Expense of clothing

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Comments

  • littlerascal
    littlerascal Posts: 47
    I personally don't find the clothing range that expensive, the reason being there is always a sale to be had.

    Wiggle have castelli in the sale all the time
    Evans have sky in the sale all the time

    I would avoid Rapha as they are ridiculous and they are £6 just for delivery
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    I too use DHB. I can't afford Assos. I have no doubt that Assos shorts are more comfortable and have longer lasting pads, better quality fabric that feels nicer against the skin, better detailing... And DHB don't offer a repair service.

    Still, they work - it's not a matter of beginners using cheap and 'advanced' riders using expensive. You can train like a maniac without having posh kit just as you don't have to have a posh bike. Just buy the best you can afford and prioritise your shorts among your purchasing.
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  • HebdenBiker
    HebdenBiker Posts: 787
    Is there something in this about cycling becoming a middle-class pursuit, like, say, golf or sailing?

    When I was a kid growing up on Merseyside, cycling was big in working-class areas. Kirkby comes to mind. Club riders rode mid-range steel bikes, which were certainly not cheap, but attainable if you were on an average income. They wore their ratty old club jerseys, put on the long-sleeved one in winter, and maybe a pac-a-mac type thing in the back pocket.

    Now as an adult living in West Yorkshire, the best riders I see on the hills are the old boys on old bikes and in old jerseys, saying "alreet lad" as they effortlessly pass me :D

    Don't get me wrong - I think it's brilliant that more people are cycling now. I just wouldn't want people on modest incomes to think you have to spend a fortune to be a good rider, or to be "accepted" in the club or the cafe.
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  • BLW
    BLW Posts: 96
    I just purchased some ladies Muddy Fox padded cycling tights n matching top (I was on a budget buying spree) and I have to say after doing 107 miles in the today, I'm bloody impressed! comfy bum all the way round and the top kept me dry and cool, all for under £30.

    The quality compared to some other brands (£40 to £60 price range per item) is no differnt, you're just paying for the name half the time, yes other brands 'look better' but the functionality is probably the same.

    Don't get me wrong, I love the more expensive brands the same as everyone else but we all splash out on differnt things so I have no shame in liking something that's not cost me too much :)
  • Crouching Peeky
    Crouching Peeky Posts: 90
    I've been very impressed with the durability, comfort and price of the Decathlon range.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    At a sportif yesterday - I saw a woman on a bike that was upwards of 6 grand.

    She was in a Foska top - which is fine - but it was at least 5 sizes too big. Surely she could have saved on outfitting the bike enough to buy a top that wasnt at risk of getting caught in the chainring ?

    Hebden - I don't think we used to have much choice of kit back in the day. Wooly club tops and plain black shorts with proper chamois in. Wooly tights over in winter and a nylon fronted jacket.

    Nowadays there are hundreds of manufacturers and you can put an exorbitant price tag on, add some monochrome shots to your website and evoke an era of yesteryear to justify your prices. And people will buy it.

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