General Bike Thread (Desiderata, Questions, Pics)

[smittycl]

I’ve recommended this kit before, PedalEd. Looks relatively sharp, made well, Rapha quality/price. Haven’t tried their bibs.

Summer sale right now. The lightweight merino is fantastic!

Essential

Our versatile men’s summer cycling jersey, crafted from a lightweight merino wool blend for better breathability on warm rides.

pedaled.com

Kaido

Our iconic merino wool summer cycling jersey, designed to be an all-arounder that's fit for cycling adventures of all types and sizes.

pedaled.com

I have a lightweight cycling rain jacket from these. Quality stuff.

 

[smittycl]

I’ve recommended this kit before, PedalEd. Looks relatively sharp, made well, Rapha quality/price. Haven’t tried their bibs.

Summer sale right now. The lightweight merino is fantastic!

Essential

Our versatile men’s summer cycling jersey, crafted from a lightweight merino wool blend for better breathability on warm rides.

pedaled.com

Kaido

Our iconic merino wool summer cycling jersey, designed to be an all-arounder that's fit for cycling adventures of all types and sizes.

pedaled.com

How does the summer merino work for you? DC area is super hot and humid.

 

[patrick_b]

How does the summer merino work for you? DC area is super hot and humid.

I love it. I actually prefer the wool blends to 100% synthetic even on those super hot days. I don’t find it any different in terms of temp regulating but wool’s just more comfortable to my skin.
This year’s been much cooler. I’m not looking forward to those July-Aug 90+, high dew point days that you already have.

 

[smittycl]

I love it. I actually prefer the wool blends to 100% synthetic even on those super hot days. I don’t find it any different in terms of temp regulating but wool’s just more comfortable to my skin.
This year’s been much cooler. I’m not looking forward to those July-Aug 90+, high dew point days that you already have.

Thanks! I think I'll order an Essential in yellow and give it a try.

 

[smittycl]

I love it. I actually prefer the wool blends to 100% synthetic even on those super hot days. I don’t find it any different in terms of temp regulating but wool’s just more comfortable to my skin.
This year’s been much cooler. I’m not looking forward to those July-Aug 90+, high dew point days that you already have.

One last question. Which of the two would you recommend? The looser fitting Kaido sounds best to me.

 

[patrick_b]

One last question. Which of the two would you recommend? The looser fitting Kaido sounds best to me.

That's the one I have and would guess it feels more like a standard weight jersey (about the same as Rapha's Classic jersey). I find it fine in the heat but if I had to guess, the new lightweight jersey is a bit thinner.

Kaido fits great. Not like Rapha's Pro-level, aero jersey. Kaido is snug, form fitting but comfortable. I'm an XL in most things (44 jacket) and the XL kaido fits me well.

 

[smittycl]

That's the one I have and would guess it feels more like a standard weight jersey (about the same as Rapha's Classic jersey). I find it fine in the heat but if I had to guess, the new lightweight jersey is a bit thinner.

Kaido fits great. Not like Rapha's Pro-level, aero jersey. Kaido is snug, form fitting but comfortable. I'm an XL in most things (44 jacket) and the XL kaido fits me well.

I ordered a Kaido in XL. I'm usually a 42 but like a slightly looser fit in exercise gear. Also, Kaido was on sale for $119.

 

[flipstah]

I'm looking for cycling shoes and I can get a fibre/nylon sole for $200 vs. a carbon sole for $250 CAD

Yes, I'll try both to see which fits best but would you pay $50 more for a carbon sole?

Terra Powerstrap X4

POWERSTRAP X4 is a versatile and ubiquitous gravel-focused shoe, designed for drop-bar riders whose adventures and aspirations take them beyond the traditional paved roads. PowerstrapWhile most tr ...

www.fizik.com

XC7 | SHIMANO BIKE-EU

OFF-ROAD RACING SHOES FOR COMFORT AND MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.

bike.shimano.com

 

[otc]

I’d pay for whichever shoe fit the best.

that said carbon is nice, although in theory you could use other materials and make an equally stiff shoe so who knows. $250 seems like a lot even in funny money. Can probably find good shoes for a lot less.

 

[sugarbutch]

Carbon is not really necessary. In theory it's stiffer for a lighter weight, but as @otc notes, fit is king. I don't think think $250 is too much for shoes (particularly with BOA closures), but YMMV.

 

[flipstah]

Cheapest two-bolt I can find locally is a Recon 1.0 at 160$ but then I'll just step up to the Fizik if the fit is good. There's also the XC100 from Shimano at $140.

 

[HRoi]

My shoes are carbon soled (the S-phyre, which looks like the roadgoing equivalent of your second option), but I’d still say that carbon soles aren’t necessary. Even if you feel the weight difference, which i doubt, it’s not going to hold you back.

I agree with the guys above that fit is king, but the other factor that’s more important than weight is the stiffness. It is pretty annoying when your pushing platform flexes with each stroke. If the non-carbons feel as stiff as the carbons, then I’d say you’re ok

Those Pedaled jerseys look nice, they give off a sort of Cafe Du Cycliste vibe

 

[Fueco]

S-Works Recon for sure…

 

[sugarbutch]

I have the S-Phyre for both three- and two-bolt shoes. I don’t think the difference in stiffness is discernible compared to the composite-sole Spezialized shoes I used previously.

 

[patrick_b]

I wish the S-Works shoes fit me better because they are gorgeous. I tried them last year and ended up selling them after battling foot pain, putting the XTR pedals back on my road bike and using my trusty old, composite sole'd Sidi Dominator 10's.

Have a pair of Ultegra pedals sitting unused until I give three bolt shoes another go. I only spent a short time with road pedals but having ridden dual-sided clipless SPD's for 20 years (on and off road), it wasn't an easy transition to road pedals.