Clothing 101- recommendations

dinneenp wrote: »

Hi (yet again),

Any recommendations for a long sleeve base layer please?
Galibier have one for €29- link, Decathlon have a few, from v cheap to Galibier price, Helly Hansen more expensive.

Cheers,
Pa.

Under Armour cold gear, absolutely top class garment. It quite often pops up on sale on Amazon but well worth the retail price.

dahat wrote: »

Under Armour cold gear, absolutely top class garment. It quite often pops up on sale on Amazon but well worth the retail price.

I use these as well for running/cycling when it's cold and am happy with them

nilhg wrote: »

Energie are your standard thermal bib tights, pretty much similar to many other brands, Mistral have panels of fabric similar to the Mistral jacket which adds wind blocking and much more moisture resistance, I have both, energie is for most of the time, mistral for those really ****ty days, pissing rain and blowing a gale.

If I was to buy 1 pair would the Mistral be worth it or would it be overkill for when it is not really ****ty?

dahat wrote: »

Under Armour cold gear, absolutely top class garment. It quite often pops up on sale on Amazon but well worth the retail price.

As a former kayaker and now cyclist (and sometime kayaker)

I have about 20 thermals

For cycling i use 2 different types

1.
For under jackets or insulated jerseys
I tend to use something warm and very breathable
Standard Craft or HH under layer
(have a couple portwest ones too, not as good as HH/craft)

2.
On their own
Under a jersey
Under a gilet
Under jackets or insulated jersey in very cold
I use a thermal that the manufacturers often call compression
Generally thermal and tight
I have a great Craft one
Nike, Underarmour and HH also do decent ones

I find these warmer and not as breathable.
This has it's advantages sometimes as i get less windchill in these
Can keep the arms nice and toasty in the wind

dinneenp wrote: »

Hi (yet again),

Any recommendations for a long sleeve base layer please?
Galibier have one for €29- link, Decathlon have a few, from v cheap to Galibier price, Helly Hansen more expensive.

Cheers,
Pa.

I've been using the Decathlon Kipsta base layers for years and find them great. They're not cycling specific so you'll find them in the football/rugby section. I've both long and short sleeve versions. There's also a thermal one, but TBH anything above freezing I've generally been toasty enough in the normal one

Macer123 wrote: »

Galibier releasing a new winter base layer this weekend, according to their Instagram. Looks the business.

How can you tell its the Business?
More than likely it will be good but those photos dont give much away only that its comes in red

Galibier artic overshoes, any one got a user review? Bought a pair recently and they seem to be good quality..

dahat wrote: »

Galibier artic overshoes, any one got a user review? Bought a pair recently and they seem to be good quality..

Also anyone tried their aquachrono waterproof overshoes?

wheelo01 wrote: »

Is there such a thing as a weatherproof (waterproof/showerproof) bib tights?
I don't want to spend huge money, but I am having one of my best (and longest) years on the bike, and could probably tempt myself to continue if there is such a thing.

OR, is the thinking just wear bib tights, if you get wet, you're wet, get over it?

+1 on the Galibier recommendations above, apart from the quality of the mistral foul weather (black and yellow is particularly lovely0 and the mistral pro that I have, the customer service is second to none. I bought a back up grey and orange mistral foil weather in early July someone on here put up a link to the black/yellow, and I fell in love, I emailed Galibier asked if they would exchange even though 7 or 8 weeks had passed - they said no problem, just send it back.

Great service.

eh, Galibier Mistral Bibs!

I was out on a longish ride on Saturday in Galibier Classique bib shorts and Mistral Pro jacket, first time wearing either. I have to say I wasn't overly impressed with the chamois in the shorts and think I will be keeping them for shorter spins. On the other hand the Mistral Pro is an exceptional jacket that I was extremely impressed with. The double zip is a really nice feature for those sort of 10C inbetween days.

dinneenp wrote: »

Their website is curious- it seems that if an item isn't available in all sizes that it won't appear on the main page for that range (e.g. long sleeve items). For example mistral-pro-jacket/ is only available in S or XS and the only way I found it was by googling it.

Also one for sale on Adverts just now.

dinneenp wrote: »

Cheers, there's 2 on Adverts but size not right for me.

I'm 6 foot, average build but had to return a Galibier gilet and get XXL (which surprised me).
Is there such thing as a year round jacket? Currently, I'm presuming better off getting a winter one (Mistral Foul weather jacket) and one for not-winter/cold weather (something like Gino light

Assuming it doesn't have to be Galibier... a year-round jacket is the one you have with you all the time. I tend to carry a shakedry jacket in a bottle-cage holder - in winter I wear more layers under it. A very insulated jacket seems a poor choice to me - you can't take it off when you get too hot, unless you tie it around your waist, while you can often get a skinny layer or two into your jersey pockets, should the need arise. Just my 2 cent.

dinneenp wrote: »

I'm still trying to figure it out tbh.
Some say in winter/cold can wear a jacket and long sleeve base layer under it, so no need for a jersey. I guess the compromise is wind & waterproof vs. breathability.
The other option would be layers-base layer, long sleeve jersey/short sleeve jersey & arm warmers, gilet & waterproof jacket in pocket. I haven't even looked into are there windproof long sleeve jerseys....

I have a cupboard under the stairs full of all these options. But it's rare enough to head out for the day, knowing it's going to be cold and wet all day long. So the option to strip layers or part-layers (arm warmers, gilets, exceptionally leg-warmers) is what I usually go for. Thus, in winter, a typical setup is long-sleeve base layer, arm warmers, short jersey. If wanted, gilet. Carried on bike - shakedry jacket. Bib shorts, leg warmers (or replace bibs and warmers with tights - I hardly ever take off leg warmers). Toe covers or overshoes. Skull cap in jersey pocket, in case it gets really feckin cold.

Under the stairs, and rarely used are a short gabba (too sweaty, a short jersey and a gilet are more flexible), a parentini mossa, which is basically a long-sleeve gabba, various water-resistant jerseys (all not worn as too sweaty - if it's deffo going to be really rugged out, then the mossa).

I haven't found decently water resistant shorts yet, though Pearl Izumi do nice no-pad tights that are cosy if you know it's going to be wet and harsh.

When you can add windproof at will, by putting on a gilet or a shakedry, then having it built into your jersey is redundant...and makes for sweaty climbing.

Your own experience may vary!

Apart from the sad fact that Amazon are killing towns across Ireland, and Jeff Bezos is the single most egregious example of global inequality, I can't argue it's a good deal! At least Galibier are somewhat local.

There are other threads on here about base layers. Myself, I tend to go for a thin mesh base layer during cooler summer weather, down to maybe 14 centigrade, then to move to a merino-mix one (sportpursuit have loads - the Rivelo one is grand, Wiggle DHB have some, icebreaker ones are dear but last for ever). If the merino gets very sweaty, it''s slower to dry than pure plastic...but otherwise I find it very comfortable, and less likely to shed micro-plastics into the waste water, than fleece-based fabrics.
If you can stand the ridicule from your friends, dryarn mesh is actually really effective. There's a certain 'Berlin gay cabaret' style to it, as the the mesh is quite large...but it is surprisingly warm and dries out pretty fast. Maybe best worn under something else. IIRC PlanetX have some, though the Norwegian brand Bryjne (sp?) seem to be market leaders.

wersal gummage wrote: »

Hi, without getting too personal.... What is average build??!

I'm considering which gilet to buy at the moment, the galibier Zoncolan is in the mix. I'm around 6 foot 3, touching 100kg but with maybe 35 inch waist, so I'm heavy but not carrying too much excess weight around the middle but far from skinny too! So I'd say maybe average build but tall like yourself?

Is the galibier packable into a Jersey pocket?

My head is wrecked to be honest, considering the galibier, a castelli perfetto (but I've had castelli stuff in the past and it's always been way too short), maybe a gore c3 vest, even rapha but they seem to get a bad rep as a posers brand, I dunno about them.... I'm reluctant to pay for the castelli or rapha at full price but if thr galibier is not packable (it doesn't seem to be?) it's not for me.

I'm the same size as you.
6'3 and 95kg
I bought the Galibier Aix over the summer in XL
Fits perfectly.
Does fit in a pocket, but is a windbreak only.

Maybe ask Galibier on sizing against the Aix.

Brother is also 6'3
He bought the mistral lite gilet last week
He is deffo not 95kg
Went M. Happy but little short in front.
Can ask him about packing to pocket

I wouldn't buy any of the cheaper Decathlon stuff. Their mid to higher ranges are great but that jacket will probably just be a boil in the bag type.

Just to say, the Galibier tops/ jackets/ gilets are all cut to be right on the bike - off the bike they do seem short at the front (first thing my better half says every time I put them on!), but I've never had an issue on the bike.

Macy0161 wrote: »

Just to say, the Galibier tops/ jackets/ gilets are all cut to be right on the bike - off the bike they do seem short at the front (first thing my better half says every time I put them on!), but I've never had an issue on the bike.

Fully agreed on the mistral pro, but the mistral foul weather is plenty long at the front from my experience of both.

I'm a big fan of Galibier clothing but their hi vis Vu Winter jacket is out of stock in my size. Can anyone recommend a similar jacket that will make me noticeable on country roads in the darkening and murky evenings? thanks

https://galibier.cc/product/vujacket/?currency=EUR

Some feedback on the Galibier (we should rename the thread) VentUltra gilet, their wafer-thin white+black one. I wore one for most of yesterday, while spinning around the back roads. When the sun came out, and it was actually pleasant, I took it off. But otherwise, it was a great extra layer of warmth, especially on the downhill and flat bits. Packed with zero fuss into a jersey pocket, with room for a phone too.

Specifics: size medium. I'm 5'8" (173cm) and 80kg. Like others on this thread, who are quite differently shaped to me, I think I'm average build too 8-). 32/34 waist, maybe a 40 chest? Average, really. The medium is a perfect fit over a merino base layer and a heavy-ish short-sleeve jersey (Torm make lovely jerseys, no idea why they aren't better known).

In fact, what I should have worn was a thinner, plastic base layer (the rapha ones are good), and then used the Gilet more. Instead, I got the merino base layer damp quite early on, and it never really dried out. Yesterday in Dublin was dry and occasionally sun-touched, once the early morning rain cleared around 0930.