Please explain something to me: cycling jerseys

Coach Rich

Everytime we do a uniform order it's a bit of a crap shoot to get the minimums on jerseys and bibs, especially women's jersey. So, as a doode who rides a minimum of 3 days per week, always in a jersey, and moved from riding in tri shorts to cycling shorts in about 2002, and shorts to bibs in 2004, never looking back...I gotta wonder:

What the hell do you people cycle in that you would NOT want to get Capo stuff at cost? The EN kit is shit hot looking and super high quality.

Anyway...I do the math on how many times you ride your bike in a week and wonder why we always have a such a hard time selling you cycling kit?

dotcatlin

Oh no! I'm a noob and I want EN gear! If you need a rally, I am in! I just put my order in, but would add cycling shorts too if you opened that back up! C'mon Chickas!!!!

Brenda Ross

I ordered a cycling jersey.

Scott Alexander

I started with bibs last year (never looking back, for pure cycling--they rock), and have been doing cycling jerseys for years (this is my 8th year in tri). 

I usually ride 100% in tri shorts, when in tri season. But since my first goal of the year is a cycling camp, it's all road bike, and therefore, bibs and jersey.

There was an article I read online, either today or yesterday (can't find it), that was just espousing the benefits of bibs over shorts. Mostly focused on pro triathletes and why more are moving to using bibs in races.



Hell, I could order a 2nd set of bibs and a 2nd jersey if you had them!!!

Beth_S

1. Fit. I have a drawer full of cycling jerseys I hate. I wear three. I am thinking of starting a rating system for cycling/triathlon apparel companies. It would go something like this:

Twin Six: Hooray! I believe you actually measured a girl!
Pearl Izumi: I believe you measured a girl: Her name was Lara Croft.
Hinapie: Now, Georgie. Seriously? You of all people should know what a girl is shaped like. Measure one, please.
All cycling companies are presumed to have inferior fit until proven otherwise.

2. Style. What rocks boy style world does not translate to girl style world. You all are out playing Andy Schleck while I usually have some big logo across my chest/butt that hits in a stupid place that doesn't do me any favors. No one ever starts kit design with the women's version. The thing that would make me feel the awesome and powerful on my bike would be the cycling jersey equivalent of Dior's Spring Line. I love wearing my team kit when I'm out with the team. Otherwise, I just want to get on bike and silently work -- probably while wearing this.

CNIDog

Thanks for the kick in the pants to place the order. Picking up some bibs.

Maybe you guys need to write the workouts with even more riding or no days off between rides. The spacing makes it too easy for laundry to get done between rides in my house allowing me to ride in my single favorite pair of bike shorts.

mattsull

I need some bibs too!

Coach Rich

We are selling bibs. We are selling jerseys.

We're not doing women's shorts because when we tried that in October we didn't make the minimum order.

As is, we likely won't make the minimums on the women's jerseys for this order but we're going ahead with the order anyway because we want the ladies who ordered a jersey to get a jersey.

If you're a doode riding in shorts, you really, really need to embrace the bib. Once you go bibs you never go back. Trust me.

So, I ask again: why the hell aren't you people buying cycling kit? Riding your bike long distances in apparel that is...wait for it...actually made for riding a bike is far superior to training in tri kit. Just sayin'...

Nemo Brauch

Twin Six: Hooray! I believe you actually measured a girl!
Pearl Izumi: I believe you measured a girl: Her name was Lara Croft.
Hinapie: Now, Georgie. Seriously? You of all people should know what a girl is shaped like. Measure one, please.
All cycling companies are presumed to have inferior fit until proven otherwise.

Right On Beth!!!

FWIW, I do love prefer to wear cycling jerseys when riding over tri tops mainly because of the pockets.

tuckerm

Seems like someone wants us to buy some bibs. My boys like the one bib I have. Thinking I will pick one up plus some other kit. Hell it's only money right.

Keith Wick

 I love the Capo bibs I have and hope the EN ones are exactly the same.  I have to do an inventory tomorrow of what I have/don't have, so I may order another set.  I do have to say that one reason online kit buying is hard is fit.  The Sugio stuff we bought I liked, but it's hard to tell what sizes will fit (even with the descriptions) because a L is not a L anymore, etc.  My old EN bib fit great on the legs, but I think the straps were made for a "little person" so I just tuck them in, which is why I bumped up a size on the second pair.  

 

I would also say that it took a few years for me to get back into cycling before I was ready to wear anything that looked like a team kit. I felt better in the Woody Harrelson "White Men Camp Jump" look.  I looked at it as not being the "squid", which I define as a kid on a motorcycle in full factory race leathers/sponsors who still couldn't ride his bike worth a damn (I applied this same logic to cycling).  

 

Finally, I can understand some of Beth's arguments about logo placement for the ladies.  Although I think any combination of tight lycra in those areas will draw male attention (it's just a matter of if your parts are "sponsored" there on your clothes -just sayin').  I've never seen a bib short where the guy has a logo across his "region".  However, if we were to do that, I think it would be very beneficial for the guys in the house to have "Endurance Nation" in that region---the chicks would be wondering whether it's real or false advertising !!

 

Paul Hough

Don't need bibs or cycling shorts (and I've had both). Once my butt got used to long rides, I get all the advantages of a bib with tri-shorts at a fraction of the cost. As the cycling shorts have worn out, they have not been replaced. Plus, I don't want to bother changing if I'm going to brick. Can't wait for the new EN tri-kit to arrive, but I can live without the biker stuff. However, if you place the EN logo as Keith suggests, then I might bite!!

kmepham

OK, I'm sold...but confused. You are using present tense, as in "Why aren't you ordering?" rather than "Why didn't you order?". Are you saying there's still time for me to add a Men's M cycling bib and M cycling jersey to my order (currently just the tri shorts and singlet)? If so, would I still be able to use the member discount code? And when would the bib and jersey arrive?

mancona

I haven't worn cycling shorts in at least 2+ years. Once I got used to wearing tri shorts 100% of the time I never went back. I've done multiple big bike week(end)s in just tri shorts and never had an issue. Sure my ass is a little sore by the 4th or 5th long day but I'm sure that would be the case with any shorts as my body just isn't used that many hours on a bike saddle.

Since Rich continues to give me a hard time for looking like a Fred with my tri short and cycling jersey... MAYBE i will try out a pair of bibs this year so I have a matching kit for when Rich is around.

Chris G

Ok...jut ordered some bibs. I always wear bibs when in the road or cross bike. Pefer black ones. Then i can wear them with any jersey and also, believe that all cycling shorts should be black. The chamois in bibs is too thick for me when on the tri bike in the bars, actually less comfortable. You remember what a tri bike is, right rich? When year was it the last time you were on yours? FWIW the new despot bib tri shorts are fantastic.

gilliatt

I get a few new cycling jerseys from doing local races every year. I am so darn happy wearing my desoto 400 mile shorts, I can't switch.

Joe Matchette

 @Chris -- Where did you find a bib tri short?  I just did a google search and got bupkus.

Thanks,

Joe

mgraffeo

Joe, these are the bibs

http://www.trisports.com/desoto-mens-forza-tri-bib-short.html

Al Truscott

I'm with Paul, Chris, Matt, et al. Tri.bibs are what I prefer even for multi day tours. Sheesh! Some guys just are too soft, I guess. Fall, Winter and Spring, I wear my old one piece tri suits as a bib.like base leyer. I've got about 4 old De Sotos I'm gradually wearing out.

I will admit to wearing the cushiony bib chamois once or twice if I am riding say 4 hours a day 5 days in a row. But I hate having to move my saddle up and down to account for the 5mm difference they make

Matt, I hear ya. After rich threatened to staple the EN logo to my chest after he saw me racing in my De Soto suit at IM CDA, I've given in and will wear the new race kit. But no thick pads for me ...

Leigh Boyle

I'm a bib girl personally. got a pair from my roadie team and haven't gone back since.

William Jenks

I went ahead and ordered the bibs in the last cycle but here's why I hadn't....

Never had bibs... no idea what I'm missing... In the meantime, for the first few years in this game there's always some compelling gadget or entry or new running shoes or whatever needed that I "know" will make my life better. If I wore out bike shorts at the rate I wore out running shoes, I'm sure I would have tried the bibs earlier.

Anyway, you have the chance to make me a convert this season. ;-)

J.T. Thompson

Definitely Bibs here.....Been cycling for 20+ years and only ride in bibs these days. They keep the chamoix closer to your privates, which means less friction and less issues like saddle sores....I'm with Rich on this one..... Have my order already in for EN Jersey and Bibs....! Now if we could get rid of the snow!

Coach Rich

Posted By J.T. Thompson on 01 Feb 2011 12:34 PM

Definitely Bibs here.....Been cycling for 20+ years and only ride in bibs these days. They keep the chamoix closer to your privates, which means less friction and less issues like saddle sores....I'm with Rich on this one..... Have my order already in for EN Jersey and Bibs....! Now if we could get rid of the snow!

 

Or, to put it another way, bibs are to shorts as sweatpants are to jeans, with regards to the "body composition/core tightness options" you have available to you.

Coach Patrick

Bibs are awesome....have never gone back. They make you hot and faster.

jburbatt

Not too much cycling stuff for two reasons. The first Beth mentioned. The second...I don't live in California (hello blizzard ). If I'm training outside, it's probably tri season and I'm likely in my tri stuff. When I'm not, the 2 to 3 cycling jerseys I own are worn, and I have plenty of time to wash them in between rides.