Decathlon autumn racing bike set in the test for 100 euros well dressed?

For just under 100 euros you can get an autumn cycling clothing set from your feet to your jersey at Decathlon. We took a close look at how it compares to four autumn sets from well-known manufacturers, some of which cost twice as much just for the trousers.

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In addition to the well-known manufacturers of racing bike clothing, who often specialize in this one area, there are also large "all-rounders" who sell almost everything to do with sport has to do. Decathlon also belongs in this category. The French company runs its business from its own branches and as an online shop and offers an almost unmanageable range of all kinds of articles that have something to do with sports. Under the label of several own brands, Decathlon also offers a large variety of road bike clothing and has provided us with a corresponding autumn set for our test.

Slide show: Fall road bike clothing 2021 tested: Inexpensive set from Decathlon Start slide show » # rennrad-outfit-decathlon-8874

Here you will find general tips for road bike clothing in autumn

Decathlon 3/4 cycling shorts RC500 test

The Decathlon 3/4 cycling shorts RC500 have an amazingly low price of 29.99 euros. In times when hardly anyone is surprised by prices of up to 200 euros for racing bike pants, the price tag on the Decathlon pants arouses skepticism among critical contemporaries. But good things don't necessarily have to be expensive, as our tests show again and again.

The Decathlon pants are made of a very thin fabric that is reminiscent of the typical Lycra jerseys of yesteryear. The cut of the pants is extremely close to the body, but the fabric is also extremely stretchy and fits skin-tight after you put it on (like tights). The trouser legs go quite far down and end approximately in the middle of the calf muscles. A wide silicone waistband reliably protects the trouser legs from riding up.

The seat pad is quite thin and flexible, quite long in the front and just enough in the back, so it could be positioned a bit better. Sometimes you can correct the position a little after tightening. Although the fabric is so thin, it still offers a bit of wind protection, and the padding goes up a bit at the front and provides additional protection for sensitive areas. Surprisingly, you don't freeze with the cheap Decathlon pants even at 10 degrees. For mild autumn days with 15 or more degrees, however, one quickly wishes for short trousers.

The straps of the pants are very thin and sometimes they also slide together, which can lead to a loss of comfort on long rides. Otherwise, the Decathlon 3/4 RC500 cycling shorts fit well and are easily suitable for longer sessions. You shouldn't expect a comfort miracle with perfect wearing comfort, but the price-performance ratio is impeccable. So the Decathlon trousers are not only worth serious consideration for occasional riders, but also for more frequent rides in autumn, when not too many kilometers are to be collected at once.

# The Decathlon 3/4 cycling shorts RC500 are reminiscent of the "Lycra look" of days gone by - the fabric is very thin and has a slight sheen. # The pant legs reach well past the knee to mid-calf height - this makes the pant feel surprisingly warm # The leg ends fit well and do not ride up - there are no seams in the back of the knee. # The suspenders are very thin but well placed - the pants are cut quite high on the stomach.

Information compact and prices

Price: RRP €29.99

Our recommendation: Inexpensive autumn pants for temperatures between 10-16 degrees and rather shorter trips of up to two hours.

Decathlon bike jersey RC500 Shield Test

The bike jersey that the French sports outfitter sent us for testing scores with an extremely attractive price of 39.99 euros. It's not quite as cheap compared to the pants, but the Decathlon RC500 Shield was more convincing.

Compared to most road bike jerseys, it is significantly thicker and almost feels like a jacket. At 371 grams, it's the heaviest jersey in our comparison, but it also offers well-functioning wind protection on the front of the upper body. The inside including the sleeves is fully lined with a thin fleece that provides warmth and feels good even on bare skin on the arms.

Ultimately, the Decathlon RC500 Shield cycling jersey is a jersey with an integrated vest and it rides like this. It's ideal for cloudy autumn days when it's clear from the start that you won't see the sun. We rode several tours between 7-13 degrees with the Decathlon jersey in connection with the Decathlon base layer tested here and felt well dressed. The "climate" could be conveniently regulated via the easy-running zipper, even on long inclines.

One point of criticism, however, is the inflexible neck end, which is probably due to the material with wind protection. Either it fits or it doesn't. This is also the case with a wind vest, but in this case you usually wear a jersey with a tight-fitting collar underneath. For our tester, the neck finish fitted quite well, but it sometimes happened that the airflow penetrated the neck when sitting aggressively on the bike.

It's also a shame that the front zip doesn't have a storm flap. The cool airstream penetrates on descents at a speed of 40 km/h at the latest. This is "not a broken leg", but annoying and can be uncomfortable on longer descents. Covering the zip at the top increases comfort, but we don't see the point of having a similar cover at the bottom. Especially since it makes it difficult to thread the zipper and thus put it on.

The jersey has a very long cut, which is not uncomfortable in autumn. However, the jersey pockets sit too low and are still very short. The pocket on the back with a zip is in the middle and goes to the "inside" of the jersey via a mesh insert. If you pack the smartphone here, it feels like it lies directly on the pelvic bone. But there is still a breast pocket, which is also secured with a zipper. The two small jersey pockets on the side are nice.

In short, the RC500 Shield offers a lot for the low price. Points of criticism are the pockets that are placed too low, the neck collar that is not flexible and the zipper that is not backed. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether a racing jersey needs seven pockets. Ultimately, the lack of attention to detail ruins the price-performance tip.

Decathlon also offers the RC500 Shield jersey in an extremely eye-catching neon yellow version with very large reflective elements, EN1150 certified. This is a big step forward in terms of passive safety and should primarily be of interest to commuters and people who also cycle in the dark.

# You can argue about the special look with the many folds - but the functionality of the Dectahlon jersey is good.# The cut on the body doesn't look very sporty from the back either - but many reflective elements increase safety.# The breast pocket with zip is well positioned - and offers additional storage space, which you don't necessarily need on a racing bike.# The neck end fit our tester quite well - however, it is not flexible and can therefore cause problems under certain circumstances.# Clearly visible reflective elements on the left arm - this increases the passive safety.# A reflective lettering also visually indicates the windproofness - the purpose of the lower zipper cover is not revealed to us.# The long cut of the jersey is not uncomfortable in autumn - the jersey pockets are placed too low.# A wide rubber coating on the Waistband - prevents the jersey from riding up.

Information compact and prices

Price: RRP €39.99

Our recommendation: Functional jersey with good wind protection. Also suitable without a vest for temperatures in the single digits.

Decathlon cycling underwear training test

A clear price-performance tip in our test of road bike clothing for the fall is the Decathlon base layer. The functional undershirt can be found on the Decathlon website under the somewhat unwieldy name "Decathlon Fahrrad UNDERWATER" and was able to convince in the test with an excellent price-performance ratio.

The long-sleeved shirt is elaborately knitted with different material thicknesses and different structures, and thanks to its high flexibility and very sporty cut, it sits skin-tight on the body. There are only two seams at the base of the sleeves, otherwise the sleeves and the shirt are knitted seamlessly. Both the torso and the sleeves are sufficiently long and lie on the skin without wrinkling.

The fit is excellent. However, you should exercise a little caution when putting them on, because the sleeves are very tight and have to be pulled over your hands with a little force. Otherwise, the fabric can easily get caught, especially if you wear a wristwatch or jewellery. Once the shirt sits where it should be, it no longer slips.

Thanks to the tight fit, the fabric has direct contact with the skin everywhere and can conduct sweat directly to the outside. This works excellently in practice, the Decathlon undershirt always felt pleasantly warm on our test rides. In combination with the RC500 Shield cycling jersey, this results in a functional combination that works ideally between 7-13 degrees.

More on the subject of autumn racing bike clothing 2021 in the test The test winners and favorite outfitsRacing bike clothing for autumn Well dressed in changeable weatherAccessories for indoor training part 3 racing bike clothing for indoors in the testNew Gobik Black Series racing bike clothing for wet and cold days< p>The only drawback is the surface structure of the fabric, on which the fleece inside of the jersey slides very poorly. This means that you have to “tug” the jersey sleeves into the right place when you put them on. But that's whining at a high level and also happens with other brands.

# Great construction and workmanship, as well as a great fit and function - the Decathlon Base Layer deserves a price-performance tip.# The knitting technique used allows different material thicknesses and structures - this allows for high functionality and a lot of comfort.# The Arms are skin-tight and have different structures - so the heat output can also be varied in the corresponding areas.

Information compact and prices

Price: RRP €14.99

Our recommendation: Warm base layer with high thermal function for autumn and winter

Decathlon cycling socks RR900 winter test

The Decathlon cycling socks RR900 winter are also elaborately knitted and processed flawlessly. Merino wool and Primaloft fibers ensure sufficient warmth without the socks being too thick. A bicycle-specific construction ensures a lot of comfort. For example, there is roughened thermal insulation only on the front, which is exposed to the wind.

The RR900 socks are specific for purl and knit and marked accordingly. The always critical seam in the area of ​​the toe attachment is cleanly processed and does not form any pressure points. All in all, a great winter cycling sock at an attractive price.

# The Decathlon cycling socks have a great finish and are pleasantly warm - they are ideal for autumn and winter.

Compact information and prices

Price: RRP €11.99

Our recommendation: Warm socks for cold days.

Conclusion - Fall Set 2021 from Decathlon

The low prices Decathlon offers the road bike clothing in our test is amazing. The base layer and jersey of the French work well in combination and offer a lot of performance for very little money. It should be clear that one should not expect perfection down to the last detail. Ultimately, the jersey has too many small weak points to get a price-performance tip. Still, the overall package is attractive considering the price. The functional and elaborately knitted undershirt proves that good things don't necessarily have to be expensive.

ProContra

What is your experience with Decathlon's autumn road bike clothing, do you have any special recommendations?

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Here are the other tests of road bike clothing for autumn 2021