Clothing

What counts as road cycling clothing?

Road kit is cut close to the body and sized to be worn with nothing loose flapping at 20mph. The layering system runs from a base layer against the skin, through a short or long-sleeve jersey with rear pockets, to a windproof gilet or a thermal jacket over the top. Arm and leg warmers sit between those layers and do the work of a second jersey and a second pair of shorts for a fraction of the bulk, which is why most riders own a set before they own winter tights. Individual types are split out under bib shorts, jerseys and jackets.

Bib shorts or cycling shorts — which should I buy?

Bib shorts use shoulder straps instead of a waistband, so nothing digs in when you are folded over the bars for three hours and the chamois stays put. Waist shorts are quicker to get out of at a café stop and cost less, which is why they persist for shorter rides and turbo sessions. Most riders who ride over two hours end up in bibs; most riders who ride 40 minutes to work do not need them.

How is this different from protective kit?

Road clothing is built for thermal regulation and aerodynamics, not impact. If you want padded shorts with hip and tailbone protection, or armoured layers for trail and park riding, those sit under protection instead. A road jersey is designed to tear away in a crash rather than resist abrasion.

What wears out on used cycling clothing?

On bib shorts, check the chamois for compressed, flattened foam and for hardened patches where sweat has crystallised — a chamois past its life feels thin under the sit bones and no amount of washing revives it. Check the leg grippers: the silicone strip cracks and the elastic behind it goes slack, and shorts that ride up are finished. On jerseys, look at rear pocket seams and whether the fabric has gone sheer across the shoulders and lower back, which is UV and washing rather than damage. On jackets, test the zip full-length, and look at taped seams inside the shoulders — lifting tape means the waterproofing has gone. Odour that survives a wash is bacterial and usually permanent.

What is a fair price for second-hand kit?

Clothing depreciates fast and unevenly. Jackets and gilets hold value best because they see fewer wash cycles; bib shorts hold value worst because the chamois is a consumable. Expect to pay somewhere around a third to a half of retail for lightly used items from established brands like Castelli, Rapha, Assos and Endura. Buy new when you cannot try the fit — sizing between brands varies enough that a Castelli large and an Endura large are not the same garment — and buy new for bib shorts you intend to ride every week, where a worn chamois costs you saddle sores rather than money. Buying used makes most sense for warmers, gilets, winter jackets and jerseys, where wear is visible before you commit.

Does the kit need to match the bike?

No, but sizing does need to match how you ride. A jersey cut for racing will be uncomfortably tight on a rider sitting upright on a road bike set up for endurance; a club-fit jersey on an aggressive position will billow. Check whether a seller describes a garment as race, club or relaxed fit before comparing sizes, and check the sizing against your chest measurement rather than your usual high-street size.