Offbrand cycling apparel on Amazon
#26
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What I've found in general is that you can find really well made, and great fitting jerseys from Amazon and Aliexpress, places like that. The price is crazy cheap too, so even if one seller is a miss, there are hundreds more to try. Some source from the same factory, but I've found a few sellers that have jerseys that fit my particular body shape perfectly. Takes some trial and error. On Amazon, a lot of that stuff is Free Returns (for Prime members), or, if it doesn't fit, sometimes the return is free. Aliexpress is more like "you buy it, it's yours". There really are no returns, just because of the cost to return a $15 jersey isn't worth it. I end up selling ill-fitting ones on eBay. Most sell within a few weeks, even if I raise the price (to cover shipping, and fees). The other issue is with the cheap stuff (especially Ali) is there is virtually no quality control. Probably 20-30% of the items I receive have some flaw, some worse than others. If I complain enough, sometimes they'll refund me, but it's legitimate complaints. Other than that, I can't see myself paying $50+ for a jersey anymore, unless I felt I was getting something legitimately unique, and not possible in cheap stuff.
However, shorts are a totally different matter. I don't think the Chinese have mastered the bias cut cycling short, because I have never found one that fits right. Most bunch up in front, pull too much on the inseam, are too short, too long, too loose at the bottom hem, the bib straps are too long, the chamois suck, and on and on. Besides, I have issues already (sit bones are weird), so I need a high quality, well fitted short and chamois. I'm ok spending the $100-$200 on shorts/bibs considering I'm paying pennies for jerseys.
Oh, I do have one Baleaf item, a pair of thermal tights. I don't like them very much. Too long at the bottom, while being too small up top. You'd think I'm a fat guy saying this, but far from it. They just aren't well made IMO. They bunch up around my ankles and back of my knees, but there's no way to pull them snug up top. Not bias cut so they fall down in back, and won't stay put in the crotch.
However, shorts are a totally different matter. I don't think the Chinese have mastered the bias cut cycling short, because I have never found one that fits right. Most bunch up in front, pull too much on the inseam, are too short, too long, too loose at the bottom hem, the bib straps are too long, the chamois suck, and on and on. Besides, I have issues already (sit bones are weird), so I need a high quality, well fitted short and chamois. I'm ok spending the $100-$200 on shorts/bibs considering I'm paying pennies for jerseys.
Oh, I do have one Baleaf item, a pair of thermal tights. I don't like them very much. Too long at the bottom, while being too small up top. You'd think I'm a fat guy saying this, but far from it. They just aren't well made IMO. They bunch up around my ankles and back of my knees, but there's no way to pull them snug up top. Not bias cut so they fall down in back, and won't stay put in the crotch.
#27
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bought two large pairs of the przewalski bib tights about 6 months ago on a whim. had been alternating between 4 pairs of de marchi bibs which (at the sale price of $75)
had been performing great but really starting to show signs of breaking down. have done a 140+ mile ride in the prezewalski's and a pretty hard !0k elevation gain mtn ride in
them along with numerous smaller rides. sure, the chammy is uber-generous. the bibs performed well. well enough that i will buy them again (if available) on my next bib purchase.
only complaint is that they are "bunchy" in the frontal region with more loose material than i'm used to with de marchi, pearl izumi, castelli bibs. the prezewalski's were about $26 a pair
after s&h. pretty tuff to beat.
had been performing great but really starting to show signs of breaking down. have done a 140+ mile ride in the prezewalski's and a pretty hard !0k elevation gain mtn ride in
them along with numerous smaller rides. sure, the chammy is uber-generous. the bibs performed well. well enough that i will buy them again (if available) on my next bib purchase.
only complaint is that they are "bunchy" in the frontal region with more loose material than i'm used to with de marchi, pearl izumi, castelli bibs. the prezewalski's were about $26 a pair
after s&h. pretty tuff to beat.
#28
velo-dilettante
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you're really fortunate/lucky to get more than two seasons of riding out of bibs if you baby/wash/gently dry them in the process of riding 5,000 miles a year.
#30
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amazon stuff is good for starters , but long term its going to break , i bought another 30 dollar pair of tights and the zipper broke second use , all i could do is return it thankfully , the baleaf tights fail one me , but the shirts seem better made , i use a pair of compression tights over the shorts works great , i do want to get a skin suit of some kind soon , but i have no clue which one to get ...
#31
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I tend to look for closeout bargains on Amazon and elsewhere, to the point that I have a collection of loose fitting MTB shorts, a number of road bike shorts, and bibs, about enough for 2 weeks worth of daily riding. Altogether about the same cost of one or two pair of "good" bibs. The advantage is that I always have something to wear, always fresh, and I have more options for any particular ride. I prefer that to buying Assos or whatever.
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