Cheap clothing
 

I know about Aerotech and will look into that stuff in a couple months. The better half says I can't buy the "uniform" until I have shown I am committed to it. So in the mean time I have no clue to what to wear. I am thinking padded shorts for underneath another pair of shorts or pants. But what kind of other shorts and pants, what about shirts and a jacket?

I am at least a 4xl right now in most things.

What I am looking for from you fine folks is what type of pants, shorts, shirts and jacket. Then where can I go try on and pick up for cheap. As this stuff is temporary I am thinking Walmart, Canadian Tire, Marks Work warehouse" that type of place in Canada........

Thanks in advance:thumb:

At the very least invest in decent shorts with padding. You can wear shorts over them, if you want.


Go to Walmart on line and search the big and tall section. Go with talls, cycling clothing needs to be a little longer than other athletic wear.

First, listen to your better half. Just get a pair of gym shorts and a couple poly wicking tees from Walmart and ride your bike. At least until you know for sure you're going to be committed to the sport. When I first started I went out and bought padded bike shorts and even a very expensive LBS jersey, both fit snug at first but I wound up only being able to wear them for about a half a season before they ended up way too big on me. I decided from that point forward I'd just stick with regular gym shorts and wicking tees until I hit my goals, after all I'm willing to bet you didn't have fancy cycling apparel when you rode your bike as a kid. If you're afraid of a sore butt from lack of padding, learn to stand and pedal now and then, you don't need to look like Peter Pan to ride a bike.

For shirts the target duo dri did really well for me, ideally IMHO you want zero percent cotton :-).

padded shorts are a must again IMHO , I got over 2000 miles out of a pair on bontrager $60 shorts, they have a few miles left and they need to get on to the Clyde in Fort Wayne I promised them to.

That said I will always buy bibs from now on. Aerotech has the top shelf bibs on sale right now for 65, and they will hook you up with a free ship code if you ask them on chat I think, they did me anyway , if your shy wear something else over them, and you can pass them on to another Clyde if they do not fit in 90 days :-).

These might work for pants: Oldnavy.com | Old Navy For shorts, whatever shorts you usually wear should be fine, but pants legs can get caught up in the bike chain or wrapped around the pedal.

Keep watching the pay it forward thread?

http://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdale...jerseys-9.html

my go-to shorts are REI MTB shorts that came with a removable liner, which I removed. I use zoot trishorts underneath cuz they have a thin liner.

don't feel bad about the struggle to gear up, we all go through it and it takes some time and money, even with careful shopping. hang in there

Thanks all for the tips. I found I have a shirt and shorts that will work. Went to Walmart bought another shirt and shorts. Also went to LBS and bough a pair of Boontrager padded insert. I have been keeping any eye in the paying it forward thread.

I don't wear padded shorts except on dawn to dusk rides. I like the Starter branded poly compression shorts from wally world under cargo shorts. The price is reasonable, and over the last couple years they have become the only undershorts I have. I wear fast dry fishing shirts most days, and really like not having to change clothes to go for a short couple hour ride.

shirts from Academy Sports are like $10... fit pretty true to size.


I use these a lot on my commute in the spring and summer.

Academy - BCG™ Men's Cool Skin Fashion Colorblock Short Sleeve Crew T-shirt

oh and these...
Academy - BCG™ BioViz Men's Tru Wick Reflective Raglan Running T-shirt

I buy my stuff all used as low as $3 each for shorts and shirts.

When thinking about ordering anything online, check size charts carefully. I tend to run 1-2 sizes larger in bike clothes than regular. I wear 3XLT t-shirts and my Aerotech shirts are 3XL for Colossal and 4XLT for tall mans. Colossal tends to run 1 size larger than most jerseys so it is effectively 4XL. And even then it is 1 size smaller than I measure (in laws got it for me before I checked measurements and updated wish list).

I also often go and check the clearance sections of Destination XL. Usually I have a $15 off of $50 coupon and usually get a straight $20 off around Christmas. That's where I found my old gym shirt that I wear as a base layer. It was marked as $50, 50% off and I had my $20 coupon. So I paid $10 for it. Probably same for Kohl's. Most have a big and tall section now and between me and my wife, we usually have a 30% off coupon.

WM, Target, Shopko usually have pretty good deals on wicking clothing, and undershorts, too. (clingy but they move with you, are rinseable, and weight next to nothing). I tend to favor the Shopko stuff, just because it comes in some really electric colors like fluorescent yellow, a blue, a HI viz orange. I walked out after 100.00 with 6 prs underwear, 6 wicking tshirts, and a pair of Nike cross trainers.