Does expensive clothing make a massive difference?

[thunderlips76]

Hi guys,

Not been on too many rides recently due to breaking my leg playing football. I'm just starting to enjoy cycling again and wondered if expensive clothing makes much difference to the casual cyclist. I get most of my stuff off eBay (from a cycle brand called didoo) or from sports direct. I have everything I think I need ( padded shorts, jerseys, base layers, arm any leg warmers, rain jacket) and it seems to do the job. I guess the question I have is do £15 bib shorts do the same job as a £60 pair of bib shorts?.

 

[BrynCP]

Comfortable clothing makes a difference.

Some Sports Direct stuff is fine, depends on the quality of the padding in the shorts. Some have what appears to be a layer of foam others a proper shaped pad, the fit is also important as that pad is no good if not held in the right place. Personally I don't get on with the Sports Direct sizing of jerseys as they come up short in the arm for me when actually on the bike.

Most of my stuff is DHB and has worked for me up to 75 miles with no problem.

 

[thunderlips76]

Purchased some muddy fox shorts from sports direct when starting out and yeah the padding was just foam. Bought a couple of pairs of shorts off eBay from a company called FDX and they have shaped padding and have been great so far ( although some stitching is starting to go), they cost around £11...... My friends are paying three times that from wiggle!!!

 

[Fab Foodie]

In general more expensive kit is 'better' but I say that with some caveats ....
Better kit tends to use better materials, construction, better fit and better 'technical features. Whether any of those are of value for the kind of riding you do is the difficult question. For example in my experience buying more expensive bibs means better fit, more ease of movement due to more panels in the cut and more breathable materials, same pretty much with Jerseys. Certainly with outer shells, more spend gets better water-proofness, comfort, breathability etc.
As will all things there is a law of diminishing returns. Also by hunting around, taking good recommendations and being patient, there are some very good kit bargains to be had.
If you're commuting every day, Rapha, and Assos prices might be OTT, but if you're doing long distances in all weathers, then the best breathing and weatherproof shell for example might be worth a heavy investment.

The good thing is that there is great choice available. Decathlon and Wiggle's dhb ranges being excellent value for money.

 

[User16625]

In general more expensive kit is 'better' but I say that with some caveats ....
Better kit tends to use better materials, construction, better fit and better 'technical features. Whether any of those are of value for the kind of riding you do is the difficult question. For example in my experience buying more expensive bibs means better fit, more ease of movement due to more panels in the cut and more breathable materials, same pretty much with Jerseys. Certainly with outer shells, more spend gets better water-proofness, comfort, breathability etc.
As will all things there is a law of diminishing returns. Also by hunting around, taking good recommendations and being patient, there are some very good kit bargains to be had.
If you're commuting every day, Rapha, and Assos prices might be OTT, but if you're doing long distances in all weathers, then the best breathing and weatherproof shell for example might be worth a heavy investment.

The good thing is that there is great choice available. Decathlon and Wiggle's dhb ranges being excellent value for money.

That is true. A Ferrari F430 costs about £120,000 and has a top speed of about 200mph. A Bugatti Veyron SS costs about £1.2 million and has a top speed of about 267mph. Thats over an extra £1 million for your extra 60-70mph.
Also
The Ferrari costs about £600 for every 1 mph of its top speed. The Veyron SS is over £4400 for every 1 mph.

Try quantifying your improvements in this way when you buy a new set of high profile rims, new carbon fibre bike and monthly cost of steroids. Bit difficult to do with clothing tho.

 

[jazzkat]

I used to ride in a cotton t shirt and cheap padded shorts. They did the job just fine.
One of the best purchases I made was changing from shorts to bibs. I have a pair of cheapish (relatively) dhb shorts that are good for rides of an hour or so but start to get uncomfortable after that time. I have some old shutt bib shorts that are great all day and I've recently bought some assos bib shorts to replace them, that are equally fab.
I justify spending so much by thinking how long I am on the bike. If I'm out all day wearing the assos and they last a couple of years that would work out per ride (if I could be bothered to work it out) quite inexpensive. Big cost up front though.

 

[Tin Pot]

Yes, you get what you pay for.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I wear cheap kit and do a fair few miles. DHB Aeron shorts and Ronhill cycling jerseys are my normal attire.

 

[numbnuts]

A cheap kilt is crap

 

[Mrs M]

Some cheaper purchases can turn out to be surprisingly good, but on the whole agree with buy cheap, pay dear.
I have a few Gore Bikewear jerseys and a jacket (bought in sales and cheaper online). They have lasted and worn very well and are comfortable and a good fit. I have one DHB Jersey which I am very pleased with but the other one went in the bin within a few weeks as it was just rubbish.
In my horse riding days I paid £50 for a pair of yard boots, (in the bin within 6 months) then invested a lot more on my next pair which were still like new 5 years later.

 

[Milkfloat]

In my opinion, the one thing to spend that little bit extra is the bib shorts. I am a cheapskate of the highest order, but bibs are something I don't skimp on. Obviously I buy in the off season to get good reductions, but no £5 shorts for me.

 

[screenman]

I find it easy to shop for kit now that you can buy Rapha in Harrods.

 

[BrynCP]

Today I wore some Aldi crane bib shorts, £11.99 a couple of weeks ago on their cycling special. Wore them for a 30 mile ride, with 3 "climbs" and felt comfortable and couldn't have told you the difference between them and my far more expensive DHB ones at such a distance. They have a far better pad then the Muddy Fox ones. Had I worn them for my 75 mile ride a few weeks ago it might have been a different story, then again it might have not too.

 

[Rustybucket]

Yes I think so, I seem to have become a brand snob now thou!

 

[ayceejay]

Back in the day when cycling kit was woolen the chamois was just that - chamois leather like you use for washing windows, When synthetic materials were used they had less of a wicking property than the chamois so were thicker with something as backing to assist. Since then the initial idea of soaking sweat to avoid soreness has got somewhat lost and the padding is for cushioning although more expensive shorts will do both. Fit is very important because any fold in the 'chamois' is going to be a problem, bibs help to avoid this and consequently are worth the extra.