Starter Set of Cycling Clothes?

photonic69

Hi.

I'm just getting into road biking after buying a Giant Defy 3 off a fellow forum member. Having mainly done mountain biking and XC I have a fair amount of kit but nothing road-specific. I'm looking at buying a basic but good starter set of clothing for spring/summer cycling. Don't have much of a budget but would like to buy decent stuff that will last for a while and not need renewing in 8 weeks like cheap stuff does.

Top to bottom:

Things I have:
Helmet - I have mountain bike style one. I can remove peak for road use.
Skullie - for cold days
Neck buff
Gloves/mitts various
Various base layers
Full leg padded roubaix cycle bib tights.

Things I think I need:
Long sleeve jersey
Short sleeve jersey
Jackets - Windproof
Jacket - Water/Shower proof
Cycle shorts / tights
Cycle shoes (ideally suited to both mountain and road bikes)
I use toe clips and straps on my mountain bike but have never tried SPDs yet. Something I'm looking at doing though. I also do family cycle days out so need to walk about a bit wearing the shoes. Cant justify getting two sorts of shoes for cycling just yet.

One criteria I have. No one item must be more that £60 (preferably less) and it must make me visible on the road.

My cycling will mostly be out with my son on quiet-ish roads and I hope to join local cycling club for longer rides.

I've had a look at the usual wiggle/evans/crc etc and I'm sure there are very good bargains out there but I don't know the good from the bad(don't bother it's rubbish) stuff.

If any knowledgeable people out there can put together a virtual shopping list or help with some suggestions that would be fantastic.

Thanks

Nic.

markhewitt1978

If you're prepared to wait a month or so, they Aldi sale comes up at the start of May so you can get some good deals there.

diamonddog

Look on here good quality at a good price, I have their jerseys and just as good as the more expensive ones I have.
http://www.d2dcyclingclothing.co.uk/

photonic69

diamonddog wrote:

Look on here good quality at a good price, I have their jerseys and just as good as the more expensive ones I have.
http://www.d2dcyclingclothing.co.uk/

Looks good. How do they compare size-wise? I'm quite average 5' 11.95"; 33/34 waist; 11.5 stone etc. In my experience cycle clothing sizes are just a random figure picked out of the air.

qube

Also try the dhb range at........................ Wiggle.

I'm about the same dimensions as you and their medium padded shorts & tops fit fine.

Great quality and inexpensive.

diamonddog

PhotoNic69 wrote:

diamonddog wrote:

Look on here good quality at a good price, I have their jerseys and just as good as the more expensive ones I have.
http://www.d2dcyclingclothing.co.uk/

Looks good. How do they compare size-wise? I'm quite average 5' 11.95"; 33/34 waist; 11.5 stone etc. In my experience cycle clothing sizes are just a random figure picked out of the air.

The jerseys I have sized up as per chart, they are a race fit rather than relaxed fit.

OwenB

Planet X have loads of bundles at the moment, I've found their kit to be of reasonable quality for the price as well. Definitely worth a look if you're on a tight budget.

northpole

A few thoughts which may help with your list:

I would try to skip long sleeve jersey/ make do with what you have and buy a short sleeve shirt and arm warmers which you can carry in your back pocket when the temp picks up. Same deal with longs - bib shorts and leg warmers should suffice from this time of year onwards.

For shoes/ pedals, I'd suggest from your stated requirements that you get a pair of Shimano SPD pedals and shoes which permit you to walk around with the family days out whilst helping on the club runs/ sportives. Road pedals are fine but the cleats would play havic with you! I struggled to find a significant difference between the SPD pedals and would suggest you go for one of the cheaper pairs from Shimano. Tend to be bullet proof.

Peter

lakesluddite

OwenB wrote:

Planet X have loads of bundles at the moment, I've found their kit to be of reasonable quality for the price as well. Definitely worth a look if you're on a tight budget.

^What he said. This looks like a stonking deal:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BNCALLAH/c ... les-bundle

They do other bundles as well.

photonic69

Some great ideas coming in. Thanks.

What is more important/useful - a good windproof or good waterproof jacket? If so which one from Wiggle?

diamonddog

Windproof IMO, I have a Giordana FRC one from CRC but I would not discount the D2D one @ £45 for a spare when I get around to it.

kajjal

It really depends what height and build you are, which can lead to a bit of trial and error.

I buy most cycling gear based on waist size and inseam length. Being 6ft7 it took a little while to find what fits me best. I find Gore and Castelli are the best fit for me and quality but only buy them when they are half price in the sales. Just be careful of the difference between cheap and good value for money or you end up wasting money on low price gear that doesn't fit and is poor quality.

MisterMuncher

Local club lads here rave about Galibier clothing. It seems fairly reasonable in price, and the one pair of bibs I have compares very favourably to my favourite Etxeondo ones. They offer full money back or exchange if you're not happy, too.

passout

I too think planet x bundles area a good idea - especially for winter gear.

A gilet, armwarmers, leg warmers, neckwarmers and base layers are flexible bits of kit which can build upon your summer gear (ss jerseey & shorts) for use through much of the year.

iPete

Every now and then the dhb pro range will come under you budget. Really rate what I've used so far.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=avs+pro

PhotoNic69 wrote:

What is more important/useful - a good windproof or good waterproof jacket? If so which one from Wiggle?

Spend your money on a good windproof. I've not used a waterpoof in years.
And if you are UK based, bide your time, winter is nearly over and there will soon be bargains about.

I'd also consider getting the summer gear now and adding arm warmers and or leg warmers for a lot of versatility.

ctc

Here's some of my favourites:
Torm jersey and arm warmers
Dhb bib shorts and knee warmers
Montane velo jacket
Lake shoes

indyp

I don't think you can go far wrong with dhb for budget starting out clothing. I'd go for something like the following

Shoes - dhb. Quality is good as is price when compared to others. They do the job well and will be ok now with warmer socks and summer with lighter. I found them comparable to Shimano's which were 2x price. They may not be the stiffest shoe but you needn't be concerned with it.

Wind proof/Water resistant jacket/jersey - I'd invest in a Castelli Alpha JERSEY made from windstopper and rain resistant, it'll do two jobs for you and still under budget of £120

Shorts and leg warmers - dhb again, can't really go wrong as a starter kit they're as good as it gets for the price. I would just get shorts now that weather is improving and wear them with dhb leg warmers, take these off and you're done for summer. They come in two types, fleece for winter and lycra for autumn/spring. I'm still wearing winter at the moment.

Short sleeve jersey - lot's of quality kit under your budget around in the sales at the moment, castelli for instance.

socks, gloves, hats, overshoes and other bits again dhb is pretty good for all.

freestyle_gus

indyP wrote:

I don't think you can go far wrong with dhb for budget starting out clothing. I'd go for something like the following

Shoes - dhb. Quality is good as is price when compared to others. They do the job well and will be ok now with warmer socks and summer with lighter. I found them comparable to Shimano's which were 2x price. They may not be the stiffest shoe but you needn't be concerned with it.

Wind proof/Water resistant jacket/jersey - I'd invest in a Castelli Alpha JERSEY made from windstopper and rain resistant, it'll do two jobs for you and still under budget of £120

Shorts and leg warmers - dhb again, can't really go wrong as a starter kit they're as good as it gets for the price. I would just get shorts now that weather is improving and wear them with dhb leg warmers, take these off and you're done for summer. They come in two types, fleece for winter and lycra for autumn/spring. I'm still wearing winter at the moment.

Short sleeve jersey - lot's of quality kit under your budget around in the sales at the moment, castelli for instance.

socks, gloves, hats, overshoes and other bits again dhb is pretty good for all.

+1 for DHB shoes, for 30 quid, they're great

Tjgoodhew

I started up 2 1/2 years ago with no gear and no idea and some of things i wish i would of bought from the start:

Quality bib shorts. I have found you get what you pay for and buying pairs for £30/£40 is a bit of a false economy. Keep your eyes on the sales and look out for something reduced into your price range. I got a great pair of Ale shorts that cost me £55. Saying that i havent tried any of the DHB shorts so cant comment on above posts

Arm and leg warmers - i cant remember the last time i wore a long sleeve jersey and bib tights. These are much cheaper, versatile to use all year round and means you dont have tons of dedicated winter clothing

Castelli Gabba - It may look expensive and way over your budget but one of these will be all you need for spring autumn and winter. Its water proof, windproof and with a base layer i have worn mine in near freezing conditions in the rain/sleet/snow descending from a mountain and was still warm and dry. I spent a fortune over the first two winters trying to buy cheaper gear for the UK's changing weather but this winter took the plunge on the Gabba and wish i would of done it sooner. Its all i have worn for the past 4 months !!

Shoes - dont buy online - try them on in store. I bought a pair of lovely Fiziks from Germany in the same size as the Shimanos i had and they ended up being way too big. I ended up selling them on Ebay for a £40 loss

mroli

Tjgoodhew wrote:

Shoes - dont buy online - try them on in store. I bought a pair of lovely Fiziks from Germany in the same size as the Shimanos i had and they ended up being way too big. I ended up selling them on Ebay for a £40 loss

True to some extent, but check who you are buying from. Many bike retailers do free returns (often using Collect + who CAN be more convenient than returning through Royal Mail). So when my wife needed shoes, we got 2 styles in three sizes and therefore it was as good as buying through a shop, returning the ones we didn't need. A bit of a logistic pain, but it ended in her getting the right pair for a good price with only a small amount of hassle.

I think that goes for buying anything really online - check the returns policy.

Also - it totally depends on who you are, but I found the occasional quality item can make a real difference to how you FEEL on the bike - even if it is just a favourite cap, or a case to put things in, or even water bottles.

My worst buys - second hand "retro" cycling shirts on ebay and cheap bibshorts from the likes of Sports Direct as commuting "disposable" wear. Uncomfortable is uncomfortable whether it is a short distance or long distance.

Tiberius007

Aldi 12 April. It's by no means top end but its good quality stuff to get you started. Get a lot for your £ and certainly worth a look IMO. I got kit there when I started out and its lasted well. I believe that they will also have Garmin 200 comps for £70.

daniel_b

mroli wrote:

Tjgoodhew wrote:

Shoes - dont buy online - try them on in store. I bought a pair of lovely Fiziks from Germany in the same size as the Shimanos i had and they ended up being way too big. I ended up selling them on Ebay for a £40 loss

True to some extent, but check who you are buying from. Many bike retailers do free returns (often using Collect + who CAN be more convenient than returning through Royal Mail). So when my wife needed shoes, we got 2 styles in three sizes and therefore it was as good as buying through a shop, returning the ones we didn't need. A bit of a logistic pain, but it ended in her getting the right pair for a good price with only a small amount of hassle.

I think that goes for buying anything really online - check the returns policy.

Also - it totally depends on who you are, but I found the occasional quality item can make a real difference to how you FEEL on the bike - even if it is just a favourite cap, or a case to put things in, or even water bottles.

My worst buys - second hand "retro" cycling shirts on ebay and cheap bibshorts from the likes of Sports Direct as commuting "disposable" wear. Uncomfortable is uncomfortable whether it is a short distance or long distance.

I cannot understand the 'never buy shoes or helmets online, only buy in store' argument - as you point out, if you choose your retailer carefully, ie Wiggle, CRC, Wheelies, Koo Bikes, Bike-Discount.de who last time I checked, all offered free and easy returns, then fill your boots.

My last 4 helmets,and several pairs of shoes have all been bought online, and if they don't fit i send them back.

I find it much better to be able to spend as long as I want at home comparing items and fit, as opposed to going into a shop, and on the off chance they firstly have the shoe in stock you are interested in, and secondly in your size, and having to make a rushed decision in 5 minutes whether it is the right fit for you for the next 2 years going forwards - online for me everytime.
And once I know my favoured brand and model, it becomes a doddle.

To the OP, personally I would not write off the idea of getting cheaper gear as you are alluding too, it's not rock bottom prices, and it's the kind of price point I started buying at, and now use those shorts for training rides, and or turbo sessions.
I do have more expensive shorts now, and there is a difference in quality and comfort, but I only 'need' them for 50/60 mile or longer rides.

The idea of leg and arm warmers is probably a fine idea indeed, I can attest to buying bibtights and 3/4 shorts as not only costing a fair bit, but taking up a decent amount of room - having said that, in the depths of winter I do like my fleecy lined bibtights, and they needn't cost the earth - for example Etxeondo £150 bibtights are available for a little over £50 from Merlin at the moment.

Re Shoes and pedals, I would go for Shimano M520's - these can be had dirt cheap, £17 with cleats, but pretty sure I have picked them up in sale time for as little as £11.99 a pair - and they last!!
Shoes - I would go for some MTB style ones so they are easier to walk in - I appreciate the M520's are MTB pedals, but you can still get some road shoes that will take a 2 bolt cleat as well as a 3.
If you can stretch to it, or grab a bargain, I would recommend one with a combination of velcro and ratchet.
Shoe fit is as entertaining as clothing fit - my shoe brand of choice is Diadora (Many bargains to be had from CRC) and Mavic (normal and Maxi). I also have some of the aforesaid mentioned bargain Sidi's, but have yet to try them out on the road - though I expect good things.

In my personal experience I would suggest that the top picks for clothing are Ribble, Merlin, CRC, Planet X (For value stuff) and more recently Bike Discount, and also Evans, especially if they have one of their extra codes - oh and don;t forget to sign up for a cashback site such as quidco or topcashback, it all adds up - I have had £598 back through quidco over less than 3 years.
Oh and keep an eye on Halfords, sometimes they sell stuff at rock bottom prices for no obvious reason and with little fanfare, though stock can be random - for example I bagged 4 pairs of £50 Craft bib shorts last year, reduced down to £10, and then with BC membership this knocked another pound off, so they ended up being a spectacularly cheap £9 each! Two for me and two for my brother.

Merlin carry the Etxeondo range, and they get rave reviews - not sure on stock levels, but they had a raft of shorts for arounf the £45 mark a few months back - might be worth a look, although not free returns, but I send stuff back to them via My Hermes for £2.79 so class it worth the 'risk'

Jacket - already mentioned, but wind stopper is really all you need, potentially a stuff pack rain jacket if you want, but see you get on without it first.

Shoes - CRC, Bike Discount, and less so Wiggle, though they had those bargain £80 Sidi's a few weeks ago, so it does happen.
I would keep an eye on the bargain spotting thread in Commuting, a lot of good stuff gets posted on there but you sometimes need to be quick to get something in your size.
It will also take you a while to find what brand fits you in that area - for example for me, Mavic kit seems to fit me all over, really well.
Giordana tops also fit perfectly, their shorts not as much.
So you may need to prepare yourself for a bit of selling on should some items not fit you as perfectly as you might want.

Above all though, you have the majority of the kit already that you 'need' so I would just crack on and see how you enjoy it, but half of the fun for me is seeking out the right kit :-)

P.S Start cycles have just sent an e-mail to say they have a load of cheap stuff for sale (Scott clothing in particular), and at the mo they have a 10% off code which is BIKE10 - only downside is no free returns.

Spatulala

Do people rate Sport Pursuit? Some of the offers are pretty meh, but in the past I've picked up good deals from brands like Craft and Giordana. Increasingly though, I wonder if the bargains are as good as they once were.

MrGrumpy

like others have said above, I have a ix of DHB,Aldi and Exteondo. Knee warmers for most of winter and early spring, arm warmers as well for spring. Overshoes for the worst of winter and I liked the Pro Fit jersey/jackets from Aldi, tight fit and comfortable and keep most of the rain off. Waterproof stuff just makes me sweat no matter what waste of money IMO for commuting. Oh and a gillet, that is the most useful piece of gear I have! Oh and I never pay the full price for any of my stuff, sales sales and sales!

jameses

Spatulala wrote:

Do people rate Sport Pursuit? Some of the offers are pretty meh, but in the past I've picked up good deals from brands like Craft and Giordana. Increasingly though, I wonder if the bargains are as good as they once were.

Sport Pursuit is good for picking up on quality and sometime less well known brands - pretty much everything they stock is mid to high range - but their pricing isn't particularly competitive once you take into account their OTT shipping costs, and I find the delivery times a bit frustrating given most other retailers seem to be able to offer free shipping in half the time.

luv2ride

I'd say CRC & Wiggle are a good place to start with given their free returns policy and good quality own-brand DHB gear. Buy items in different sizes to get the best fit and return what you don't want. Simples. Their DHB shoes aren't bad either.

Oh, and windproof over waterproof every day. You'll be glad of the extra breathability and most will handle a shower...

chippyk

I've got good quality gear like Assos, Rapha and Castelli but I also get on well with Decathlon's gear. The upper end stuff from the 700 and 900 ranges is pretty good. I like the Aerofit 900 bib shorts, have ridden 100+ miles in them a few times. Granted my Assos shorts are a better quality but for the 40 or so quid I paid I can't grumble.

naylor343

Another nod for decathlon kit, their kit is surprisingly good and well priced, plus they have huge stock.

daniel_b

To the OP - I would head on over to Wiggle ASAP, they have a load of gear, including dhb shorts etc in their clearance sale, and currently the ones I saw were in most sizes.

Shorts are £30, some jerseys even less - free returns, so order a shed load of options and sizes, and send back what you don't want - job done!

mroli

JamesEs wrote:

Spatulala wrote:

Do people rate Sport Pursuit?

their pricing isn't particularly competitive

Agreed - I have often managed to find stuff elsewhere on the net (often without looking very hard) cheaper without the delivery charges. Their price promise is a bit duplicitous I think - they boast about being the cheapest, but if you point out cheaper goods, they don't lower the prices and it doesn't take into account P&P...

photonic69

Daniel B wrote:

To the OP - I would head on over to Wiggle ASAP, they have a load of gear, including dhb shorts etc in their clearance sale, and currently the ones I saw were in most sizes.

Shorts are £30, some jerseys even less - free returns, so order a shed load of options and sizes, and send back what you don't want - job done!

Many thanks to all for your great suggestions and comments, and apologies for not keeping up to date with this thread.

I indeed have been on a spree at Wiggle and yesterday received a lovely large box through the post (including Haribos!)

In the end I went for these:

1 x dhb M1.0 Mountain Bike Cycling Shoe Black/Silver 46
1 x Shimano SPD MTB Cleats Multi Release SH56
1 x dhb Aeron Cycling Bib Short Black/Grey Medium
1 x dhb Active Hi Viz Panelled Short Sleeve Jersey Fluro Medium
1 x dhb Flashlight Arm Warmers Black Medium
1 x dhb Regulate Light Leg Warmers Black Medium

I went on the reviews and comments and questions on the site and they proved to be very helpful in choosing the correct sizes. Turns out I fit a dhb Medium very well. Went for the mountain bike shoes so I can use them on both bikes and I can use them at spin classes too. The products seem like very good value and the quality is quite nice too. It remains to see how long they might last.

The padding on the Aeron Cycling Bib Shorts seems a little thinner than I would have liked but it seems to get good reviews. Any one have experience of the CyTech Elastic Interface ‘Veloce’ chamois?

Leg warmers? Are the tops worn under of over the shorts? I'm guessing under so the gripper is against the skin then the shorts pulled over the tops?

Just need to get a nice windproof jacket next. Got to wait until payday for this next purchase though.