Team Kit Order - Forum Archive

Mar 12, 2013 at 03:43 AM

Hi all it was great to see you on the new member ride yesterday, I appreciated talking to all of you. Considering that this is my first time doing something like this how many of each thing (jersey,shorts, etc.) do you recommend getting? Thanks.

Marc Bertucco

Mar 12, 2013 at 11:43 AM

@Patrick. Good question, one that's been asked by other new members in the past. But unfortunately the answer is, "it depends." It depends on a) your budget and b) whether you intend to race and c) what conditions you intend to race and or ride in. Being one of the club's unofficial cheap-asses, and also a dude, who when he first started training and racing wore cotton, draw string sweat pants with an Eddie Bauer canvasy windbreaker, I feel especially qualified to answer this question.

I'll be back later today with my "must-own" list. Keep an eye on this thread.

mperlberg

Mar 12, 2013 at 11:57 AM

Patrick - I think 2 bibs and 2 jerseys at a minimum. You'll eventually find yourself racing twice on a weekend and want a fresh set without having to do laundry.

tito

Mar 12, 2013 at 01:10 PM

One note of caution with mix-n-matching the summer jersey with regular bibs - in the intense summer sun you might end up with some wicked sunburn lines. Just ask William!

dstokes

Mar 12, 2013 at 01:24 PM

Or you might wear sunscreen and save yourself from the dermatologist later in life!
William!

Dan Reiners

Mar 12, 2013 at 01:35 PM

I would agree with Mike, on the number of jerseys and bibs you need. two of each lets you have enough kit you're not showering in your kit in the middle of a stage race to clean it between stages.

I would add the nice to have stuff in this order:
Wind vest - this is a surprisingly versatile piece of kit which you'll wear tons of times.
Arm Warmers - we have these at a reasonable price and they look so pro instead of plain black warmers
Socks - also another good deal
Hat - I have a great love for cycling hats. I have too many but I can always justify one more
Gloves - some folks think they are cheap or don't fit, I find I like them but try a teammate's out before you buy.

Marc started racing in sweatpants and windbreakers because that was considered the height of fashion when he started racing. Like those guys in the 1920s who started running in wingtips because they were considered "casual" shoes.

Marc Bertucco

Mar 12, 2013 at 02:42 PM

Okay, here's my list...my MINIMUM daily requirement in order of importance for all-season riding/racing. Start at the top and work your way down. Unless otherwise noted, I'm talking "cycling specific" clothing.

Shorts -- 2 pair.
Short sleeve jersey -- 1 top. Because these jersey's (especially the summer-weight ones) dry really quickly after a quick hand wash in the sink.
Leg warmers -- 1 set. Turn shorts into tights instantly. You will use these 9 months of the year.
Long sleeve base layer -- Does not have to be cycling specific. Just something that is NOT cotton.
Short sleeve base layer -- ditto. Go to TJ Maxx, or Dick's, or Campmor catalog or somewhere cheap.
Short finger gloves -- if you have sweaty hands like me, THIS IS A DOUBLE-MUST-OWN. If you have regular hands then you'll want a little protection for the inevitable crash where your hands are generally one of the first things on the ground.
Full finger winter gloves -- Hands are tricky, and likely you will buy a lot of these over the years to find the right combination of warmth and breathability. I HIGHLY recommend seeking out sale bins of "generic" ski gloves at department stores, etc. My most favorite pair of winter gloves of the past couple of years came from the gift shop at Yosemite National Park and were $20. Cycling specific mitts like "lobster claw" gloves seem like a good idea, but in reality don't actually work that well...they are either bizarrely not warm enough, or more frequently too warm. And you lose dexterity in either case.
Winter weight, Neoprene booties -- These shoe covers don't have to be expensive, but if you ever plan on riding at 40 degrees or below, you are going to use/need these A LOT.
Long sleeve, fleece lined jersey/jacket -- This is really a fall/winter weight jersey, but CS calls their's a "jacket." CS Tech Fleece Jacket. I used this A LOT. From Spring Series and Fall/winter cross racing (chillier days, wear over aforementioned base layer, warmer days no base layer). Their long sleeve "jersey" is made of the same thin material as the short sleeve stuff and that makes it VERY limited in use.
Heavy duty winter jacket -- A lot of folks, myself included, have the Custom ThermoShield Winter jacket from CS. I also wear this a ton. For me, it's cut down significantly on the number of layers I have to wear in cold weather. On extremely cold days in the 20 degree neighborhood, I literally wear a long sleeve baselayer underneath the jacket and still use the zipper up and down throughout my ride to ensure I don't over-heat and get sweaty. Because once you get wet, it's GAME OVER. 35 degrees or warmer, this jacket plus a short sleeve baselayer is the way to go. Now this is a pretty expensive item, and if you can't afford it, that Eddie Bauer canvasy windbreaker you already own on top of a base layer and cycling jersey, and maybe that fleece top you got from TJ Maxx will do the trick too.

Jules

Mar 12, 2013 at 02:48 PM

I agree with Dan; that wind vest is one of the most versatile bits of kit you will own. It rolls away to nothing in your pocket and provides a remarkable amount of thermal benefit; cutting down wind & wet.

Mark Clifford

Mar 12, 2013 at 03:12 PM

+1 on the ThermoShield jacket. One of the best bits of winter / spring cycling kit I own.

Jules

Mar 12, 2013 at 03:34 PM

If you want a winter jacket I think the ThermoShield Pro is the best thing going. The cut is much more appropriate to cycling and the collar is higher. Well worth the extra 10 bucks.

mugwump

Mar 12, 2013 at 04:16 PM

Patrick,

May I add to the bounty of suggestions?

As summer is approaching, and assuming you have some cycling gear, just go minimal. Two jerseys, two shorts (bibs or not is your choice, though most prefer bibs).

If you already have warmers, vest, gloves, etc mentioned above, you won't need them unless you want them. If you don't have them, start simple, keep versatility in mind. I agree that warmers and a vest add range to clothing--I use a wind vest about 12 months of the year.

Rick Perner

Mar 12, 2013 at 05:07 PM

Re the Thermoshield Pro:

You might want to try one on first as it's cut pretty tight in the shoulders. I'm thin but I have fairly square shoulders. I tried one on and found it way too tight and restrictive. I had no choice but to go with the regular version.

Dan Reiners

Mar 12, 2013 at 05:42 PM

Not to argue with Marc too much. I think he is thinking of a year round cycling kit which I would agree with most of those suggestions. I would say that for many of those things like winter gloves, booties and base layers, there are options out there that are cheaper and better than getting them through the team kit order, and by the time it arrives you might not need some of the heavier stuff anyway. Especially most of you who came out for the new member ride on Sunday seemed to have pretty good winter accessories so duplicating it is probably unnecessary.

for team kit stuff, the stuff you need is just for racing, and really the bare minimum you *need* is one jersey so you can race in it, but if you have the same kit you're wearing every day it'll get pretty ratty very quickly and you'll crash and have a ratty destroyed jersey. I also prefer arm warmers and leg warmers rather than LS jerseys and tights, because it extends the temp range of kit, and they takes up less space to store than a LS Fleece jersey you wear 6 months of the year.

You can also ignore everything I say because I have more kit than I know what to do with (that is what you get from being on the team for 5 years), I probably have every accessory CS makes and Kissena had a proof for, and duplicates of some things.

Patrick Jones

Mar 12, 2013 at 05:57 PM

Wow! Thanks for all the info, much appreciated. Cost is only somewhat of an issue to me. I'm no stranger to spending lots of $ on recreational stuff, and I guarantee that whatever I spend on this order, I'll be able to point to some Eastern Mountain Sports trip where I spent more!

Nonetheless, I'm leaning towards mugwump's suggestion of going minimal to start - say two tops, a bib, a normal bottom short or two, hat, gloves. I'll take the wind vest under serious consideration too.

I've got tons of stuff that I've accumulated over the years for backpacking that I use for cold weather riding, which might be appropriate for situations where a little extra bulkiness isn't a big deal. I rely heavily on SmartWool shirts and socks, and a Marmot windbreaker that works extremely well into the low 30's with just a thin base layer underneath.

Thanks so much once again!

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Mar 12, 2013 at 06:42 PM

And let's not forget that single wool sock down the pantaloons when it's cold and windy. I didn't see a single sock order on the champs site, as it would be nice to have one in team colors, so I suppose a pair would work on consecutive, cold days. . .

dstearns

Mar 12, 2013 at 09:13 PM

One sock? I'm not naming names, but some of us need 2 socks sewn together. And not those wimpy ankle socks, either.

Jeff Owens

Mar 12, 2013 at 11:03 PM

@Stearns.

Oh I simply LOVE those little tennis socks with the little balls dangling off them!

image.jpg

Jules

Mar 13, 2013 at 03:08 AM

Speaking of long legs... I just noticed that the Razor Bibs come in both standard and long for those of us (Prezidente PBerg) who like the "just above the knee" look...

Jules

Mar 13, 2013 at 04:10 AM

Jules said:
Please note; your order will not be filled unless you are a member in "good standing" ie: PAID AND WAIVERED for 2013

If you have any question about your status feel free to email me.

Bump. If you are racing this year you are expected to race in a 2013 Jersey.

Patrick Jones

Mar 13, 2013 at 03:12 PM

So I was nearly set to order last night when I realized that both the wind vest and wind jacket don't have proofs. What to do? One or the other seem like a good investment. Is it not crucial for the wind vest to be a Kissena design? Thanks.

Pat

Jules

Mar 13, 2013 at 03:19 PM

Patrick Jones said:

So I was nearly set to order last night when I realized that both the wind vest and wind jacket don't have proofs. What to do? One or the other seem like a good investment. Is it not crucial for the wind vest to be a Kissena design? Thanks.

Pat

Patrick, Both the Windguard Jacket and Vest have proofs. You have to choose the correct image to start with. See Dave's tutorial below, and if that doesn't help please call the CS help desk.

David Yang

Mar 14, 2013 at 12:57 AM

Wow, I'm glad I went to Ride Brooklyn tonight to try on some of the jerseys. At home I was measuring using Champion Systems's guidelines. According to their sizing guide my jersey size is an XS to S (I was measuring with a Giordana race fit jersey), but found that CS's race fit S is way smaller and the collar doesn't close without choking. The club fit S is like a Giordana race fit (pretty form fitting), but the collar was still a bit tight. I didn't find any Ms to try on, but think it should work out with the race fit jerseys.

I didn't try any of the bibs, but I brought Giordana Silverline bibs that fit well and the CS Ms seemed about on target.

So I'm going to proceed to order 2 jerseys (standard and summer) and 2 bibs (standard and roubaix). For now, I'll stick with the cold weather stuff I have in the closet already. Hope it's not too frowned upon to ride without a full kit in the fall winter if I'm not racing CX.

Patrick Jones

Mar 14, 2013 at 02:22 AM

See my screenshot below, it says the Windguard Vest doesn't have a proof. No big deal, I'm going ahead with my order minus the vest, I got lots of cool (metaphorically and hopefully literally!) stuff.

Also, I ditto David's comments. When I tried the jerseys on at RB last night I found that the large was the only thing that comfortably fit me, which is the first time in my life that I'm ordering L for anything. The bottoms in M worked fine as has always been my experience with form fitting bottoms.

CS WindGuard Vest (lightweight shell vest)

NO APPROVED PROOF

Our design team will create a matching proof for you.

		XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL	4XL	Qty	Price	SubTotal
	Men's									1	US$48.00	US$48.00

Jeff Condon

Mar 14, 2013 at 02:38 AM

Is the CS Neoprene jacket available? Looks like that one is warmer than the Thermo Shield. I have an old design thermal jacket which I love the problem is I'm not sure which one I have. Anyone have the neoprene? I suppose this can wait until the next order but just wondering.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Mar 14, 2013 at 02:40 AM

@Patrick, the third option on the Cycling Vests Order button allows you to order the CS WindGuard Vest (Lightweight shell vest). The 4th Order Option gives you the CS WindGuard Jacket (lightweight shell jacket).

WilliamDC

Mar 14, 2013 at 03:16 AM

uh . . . wtf

how do i actually place my order?

i've filled up my cart (which has taken approx. 45 minutes for 5 items at the pace the CS site is running) but there's no Call To Action, checkout, finish button or anything.

tips?

Jules

Mar 14, 2013 at 03:19 AM

WDC, it looks like 50% of the things you saved in your cart don't have approved proofs anyway. Give Beth a call in the morning...

Patrick Jones

Mar 14, 2013 at 03:19 AM

I just placed mine successfully, granted it was quite slow but there are three buttons in the upper right hand corner for "Update Cart", "Checkout" and "Continue Shopping". This is the review order page that I'm talking about, where all your stuff and the proofs are shown.

WilliamDC

Mar 14, 2013 at 03:24 AM

thanks guys . . . i'm slowly figuring it out

i reckon it's probably just faster to call Beth, though

i'm manually editing 1 proof-less item out at a time . . . taking about 9 minutes for the page to reload each time

someone tell CS to ditch that 56k!

David Yang

Mar 14, 2013 at 03:31 AM

Finally got through the order and got Tech and Air Pro jerseys, fleece and razor bibs, race gloves, and a euro cap. Hoping it all fits okay!

I may have to contact them tomorrow to have them change the shipping to my office. There was only one address section for billing - no "ship to" address field.