Need a New Cycling Kit for Spring? Shop For Discounted, Quality Cycling Apparel Online

Now that it’s spring and we’re all getting back on the road, you may be assessing the state of your riding apparel. Is it looking worn or faded? Is the chamois in your favorite pair of bib shorts no longer effective? If that’s the case, it may be time to invest in a new cycling kit.

But cycling apparel can be exorbitantly expensive. Many of the big-name manufacturers, such as Giordana, Castelli, Pactimo, etc., tend to charge $200 for a jersey and close to $300 for a good pair of bibs. The kits worn by the pros are cool and colorful, but they don’t have to pay for them. So, how do you find quality apparel without going broke at the same time?

Why is Cycling Apparel So Expensive?

As cyclists, we want to ride in apparel that is comfortable and that lasts a long time. And we want jerseys made of quality technical fabrics and bib shorts with the best chamois available. However, those elements come with a high price tag.

But in the cycling apparel world, there is lots of competition. What is just a jersey and bib shorts to us is a work of science, engineering, and art to the manufacturers. In order to maintain market share, they use advanced fabrics that offer sun protection, compression, moisture wicking, etc. Add to that view that many boutique brands also make their apparel by hand at their factories.

Handmade and Wind Tunnel Tested Apparel Means Quality

Cycling is one of the few industries where bikes, apparel, shoes, helmets, etc., are made with little assistance from machines, which is especially true of Italian cycling clothiers. That, of course, means the manufacturing process is more expensive and takes longer.

That process becomes even more elongated because boutique cycling apparel manufacturers invest heavily in research and science. They want to offer their customers the best quality available by utilizing technical fabrics. So, their scientists find the best materials. I once saw a jersey with elements of carbon fiber sewn into the garment.

Some apparel manufacturers even go as far as to test their apparel in a wind tunnel, usually reserved for testing a rider’s position on the bike. Much of that apparel is custom-made and offered to teams in the pro peloton before it appears in the retail marketplace. That is why a cycling kit can run close to $500 for a jersey and bib short when all is said and done.

Where to Find Quality Cycling Apparel at a Discounted Price

The cost of the latest cycling kit (jersey and bib short) made from the best technical fabrics from Giordana, Castelli, or Pactimo isn’t tenable for many of us. But there are options for finding a quality kit at a discounted price if you spend time searching the internet. Here’s where to check.

1. Online Cycling Retailers. At the start of a new cycling season (probably the February/ March timeframe if not earlier), retailers receive a plethora of new apparel. But due to a high price point, a lot of it can go unsold, and retailers must make room in their warehouses for the next season’s apparel. For you and me, this is a great thing. When fall rolls around, you might find some heavily discounted jerseys and bib shorts from the past season. That means you could, for instance, get a $200 pair of bibs for $100. This is also an excellent option for finding expensive winter riding gear at reduced prices.
2. Newer Apparel Sellers. If you don’t have a specific loyalty to a boutique cycling brand, you can save a lot of cash by shopping with newer apparel retailers. If you are on social media, especially Facebook, and you are following cycling sites, eventually you’ll begin to see these in your stream. They sell good quality but discounted new cycling apparel, and there are many of them. Two that come to mind are Cycling Frelsi and Bicycle Booth. On these sites, you can find a jersey for $60 and a pair of pro level bibs from $80.00 to $90.00. That seems like a steal when considering how much the big name brands charge.
3. Used Pro Cycling Apparel. At the beginning of every new cycling season, members of pro teams receive new apparel, helmets, shoes, and new bikes. That means the pros either keep their stuff from the prior season, give it away, or even sell it. The Pro Closet (TPC) acquires a lot of this old equipment and sells some of it but not all of it at discounted prices to the consumer. This is another way you can save a lot of cash on high-quality cycling apparel.

Last Thoughts

While cycling is a beautiful sport that we all love, the gear can be crazy expensive. But there are ways to outfit yourself affordably for the new cycling season if you are open to shopping sales and other online vendors. In fact, if you can remove yourself from the idea that your jersey and bibs need to match, you may even save more money.

What matters, in the end, is that the apparel we buy is comfortable, high quality, and can withstand more than one rigorous season of riding. If you spend close to $500 on a new kit and it doesn’t last, it’s easy to feel guilty and like you’ve been ripped off. But $160 for a high-quality jersey and bibs seems like a steal of a deal. I’d say jump in and take it.