There are lots of reasons to buy pro cycling kit — the quality, the price, the collectibility, and the feeling that you’re wearing something that might have climbed ascents you’ve always dreamed of tackling. But it still might surprise you to learn that even pros recommend buying secondhand, ex-pro cycling kit like the gear we amass here at Pro Cycling Outlet.
Amongst the pros, there’s a thriving underground secondhand market for pro-level and team kit. Everything from new, used, or barely used sunglasses and cycling shoes to jerseys and shorts get offered and snapped up from Facebook posts or secondhand apps. And what isn’t sold directly by the riders often makes its way to us at Pro Cycling Outlet where we sell it at vastly discounted prices.
Why do pros sell cycling kit secondhand?
The reasons pros pass kit on vary. A big one arises when a rider changes team, or their team’s branding and sponsors change. Overnight, they’re left with obsolete kit they can’t wear again. Plus cyclists move around a lot, chasing different climbs and climates, and can’t take everything with them. Add in the kit they get given for photoshoots that they don’t need and you’re looking at some very overstuffed wardrobes.
Then there’s ex-pros, cyclists whose lives and careers have taken a completely different turn. For some of these athletes-turned-amateurs, it no longer feels right to wear their old team kit even though they still love getting out on their bikes.
So, what do they wear to ride in their free time?
Abi van Twisk, former pro for Trek-Segafredo and now graphic designer based in Girona, did a double take when she first tried shopping for cycling kit after stepping back from pro-life.
“I was shocked at how expensive it is because I'd been just riding in whatever the team's given me for so many years,” she says.” But I was having a browse online and … £200 for a pair of bib shorts! Wow. I’ll just wear my old team stuff.”
Secondhand pro cycling kit is a bargain
Just like for regular bike enthusiasts, Abi’s choices now are 1) buy something cheaper and not as good, or 2) browse secondhand sites like Pro Cycling Outlet to see what we’ve got in stock. With us, she can get the same high-performance pro quality she’s used to from team-issued kit, but at a more affordable price.
“If I went on Dave’s website and saw a brand new Rapha skinsuit for half the price. I’d definitely buy that,” she says. “I think it's much better for a lot of things, and for your wallet. And I’m also a bit of a sucker for the cool labels which, again, you can find on the Pro Cycling Outlet site.”
Secondhand cycling kit is sustainable
The big shift towards sustainable clothes shopping in regular fashion is being felt across the cycling world too. A huge amount of environmental resources, chemicals and waste go into producing clothes and cycling kit is no different. But, because cycling kit needs to be worn tight to get the best performance, it tends to need replacing frequently meaning it can be just as “fast” as the latest high street fast fashion. The only alternative if you want to be environmentally-conscious is to source cycling kit secondhand.
For an increasing number of environmentally conscious customers, it’s just a bonus that our cycling kit comes at higher quality and a lower price.
Have a listen here to Abi chatting to us at Pro Cycling Office.
