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Doesn’t matter how hard I try to ignore it, colder/wetter days are coming – I need to top up my apparel to cope. New winter gloves, the odd base-layer and a waterproof jacket.
Which is the shop that has the largest range ?? As I don’t want to plod round half a dozen as that’ll consume most of Saturday.
thanks in advance for recommendations.
Some people would say 'wait until next week' -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16436#post-231589
I would think EBC or Alpine (Stockbridge)
Aldi or lidl when they are running a promotion, but otherwise none. Evans, Halfords, always have clothes in but prices are extortion, Declathlon is better, personally after buying some aldi kit in the wrong size 2 years ago don’t bother with cycle clothes just wear more tops the colder it gets and 2 socks, but seeing as your question clothes well not sure. Thinking about it should get some cycle clothes myself for the high vis aspect as everyone else on my commute route, kirknewton/a71 wears high vis
Declathlon less extortionate(?)
yup - next Thursday it is then.
Any of the three Aldis bigger/better ?
Another vote for Decathlon, and there's also Go Outdoors down at Granton, which has expanded its cycling offering recently.
If you don't want to plod around the shops, I'd recommend Planet X online - I've bought quite a bit of their clothing over the last 18 months and I'm seriously impressed by the quality at the prices they're charging. Been wearing their 365 bib shorts for 18 months and unlike every other brand I've ever bought, the stitching is all still intact. Sign up to their mailing list and get the regular Friday Flash Sale mails for even lower prices.
They also sell 'bundles', so it may work out even cheaper to get a complete set of winter kit.
Apart from mornings when I got up and it was monsoon like outside, I haven't used a waterproof jacket the last couple of years. Instead I just wear a thin windproof one, it's enough to keep off showers, and SO much drier/nicer to wear all the rest of the time.
For instance: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-aeron-super-light-packable-windproof-jacket/ or maybe http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-flashlight-windproof-xt-cycling-jacket/ just at random.
There are also hardware shops, workwear shops and army surplus shops, all of which sell durable outdoorsy-type things, particularly if you're after the mythical waterproof glove. Whilst waiting for a sale you could try a couple of pairs of warm-but-not-waterproof gloves with a pair of nitrile-dipped gardening gloves over the top.
I tend to get base layers whenever someone has a sale, most recently Evans. Half the time I return them when the manufacturer turns out to have a different idea of what a particular size means, or the degree to which constriction of the trachea is considered a comfort feature. My use of base layers is complicated by preferring items which aren't skin-tight, so that they can be worn as T-shirts in the spring/summer/autumn/winter and atop something with longer sleeves (which I only have in dark colours) if it ever gets wintry enough.
Ask 4 cyclists this question, get 73 different replies.
I'm more a fan of 'you get what you pay for'. There can be a law of diminishing returns, but there can also be some bargains that won't necessarily look like it initially.
Rapha cause many many debates, but the fit for me is astonishingly good (and I struggle with 'normal' cycle clothing), and if bought in one of their regular sales it might seem expensive (or even worse if somewhere like Evans is seen as 'extortionate'!), but... it lasts and lasts and lasts and lasts.
Just bought some Swrv 3/4 troos as well, and incredibly impressed by them so far, but can't comment on the durability yet.
To be honest, clothes that work for you, and work for your budget, are an entirely personal choice (I've a Vulpine jacket which isn't bad, but the fit makes it feel uncomfortable for any ride longer than half an hour, but others absolutely love it, and rightly so if it works for them).
All of that said, I might pop into Aldi...
I've found it is horses for courses, but no 1 rule is never pay full price for anything (unless it is Lidl or Aldi).
I tend not to spare expense for long rides and save best shorts/tights (Gore/Castelli) and jerseys (Rapha/Gore)that I can afford for those. They come off t'interweb, though you could try them for size somewhere like Evans which has one of the best range of mid to top range kit. Follow care instructions and take care and they should last for years. Rapha also have no quibble repair service which is worth something too.
For my commute (~1 hr) Decathlon, Aldi and Lidl are all fine. Main advantage of them are that they are cheap and less likely to get nicked from our work drying room. Find that decathlon are better quality but a bit more expensive at full price (refer to rule 1 above).
I'm not good at the Dutch "effortlessly move off the bike and look stylish" thing, so am not the person to ask about that sort of clothing.
Aldi opens 8a.m. U=I think? if you go at that time next Thurs (i hope to be at Gorgie) there will be long queues of cyclists buying kit.
If you go after this then not guaranteed to have the full range. Check the link paddyirish sent you can browse forst to form a view of what you are going to get.
THey have lobster gloves for instance but I think they are not good. (lobster gloves in general).
Never hada waterproof jacket that worked. I sweat a lot. Though never tried 7mesh as they ARE pricey
@gembo, agreed, tried the Aldi lobster gloves and they are rubbish.
If you know your size, you can order the Aldi items online, but much more fun to see in the flesh...
What everyone else has said (including all the self-contradictory bits).
For gloves - when it's wet bring as many pairs of gloves as you have legs of your journey so you never have to put on wet gloves.
I think it's worth spending money on a decent waterproof jacket (and then re-proofing it) - but for the sort of civilian-clothes cycling I do, something designed for hill-walking is just as good as one for cycling, and probably a bit cheaper for any given level of quality. My Helly Hansen jacket has done me proud.
I don't have favourite shops, more about what I need at the time and source then.
Merino base layers (endura, both long and short sleeve, are not cheap but brilliant), perhaps add another layer if v cold, winter windproof jacket (EBC branded made by Polaris).
Have a Goretex walking jacket, but don't use on bike for some reason. Use a Vulpine waterproof but also a cheap polybag decathlon waterproof (in Carradice permanently) if it's rain of biblical proportions.
Winter biblongs are cozy for cold mornings.
When it gets really cold, I wear Sealskinz socks even if dry. The double layer really insulates.
Gloves - decathlon silk liners in old Altura night vision waterproof gloves does for most of the winter.
I bought some Sealskinz Lobster gloves last year as I suffer cold fingers. Amazingly warm, but odd to wear - only for severe days.
# New additions from Vulpine online sale this week - Merino hoodie and Merino beanie. Both feel v warm, but as yet untested #
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