Don't get me wrong, ours (Kalas) is lovely, but I need new shorts and at £97, I'm wondering as non-road racer I have no rules to adhere to for race entries and am therefore questioning whether I should look at the Wiggle sales for some cheaper decent shorts.
It makes you 10% faster though. Right? 😀
Bizarre.
How about just the jersey and then whatever black shorts you like?
Of course it makes you faster, anything that lightens the wallet makes you faster.
We've moved to Kalas recently as well, really nice kit. Just the shirt for me though, don't really think I need to sport the whole team look at the speeds I'm going. That seems to be the general approach of most people in our club at least. Everything else I tend to go for Lusso, still made in the UK, fits me really well and is good value.
See Rule 14 and rule 15
Shorts should be black.Team-issue shorts should be black, with the possible exception of side-panels, which may match the rest of the team kit.
// Black shorts should also be worn with leader’s jerseys.Black shorts, or at least standard team-kit shorts, must be worn with Championship jerseys and race leadership jerseys. Don’t over-match your kit, or accept that you will look like a douche.
Cedric Gracia is now part of a company making one off self designed kit for a reasonable price. No minimum order. See pinkbike.
Even if you're road racing the comms don't care as long as it's clear which club you're with.
If you like the shorts enough to pay the cost then fine, but otherwise I can't imagine why anyone would care if you were wearing club shorts or your own.
I do have team shorts, but they are a jersey year design behind, so don't match, and have a catchline on the bum that reads like a durex sex lube catchline.
Yeah, best to go with black.
Shorts should be <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">black</span>
Well, DHB Aeron Pro is on sale at £65 with an extra 10% code, and they are black and offer a red trim at the bottom of the leg - our kit is red/white/black writing. So for me, I think:
How about just the jersey and then whatever black shorts you like?
... is the way to go. I know DHB might shout "budget" but actually their kit is pretty good, especially the aeron pro stuff.
Sounds good. Go for that.
I like it, although I routinely miss the ordering dates!
I've been breaking the rules recently and going full pro-kit-****er with some counterfeit lotto soudall kit from china. Actually one of the most comfortable chamois I've ever ridden in!
I know DHB might shout “budget” but actually their kit is pretty good, especially the aeron pro stuff.
First time i've heard of any snobbery towards DHB, everyone up this way just considers it good kit
How important is Club Kit to you?
My mate coined a phrase years ago when 4 of us did a Polaris event all dressed the same. He said we looked like 'Team ****' (rhymes with cat in case of swear filter) whatever that was, but it stuck & we still say, 'look, team ****' when we see team riders.
So not important at all.
up this way
North of Watford Gap Services? 😉
Its important enough to me not to join the local club which has the most hideous club kit going, sea blue and piss yellow !
Champion Systems for our club. I like my club kit and having a second cat license (not after this season!) gives me a free pair of shorts each year. I also wear black Rapha Core, and it's pretty common to wear different shorts. The minimum BC requirements to race are a jersey. That's it. Of course if you race in a skinsuit, you are sorted, but our cheap endurance skinsuit is only as aero as my shorts and jersey, I know because I tested them both extensively. My non-CS No Pinz club skinsuit is a LOT faster and worth the extra money. We have a few racing in these instead of CS kit now.
Cedric Gracia is now part of a company making one off self designed kit for a reasonable price.
About €85 for a jersey when I looked. Clearly my ''reasonable' is at a different place 😉
I always just wore a club jersey and any old black shorts. Our club kit was really good and excellent value back in 2006 when I last bought some e.g. Jersey was about £23, gillet £30. Prices seem to have gone through the roof now, was looking at replacing some and it's all Rapha pricing now...
Most kits seem to have been designed by either a blind man or a two year old with access to crayons, so anything but, really.
In that sense, it's probably the least important thing I could ever think of. Even if I rode for a club, I wouldn't wear it.
Its important enough to me not to join the local club which has the most hideous club kit going, sea blue and piss yellow !
🤨 Where do you live @tailwagger, sounds suspiciously like our club colours.
Personally I like ours, although it's a very aquired taste. Tend to wear is all the time, although it's bloody expensive so I pick up second hand jerseys when I can and not the blue club shorts, black for me, or baggies for MTB. This is our kit, leading from the front. 
I always just wore a club jersey and any old black shorts. Our club kit was really good and excellent value back in 2006 when I last bought some e.g. Jersey was about £23, gillet £30. Prices seem to have gone through the roof now, was looking at replacing some and it’s all Rapha pricing now…
Our club is Castelli kit, which whilst not cheap, wasn't that much more than some of the more usual club kit manufacturers. The discount makes it cheaper to buy club kit than last years or out of season stuff at wiggle etc.
Seems like a better compromise, 'cheaper' kit wasn't as good, and was poor value as you were paying a premium for custom made cheap kit. Whereas Castelli stuff is discounted compared to the plain/branded kit in the shops even at sale prices. There's also more choice, there's normal, racey or aero jerseys for example.
his and hers shell suits for cyclists.
Most kits seem to have been designed by either a blind man or a two year old with access to crayons, so anything but, really.
Yep. Our club kit is a hot mess and I never wear it. When I decided to get a skinsuit for racing I made my own design based on the main colours of our kit. The commissaires don't mind and I get to wear something I like.
judging by my local clubs the HSW & HCC its very important, they both get a bad name as easily recognisable and love to ride in packs that ignore other road users and consequently windup the easily woundup motorist
North of Watford Gap Services?
Just a wee bit....
Where do you live @tailwagger, sounds suspiciously like our club colours.
Herefordshire
I'd rather have a club foot than wear club kit. Indeedy.
Our lovely club kit is Endura and Jackroo - similar price to their medium range kit, I'm happy to buy it and join the swarm of orange and black on the market place on a Sunday morning. Been running 50-70 riders on Sunday social rides this summer, probably 2/3 in kit, looks fantastic when you see a group of 10-12 head off representing the club and the town.
Non club rides I have a pile of stuff from a company I've worked with the last couple of years - similar price to the club kit, to be fair.
Most kits seem to have been designed by either a blind man or a two year old with access to crayons, so anything but, really.
Apparently the reason Simon Mottram started Rapha was the almost universal awfulness of trade team and club kit. He just wanted something that looked nice in a classy, understated sort of way.
Our club rule is no one shall wear matching outfits. The other rule is ‘no ****s’.
He just wanted something that looked nice in a classy, understated sort of way.
Like the Rapha EF jersey?! 😉
I never thought I'd be a club kit rider, but having joined a local road club a year ago I'll quite happily wear the club jersey (despite it not being the most fetching kit). I don't go as far as club socks, or matching bidon though...
I find other roadies are also far more sociable when I'm on solo rides in club kit. Everyone wants to have a chat about where you're from etc.
Considering I am not in a club its not important to me at all. In the very unlikely chance I did join a club i would never wear club kit.
Apparently the reason Simon Mottram started Rapha was the almost universal awfulness of trade team and club kit. He just wanted something that looked nice in a classy, understated sort of way.
This is why I buy Rapha Classic gear. The branding is incredibly subtle, the fit and finish is excellent and the longevity is phenomenal. Pro Team gear - less so...
dont moind club kit - so long as its good club kit.
I wont buy crap kit.
Lucky our club voted with their feet a few years ago and no one wore it.
Now folk use it instead of other kit as its comfy.
We are in pactimo now.
we used to use the custom arm of endura - orders were frequently late and the kit was just junk - you wore a top on race day because you had to but no further.
oh and impsport before that - was like wearing a tatty sack....
both may have upped their game now but at the time both were specced by the club because it was cheap....
If you leave the club do you still wear the jersey?????????????
Best to buy a jersey for a club 50 miles away. So when you stop at a mid-ride caff you get serious nods from other riders giving kudos for your 120 mile Sunday ride - and you look fresh as a daisy - and on that old thing too!
Assuming you set off in the opposite direction.
If you leave the club do you still wear the jersey?????????????
Have you never seen Sons Of Anarchy?!?!
I'm not a club member but prices put me off buying club kit anyway. I just bought some bib shorts from Sundried and they were so comfortable and such good value I bought another two pairs
https://www.sundried.com/products/mens-training-bib-shorts
Using the discount code FITPIXIE (found it online, not my code) got me 50% off so £25 a pair sounded like a reasonable price for something unknown. Once I had a pair and saw how nice they were (and I've done a fair few miles on them, commuting and on the tandem) I thought 2 more pairs were very much worth it
Have you never seen Sons Of Anarchy?!?
Afraid not, please enlighten me.........
Afraid not, please enlighten me………
I think you get the option of having it removed by blowtorch or knife.
If you're squeamish.........
My friend who is a secretary for a London club says they frequently get people who join the club, spend several hundred buying the kit, but then never ride with them... So effectively joining so they can buy the kit...? And its not even Rapha :p
Like the Rapha EF jersey?! 😉
I guess they're allowed one aberration. It is quite something :-/
I think you get the option of having it removed by blowtorch or knife.
Didn't realise cycling clubs were that militant, i was just thinking of cutting the emblem off the top!
