Best cycling clothing?

[Hmmmmm]

I own and like Giordana and Voler. Have some Pearl Izumi, Descent, Cannondale, which I must admit are good but am slightly indifferent to and don't think too much about. Also, other old stuff where the tags are worn and don't know what they are. My body is not too picky or sensitive to clothing so I tend to not spend a lot on jerseys or bibs/shorts.

 

[TheDude]

Woolistic is nice for retro-cool and cool-weather use.

I have a gore jacket that I really like, but would look very out of place in the pub.

 

[STODRR]

I have to also give a vote to the Craft base layers.

My favorite jacket is the Castilli Mannaggia Jacket

 

[ViaPagliano]

Decided recently to take the plunge and get a team kit going for my biz. It's either going to be Giordana, whom I have experience with, or Capo, whom I don't. Nobody rides Capo here? I'd be interested to here what people have to say about them.

I have a Capo jersey and it's my favorite one to date! Fits well, and I love the fabric.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I have a Capo jersey and it's my favorite one to date! Fits well, and I love the fabric.

Now get the bibs and write me another review..

 

[Jukebox]

Decided recently to take the plunge and get a team kit going for my biz. It's either going to be Giordana, whom I have experience with, or Capo, whom I don't. Nobody rides Capo here? I'd be interested to here what people have to say about them.

I have had great luck with Capo, good quality and comfy stuff. Most of my experience is with the more expensive Atlas carbon line which is my favorite 'long ride' kit. The modena level stuff is very nice too, comfy etc. The cut is standard 'athletic' cycling fit.

As an aside, Gary, the owner is a good guy, and the rep that visits my shop is too. But the same can be said about the folks at Giordana too.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Thanks for the comments, I just found out who my local Capo rep is. Turns out it's somebody I've known for a while. I guess it's going to come down to who can sublimate the design I have to my liking. It's sort of a tough design to get right, and I'm leaning towards Giordana now just for this reason. Either way I know now that whatever company I go with the clothing quality will be very high.

 

[ViaPagliano]

Now get the bibs and write me another review..

You can send me a size M or put money into my paypal account and I'll gladly write you a lengthy review

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

You can send me a size M or put money into my paypal account and I'll gladly write you a lengthy review

Ha! No... I'm actually hooking myself up with some Capo samples today from my rep. I need to figure this out, not only to have a team kit, but I'm desperately low on personal gear, down to 2 bibs. Used to have one for every day of the week.

 

[Buddha]

I order some clothing at http://www.procyclegear.com. Nice stuff and affordable.

 

[badboygolf16v]

Let's be honest, Assos, Rapha and Castelli prices takes the ****. It's a few pieces of lycra and a chamois sewn together, c'mon guys..

The kit's generally OK, and looks flash, but it doesn't really justify its premium. Fair enough if you can afford it, and want to look the part. I can afford it, but generally choose not to get ripped off. Sometimes I can't help myself though.

This just reflects a general trend over the last decade for all top end cycle equipment to be ludicrously overpriced. There's a load of BS in a lot of cycling advertising and marketing.

Twenty years ago, fifteen years ago, I would say that Assos definitely offered something extra in the quality stakes. But I've bought some of their mid range kit over the last decade which was some of the worst quality PoS I ever bought. And some of their winter kit wasn't really designed to be ridden in, it just looked good on the hanger.

Back then, for me, Exte Ondo offered the best kit. Their stuff is still pretty good.

Santini is good quality and on the whole reasonably priced. Great custom team kit too.

Of the other custom team kit I've seen, I also really like Vermarc. Bioracer is so-so. Giordana's OK, average compared to the Vermarc. Pactimo's nothing special.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Let's be honest, Assos, Rapha and Castelli prices takes the ****. It's a few pieces of lycra and a chamois sewn together, c'mon guys..

The kit's generally OK, and looks flash, but it doesn't really justify its premium. Fair enough if you can afford it, and want to look the part. I can afford it, but generally choose not to get ripped off. Sometimes I can't help myself though.

This just reflects a general trend over the last decade for all top end cycle equipment to be ludicrously overpriced. There's a load of BS in a lot of cycling advertising and marketing.

Twenty years ago, fifteen years ago, I would say that Assos definitely offered something extra in the quality stakes. But I've bought some of their mid range kit over the last decade which was some of the worst quality PoS I ever bought. And some of their winter kit wasn't really designed to be ridden in, it just looked good on the hanger.

Back then, for me, Exte Ondo offered the best kit. Their stuff is still pretty good.

Santini is good quality and on the whole reasonably priced. Great custom team kit too.

Of the other custom team kit I've seen, I also really like Vermarc. Bioracer is so-so. Giordana's OK, average compared to the Vermarc. Pactimo's nothing special.

If you want to talk about over priced pieces of lycra, it would be Vermarc in my book. Their jersyes are actually really nice, but their bibs are the worst! Terrible chammy, horrible craftsmanship. I've burned out 2 of their top of the line bibs in one season, the same ones teams get, and not even wearing them every day. My current midrange Assos gear is going on 3 seasons and not showing any signs of giving up anytime soon. You must have got some rejects or something, literally the first person I've heard say anything bad about Assos, especially their winter gear. I live in MN, terrible winters, and Assos never let me down. As for prices, sure everything goes up over the years, not just bike gear. Assos was always the most expensive since their inception in '76, nothing has changed.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Another iconic cycling gear maker that surprisingly hasn't been mentioned,... What about De Marchi? ... Anyone? ... Bueller?

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I have had great luck with Capo, good quality and comfy stuff. Most of my experience is with the more expensive Atlas carbon line which is my favorite 'long ride' kit. The modena level stuff is very nice too, comfy etc. The cut is standard 'athletic' cycling fit.

This sums up my recent experience. I'm size L tops and bottoms, the bibs are actually really nice, but leg length is too long for my taste. The jerseys are kind of a 'club fit', even though they're not meant to be. Seems this is Italian gear for larger Americans. Can't complain about quality though, really nice fabric and the sublimation colors are eye popping. I'll have to go with Giordana though for the team kit.

 

[badboygolf16v]

If you want to talk about over priced pieces of lycra, it would be Vermarc in my book. Their jersyes are actually really nice, but their bibs are the worst! Terrible chammy, horrible craftsmanship. I've burned out 2 of their top of the line bibs in one season, the same ones teams get, and not even wearing them every day. My current midrange Assos gear is going on 3 seasons and not showing any signs of giving up anytime soon. You must have got some rejects or something, literally the first person I've heard say anything bad about Assos, except for the pricing of course. As for prices, sure everything goes up over the years, not just bike gear. Assos was always the most expensive since their inception in '76, nothing has changed.

That's funny, because my Vermarc shorts are amazing. Really comfy, really well made.. They were custom team kit.

The mid range stuff Assos stuff wasn't just me, a mate had two sets that were ****e as well. Fell to bits in a few months. Wasn't made in Switzerland, I'd hope they've sorted it. The top of the range shorts are nice, but the price..

My favourite ever bit of kit was a pair of Assos lycra tights with the big 'assos' on the side.

I think if you were to plot the RPI versus the rate of increase of top of the range cycling kit, the lines would be widely divergent with the cycling kit screaming into the stratosphere.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

You don't like the winter gear either? Man, all my Assos and Castelli stuff is simply the best. And I'm from MN!! Worst winters in the USA, hands down. For the last decade all I've been riding is Assos and Castelli and I cannot find one flaw. UK winters cannot even compare to what I have to contend with.

 

[elapid]

Let's be honest, Assos, Rapha and Castelli prices takes the ****. It's a few pieces of lycra and a chamois sewn together, c'mon guys..

Sorry, going to have to disagree with you here based on personal experience. I am only talking about bibs, because I really don't give a rat's a$$ about jerseys. But my high end bibs (Assos, Giordana and 2XU) are far superior in terms of comfort and longevity compared to lesser priced bibs. I will always wear one of these high end bibs for any rides greater than 80km.

 

[badboygolf16v]

It was the top of the line winter jacket about ten years ago. Great for hanging round after races in but for riding.. nah. Wasn't technical at all.

The airblock jackets however were awesome.

 

[badboygolf16v]

Sorry, going to have to disagree with you here based on personal experience. I am only talking about bibs, because I really don't give a rat's a$$ about jerseys. But my high end bibs (Assos, Giordana and 2XU) are far superior in terms of comfort and longevity compared to lesser priced bibs. I will always wear one of these high end bibs for any rides greater than 80km.

They are better, agreed, what I was saying is that they're not worth the premium in any way based on material costs involved.

I'm personally happy to ride mid range bibs with a decent chamois, I don't think the cost justifies the difference.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

It was the top of the line winter jacket about ten years ago. Great for hanging round after races in but for riding.. nah. Wasn't technical at all.

The airblock jackets however were awesome.

A Brit trying to tell a Minnesotan about winter gear? Your harshest winter in 30 years is our norm from year to year, and lasts almost twice as long as yours. HA!ROTFL!HILARIOUS!

You should dig in your wallet and check out some Rapha. Support your local company, worth every penny, any of the tops or jackets.

On a side note, we've got one of the highest population of golfers per capita in the US.. Can you believe that? Crazy.

 

[enrique]

High end cycling gear has always been super expensive. The average working stiff could never afford a top of the line custom bike with a top end gruppo. When it comes to bib shorts Assos has been the best value for me despite the price. I got almost 10 years out of the Assos Campionissimo's. The Lycra is still in one piece with all the stitching intact but the pads have compressed to a thin wafer and are beginning to fray. Sprung for the new s5 mille and F.I.13. More then double what I paid back in the 90's but great stuff.

I tried cheaper and some not so cheap shorts but either they fell apart after a season or where not all that comfortable. It gets expensive looking for the right bib or saddle. For me it's just cheaper to get the latest from Assos knowing they will work and last a good long time.

 

[Anonymous]

Dickies are cheap enough, 20-30 bucks depending on style. Burn through a set of duck jeans every 2 years. I'll never buy any of those super expensive designer knicks made for the limp wristed metrosexual hipster doofus set.

I think proper syntax would put "doofus" before "hipster", and I'd check to see if "metrosexual should be "metro-sexual"..... you might also work the word "poser" into the sentence. I am afraid the limp wrists come from never having to shift gears on the SS fixie, or apply brakes. They do have very strong ankles, however. stiff but compliant in some way.

But on the clothing topic, I agree with the poster who said lots of variety, the perfect bit of clothing is very elusive.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I think proper syntax would put "doofus" before "hipster", and I'd check to see if "metrosexual should be "metro-sexual"..... you might also work the word "poser" into the sentence. I am afraid the limp wrists come from never having to shift gears on the SS fixie, or apply brakes. They do have very strong ankles, however. stiff but compliant in some way.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm... a fake?

I dunno. Argyle AND tweed, after Easter no less.... look like Sidis..... no man purse / messenger bag.... I think someone has slipped you a serious Photo Shop job.

 

[PaalHuse]

* Castelli DESMO JERSEY, PROLOGO JERSEY, CARICO FULL ZIP JERSEY

* Norrøna Fjørå Flex Jacket (http://products.norrona.com/webshop/tradepoint/b2c/ItemView.aspx?ID=0780-09 7718)

* Castelli FREE AERO RACE BIBSHORT