Road gear - what do I need?

quenching

I'm planning on doing some weekend/evening spins, about 30-60km, on a road bike and figure I best get some decent shorts and jerseys to wear. I want reasonable quality, don't care too much what they look like, and don't want to spend a fortune. I've come up with this so far but anything else I need?

dhb Aeron Pro Cycling Bib Short - these on their own on warmer days?

dhb Pro Padded Undershorts - these with some tights on cooler days? Suggestion for tights welcome, but what about these dhb Pace Unpadded Bib Tight

dhb Transit Short Sleeve Jersey

Do I need a long sleeve jersey - dhb Core S Jersey

Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream - not totally sure I need this, do I?

What about base layers? Can someone point me to an explanation of what to wear and in what layering order?

Anywhere do an entire road cycling "starter pack"?

Is there any need to look any further than Wiggle?

This cycling lark is getting expensive, bike, shoes, pedals, GPS, clothing.....:eek:

07Lapierre

quenching wrote: »

I'm planning on doing some weekend/evening spins, about 30-60km, on a road bike and figure I best get some decent shorts and jerseys to wear. I want reasonable quality, don't care too much what they look like, and don't want to spend a fortune. I've come up with this so far but anything else I need?

dhb Aeron Pro Cycling Bib Short - these on their own on warmer days?

dhb Pro Padded Undershorts - these with some tights on cooler days? Suggestion for tights welcome, but what about these dhb Pace Unpadded Bib Tight

dhb Transit Short Sleeve Jersey

Do I need a long sleeve jersey - dhb Core S Jersey

Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream - not totally sure I need this, do I?

What about base layers? Can someone point me to an explanation of what to wear and in what layering order?

Anywhere do an entire road cycling "starter pack"?

Is there any need to look any further than Wiggle?

This cycling lark is getting expensive, bike, shoes, pedals, GPS, clothing.....:eek:

Yep! and if you intend cycling every day, you'll need 2 or 3 of EACH!

check bike24 and chainreaction as well as wiggle. Don't forget your LBS too.

el Bastardo

quenching wrote: »

I'm planning on doing some weekend/evening spins, about 30-60km, on a road bike and figure I best get some decent shorts and jerseys to wear. I want reasonable quality, don't care too much what they look like, and don't want to spend a fortune. I've come up with this so far but anything else I need?

dhb Aeron Pro Cycling Bib Short - these on their own on warmer days?

dhb Pro Padded Undershorts - these with some tights on cooler days? Suggestion for tights welcome, but what about these dhb Pace Unpadded Bib Tight

dhb Transit Short Sleeve Jersey

Do I need a long sleeve jersey - dhb Core S Jersey

Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream - not totally sure I need this, do I?

What about base layers? Can someone point me to an explanation of what to wear and in what layering order?

Anywhere do an entire road cycling "starter pack"?

Is there any need to look any further than Wiggle?

This cycling lark is getting expensive, bike, shoes, pedals, GPS, clothing.....:eek:

I'd forego the cream: Chafed buttocks will tell you if you need.

DHB stuff (Wiggle's own brand) runs small, in my experience: Read the reviews on Wiggle's website if you decide to shop there.

Lumen

Wouldn't bother with those undershorts, better to get 3/4 length bib tights.

Wouldn't bother with long sleeve jersey, arm warmers are more flexible. Castelli ones are good value and warm, Assos are also decent.

Lots of people use leg warmers but I haven't found any that stay up.

Don't use chamois cream myself.

empty21

Hello,

Unfortunately ordered my gear yesterday via Wiggle and was on chainreaction today and I would have saved about £20 sterling on shoes and pedals alone, helmets were also cheaper, couldnt compare shorts etc as they are not carrying the same ones but I wish i had ordered with them had I known, worth checking out....

ednwireland

always check wiggle, chain reaction, probikekit, evans, bike 24 etc etc

they could all be cheapest for one item (all but bike24 is free shipping)

wendell borton

I got the dhb Pace Roubaix Padded Bib Shorts last week very comfy with a fleece lining and good value too.

-PornStar-

Something else that might be worth considering, is Merino wool. It will keep you warm in the winter, and cool in the summer... apparently. It has great wicking properties also.

I recently bought a set by Orca from Start Fitness.

Bib
Jersey
Jacket

I only got to try them out yesterday. But they were very comfortable. They really seemed to regulate my temperature quite well. I sweat quite a lot during exercise, but it really wasn't an issue wearing these. I was bone dry when I got back home.

quenching

Thanks for all the advice folks, all the more confused now

BUT if I intend to do twice weekly cycles (time for laundry in between) from say March to Nov, never below about 8 deg C, no rain if I can help it, and no howling gales then based on the advice given I reckon the following should cover me - BTW I do commute a 22km round trip in all weathers except ice/snow so not a complete wuss, the longer spins are meant to be enjoyable.


Lower Body. dhb Aeron Pro Cycling Bib Short OR dhb Aeron Race Cycling Bib Short - any point in getting the dearer ones for a max of about 3-4hrs cycling?
Plus some leg warmers, dhb or Castelli - or are knee warmers just as effective? My legs rarely feel cold.

Upper Body. dhb Transit Short Sleeve Jersey
Plus some arm warmers Castelli or dhb
Plus a base layer of some sort for colder days.


I'll check other online retailers before ordering but the dhb gear seems to get excellent reviews and lifes too short to start second guessing people more knowledgeable than me.

I'll skip the chamois cream unless it proves necessary and I already have some decent short and long fingered gloves. Does the above seem practical or am I missing something obvious?

Also have some clip-in pedals and shoes that are due their first spin this weekend so we'll see how many times I land in a ditch :eek:

loinnsigh

quenching wrote: »

Plus some leg warmers, dhb or Castelli - or are knee warmers just as effective? My legs rarely feel cold.

I bought these Dhb knee warmers recently, find them great. They go down almost to my shoe, but that might be because I'm only 5'7

Lumen

The last personal review I got from someone who cycles about 5 hours a day is that cheap DHB shorts are still as crap as ever, but their warmers are fine and the Santini twistgel shorts are decent and better than their old thin ones.

I've never liked DHB bib shorts, but shorts are really personal. Fat people seem to like them.

smacl

Having been out in it last night, I can recommend buying something to keep the rain and wind off. I've a water & wind-proof gilet (sugoi) for mildly inclement weather, and waterproof top (DHB) for full on crappy weather. About 18 months in the DHB inner seam tape is coming off, but outside of that is fine. You'll also need some cycling gloves. I've a thin full finger pair, and a heavier fingerless pair, and will wear both on a very cold day.

I've regular DHB shorts that I find fine and use short sleeve tops with arm and leg warmers as required, both do the job fine. I'd use a bit of chamois cream on a longer day for a bit of extra comfort. For a dash of panache, how about a bit of boards wear?

Lumen wrote: »

I've never liked DHB bib shorts, but shorts are really personal. Fat people seem to like them.

Ouch! I look forward to picking up a few pairs in the local charity shops over the coming weeks so.

redscan

empty21 wrote: »

Hello,

Unfortunately ordered my gear yesterday via Wiggle and was on chainreaction today and I would have saved about £20 sterling on shoes and pedals alone, helmets were also cheaper, couldnt compare shorts etc as they are not carrying the same ones but I wish i had ordered with them had I known, worth checking out....

Email Wiggle and seek a price match. They'll try and fob you off saying you should have told them before you ordered and blah blah blah. Be relentless and you might get a voucher off them. I have!

Also bikepimp.co.uk can be useful for seeing where is the best value.

manwithaplan

Lumen wrote: »

better to get 3/4 length bib tights

OP, you must excuse my friend Lumen. When you said this...

don't care too much what they look like

...he took you at your word.

I have a pair of the dhb roubaix unpadded bib tights and they're grand. You can just wear your padded shorts underneath. You can knock a couple of days out of them and just change your shorts. The dhb merino base layers are decent too but go synthetic (Prendas are good) if you don't want to bother with handwashing.

I wouldn't bother with chamois cream.

A good winter jacket is a great investment but, despite today's conditions, you can worry about that later.

Kav0777

+1 on both the DHB pace roubaix arm warmers & the prendas baselayers

Prendas also sell decent santini bib shorts for around €60 (provided they're in stock)