Cycling gear: Price/utility

[Christian]

I was shopping for cycling gear today and especially for something I've been wanting to buy for a long time but have always found too expensive: long cycling pants. They cost around 150€ and for my student budget that's stretching it a bit.

So here's my question:

Is cycling gear really worth the price? Of course a good helmet is absolutely necessary and I'm willing to pay a higher price for that ... but except for that, does all this gear really have a point for us free-time-riders or do we only buy it to look cool?

 

[ViaPagliano]

I have to agree that cycling gear is priced insanely high - but I honestly think it's because cyclists TEND (keyword: tend) to have a higher income.

The price I would pay and not feel like I got robbed for long cycling pants? $50.

 

[krebs303]

I just bought leg warmers.

 

[BroDeal]

Of course a good helmet is absolutely necessary and I'm willing to pay a higher price for that ...

Don't get sucked into the belief that a higher priced helmet is safer. All helmets pass the same safety standards, which is a test to see if they pass a minimum threshold. A higher price in no way implies that one helmet exceeds the threshold more than a cheaper helmet. In fact, since the higher priced helmets are lighter with more ventilation holes, there is every reason to believe that the cheaper helmets are safer.

 

[buckwheat]

Is cycling gear really worth the price?

Short answer, no!

$300 or more for a record cassette. Insane. I'll go for the Centaur for about 50 or 60 bucks. Probably will last longer without the Ti cogs anyway.

On Ribble they have some shimano wheels for like $120. Tiagra, S10 and S20? My buddy has them and has put thousands of miles on them and they are as perfectly true as when they were new on his Synapse.

The Assos gear is also insanely expensive. Fortunately I'm comfortable in the cheap clearance Garneau Bellwether shorts for less than $30 or the team stuff my LBS is clearing out.

Another friend got a Motobecane Al cross bike from Bikes direct for less than $500. About 20lbs but he'll build the motor faster with slightly more resistance. He loves it but is already sucked into the tech aspect. He's a big skier. He put some GP 4000's (25c) on to replace his cross tires and thinks he's picked up at least 2-3mph. Oh well, there's no talking to him now. Another bike shop salesguy/friend was telling me his Zipp 404's were about that 2-3 mph faster than my Open Pros with 28c GP 4 seasons.
(What does Zipp say, .5 mph faster @ 30mph at best?)

He was also commenting on my "flat" 80psi rear tire. Was amazed I could drop him with my low tech.

I just got an s-works roubaix and was advised to get the tarmac as it is much "faster." What I should have done is got the Cross bike and I could have saved $1,500 off the already 1k off the 2009 discounted roubaix. Plus I would have gotten the priceless reactions of the tech believers who wouldn't think I should be able to keep up.

If more people would just ride the damn things.

Good times!

 

[Nicoper]

I don't know how things work abroad, but here in Serbia we get our gear pretty cheep. We rarely by in stores since the price are in the same range like everywhere else, rather we opt to by used goods from foreign teams when they race here. I remember once Slovenian team Sava Kranj was here and you could by whole winter outfit for something like 75 - 85 euros.

I know that someone will say how it is used staff but after a good wash there is no difference. Add to that a fact that they did not use that gear for more than a few months and you have yourself a good deal.
Also you have to bear in mind that whether used or brand new when you hit the deck consequences are the same.

So if you want to save money and are willing to make this kind of compromise, go to you local cycling club and ask someone (preferably young riders who need money) if he or she is willing to sell something.

 

[karlboss]

Short answer, no!

$300 or more for a record cassette. Insane. I'll go for the Centaur for about 50 or 60 bucks. Probably will last longer without the Ti cogs anyway.

On Ribble they have some shimano wheels for like $120. Tiagra, S10 and S20? My buddy has them and has put thousands of miles on them and they are as perfectly true as when they were new on his Synapse.

The Assos gear is also insanely expensive. Fortunately I'm comfortable in the cheap clearance Garneau Bellwether shorts for less than $30 or the team stuff my LBS is clearing out.

Another friend got a Motobecane Al cross bike from Bikes direct for less than $500. About 20lbs but he'll build the motor faster with slightly more resistance. He loves it but is already sucked into the tech aspect. He's a big skier. He put some GP 4000's (25c) on to replace his cross tires and thinks he's picked up at least 2-3mph. Oh well, there's no talking to him now. Another bike shop salesguy/friend was telling me his Zipp 404's were about that 2-3 mph faster than my Open Pros with 28c GP 4 seasons.
(What does Zipp say, .5 mph faster @ 30mph at best?)

He was also commenting on my "flat" 80psi rear tire. Was amazed I could drop him with my low tech.

I just got an s-works roubaix and was advised to get the tarmac as it is much "faster." What I should have done is got the Cross bike and I could have saved $1,500 off the already 1k off the 2009 discoundted roubaix. Plus I would have gotten the priceless reactions of the tech believers who wouldn't think I should be able to keep up.

If more people would just ride the damn things.

Good times!

I remember a bunch ride a dude rocked up on his mountain bike, a couple of guys scoffed and the pace slowly ramped up. Of the guys who hung on, the guy on the MTB was one of them the guys scoffing were not.

Edit: as for gear some is worth while some is not, Red, super record, dura ace? or go for lesser groups at half the price and add 200 grams. Having said if I had the money...

 

[buckwheat]

I remember a bunch ride a dude rocked up on his mountain bike, a couple of guys scoffed and the pace slowly ramped up. Of the guys who hung on, the guy on the MTB was one of them the guys scoffing were not.

Edit: as for gear some is worth while some is not, Red, super record, dura ace? or go for lesser groups at half the price and add 200 grams. Having said if I had the money...

Yeah, I'm on the austerity plan myself right now but I'm as much of a poseur as the next guy..

 

[elapid]

I am going to buck the trend here a little. I much prefer Giordana and Assos bibs because of their superior comfort to cheaper bibs. I am not too concerned about paying for performance, but I will pay extra for comfort because that makes riding a happier experience for me.

 

[buckwheat]

I am going to buck the trend here a little. I much prefer Giordana and Assos bibs because of their superior comfort to cheaper bibs. I am not too concerned about paying for performance, but I will pay extra for comfort because that makes riding a happier experience for me.

I hear you. I just don't have the money to drop on the Assos right now so I make do with the clearance stuff.

Must be hard to go back after you get used to the best stuff. Fortunately/Unfortunately, I don't have that problem.

Edit; I guess I have to revise my no somewhat. After all, the luxury guys are in business so I guess people think it's worth the price.

 

[hfer07]

I'd say it depends on the upgrade:
-I find wasteful to upgrade a campy record for a "Campy Super Record"
-I find good to jump from shimano to Campy- all the way if you have the cash.
-I find worth investing in an extra cassete with a different combination that you currently use.
-A good set of break levers are worth putting some money on.

Aside from the gear choice I'd say that a "comfortable saddle" is a "must" regardless price & an investment you never regret.
then you get into handlebar choices-and everything comes down to the style & size-I'm a bit afraid of the carbon ultra-light ones to ever get snapped.

 

[karlboss]

yeah saddle and knicks, don't compromise, I moved up the chain since I've been riding and find santini twist gels really comfortable, don't want to try assos as they are at least double the price. I haven't been lucky enough to find any in a bargain bin.
Am i the only one you doesn't like campy shifting? Loved the front shifts hated the rear.

 

[brianf7]

I was shopping for cycling gear today and especially for something I've been wanting to buy for a long time but have always found too expensive: long cycling pants. They cost around 150€ and for my student budget that's stretching it a bit.

So here's my question:

Is cycling gear really worth the price? Of course a good helmet is absolutely necessary and I'm willing to pay a higher price for that ... but except for that, does all this gear really have a point for us free-time-riders or do we only buy it to look cool?

You need to shop around I can get long padded tights for $45 AUD so can you
not the top of range but OK for your budget they last 2-3 years.

If you are willing to pay top$$$ they are happy to take it from you.

Go to any department store and look in active womens wear you will finf tights at $15 ther last a year.

 

[PainIsYourFriend]

yeah saddle and knicks, don't compromise, I moved up the chain since I've been riding and find santini twist gels really comfortable, don't want to try assos as they are at least double the price. I haven't been lucky enough to find any in a bargain bin.
Am i the only one you doesn't like campy shifting? Loved the front shifts hated the rear.

Your not the only one. I've been riding shimano too long and find campy counter intuitive.

 

[Christian]

You need to shop around I can get long padded tights for $45 AUD so can you
not the top of range but OK for your budget they last 2-3 years.

If you are willing to pay top$$$ they are happy to take it from you.

Go to any department store and look in active womens wear you will finf tights at $15 ther last a year.

Yeah I ended up buying a unisex pair for 50€, but I had to search a while to find that!

 

[philcrisp]

Don't get sucked into the belief that a higher priced helmet is safer. All helmets pass the same safety standards, which is a test to see if they pass a minimum threshold. A higher price in no way implies that one helmet exceeds the threshold more than a cheaper helmet. In fact, since the higher priced helmets are lighter with more ventilation holes, there is every reason to believe that the cheaper helmets are safer.

Less weight means less rotational force. Some of the high end lids are smaller and therefore easier to keep off the deck in the event of a fall and less likely to hit on overhanging branches. Same level of energy absorbed though.

 

[lostintime]

Less weight means less rotational force. Some of the high end lids are smaller and therefore easier to keep off the deck in the event of a fall and less likely to hit on overhanging branches. Same level of energy absorbed though.

No offense, but this sounds like sales speak. They make up all this stuff to make you feel better about spending $200 on a sculpted foam cooler of questionable value for your head.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

No offense, but this sounds like sales speak.

Not even sales speak, just weird.

 

[Anonymous]

Questionable Value?

No offense, but this sounds like sales speak. They make up all this stuff to make you feel better about spending $200 on a sculpted foam cooler of questionable value for your head.

I didn't know helmets are of "questionable value". I do know several humans who would probably be dead, except that they had some "questionable value" on their heads when they crashed. I must enlighten them....

Wouldn't it be refreshing is posters spent as much time being accurate as they do trying to sound clever? Wouldn't be much of a forum I suppose.

Speaking to the subject of the thread (another radical idea) the question often seems to be FASHION vs FUNCTION. A pair of no-name jeans from the farm supply store will keep your **** covered as well as some of Mr. Ball's $300 designer threads will. Now along with the high price usually come higher quality materials and tailoring. I have bought really cheap cycling cloths (read Nashbar brand) and it all worthless trash. I also have some high end $$ Capo stuff (on sale) which is very nice, but...

For high quality at reasonable price (not cheap, reasonable) I have purchased from Boure out of Durango Colorado. Everything 100% guaranteed, AND their stuff is cut for the American body sizes.

 

[philcrisp]

I didn't know helmets are of "questionable value". I do know several humans who would probably be dead, except that they had some "questionable value" on their heads when they crashed. I must enlighten them....

Wouldn't it be refreshing is posters spent as much time being accurate as they do trying to sound clever?

I've posted on this before (with references). The research evidence taken as a whole doesn't support the view that helmets save lives. I was racing when helmets were made of leather and I don't remember the endless stream of deaths and serious head injuries that helmets are now claimed to prevent back in the day.

A lighter helmet is likely to be better because it adds less force to your head in the event of an accident (as recognized in some of the testing standards). http://www.bhsi.org/standard.htm

 

[biker jk]

I've posted on this before (with references). The research evidence taken as a whole doesn't support the view that helmets save lives. I was racing when helmets were made of leather and I don't remember the endless stream of deaths and serious head injuries that helmets are now claimed to prevent back in the day.

A lighter helmet is likely to be better because it adds less force to your head in the event of an accident (as recognized in some of the testing standards). http://www.bhsi.org/standard.htm

Are you the same anti helmet advocate whose arguments and "evidence" have been convincingly discredited on Australian cycling forums?

 

[buckwheat]

I've posted on this before (with references). The research evidence taken as a whole doesn't support the view that helmets save lives. I was racing when helmets were made of leather and I don't remember the endless stream of deaths and serious head injuries that helmets are now claimed to prevent back in the day.

A lighter helmet is likely to be better because it adds less force to your head in the event of an accident (as recognized in some of the testing standards). http://www.bhsi.org/standard.htm

I hit the deck on my shoulder and hip at 25 mph a couple of weeks ago. Then my head snapped into the pavement. I would have had a concussion and severe road rash on my skull if I wasn't wearing a helmet.

The helmet was a Giro Atmos and I got it on discount at about $100. Probably still overpriced. OTOH, what's the price tag on an irreversible brain injury that could have been prevented with a helmet.

 

[Big GMaC]

I hit the deck on my shoulder and hip at 25 mph a couple of weeks ago. Then my head snapped into the pavement. I would have had a concussion and severe road rash on my skull if I wasn't wearing a helmet.

The helmet was a Giro Atmos and I got it on discount at about $100. Probably still overpriced. OTOH, what's the price tag on an irreversible brain injury that could have been prevented with a helmet.

Agreed on that. When I was messengering in the Autumn and I got blindsided by a bus I hit the deck hard enough to dislocate my shoulder. Cracked my helmet, but I was otherwise fine... If my fall could crack a helmet a severgly cause damage to my shoulder, (I do not know how I did not break a collarbone...) I don't want to think about what my head would have looked like...

 

[philcrisp]

Are you the same anti helmet advocate whose arguments and "evidence" have been convincingly discredited on Australian cycling forums?

I don't post in any Australian forums. All the evidence I've posted on this site has been peer-reviewed or summarizes peer reviewed work. The medical studies say one thing and are open to other interpretations, every other measure says something else.

 

[M Sport]

I've posted on this before (with references). The research evidence taken as a whole doesn't support the view that helmets save lives.

You are actually quite right, statistically they don't save that many lives. But, they prevent a hell of a lot of injuries, sometimes there are worse things than death i.e. severe head injuries restricting your standard of living.

I wear a helmet.