Hey friends, I recently became and ambassador for Urban Cycling apparel. It’s decent gear I’ve been wearing for training. You can get a jersey and shorts for under $100. You get a lot for the money. I have a discount code: UrbanCyclingCode. Hope that’s helpful for you!
-Hugh
I’ve found Spexcell on Aliexpress to be really good for Armwarmers, jerseys, jackets, gilets etc.
Only thing I don’t use em for is Bibs as I really like the Le Col pro bibs but only when they’re on sale.
I used Neopro until they stopped shipping to the UK due to brexit
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I have a few Spexcell items from Aliexpress and have generally been happy with them. Sizing from Ali-express is a challenge, so definitely something to keep and eye on.
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Does it run small or big?
I’ve had it both ways, depending on manufacturer. For jerseys, most I got where very ‘club fit’, so even when I went by the sizing chart, they were quite loose. Other things have run small, so I would order an XL to get something that I would normally order in a M or L.
It is unfortunately hit and miss. Based on this and 1 bad fit, I would not attempt to order long sleeved items as a tall/thinnish person (6’1", 170ish), as the torso and sleeves will never both be right.
You can find many of the ‘bigger’ Chinese direct brands on Amazon, so while those prices may be higher, you likely also have a better (ie something) return policy.
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I see. So Spexcel isn’t the brand, it’s just the store that sells other brands?
Sorry, I should have been more specific. Spexcel is a large Chinese brand available on Ali express that I think is one of the better ones based on my limited experience a few years ago. I don’t recall in particular about their sizing, and my comments on sizing were more generally about various cycling clothing sellers there. This isn’t really an Ali-express specific problem, as I think there are large sizing variations among mainstream and high quality brands.
Ah, gotcha. Yes, I’ve had similar experiences. Though, that said, most mainstream brands fit me the same.
Does anyone have experience with OCG (onlinecyclinggear.com)? I’m particularly interested in their long sleeve jerseys and the ability to add thermal fleece and / or side panels.
I have one of their theme kits. The jersey is fine. The chamois on the bibs are ok, but I wouldn’t ride it for more than about two hours at a time, and one of the seams has pulled a little after 2 years of occasional use.
Looking for a reasonably priced long sleeve jersey that is warmer than my current combo of long sleeve base layer + short sleeve jersey.
I’ve bought the no-name cheap items from both Ali and ebay with mixed results. The shorts and the chamois are the big one that I’ve seen the discount-no-brand companies fail at. Mostly the chamois placement, stitching (or weld) and overall fit is lagging as well as the leg grippers that people have mentioned earlier. I’ve had better luck with jerseys but the big thing here are the zippers they choose. They Never have good YKK zippers (gold standard IMHO(so good that they counterfit YKK’s)) and if they have a draft flap forget it, never had one that worked well.
Having previously worked in the cycling and outdoor apparel industries for 10+ years I can say that these two points are where they fail at mostly as well as general fit. They almost universally fit small because they are sized by fit models in asia which trend smaller so good to size up if you are in between., but really you never know but look at their sizing guidelines and measure when you get it, If they are way off its a good excuse for a refund (usually they just say keep it) and have noticed they botch details much of the time compared to the pictured item in the post (check trims, zipper colors and stitching, again all easy targets to get a discount/refund/free, sorry i’m cheap).
Its a lot of trial and error but if you take a look at the cut (modern, long sleeve) construction ( welded grippers, zippers (bigger is better) sewing versus welding, pocket design) and overall design you can get an idea of what’s been put together at a standard cut-and-sew shop versus a shop that actually makes cycling apparel for larger brands that knows what they are doing and has access to good fabrics and trims.
I generally “splurge” on branded shorts and winter jackets, always shoes, and gloves. I go no-name with summer jerseys, socks, hats, base layers(the biggest margins and ridiculous marketing hype…don’t believe it) tights/warmers, and anything basic.
BTW had really good luck with these guys Baisky and their shorts (yes i know but had good luck with them) and really nice race cut jerseys (I know a cool boutique brand that uses them as a manufacturer), pretty legit.
wow long post sorry
ChatGPT?
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For those in the U.K., I find the Planet X bib shorts plenty good enough for working out in the garage, or 2 to 3 hours on the road. They tend to come up short on the leg, which I find a little annoying, but other than that, they are fine.
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Even in the US…I’ve ordered some before when on sale and they ended up being maybe ~$30/ea. They’re good for me on the trainer or road up to about 2 hrs. Not to say they’d be bad afterward, but I have some higher end bibs better suited for long days.
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