Hisamatsu

How much should I be spending for quality good value cycling jersey/short?

China order like aliexpress or ebay have dirt cheap jersey, but durability and quality isn't the best. Next up is Nashbar/Performance sales, no frills basic and works. Notch up I think are Pearl izumi/Garneau/Castelli name brands, they offer wide range of products. Then lastly, Rapha, which seems people have a love/hate opinion being too expensive, but no one dispute them being high quality. The apple of cycling apparel?

When looking at cycling clothing what should I be looking at? What kind of fabric is used in cheap or higher end lines? Biggest reason I am looking for cycling kit is for the UV protection. Something rated UPF 40/50+. Been riding a lot this summer, and simple t-shirt ain't cutting it.

manapua_man

I think what makes a "good value" is going to depend on a lot of different things for most people.


Personally I like a lot of the Pearl Izumi stuff. Cheap enough if you get it on sale, seems to last a while for me, and the branding isn't obnoxious on most of their products, while still looking reasonably good. Read the product descriptions if you're more concerned about UV protection. I think almost all my cycling-specific clothes are rated for some kind of UV protection, but I wear sun screen anyway and wasn't shopping with that in mind.

Hisamatsu

"good value" is subjective I guess. For me, I want something that is durable that won't fall apart because the fabric/stitching is low quality. Don't mind paying more as long as it provides a functional purpose. Rather have one nice quality item over 5 cheap throw away.

shelbyfv

None of the Performance stuff is junk and some is pretty nice (Ultra bibs.) You can't go wrong with sizing either, not so true with some more esoteric brands.

coupster

I'm a fan of Cycling Apparel, Bike Shorts, Bike Jerseys by Aero Tech Designs. They make & offer quality affordable gear. They support Made in USA and are currently having a July 4th sale - 17.76 % off. Wish I'd known that a week ago when I ordered 3 pro shorts - but even off sale they are affordable.

canklecat

Ditto, all the above.

Louis Garneau for their discontinued bargain bin stuff.

I haunt the local Pearl Izumi outlet and online stores for bargains in seconds, unsold old stock.

Check Amazon and Nashbar for occasional PI bargains. I snagged a a pair of PI Canyon baggy shorts in plaid last year for $20. Outstanding shorts, even for off-bike wear. They don't look bikey, no weird black Lycra/Spandex panels in the lower back or crotch, no obvious logos. And a sleeveless PI base layer that's comfortable year 'round, including under lightweight cotton summer pullovers to reduce sweating marks printing through.

Aero Tech is a good buy anytime. Their basic shorts have the most comfortable padding I've worn -- the plain black and tan pad, no fancypants ergo 3D whatchamacallit. But the pair I got were a bit short in the thigh, maybe only an inch, so next time I may see if they have the same pad in a slightly longer thigh. Probably my weird leg shapes, not an Aero Tech flaw.

For active underwear, Champions in wicking tech fabric are bargains. I wear Champion thin, skin-tight boxer/briefs on almost every ride, even with padded shorts. It's more comfortable to me, although it violates all sorts of bicycling rules and international treaties. And I've worn their long sleeve tees year 'round, including recent summer days in the 90s after I forgot my sunscreen and toasted my arms until they blistered. Wore long sleeve Champion tees for two weeks while it healed. No problems. I haven't found a cheaper wicking poly fabric that works as well, although I'm sure there are more expensive brands that are as good or better.

Hisamatsu

Think I nabbed the same deal too but from 6pm.com for the
Pearl Izumi Men's Canyon Short Black Shorts. Saw it posted on slickdeals

Hisamatsu

Uncle Sam Patriotic Cycling Jersey in Red White and Blue - Made in USA
Lucky Leprechaun - The Official St. Patty's Day Cycling Jersey

tempted

wphamilton

"Good value" to me is something like the Santic shorts on amazon, $20 +/-. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HPT7IF4 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CZ20CGS I tend to pay a little more for jerseys, but nothing extra for brand names. YMMV.

gilpi

+1 on the Santic. I have been using Sponeed shorts, decent padding, excellent fit and they are durable. Only thing I cant seem to find in the value/budget range that is a good fit are the Jerseys from Amazon.

Sy Reene

Curiously I think the UPF requirement knocks Rapha out of the running. My visit to one of their stores asking what they had in UPF summer jerseys was met with blank stares.

Drew Eckhardt 

You can get last season's Voler and Louis Garneau custom program jersey size samples for $25-$50 each. Voler sells directly off their website, strongbiker.com/ebay user morevalue sells Garneau.

Voler come in race and club fit; Louis Garneau skin-fit (aero-jerseys), racer, pro-fit (standard, like most companies race fit), and semi-relaxed.

Racing teams sell new unused jerseys from last season, both professional and amateur. I got a nice Voler 2013 United Healthcare thermal jersey for $19 not $89.

Voler sells good shorts and bibs with Elastic Interface Technology (the same company that makes pads for Assos and Rapha) chamois for $100-$140. In theory you could get last year's size samples for less, although Voler won't promise a specific pad (Comp HP and Orion are EIT; although they use less expensive chamois in some shorts).

Plus you have no way of knowing how it will fit until you order while current clothes from good brands fit like the ones you bought five years ago.

OTOH, Performance may be no better with clothes made by the lowest bidder. I had two pairs of their shorts which went transparent within a season although I didn't wear and wash each pair more than once a week.

Chamois, fit, and construction. Padding density and shape determines comfort on the bike - how does it feel, are there any spots that can bunch and chafe. You don't want clothes tight in parts, or loose and flapping annoyingly. How the panels are cut impact where the seams are and comfort - I find raglan jerseys more comfortable than ones with the sleeves stitched on.

Grippers on the bottoms of jerseys are necessary when they're short in front, but not when they're long enough.


That's just marketing spin. I've never gotten a tan or burn beneath cycling clothes that aren't rated for UV protection, even on 200 mile all-day rides.

Hisamatsu

Their "Pro Team" line is rated for UPF 40/50 depending on if it is flyweight or midweight. Rating shows up on their features detail online. Same material used in their Sun Sleeves too. However, I think everything else they have is rated UPF15

Most cycling clothing are made mostly with polyester/nylon/spandex fabric which by nature is UV resistant at least UPF15-30 or higher, but many companies don't bother getting it tested/rated. Thin fabric in the 40/50 UPF range tend to be coated with some stuff that absorbs more UV; darker color absorbs more too.

Getting discontinued, last seasons new gear is awesome. Thanks for the heads up
https://www.ebay.com/sch/morevalue/m.html

Lazyass

Louis Garneau is all I buy now. You can usually find a lot of LG stuff on sale at Performance, Nashbar, ect and even the lower priced gear is good quality and durable. I have a pair of bibs with probably 4000 miles and they look brand new. Castelli would have come apart thousands of miles earlier.

veloz

Sugoi. I've owned gear by everyone mentioned above except Rapha and like Sugoi best for value, wear & price. They list UPF for their better lines but not for their low end. PI is fine with me too although their sizing & fit seems mysterious at times.

memebag

All of my jerseys are from my bike team. They are made by VOmax. No idea what their UPF is.

My bib shorts are Baleaf, bought from Amazon, $35 each. Nothing fancy, but they work.

wphamilton

Frankly I get almost all of my jerseys from threads like this. Someone posts a heads-up about a sale or clearance.

Nashbar has Nashbar Granville Jersey selling for $10

Ironfish653

The razor-sharp tan line on my bicep can attest to the UPF of my Voler jerseys.

Unless you are super sensitive to the sun, most jerseys that have solid back panels (as opposed to the sheer mesh you see on some speed suits) will do just fine.

Besides wearing long-sleeve jerseys, there are 'sun sleeves' which are just like arm/knee warmers, but in light-weight material. This gives you the option of layering up/down as the day goes on.


'Value' depends on what importance you put on features, performance, cost, and/or fit.

Me, i'm on a budget, so I like stuff that's well-made and doesn't cost a mint. I shop the clearance at Performance / Nashbar a lot. I stick with major brands online, because i really can't afford (politically) to re-buy an item due to wonky fit or sketchy quality.

Rider51

I agree the Performance Ultra bibs are a terrific deal for the money. The are very high quality, and have lasted me years. I'd reccomend them to anyone without hesitation. I bought a $25 Nashbar jersey years ago that lasted me quite some time too.

I have found that much of the stuff on Aliexpress and Wish/Geek is okay for the money, and not crap, if not great. But sizing is always tricky, especially with the shorts. The general thought is to order one size up...then wait a month for it to arrive and see how you like it. If you're okay with that, your $15-20 could go a long way.

Having said all that, if you try on a jersey or shorts from any of the tried and true names mentioned, and it fits you and you like it, buy it. It will likely last you several years and thousands of miles.

Harumph

It would be hard for me to comment on this because I'm a diehard fan of Assos. Ever since donning my first Assos bib I've been hooked. Are they expensive, heck yea but they last for years and no brand can beat the comfort especially when it comes to eliminating chaffing. Jerseys, gloves, etc., I could care less about but when it comes to the stuff between the saddle and my derriere money is no object.

Harumph

daviddavieboy

I have had the exact opposite experience. I bought these Garneau Carbon Laser bibs for $180 and did not get the summer out of them. I bought them last year and only got about 3000 miles in them. What I can say positive is the fit and look is excellent and I also really like the longer leg length. I fixed the shoulder straps but need to get someone to properly stitch the chamois back in.



I went back to a pair of Castelli body paint bibs that are now 5 years old. I did 70 miles last week and the castelli still feel great. As far as value, I guess $60/year is not that bad and certainly better than the LG. AFAIC as with the bikes Garneau clothing is just cheap and disposable.

I bought a pair of Specialized RBX Pro bibs this year and only worn then once or twice. I do not like the leg grippers and they don't feel very nice to me.

Wileyrat

While I'm not a fan of Performance Bike in general, I do like their line of "Elite" clothes. I have a pair of shorts that have become my favorites over Pearl Izumi attack shorts, and I have a couple of jerseys that fit, and have held up well.


Good stuff, especially when they're on sale (which is most of the time).

Lazyass

I bought a pair of Castelli Endurance X2 bibs. Photobucket lost the picture, but they started splitting at the seams in the first month. So I exchanged them for the ones in the pic below. After maybe 400 miles, you could see my buttcheeks if you were riding behind me.

Except for the now see-through ass, the bibs look essentially brand new. The infamous Castelli iron on logos that usually start peeling off within the first month still look new. I also bought a jersey and I had to exchange it because the left sleeve was sewn on upside down with the seam on top. How the kid in China screwed that up I'll never know. Castelli sucks. And for the record, I only hand wash my cycling gear and hang dry.

daviddavieboy

Oh GOD maybe thats why noone will let me do a pull. If they were friends they would say something
That x2 chamois cannot be beat. ALL day comfort.

Yep you are right about those logos. I took an iron and a cotton towel to them when they started peeling to get rid of them and the white glue underneath.

Probably came from the factory that makes Chinarellos. Yep ur right hand washing is the best.

Yes, I just looked at the butt in my shorts. My wife says they are not THAT see through.
It really does seem that quality control for a lot of products is all over the place. Some people will have amazing results and some will curse a product. Anything from Castelli shorts to Gatorskin tires.

1989Pre 

Aero Tech Designs is a good way to go. So is Canari (though not made in U.S.). I dislike form-fitting or even semi form-fitting jerseys, so spent about seven dollars on my long-sleeve poly "Dri-Fit" jersey made by Sport-Tek. Loose fit, thin, lots of long-distance comfort and sun protection.