Buying cycling clothing & accessories can be quite strategic & challenging.
When I first started I had zero idea about fit, quality, colour coordination or even general coordination...
From the beginning I prioritised a quality bib short, but spent less / worried less about top fit, and socks and other accessories were just an add-on / whatever. Adding to the choice-making was also fluctuating weight, meaning I've often dabbled in a concoction of gear from across the past few years.
While you can be mismatched and an absolute beast on the bike, like a well-coordinated outfit, when you feel and look good, it tends to give you extra motivation - for me, that's important.
I've been wearing a lot of Le Col kit in the past year or so, and pretty much exclusively buy from them. The bibs and tops fit my build really well, particularly the aero kit (as i've slimmed).
Recently though i've been experimenting with different brands and fit shapes to switch it up. While I own some kit from MAAP (and I really like it), they're too expensive to own and have multiple outfits (like PNS). The aero summer jerseys I have are really cool, but at £180 a pop, the price to quality increase just isn't there.
When I first started I had zero idea about fit, quality, colour coordination or even general coordination...
From the beginning I prioritised a quality bib short, but spent less / worried less about top fit, and socks and other accessories were just an add-on / whatever. Adding to the choice-making was also fluctuating weight, meaning I've often dabbled in a concoction of gear from across the past few years.
While you can be mismatched and an absolute beast on the bike, like a well-coordinated outfit, when you feel and look good, it tends to give you extra motivation - for me, that's important.
I've been wearing a lot of Le Col kit in the past year or so, and pretty much exclusively buy from them. The bibs and tops fit my build really well, particularly the aero kit (as i've slimmed).
Recently though i've been experimenting with different brands and fit shapes to switch it up. While I own some kit from MAAP (and I really like it), they're too expensive to own and have multiple outfits (like PNS). The aero summer jerseys I have are really cool, but at £180 a pop, the price to quality increase just isn't there.
Other brands I've just tried/looked into to:
- Castelli I've returned too often to go there again - the clothes are made for people at 50-60kg - not me!
- Rapha I find uninteresting in design and a couple of items i've bought in the past / been gifted haven't fitted me well / felt nice fabric wise
- Kalas I have in a club kit - superb quality, fit can be a bit different, non-custom kit seems to be quite boring
- The UC kit looks cool but i'm not convinced of the long-term quality - willing to be convinced!
- Assos I like, but everything feels very racy / aero in a way that isn't entirely comfortable? Feels like I should be in Z4 hammering all the time, not cruising in flat lanes
With the death of the high-street (and some brands opting to not bother), it's quite challenging to find without the buy & return method, which (depending on the brand) can actually cost you money!!
Looking outside of the standard brands I'm often marketed, I've started spending into brands that specialise more and feel different, or that i've never seen.
I've mentioned MAAP - their aero summer shirts (short and long) are amazing in terms of fit and feel, and it's undeniable (like Standert for bikes) their designs are super cool and different.
Spatz is one that primarily make waterproof overshoe covers (for the grim UK weather!). They're a UK brand (in Leeds), so buying/supporting them is a plus, and the quality of their products stands out.
After buying a pair of black aero shoe/socks, I decided to try out their bib short range - reviews say they're super solid, they seem quite flexible, chammy is good and the leg grippers (on pure feel alone) are better than others I've used. They also have two different pockets (the cargo range) which i've never used before. They're overall quiet discreet so can be paired well with most other cycling bits I own.
At £80 on sale, considering the fit/feel/quality, they're feel like a bargain, so hoping they hold up. I also bought the white aero shoe covers for a change from black + to make £100 because....
Spatz is one that primarily make waterproof overshoe covers (for the grim UK weather!). They're a UK brand (in Leeds), so buying/supporting them is a plus, and the quality of their products stands out.
After buying a pair of black aero shoe/socks, I decided to try out their bib short range - reviews say they're super solid, they seem quite flexible, chammy is good and the leg grippers (on pure feel alone) are better than others I've used. They also have two different pockets (the cargo range) which i've never used before. They're overall quiet discreet so can be paired well with most other cycling bits I own.
At £80 on sale, considering the fit/feel/quality, they're feel like a bargain, so hoping they hold up. I also bought the white aero shoe covers for a change from black + to make £100 because....
They came (free) with a pair of sunglasses when spending £100! I decided on the gold one's as I have a clear / white pair of glasses already. First impressions - they're more sunburnt orange than gold, and they're HUGE (which I'm not sure I like). The case is really solid. Let's see how they wear - they do feel comfy.
Another brand I've been marketed which are really nice is Bonk (bonkcyclingclub.com/). OK, they're not really an on-bike cycling brand, but I own a couple of their off-road t-shirts (which have great designs / hold up really well), so I decided on a cool casquette (mostly for gravel) and a really fresh pair of white socks, which are good quality. I got a couple of fun bike bottles too. I believe they're designed by an individual in Belgium and aren't so much a company - happy to give my money away to someone going it solo...
Other than that, I did re-up a bit with Le Col, buying their newest LCCC jersey (the polka dot plays tricks on your mind...), a replacement set of shoe-covers (I lost one... god knows where!) as well as a black pair of their Pro Bib Shorts.
Feels like i'm fairly set for the Spring/Summer, and have 'Condo'd' much of what I won't wear - now to buy the wardrobe to organise it all!
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