warm to wear it, I reckon it'll need to be down to 5C before I won't sweat buckets in it. Then again I do tend to ride very fast on the way home, which probably doesn't help

DrLex

gosport_commuter wrote:

[...]

SO - recommend me please a budget concious (under £70), warm, but as breathable as possible jacket for winter use - not waterproof, water resistant is fine - warm and breathable are the priority. Also wouldnt mind a recommendation on a highly packable emergency rain jacket.

[...]

From discussion on the kit thread, Mavic Espoir for £68 is just within your stated budget.

Shorts - I bought the Rapha 3/4 ones in the sale this year for around £50 and have worn them from March on with no obvious wear/issues. Merino - a mix of Ground Effect, Helly Hansen & SmartWool brands stand me in good stead. Chocolate fish & Torm are other brands often tipped here, and the Lidl/Aldi ones have their supporters. As to an emergency rain jacket, I find the Altura pocket rocket ideal, and a friend has a Montane velo one that he's happy with- both were around £40 and pack down to tennis ball size.

daniel_b

Depending on your size, one of these might be available to you - black is all they have left though, so perhaps not, other retailers might have them at decent prices though:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear-phantom-soft-shell-convertible-jacket-2012/

Quidco would get it under £70 too.

Yellow one for £80 pre quidco but only in small: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gore-bike-wear/phantom-neon-jacket-ec030355

Bigger choice of sizes and colours here: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gore-bike-wear/phantom-so-jacket-ec029219

Paul E

Enbdura singletrack shorts are slimmer cut and won't be as flappy/baggy if you want to stay with baggies, I haven't worn out the seat in mine in the years I have had them although I use them a lot less now.

gosport_commuter

Thank you everyone for the replies!

I am very pleased to hear that the MTB shorts are more resilient - humvees in particular. Although I also love the look of the gore stuff. Can anybody confirm that this extra ruggedness in the seat is also possessed by the lycra variety?

PBo - Thanks for that advice, I'll pop down Aldis later, but when I was in there last week almost everything had gone already.

SimonAH - I heat up pretty rapidly and reach a plataeu, after about 1.5 - 2 miles I'm up to temperature, so I know in average gear I should be a little cold when I leave, but then remain toasty with a little sweat for the rest of the journey - problem I find is finding gear that breaths. With regards to the DHB jacket do you possibly have a link I could look at?
And I'm really starting to wish I had got to Aldi sooner than last friday - only items that were left were small and XXL (i'm medium pretty much all round)

Rubertoe - Damn Aldis being sold out!

Mikey41 - Thanks for the confirmation on the humvees + leg warmers. With regards to the lidl softshell, there were two types when I bought it, but as far as I could tell the only discernable difference was the number of pockets, I got the one with more (in black). The two times I have worn it, it was about 5-6 degrees out, when leaving the house I was FREEZING, particularly in the body - but as I said after about 5 miles the sweat builds up - but not evenly, my arms and shoulders were roasting whilst my back was still cold. I may try it again with another layer once temps reach close to freezing.

DrLex - The mavic espoir looks lovely, think i have looked at it before - great to get it recommended. Do you own one? and if so what temperature do you start wearing it in, and what do you wear underneath it?.
Thanks hugely for the merino brands, will give me some options finding sale items - and also the montane featherlite velo looks just the thing! It's on clearance @ chain reactions for £32.99 is that a good price does anyone know?

Daniel B - Gore phantom softshell looks nice - how would you rate it compared to the mavic espoir above? is the sleeves dwapping just a gimick, or is it genuinely useful? Do you own one? if so what sort of temperature do you start wearing it in, and what do you wear underneath it? thanks!

bails87

Humvees are a LOT slimmer than Singletracks ime. My medium Humvees are a snug fit around my waist, my small STs are a bit loose, even with the adjusters taking up as much slack as possible.

None of my lycra is showing signs of wearing out.

The sleeve removal on the Phantom is great. Makes the jacket usable over a wider range of temperatures. Especially for commuting where the ride home is often warmer than the ride in.

Paul E

Maybe mine are earlier models and in medium I do tend to fill out the legs even with the adjusters on the legs set neutrally

gosport_commuter

To the people with humvees or singletracks - do you go for the short shorts, or the 3/4s? also im about 32-33 inch waist, normally closer to the 33 - which size would you think that makes me?

Paul E

gosport_commuter wrote:

To the people with humvees or singletracks - do you go for the short shorts, or the 3/4s? also im about 32-33 inch waist, normally closer to the 33 - which size would you think that makes me?

I don't get on with 3/4 baggy shorts, too much going on over the knee, if I wear them which is rare on the road bike and I need more warmth knee wise I use knee warmers

bails87

I've got the 3/4s in Humvees and STs and 'short' Humvees. I like the 3/4s because on the MTB they overlap with my kneepads, but the shorts are good too.

They're well cut for cycling so there's no annoying 'catching' on my knees with the 3/4s.

If the humvees are still the same size as me you'll be at least a medium. The STs, you'll be a small. There was some discussion on the MTB side, I think the agreement was that the Endura sizing ia inconsistent even within the same models. E.g. one year's Singletracks were obviously different to the same nominal size from a different year. And different models varied too. :?

gosport_commuter

Looking at all the jackets is mind boggling - does anybody have any experience with the Gore Cosmo? Looks like a lovely bit of kit, but missing the zip off sleeves of the Phantom. Thanks again for the replies, definately going to fire the trigger on some humvees once I have finished procrastinating! can anybody recommend leg warmers not from lidl or aldis?

Paul E

gosport_commuter wrote:

Looking at all the jackets is mind boggling - does anybody have any experience with the Gore Cosmo? Looks like a lovely bit of kit, but missing the zip off sleeves of the Phantom. Thanks again for the replies, definitely going to fire the trigger on some humvees once I have finished procrastinating! can anybody recommend leg warmers not from lidl or aldis?

I get on well with specialized leg and arm warmers, they stay put and have some shaping to them. the leg ones have the front in windblock and the rear part lighter to reduce bunching

daniel_b

Hiya,

I bought it after nothing but positive feedback about it on here, and also the bikeradar review below:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/jackets/product/review-gore-bike-wear-phantom-jacket-28350

Plus if you look on Evans/Wiggle etc it also gets amazing reviews on there - irritatingly mine was not such a bargain price, being more like £90 but hey ho.

I have about a 38" chest and a small is perfect for me.

I've only worn mine once so far, as have been working at home in recent weeks, but otherwise would have used it for sure.

I would anticipate wearing a base layer under it at most times, and would think the zip off sleeves 'could' become useful when it is very cold in the mornings, but less so for the ride home.

The Mavic jacket looks very nice, and I have to say, owning Mavic bib shorts, bib 3/4's, a jersey, waterproof oxygen jacket, and gloves, I do find the cut and quality really excellent, but I would still go for the Phantom in this instance - personally.

Mikey41

gosport_commuter wrote:

To the people with humvees or singletracks - do you go for the short shorts, or the 3/4s? also im about 32-33 inch waist, normally closer to the 33 - which size would you think that makes me?

I have one of each just now, but I prefer the short ones. I think you would be Medium or Large, their size guide is pretty accurate.

daniel_b

Fyi, I just noticed cycle surgery have a medium espoir for 49.99.

Seems to have a lower rrp than the one posted above, so unsure if it is exactly the same garment.

Edit: realise now it is not a thermo one.

daniel_b

Fyi, I just noticed cycle surgery have a medium espoir for 49.99.

Seems to have a lower rrp than the one posted above, so unsure if it is exactly the same garment.

gosport_commuter

Quick update:

Thanks everyone for your help!

Monday morning I went ahead and ordered the montane featherlite, and a BaaBaa base layer from CRC.

This morning I ordered a Gore cosmo in medium Cos its on sale, and, well, I like the look of it!
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear- ... ocha_Brown

Then this evening! I get home and the CRC order is here, so I open it up and low and behold I had a £10 off £75 spend in the box....well there was only one thing I could do isnt there?

yep, straight onto CRC while missus is out and bought myself the Humvees (short version in medium) and a set of FS260 leg warmers - grand total £75.98 down to £65.98 - done!

Feeling quite guilty now, So hopefully everything will be OK size and performance wise - if the jacket is too small it can go back and ill buy the phantom. Must remember to get the missus something nice.


The BaaBaa was spot on for size and feels very nice - and the montane also feels like quality kit and packs extremely small - only downside for me is it's fitted acrross chest/shoulders, but a little baggy around the waist - I may live to value that ofc once christmas arrives!

gosport_commuter

Gore cosmo arrived today from wiggle - too small, gutted, almost convinced myself it was ok, but was really borderline - its going back

clarkey cat

I have a few things from Tenn Outdoors and it is fine. Very cheap too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw ... 0k4v94t1_e

gosport_commuter

Thanks clarkey, ill keep them in mind when I'm next able to spend any money without castration!

The humvees and the leg warmers have just arrived - and i must say that even though the warmers are strange to me, they look very well made and hold firm and give me some confidence in the upcoming colder weather.
The humvees are great looking shorts! Extremely well made a fit perfect in a medium. all the pockets and vents are great quality, and the inner shorts are a step up from the old edura liner I have - will definately be my goto shorts for longer rides - fantastic kit well worth the cash!

Still not bought a replacement windproof - deliberating some more over the matter.

Anonymous

Gosport - excuse the shamless plug, but this site actualy does have some ridiculously good deals. Just bought a couple of Helly Hansen base layers for 25 quid posted down from 50.
They also have a load of other brands and post a new set of 50% off (at least!) deals each week, including ski and surf wear (Oakley Goggles, Bergaus clothing, Ride Snowboards etc)

http://www.sportpursuit.com/join/charlesoriordan_c055fc

jimmypippa

SimonAH wrote:

I don't know if you heat up fast like I do, but the DHB eVent jacket is 100% waterproof and breathable. Sling that on top of an Aldi merino top and you are warm, dry and have change for a coffee.

On the bottom half I wear Gore baggies when not lycra'ing. Bought two pairs in the Wiggle sale and lived in them through the summer. No appreciable wear to report and the removable (velcro in) chamois has been brilliant.

Yes, eVent is still one of the most breathable waterproof fabrics. I have a montane eVent jacket, and it isn't completely boil in the bag - although most of the time I use a thin pertex windproof unless it is raining really heavily.

meanredspider

jimmypippa wrote:

Yes, eVent is still one of the most breathable waterproof fabrics. I have a montane eVent jacket, and it isn't completely boil in the bag - although most of the time I use a thin pertex windproof unless it is raining really heavily.

+1 Almost never wear my eVent jackets (I have a couple of Montane ones) on the bike due to boil-in-the-bag effects