New rider, suggestions for cheaper end kit

daniel_b

A young chap at work has finally taken the plunge and bought a roadbike.

Two visits to decathlon later, and today we walked out with a Triban 500SE, not too shabby for effectively £294, after their cashback thing.

So, tbh it was a battle to get him to spend that much, so I have found some new bits I had knocking about he can have, ie Mitts, puncture repair kit, tyre levers, cage and bottle.
I might even have a Lazer genesis helmet he can have, thinking about it.

He will still need:
Track pump
Mini pump
Shorts
Jersey

And further down the line, shoes and pedals.

So I am really after a cheap but hopefully still a purveyor of decent kit.

Off the top of my head, i'm thinking:

Tenn (Amazon)
This place http://www.cycle-clothing.co.uk/
Lidl
Aldi
Maybe sports direct, reluctantly
Planet X

I know dhb have improved their quality a lot, but have their prices gone up too?
Not checked their entry level stuff recently.
Anyone seen any good shorts deals?

It's tricky to get this chap to spend cash, so realistically £25 for shorts, and £10/15 for a jersey I reckon.

Any other recommendations, or advice to steer clear from of the above?

mcstumpy

Decathlon also have decent, well priced clothing and accessories

tangled_metal

Have you looked at go outdoors? They're getting into cycling a bit more seriously than in the past. They price match +10% extra knocked off. I got lights from moon at 60% off RRP plus other more outdoors kit at big savings. You only need to find the same product colour, size and spec cheaper online or in another shop. They go online thorough their tills or call the shop. If the product matches they'll knock 10% off it.

They sell a dare 2b and other more mainstream products. The bikes are getting better too.

bendertherobot

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wiggle-essentia ... -jersey-1/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wiggle-essentia ... bib-short/

rick_chasey

When I started as a 15 yr old I bought some altura shorts that got me around the Pyrenees 3 years later.

Can't have been more than £25.

Snakebite the 2nd

Halfords have got sales on at the moment, might help.

nich

I'm kitted out in a lot of DHB stuff - I find the quality excellent and the prices were fairly cheap last time I checked.

Decathlon / sports-direct is probably the cheapest

rolf_f

nich wrote:

I'm kitted out in a lot of DHB stuff - I find the quality excellent and the prices were fairly cheap last time I checked.

Decathlon / sports-direct is probably the cheapest

Sports Direct is owned by a piece of sh1t that treats his employees like scum and ruins companies by applying their branding to appalling quality junk. Sports Direct should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Decathlon....... There are better places to source cheap kit - Decathlon for sure and Aldi/Lidl are good but I would go elsewhere for shorts.

rick_chasey

... So Rolf doesn't like sports direct?

The Rookie

Seconded, don't buy anything from Sports Direct.

Decathlon stuff is good and offers a range of quality levels to suite pocket (all good value), DHB stuff (Wiggle own brand) is also worth looking at, others to consider are On-one/PlanetX own branded stuff.

Aldi/Lidl stuff is good if only avialable for a few weeks a year, gloves from either last me longer and feel more comfy than some much more expensive kit, I don't use their cycling tops though as I find them very sweaty.

Sleeper Service

Decathalon is the home of much cheapness, but it's good gear too.

Man Of Lard

Evans (cycles, not outsize outfitters) clearance section often has last season's or shop-soiled clothing (all the shop-soiled I've had has simply needed a wash) for cheap. All depends on his size how available that is (and if he's dead set against some colours ) and if he can purloin some Tesco Clubcard vouchers he can convert them at double face value to Evans giftcards (£2.50 of Clubcard = £5 Evans - so even buying them at face value from friends/family might be worth it)

Track pump - I'd hesitate to recommend anything other than a JoeBlow (the appropriate one for his use of course) but that's because I managed to destroy all of them I've had other than the JB within 12 months. The JB has lasted 3 years so far and shows no sign of deterioration.

Mini pump - Probably no use but I have an "Innovations Mountain Pipe" combined mini pump & CO2 inflator (in white) he can have for the price of the post (I have 2 for unknown reasons - no CO2 cartridges though)

imatfaal

Wiggle Essential jerseys are pretty damn good value 12quid. If you are doing a big buy from Wiggle make sure that you recommend him - it is a quite a good offer for both the new purchaser and the recommender; it is often in a banner across the top of the website

rolf_f

Rick Chasey wrote:

... So Rolf doesn't like sports direct?

Apologies - 3rd June is my personal "Annual subtlety day" - sometimes my point of view doesn't come across that clearly on this day!

Seriously - how much personal wealth do you need to have before you treat your staff like humans?

TonyJams

If he's buying right now then this is a great deal
Bottle cage
computer
mini pump
levers
seat pack
all for £18
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/362200/pr ... -grey.aspx

If you're going to sit with him at lunchtimes and help him buy the right kit online then check out Bikesy as well. You can help him search for clearance/soiled gear for ridiculously cheap prices while making sure he only buys the stuff that fits or that he really needs.

lostboysaint

Another vote for either Decathlon - a variety of price points and you can try it and it's very good - or DHB from Wiggle.

keyser__soze

Sportpursuit have some decent cheap kit too.

daniel_b

Wow, loads of replies!

Thanks a lot chaps, so I was wrong about DHB, they have gone upmarket, but have still kept the bargainous stuff, that's good to know.

That bundle deal is a BARGAIN, and I have sent it to him along with a £2.50 puncture repair kit which would push it over £20 for free postage.

There are some other tips in there I need to spend more time over, but having a busy afternoon at work sadly.......
Will reply again over the weekend.

TonyJams

Daniel B wrote:

That bundle deal is a BARGAIN, and I have sent it to him along with a £2.50 puncture repair kit which would push it over £20 for free postage.

Nice one, always happy to help another rider get into this great sport!
Have a good weekend.
Cheers
Tony

itboffin

Unless this fella is big into kungfu and has the smelly bridge of a well worn cowboys saddle I strongly recommend he spends a little bit more on shorts or his time as a road cyclist will be very short indeed.

DHB is an excellent start, sale tastic should bag a cheap pair, try looking out for the ride London discount stuff or their areon whatever it called stuff

You can tell him about chammy cream a bit later

wolfsbane2k

itboffin wrote:

Unless this fella is big into kungfu and has the smelly bridge of a well worn cowboys saddle I strongly recommend he spends a little bit more on shorts or his time as a road cyclist will be very short indeed.

DHB is an excellent start, sale tastic should bag a cheap pair, try looking out for the ride London discount stuff or their areon whatever it called stuff

You can tell him about chammy cream a bit later

It also depends on how long/much he wants to ride for. I'm still happy with my £6 lidl/aldi shorts, especially when mixed with my decathlon MTB baggies for added wind stopping/modesty keeping, does me happily for a 1 1/2 hour ride.

wolfsbane2k

Oh, and depending on size, lidl and Aldi are also for the larger cyclist. I've yet to find another budget supplier that fits as well.

daniel_b

Thankyou for the Go Outdoors link - been hearing a lot about them recently.
And also for the links to the super cheap dhb jerseys, I will send him, those, but I do think that shorts will likely be the most important purchase - for riding comfort anyway.
Agreed on Sports direct, hence the reluctantly bit but I think I will steer him away from them, I don't think the poor old bealgaured once great Muddy Fox name is done any favours by the kit they slap it all over, I know some people say they are ok, but I personally believe (With no real evidence) that you can do better for the money, and I to have heard about the treatment of employees.

Trackpump, again, getting him to spend cash is a struggle, so I was thinking of the pretty well rated £13 lifeline one.
Good call on the recommend a friend thing, I had totally forgotten that.

That Spesh starter kit looks spot on though, such good value for money, and he needs a second cage, saddle bag and a mini pump, and the computer will help with his motivation when he can see how far he is covering with such comparitive ease.
Thanks for the Bikesy link too, never really looked on there, but some VERY cheap clothes listed on there, Altura and the like.
Agreed ITB on the ridelondon kit, we managed to bag some ladies shorts for my gf and my brothers gf for something silly like £15 or £20 each.

Good call on Aldi and Lidl size wise too, shame their stuff is so infrequent, but will keep my eyes peeled, we have one of each in town here.

I was quite worried, as I persuaded him onto a roadbike (I asked him where he wanted to ride, and he said on the road) instead of a front suspension Carrera something or other, not a subway, the other one.
But he messaged me tonight to say he took it out and he loves it - it's stock, so flat pedals, and he has no mitts or any kit yet, but that seems pretty positive, so hopefully that will persuade him that having spent £300, spending say another £100 on kit is very much worth it.
He is 6ft1 ish, and about 14 stone, though I think his fighting weight would be more like 12.5 stones I think - he also took up kickboxing last week, and is keen to get fitter and lose weight, he's only 19 I think!
The likely weight loss is another strong reason to buy cheaper end stuff right now, as he plans to be smaller soon anyway.

He is very tight with his money, which is fine, so I can't see him spending £60 on a pair of shorts for example, and indeed when I started I clearly remember spending £18 on some dhb normal (non bib) shorts, and they were fine at the time - it's to some degree what you are used to, and how far you go, and when you start, 20 miles is a fairly epic journey, or seems it at the time.

The Rookie

For the current weather all he needs is mitts, padded shorts and a decent base layer t-shirt, some baggy shorts if self conscious (I use Azore ones off eBay for commuting and casual road riding- superb value, lots of pockets and cheap), can keep an eye on eBay or local bike related Facebook pages for cycling long sleeve tops with the rear pockets if wanted.

daniel_b

The Rookie wrote:

For the current weather all he needs is mitts, padded shorts and a decent base layer t-shirt, some baggy shorts if self conscious (I use Azore ones off eBay for commuting and casual road riding- superb value, lots of pockets and cheap), can keep an eye on eBay or local bike related Facebook pages for cycling long sleeve tops with the rear pockets if wanted.

That's an excellent call mate, and I reckon you might well be right there, I did exactly that when I first started.
On ebay at the mo there are only ladies shorts strangely.

k1875

I give it 6 months before this guy is on the "thread to tell everyone what bike gear you've just bought" 'fessing up to buying (another) pair of assos shorts !

The Rookie

Daniel B wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

For the current weather all he needs is mitts, padded shorts and a decent base layer t-shirt, some baggy shorts if self conscious (I use Azore ones off eBay for commuting and casual road riding- superb value, lots of pockets and cheap), can keep an eye on eBay or local bike related Facebook pages for cycling long sleeve tops with the rear pockets if wanted.

That's an excellent call mate, and I reckon you might well be right there, I did exactly that when I first started.
On ebay at the mo there are only ladies shorts strangely.

Confession time, I buy the ladies as they fit just fine and often come up cheaper, size 14-16 fits me just fine and if you buy the more expensive model they look identical to the gents, it's only the low end ones that have pink bits.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Azore-3-4-Wom ... SwaZdXH0Gu for example.
They fit so well I wouldn't be surprised if the only difference from the mens was the label.

itboffin

Woah this just took an interesting turn, so what other ladies clothes have you been wearing?

Also just NO to baggies, embrace your inner MAMIL do not hide him

philbar72

Rolf F wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

... So Rolf doesn't like sports direct?

Apologies - 3rd June is my personal "Annual subtlety day" - sometimes my point of view doesn't come across that clearly on this day!

Seriously - how much personal wealth do you need to have before you treat your staff like humans?

Mike Ashley and Philip Green. 2 very similar people. Nasty.

getting back on track, decathlons stuff is very good quality for the price.

The Rookie

itboffin wrote:

Woah this just took an interesting turn, so what other ladies clothes have you been wearing?

Also just NO to baggies, embrace your inner MAMIL do not hide him

Nothing else for a while.....

Sorry but no, as an MTBer I believe that Lycra is only for under the baggies, besides I'd have to find somewhere for the keys, phone and wallet - I have no inner MAMIL.

That said having just bought a 'Zesty Lime' (Kermit green) London road frame to replace my ageing (2005) Carrera Gryphon frame, Lycra would probably look more in keeping!

daniel_b

The Rookie wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Woah this just took an interesting turn, so what other ladies clothes have you been wearing?

Also just NO to baggies, embrace your inner MAMIL do not hide him

Nothing else for a while.....

Sorry but no, as an MTBer I believe that Lycra is only for under the baggies, besides I'd have to find somewhere for the keys, phone and wallet - I have no inner MAMIL.

That said having just bought a 'Zesty Lime' (Kermit green) London road frame to replace my ageing (2005) Carrera Gryphon frame, Lycra would probably look more in keeping!

LOL, so what size would you reckon for a 32" waist, or a 34" waist?
Not familiar with how the ladies sizes works in clothes, google seems to suggest something like L or XL....?