Would YOU pay $150...

[Squirrel 2]

I have white shorts. Not the Castellis, these:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=18029

I love them, but yes, in certain light you can see through the white sections. Notice that any potentially revealing areas are a matte black, so you're covered. I see the Castellis are white on the seat, probably not a good idea. I have a pair of red shorts that stained on the seat from dyes coming off sweaty saddles. There are reasons to have a black seat.

And there are perfectly good reasons for buying an expensive jersey. No, it does not have wings. No, it does not make you go faster. But if it is cut better and made out of superior fabric, you will be more comfortable and should be able to go longer. It is the same reason you buy more expensive shorts. And just like in shorts, more expensive jerseys might have lots of panels, sometimes even made out of different fabrics in different areas. The fit on these is designed to be snug, like a second skin that wicks moisture off you. They're also designed to be worn in a riding position, so they might feel like they pull when you first put them on. But you get on your bike and go and after a while, you've forgotten all about them, they disappear.

I like to go for long rides, and on long rides the darndest little things start to bug you. A bad chamois won't even make it on a long ride. A hot shoe, or gloves with no ventilation will make you miserable. But jerseys can be treacherous, too. I've worn some that become unbearable on really hot days because they seem to trap heat inside. I've worn some that become unbearable on humid days because they don't wick well & end up getting clammy & soggy. I've had rashes from fabrics or dyes that bothered me. I've even had issues with zippers & threads! One full-length zipper sewn on with a rough, plastic thread rubbed a raw area right down the front of a good pair of bib shorts! Oh, that's another thing to note, expensive jerseys tend to use soft & supple zipper plackets so you don't get the pitched tent effect from a stiff zipper that sticks out over your chest.

Convinced yet? I was a hard sell initially because of innate cheapness, but I have now been ruined forever. I used to wear lots of nice jerseys with fun designs, but I only wear them on shorter rides now. On a long ride I will reach for my really good jerseys.

So would I spend $150 for a really good jersey? You betcha!

[SAMbike]

Thanks for the feedback! Those bib shorts you have are very sharp looking!! Very good advice about making sure there's no white in certain areas. Yours are much better than the ones I was looking at for sure in that respect. As for the jersey, good points about comfort/fit esp. on long rides. Hmmm, I might just buy that jersey afterall (maybe it will go on sale soon ).

Much appreciated,
Susan