I've been buying kits from Aliexpress for years and have never had a problem. I've never paid more than $30 for a bib short/jersey combo. Yes, they do seem to be better made these days, but like I said, I've never had a problem. I've also bought some bib shorts from Temu for $12 and I love them. I would never, ever pay hundreds of dollars for brand name kit. Not unless they came with a built in 250w motor in them to help me up those climbs.
I find that Aliexpress apprel is a bit like Aldi - opposed to Coles or Woolworths, you do not need to wait for promotions, or clearances, everything is always in stock, so it is more stuiable for people who do not want to spare any time on shopping and do not want to plan it. If one, however, does not mind some inconvenience mentioned above, the price difference is not that drastic. Branded kits are usually longer lasting, better designed in little details and look nicer. It is hard to tell which will turn out cheaper in the end. All of the above is more applicable to bibs, jerceys are easier and more forgiving.
I bought AliExpress kit because I’m new to cycle clothing and I wasn’t sure how much I would wear it so I didn’t want to invest too much money. I’ve worn the gear a few times including shoes and it seems pretty good. I did however buy a cap made in Italy.
I can't agree more with you on the sizing from the big European brands. I'm a Castelli brand user, online buys only a size large, but of recent i've struggled to nail down my size, i've currently got 3 unused jerseys from Castelli sitting in the cupboard because of poor sizing. Seems to me that there is a road fit and gravel fit being despatched. Even though prices have rocketed in recent years of cycling kit i have decided to only buy from retail shops where i can try the kit on and feel the quality before purchasing. Its more expensive by up to 30% at times but the online stuff is not worth the issues of long distant returns policy in my view. Not sure that i'm at the stage of trusting Ali Express yet, but thanks for another well researched cycling related topic.
A friend recently purchased a YKYW kit and it looks amazing . There are a few emerging Chinese brands that service the domestic market that are worth looking into.
YKYW are very good I have 3 bibs from Rion with the interface chamois and they are great for short after work rides. Definitely worth purchasing for the casual hobbyist as a beater bib and save the expensive shorts on longer rides.
I tried some jerseys from TEMU (all abround 9-15€) and was quite surprised about the good qaulity! After 4 month of intensive cycling I need smaller ones and ordered again from TEMU and now I trying bibs shorts as well.
Thanks for your videos. Even though I am out of shape and probably couldn't fit in such clothing at the moment. I find your videos to be super kind and helpful for the community. Keep the good vibe
I tend to buy my kit used and not new. That way I can pay Allie Express prices for higher quality kit. I do have a couple of Chinese jerseys that were given to me as gifts that I wear for variety and they have held up relatively well. I do notice the quality difference though.
I use the the non billboarded Aliexpress kits for commuting and they are perfectly adaquate. Nine sets in total to cover all seasons for around $370 aud. The Chamois seem to be one size fits all which may be a problem for smaller folk.
I hate the ridiculous name brand pricing, but i hate counterfeits even more so. So its a no for me. I order online and if the stuff dont fit right i send it back and try again until satisfied. There are good cheap alternatives that arent counterfeits.
I use one of these bibs with that colorful chamois, but I found it to cause chaffing in the soft tissue area after doing around 20km. There is a border inside the chamois, which isn't visible on the surface, which is causing the chaffing. So now I have gone back to bibs from the brands.
My jerseys are in good conditions but, i destroy bib shorts unfortunately. Chafing, some damage to fabric or just getting old from using it. I am buying from x-tiger and they are consistent through the years, recently they switched to new pad. Kind of different than others.
Wish i watched this before buying Rapha Pro team bib, jersey, winter jacket, and winter tights. Oh, and Rule 28 TT suit, uci illegal aero sox and legal aero sox. If I ever recover financially Ill try these Chinese kits out. Thanks!
I have MTB long sleeve tops ( to keep the Cambodian sun off my arms) the are full length zips...I never take them down past 3/4 length as the weak point is bottom of the zip...only issue with the material is getting mud out of the back takes a scrub brush on a board...not even the best detergent in a washing machine works...never thought of a rain cover its a bit hot here for that.but might get one to try..My tops are usually bright colours but plain with just the makers logo..same with shorts and under shorts...I recently bought undershorts from Decathlon just over US$20 delivered (from Phnom Penh to SE Cambodia) they look better made than the Ali express ones but time will tell...my longest rides are 5-6 hours...on a 29" hard tail mountain bike on mostly sealed roads...in fact the roads around here have improved so much in the last 2 years a road bike would now be useable ...I see a few people visiting the area on them !
Regarding the chamois, I have some expensive “name brand” that sucks.. and some chinese AliExpress that also sucks. But some chinese are really decent. Re price comparison, I can buy 6-7 chinese jerseys for the price of one name brand. So.. I have Castelli, Assos, Louis Garneau, PNS, etc.. and a ton of chinese kit. But I mix and match and find some good and bad in both.
The trouble I have had with the China brands is that after a few washes, either the chamois can break apart and slip around or the material on the panels thin out. And it’s either or…so I have good chamois but thinning fabric or very nice fabrics, but the chamois are all over the place.
I have something like 20 kits from Aliexpress and only thing I don't like in them is jersy size. It's allways too big on me, even when I ordered xl pants and m jersy separately
Most of the name brand kit is made in China anyway isn’t it? I bought a Castelli bib recently, made in Cambodia. I got a good 100% branded bib which was the best bib I’ve owned. Super comfortable. It was just a bit over $100 off pushy’s, I think, maybe $140.
my clothes are almost all from aliexpress, I live in Japan, I'm 1.82 and 100 kilos, clothes here are for people weighing 70 kilos, I've never had any problems with the BBs, I wanted to test these brand BBs, but they don't have the size besides being Too expensive to risk buying online
You may want to compare some better quality bibs like Assos with the Chinese brands. On this one, I have to disagree with you. I have both and ususally use my Chinese cheap ones for indoor training. You may not care but it is quite obvious to others when you wear the cheap kit outdoor.
I tried Chinese kit in my shop, mainly for price and MOQ. Simply not worth it. Pockets too small. Chamois wears out after 2-3 years. Zips fail, seams fail. Compare to expensive Italian made brands lasting until the material has worn through, 10 to 15 years.
The aliexpress ones are for sure cheaper but even tho top tier cycling kit has gone up in price they are still way way better than the cheap stuff. I'm not saying they are worth the high price but they have advanced in quality and material over the years. Note: Not ALL top tier expensive name brand kits are made with quality and innovative fabrics but the ones that are they are night and day different. Stitching is just better. They are smoother to reduce chaffing. Zippers are more durable, smoother and stay up. Fabric tech has gotten better. Better fit, better thermoregulation and sometimes better aero properties Weight: some are made to be super light Don't ask me why I'm defending the high priced kits.....
I would like to share my positive experiences here with purchasing bike kit from Aliexpress but every time that I try to do so my posting gets removed.
О, добрый друг, я тоже использую всё это. И я тоже покупаю в Китае последнее время. Но то о чем ты не знаешь, это как кататься на велосипеде в -20С. Мы катаемся по замершему льду рек и озер. Я одеваю биб шорты а поверх штаны из флисса, наколенники и тонкие штаны против ветра. У меня специальные ботинки высотой 20 см под shimano spd педали. Три слоя сверху и обязательно куртка которую одеваешь на остановке. А велосипед это фэт байк с колесами 5.0 бескамерно.
I have purchased quite a few AliExpress bibs & Jersey’s for training & they are mostly 💩! Certainly not comparable to any recognised brand like Castelli or even DHB which are at the more budget friendly end of the market. I believe the Santic brand is okay but sizing can run small. Ultimately you will get a kit that is too short and far from being aero.
I'm not paying $100 NZD for a kit that I could get for $10 at the same quality. I don't tend to check the race of the people who sell things, I check the deals.
I have many Ali express kits, I also have kits that do not fit from Ali. I have stopped buying from Ali Express. It's not worth it, it's a false economy. I have kits from Castelli and recently I have bought from Assos. The kit from Assos is fantastic. I know they are expensive but worth it. I know where I will be buying from.🚴♂️
Sorry but those multi coloured Chamois are horrible! I buy plenty of Ali express gear and I've found a great chamois. More expensive than the cheap cheap stuff but its far more comfortable! Do 2 hrs a day 5 days a week and that chamois in the new knicks is going to chafe like all buggery!
@@CUE503 no particular brand but if you take a look at the Lameda bibs, the chamois they use is far superior. You have to do a deep dive and look at the photos on each listing. I don’t have lameda bibs but some others that use the same chamois.
Takes a certain set of morals to not only buy for yourself, but also encourage others, to purchase counterfeit products. Anyway if you did a comparison of those new Chinese knock-offs compared to the real pro-issue 2024 versions the differences would be huge. Comparing them to 2005 kits is disingenuous
What difference is that from the original as those that may exploit 3rd world countries to fabricate in order to maximize profits....Be smart... consumers are the ones being made use of to spend thier hard earned dollars. The losers are the workers and the consumers however way you look at it.
@@AndrewBlucherFox gloves slipped under the ebay radar last Christmas . They were from Australian sellers . Some ebike rental companies have been guilty of similar things too .
Bought some thermal kit superb quality , kept its shape even after 3 years use. Excellent value.
I've been buying kits from Aliexpress for years and have never had a problem. I've never paid more than $30 for a bib short/jersey combo. Yes, they do seem to be better made these days, but like I said, I've never had a problem. I've also bought some bib shorts from Temu for $12 and I love them. I would never, ever pay hundreds of dollars for brand name kit. Not unless they came with a built in 250w motor in them to help me up those climbs.
I find that Aliexpress apprel is a bit like Aldi - opposed to Coles or Woolworths, you do not need to wait for promotions, or clearances, everything is always in stock, so it is more stuiable for people who do not want to spare any time on shopping and do not want to plan it. If one, however, does not mind some inconvenience mentioned above, the price difference is not that drastic. Branded kits are usually longer lasting, better designed in little details and look nicer. It is hard to tell which will turn out cheaper in the end. All of the above is more applicable to bibs, jerceys are easier and more forgiving.
I bought AliExpress kit because I’m new to cycle clothing and I wasn’t sure how much I would wear it so I didn’t want to invest too much money. I’ve worn the gear a few times including shoes and it seems pretty good. I did however buy a cap made in Italy.
I bought plain stuff without any logos, and with just a Chinese brand name.
I can't agree more with you on the sizing from the big European brands. I'm a Castelli brand user, online buys only a size large, but of recent i've struggled to nail down my size, i've currently got 3 unused jerseys from Castelli sitting in the cupboard because of poor sizing. Seems to me that there is a road fit and gravel fit being despatched. Even though prices have rocketed in recent years of cycling kit i have decided to only buy from retail shops where i can try the kit on and feel the quality before purchasing. Its more expensive by up to 30% at times but the online stuff is not worth the issues of long distant returns policy in my view. Not sure that i'm at the stage of trusting Ali Express yet, but thanks for another well researched cycling related topic.
Yeah I got a castelli recently and it seems it’s smaller than they were … well or I’ve got larger 😂
There are better quality Chinese kits these days. Recently tried bibs and jersey by a brand called Daervie and they were both amazing.
Yeah I’ve tried out the Daervie & they are ok but they are still far from a good brand name product & are not really that cheap…
A friend recently purchased a YKYW kit and it looks amazing . There are a few emerging Chinese brands that service the domestic market that are worth looking into.
YKYW are very good I have 3 bibs from Rion with the interface chamois and they are great for short after work rides. Definitely worth purchasing for the casual hobbyist as a beater bib and save the expensive shorts on longer rides.
I tried some jerseys from TEMU (all abround 9-15€) and was quite surprised about the good qaulity! After 4 month of intensive cycling I need smaller ones and ordered again from TEMU and now I trying bibs shorts as well.
Thanks for your videos. Even though I am out of shape and probably couldn't fit in such clothing at the moment. I find your videos to be super kind and helpful for the community. Keep the good vibe
I tend to buy my kit used and not new. That way I can pay Allie Express prices for higher quality kit. I do have a couple of Chinese jerseys that were given to me as gifts that I wear for variety and they have held up relatively well. I do notice the quality difference though.
I've had loads of Spexcel stuff and the quality is very good
Absolutely! I've bought jerseys and bib shorts from Spexcel. Quality products. Better fabrics and sowing than brands charging 5 times more.
I use the the non billboarded Aliexpress kits for commuting and they are perfectly adaquate. Nine sets in total to cover all seasons for around $370 aud. The Chamois seem to be one size fits all which may be a problem for smaller folk.
Great thorough review! (Had to chuckle at sporting Alpecin kit with the hole in the hair you have going on at the back lol)
(I lost that battle in the 90's lol)
I hate the ridiculous name brand pricing, but i hate counterfeits even more so. So its a no for me. I order online and if the stuff dont fit right i send it back and try again until satisfied. There are good cheap alternatives that arent counterfeits.
I use one of these bibs with that colorful chamois, but I found it to cause chaffing in the soft tissue area after doing around 20km. There is a border inside the chamois, which isn't visible on the surface, which is causing the chaffing. So now I have gone back to bibs from the brands.
Sometimes genuine sets can have problems too .
: Great video, as always, I might add. No BS. Just straight up info.
My jerseys are in good conditions but, i destroy bib shorts unfortunately. Chafing, some damage to fabric or just getting old from using it. I am buying from x-tiger and they are consistent through the years, recently they switched to new pad. Kind of different than others.
Wish i watched this before buying Rapha Pro team bib, jersey, winter jacket, and winter tights. Oh, and Rule 28 TT suit, uci illegal aero sox and legal aero sox. If I ever recover financially Ill try these Chinese kits out. Thanks!
I have MTB long sleeve tops ( to keep the Cambodian sun off my arms) the are full length zips...I never take them down past 3/4 length as the weak point is bottom of the zip...only issue with the material is getting mud out of the back takes a scrub brush on a board...not even the best detergent in a washing machine works...never thought of a rain cover its a bit hot here for that.but might get one to try..My tops are usually bright colours but plain with just the makers logo..same with shorts and under shorts...I recently bought undershorts from Decathlon just over US$20 delivered (from Phnom Penh to SE Cambodia) they look better made than the Ali express ones but time will tell...my longest rides are 5-6 hours...on a 29" hard tail mountain bike on mostly sealed roads...in fact the roads around here have improved so much in the last 2 years a road bike would now be useable ...I see a few people visiting the area on them !
Regarding the chamois, I have some expensive “name brand” that sucks.. and some chinese AliExpress that also sucks. But some chinese are really decent. Re price comparison, I can buy 6-7 chinese jerseys for the price of one name brand. So.. I have Castelli, Assos, Louis Garneau, PNS, etc.. and a ton of chinese kit. But I mix and match and find some good and bad in both.
The trouble I have had with the China brands is that after a few washes, either the chamois can break apart and slip around or the material on the panels thin out. And it’s either or…so I have good chamois but thinning fabric or very nice fabrics, but the chamois are all over the place.
I usually get something from the Aldi snow sale for riding
I have something like 20 kits from Aliexpress and only thing I don't like in them is jersy size. It's allways too big on me, even when I ordered xl pants and m jersy separately
Chinese kit varies greatly in quality. The best jerseys are made by Santic.
I have a few tri Jerseys on the way. Timing couldn't be better.
I only use them when training on the indoor trainer. Won't use them on actual rides, the foam is not good enough for long rides
Excellent information. Thank you.
2:21 Stewart OGrady, Bjarne old team they were doping too
kermeloce stuff is very good
Most of the name brand kit is made in China anyway isn’t it? I bought a Castelli bib recently, made in Cambodia. I got a good 100% branded bib which was the best bib I’ve owned. Super comfortable. It was just a bit over $100 off pushy’s, I think, maybe $140.
Well, my castelli gear is made in Modova, Europe. And I am happy about that.
my clothes are almost all from aliexpress, I live in Japan, I'm 1.82 and 100 kilos, clothes here are for people weighing 70 kilos, I've never had any problems with the BBs, I wanted to test these brand BBs, but they don't have the size besides being Too expensive to risk buying online
You may want to compare some better quality bibs like Assos with the Chinese brands. On this one, I have to disagree with you. I have both and ususally use my Chinese cheap ones for indoor training. You may not care but it is quite obvious to others when you wear the cheap kit outdoor.
Love Assos but It's just so expensive now.
So? I also ride a 27 year old bike and smoke people on the group ride. Maybe they are just repulsed by my cheap kit and hang back, though 😮
That's great video, I wonder if you could do something for MTB liners.
Sorry , I'm not up with the MTB industry, but the principles would prolly be similar?
I tried Chinese kit in my shop, mainly for price and MOQ. Simply not worth it. Pockets too small. Chamois wears out after 2-3 years. Zips fail, seams fail. Compare to expensive Italian made brands lasting until the material has worn through, 10 to 15 years.
How does genuine Assos sizing compare to Castelli? I usually go one size larger than my regular clothes when buying Castelli.
Yes that's usually the way to go...Italians are smaller size with bigger character 😁
The aliexpress ones are for sure cheaper but even tho top tier cycling kit has gone up in price they are still way way better than the cheap stuff. I'm not saying they are worth the high price but they have advanced in quality and material over the years.
Note: Not ALL top tier expensive name brand kits are made with quality and innovative fabrics but the ones that are they are night and day different.
Stitching is just better. They are smoother to reduce chaffing.
Zippers are more durable, smoother and stay up.
Fabric tech has gotten better. Better fit, better thermoregulation and sometimes better aero properties
Weight: some are made to be super light
Don't ask me why I'm defending the high priced kits.....
In my experience of Italian made brands they last three to five times longer, ten to fifteen years versus two to three for the cheap Chinese ones.
I would like to share my positive experiences here with purchasing bike kit from Aliexpress but every time that I try to do so my posting gets removed.
О, добрый друг, я тоже использую всё это. И я тоже покупаю в Китае последнее время. Но то о чем ты не знаешь, это как кататься на велосипеде в -20С. Мы катаемся по замершему льду рек и озер. Я одеваю биб шорты а поверх штаны из флисса, наколенники и тонкие штаны против ветра. У меня специальные ботинки высотой 20 см под shimano spd педали. Три слоя сверху и обязательно куртка которую одеваешь на остановке. А велосипед это фэт байк с колесами 5.0 бескамерно.
I have purchased quite a few AliExpress bibs & Jersey’s for training & they are mostly 💩! Certainly not comparable to any recognised brand like Castelli or even DHB which are at the more budget friendly end of the market. I believe the Santic brand is okay but sizing can run small. Ultimately you will get a kit that is too short and far from being aero.
I'm not paying $100 NZD for a kit that I could get for $10 at the same quality. I don't tend to check the race of the people who sell things, I check the deals.
Darevie stuff is pretty good...
2:13 Liberty Seguros was new ONCE team after Operacion Oporto and Sainz manager got busted
Did someone tried Maap Jerseys from Aliexpress for around 20$, are they any Good?
Don’t do it. If you want Maap, pay for Maap
Avoid the knock off branded kit- usually not made by a company with any care. Mine was trash.
I have many Ali express kits, I also have kits that do not fit from Ali. I have stopped buying from Ali Express. It's not worth it, it's a false economy. I have kits from Castelli and recently I have bought from Assos. The kit from Assos is fantastic. I know they are expensive but worth it. I know where I will be buying from.🚴♂️
Can someone give me a link to AliExpress where I can get a real waterproof jacket... thanks
I think technical waterproof fabrics are one of the few items that are still worth getting genuine fabrics
never bough a non chinese cycling kit.. i'm not dumb they're not worth the astronomic price at all
I buy my indoor shorts from Temu
Please throw those counterfeit kits in the trash can and try Chinese brands like Riot, Darevie, Specxel or YKYWBIKE
Huge fan of Darevie bib shorts.I order a new pair every 6 months which works wonders.The jersey are great too 👍
cant fault my rock bros neoprene overshoes. keep feet warm and dry!
I will stick with Assos
Chinese knocknoffs are all horrible.
Darevie, rion and ykywbike are chinese brands with quite good quality
Yep, the pro team and brand name knock off stuff is rubbish. Darevie is good...
Kind of a shame the Oncé logo looks like a guy taking a pee 😊
Purchasing counterfeit clothing is financing crime.
Sorry but those multi coloured Chamois are horrible! I buy plenty of Ali express gear and I've found a great chamois. More expensive than the cheap cheap stuff but its far more comfortable! Do 2 hrs a day 5 days a week and that chamois in the new knicks is going to chafe like all buggery!
What "brand" do you like?
@@CUE503 no particular brand but if you take a look at the Lameda bibs, the chamois they use is far superior. You have to do a deep dive and look at the photos on each listing. I don’t have lameda bibs but some others that use the same chamois.
Don't waste your money and time folks - these things aren't worth the hassle.
its too big for you
Brands from Europe better, best Jersey is decathlon, best bib assos. From Ali the best is ykywbike, bib. Very good, Jersey okey, but not the best fit
Takes a certain set of morals to not only buy for yourself, but also encourage others, to purchase counterfeit products. Anyway if you did a comparison of those new Chinese knock-offs compared to the real pro-issue 2024 versions the differences would be huge. Comparing them to 2005 kits is disingenuous
What difference is that from the original as those that may exploit 3rd world countries to fabricate in order to maximize profits....Be smart... consumers are the ones being made use of to spend thier hard earned dollars. The losers are the workers and the consumers however way you look at it.
cope
Report counterfeits to the online platform. I don't know what AliExpress does, but eBay blocks them.
Puzzling
@@AndrewBlucherFox gloves slipped under the ebay radar last Christmas . They were from Australian sellers . Some ebike rental companies have been guilty of similar things too .