I got into riding about a year and 3,000 miles ago. The more serious I became, the more I realized why cyclists dress funny.
In order of purchase:
- gloves
- shorts
- jersey
- shoes
In the non-clothing area:
- clipless pedals
- Camelbak
- Niterider Digital Pro12-E
I don’t ride fast, but I do spend lots of hours in the saddle enjoying myself.
Gloves offer more protection than you might think. I went over the handlebars onto blacktop in March. Every time I look at the rips in the palms of my right glove I am reminded of that brief flight.
The gloves also help with numbness. They are a worthwhile investment.