a little while back we ran a survey and have since published the results in a previous post. quite a few of the questions had a space for comments.  in the interest of transparency all the comments from the survey will be listed below and i will attempt to answer them as best i can.  since the survey was anonymous, this is the only way that people can be responded to. on occasion, i may group a number of comments together and answer them together.  if you need further clarification on any of the replies, please feel free to send me and email and i can answer you personally.

As there were so many areas to add comments, we have broken it done into 5 main topic groups with posts around each – club & safety, kit, racing & volunteering, social and a final one where the general feedback on any topic was given.

Are there any kit items currently not available through Cannibal that you would be likely to purchase?

Cycling cap?

Cap, long-fingered gloves

wider leg wider leg option bibs for female and better chamois (female),

Fur lined hand cuffs

um, probably not.

Cap

Cycling cap

Cycling cap

Cycling caps

Castelli or Rapha nicks

price is prohibitive

Bandana

bandana

More comfortable female knicks. More fitted jerseys that are not ultra light fabric, a few girls at TOMR made comment about this

Lingerie

the tinder guy again, sigh

jersey and bibs

Cannibal knicks are very uncomfortable

small sweat band

Tshirts & jumpers

The lightweight SPR socks that were a ‘one off’ circulation

yep, we can look at them again, but with a new design

Gillette with pockets

Caps

Cap

T-shirts with cool designs, yo

Lightweight bibknicks…current ones are rather thick and hot to ride in during the warmer months.

Skinsuit WITH pockets

Quality speed suit/skinsuit

Wind vest with pockets at the back. The women’s Knix are not comfortable. I am impressed it is Australian made though.

Making a kit that’s black so I can wear it with my bike road bike frame. To much green and white looks like I should be riding in a Mardi gras ??

what is wrong with the mardi gras???

Hoodie/jumper was good with previous supplier.

A Gabba style jersey nano flex arm warmers

Cannibal bib shorts the most uncomfortable I have ever worn.

Gabba

Jumper to wear to racung events in winter

Kids sizes

kids sizes are available in jerseys’s and bib knicks

so it seems a cycling cap is a popular want.  we have looked into it previously and it wasn’t high on the regular purchase list.  like the lycra socks, it may be a one off order that we can do with different designs each year or so.

gabba’s are being seriously looked into.  there were being looked into last year, but the 8+ week turn around time, plus time to leave the order open on our end, meant that by the time it arrived, winter would be over.  keep an eye out early autumn for more details.

Would you be likely to purchase club branded casual clothing?

No

SPR lingerie range

No

As a regular volunteer, i wouldn’t mind something like a vest that’s easy to throw over a t-shirt or shirt.

Zip jacket for ladies

no

If it was lingerie.

Sweatshirt/jumper – like a hoodie without the hood!

Collared shirt

Not interested

Dependent on how it looks

Mankini

long sleeve shirt

t shirt if is a quality cotton polo only, not made of synthetic material. I don’t like the quality of cannibal clothing.

Teaming up with locals like feathers and scales or pedal mafia making an affordable trendy kit would be cool ??

Left field idea, SPR wristband. Similar to a Livestrong band from back in the day.

Tie. I think I’m no serious, but its a thought

Depends on the material it is made of. Long sleeve t shirt

Lederhosen

Castelli bib shorts to go with the gabba please.

No

No

so both the comments about lingerie were from guys in their late 30’s or 40’s.  so there are a few guys that may like to “dress-up” after the ride.

some casual clothing like t-shirts and hoodie/jumpers for before/after rides looks to be popular, so we will look into that.

Overall, how satisfied are you with the SPR club kit, please tell us why.

Cannibal… says it all!

I stopped using the club bibs. They just did not last and only so many repairs you can do. Jerseys are fine.

Female specific would be better and perhaps more flattering

Too expensive for the quality. Can’t try it on

Pricey

Have some issues with the stitching and edging of the chamois

Shorts tend to wear out quickly. Jerseys are fine.

mainly sizing

I would pay more for higher quality kit. I think the kit should go back to two yearly updates. It’s nice to get refreshing new look.

comparable with other kits (made in Italy) for similar price they do not be on the same level as the kit is fading and loose stretch

I don’t find it comfortable for long rides and no longer use it as its too big

Do you have any feedback with regard to the ordering process?

All good

Excellent

Does a great job, and quarterly is sufficient for my needs

Easy and well supported by Club Kit Committee

It was a slick process – even when changing sizes

The wait is too long between orders

Easy

Ordering works fine, Andrew does a good job

Delivery not coming in time, further arrangements to collect have been difficult

there are three options for collecting your kit, at the coffee shop after a ride, pay for postage, organise with andrew to pick it up somewhere.  in each case andrew has to go out of his way to get your kit to you.  even after that we still have uncollected kit from many orders ago.  it is not that hard.  we are not a retailer, so you need to make allowances.  everyone, including andrew, are unpaid volunteers working to pull all this together.

so easy and it just works

Nothing to report.

wait times are too long would be willing to pay extra for quicker turnaround

anytime would be better

Unfortunately, the 3 ordering periods are too long between drinks. I realise having stock is not desired, but there would be more turn over and purchases if available sooner, especially when competitions occur and weather changes.

Lead-time seems long. Perhaps a Perth based supplier could shorten this.

Should be open to orders throughout the year, but appreciate the difficulty of this for the club

I would like more regular deliveries if possible. He process to order on line is fine.

cheer andrew

Bit of a delay until order arrives, but it’s a minor quibble and I wouldn’t say it’s an issue.

Easy.

The size chart and guide for jersey’s was far from accurate for me unfortunately.

Handy if there was some stock here to purchase if something happens to yours. Ie crash

Seems to work well. Thanks Andrew.

so we recently moved from 4 orders per year to 3 orders per year.  this is due to a couple of factors.  firstly, the decision a couple of years ago to move to a single design and not change it or have to update sponsors has meant that people don’t have to purchase that often.  this was deliberate for that exact reason. the order times are listed on the website, so people should be aware of when kit will be delivered.  as a non-for profit club, we cannot just purchase a whole swag of kit to onsell later.  we end up with too many odd sizes which never get used and have cost the club money.

there was also a comment in here and the previous question about going to a local supplier. contrary to what people think, there are not many suppliers in australia that don’t get everything done overseas, mostly in china.  this means that design changes, returns and shipping all has to factor in extra shipping time and costs.  cannibal designs in qld, prints onsite on material sourced from italy and then sends the garments to sydney to be sewn.  the relationship we have built up with cannibal over the years means that he cuts us some slack when it comes to orders, is easy to get things sent back and repaired if needed.  cost is also a very big part of this.  just looking online, a pedal mafia jersey is $169 and bibs are over $200.  we have a wide cross-section of riders in the club.  not everyone has a $250k a year job and so we need to provide a service that suits all.

Do you have any feedback with regards to fit or comfort of current kit items?

Still need my ASSOS knicks for longer rides – the chamois chafes a little 🙁

Padding seems to have changed in the menn’s nicks. Not as comfortable.Also they seem a little bigger than previous purchases so not as comfortable and more baggy around the backside.

Womens bibs are very uncomfortable. Bands on leg with printed fabric become very tight (with no give) the answer here is not to buy bigger size because then too big everywhere else. Maybe a a survey to see how many would be interested in slightly wider leg option. On speaking with quite a few other female members, the chamois is found to be very uncomfortable and a few women ive spoken with, like myself, will not wear the bib shorts because of this or do suffer soreness from wearing them

Knicks are a bit long in the body for petite female

Collar on Gilete is too wide. Gloves are rubbish. Seight gilete and gloves much better so a good example. In fact all my other (non Cannibal) kit is more comfortable but I guess you get what you pay for. I might feel more comfortable if it wasn’t so green.

Skinsuit material could be stretchier – practically bursting seams to get over shoulders but then not a snug fit over shoulders or arms once on. Also a lower cut neck style.

The cuffs on the legs of the knicks seem to loose there elasticity pretty quick, otherwise great products.

Everything I have purchased has been excellent

Bib seams are quite uncomfortable, jersey is better suited to the male form.

Standard fit and good comfort – kit is good.

Can’t try on so you pay a lot for something that doesn’t fit

Medium according to measurement chart too tight

As a short and skinny guy the Cannibal kit is the best fitting kit I’ve found.

Have some issues with the stitching and edging of the chamois

By far the best SPR kit quality so far.

would be good to have a couple of try on jerseys for first fit. Once size is established then next time you order this wont be an issue

Please upgrade the quality of the shamios in the bibs, the quality is not comfortable for women.

The chamois is overly thick and bulky. The skinsuit is not a great fit, the chamois is particularly bulky.

Nicks material catches when sweat soaked. Assos/ rapha won’t- seems to slide instead.

Female chamois needs more coverage at front. I have two pairs of knicks in the same size and fit very differently, one way too big for me.

Knicks are very uncomfortable

Chamois padding and the stitching integrity is poor

Sizing charts are always tricky for jerseys. Perhaps having some actual jerseys in each size so that people could get an understanding of size & fit might be useful. Akin to the store sock if you are trying in shoes.

the skinsuit material is very thick meaning it cannot be used in summer, a lighter more breathable fabric would mean this can be used year round, at the moment I am not investing in a short sleeved version as the material would likely be the same and still too hot for our summer TT conditions, this is a small order item so certainly understand if/why this could not be accommodated

Great fit and comfort. Maybe offer crash replacement.

there is crash replacement.  it is listed on our website here.

Women’s kit fits if you have big boobs and skinny legs – not so good the other way around.

The quality is in-line with what we pay for the kit…average price and average quality. I love the design but would prefer something a little more comfortable to ride in and would be happier to pay more for to get the desired outcome. The bibknicks and skin suit are made from rather thick fabric which makes it hot to ride in during the warmer months.

Jackets and vests are not true to size as per Cannibal sizing chart. Understanding Over layers need to be slightly larger, a “Profit” vest in Med measured a 107cm chest when listed on chart as 96 – 99cm. Item was returned, but was unhappy with response from Cannibal staff – not Glenn.

Bib knicks rear seam – really poorly positioned

Sizes on website are correct in fit if you know what I mean.

Very good.

It’s awesome, love it

Race jersey – you need to put on sunscreen.

Sizing chart inaccurate (too small)

My kit is starting to get a hole in it around the shami. It is 3 years old.

The material of the race jersey is very fragile

Great

The chamois could be better

Jersey are a bit long. Race cut especially should be shorter at the front.

Bib shorts are awful. Size guide for jersey’s misleading.

Skinsuit material is not very stretchy – not as snug a fit as other skinsuits I’ve owned

Race fit is one size smaller… so why not just label the sizes the same to avoid confusion

Some size differences between all 3 pairs of same wm sml shorts. Got a xs wm wind protector which was way too big. Measured it myself and came out as a men’s small. Im reluctant to order another as cannibal advised the correct size was sent

Huge difference between XS (super tight) & S (baggy/loose) Describe the cut / shape of the fit of the jersey

Big difference between XS & S jerseys Would like more explanation re ‘shape’ of jersey

so as a feedback to the supplier perspective, the main issues seem to be chamois, the women’s knicks (chamois, band, comfort) and the seams in the knicks.  these are all things that we can feed back to cannibal.  i suppose it depends on the number of complaints that they have in regards to this as to whether things change.  as mentioned before, we are trying to cover a huge range of people in the club and we know that one size does not fit all.  Good to see that there was some positive feedback as well as this is important when we combine the comments with the rankings.

a sizing kit also came up a few times.  we made a decision a while ago only to organise a sizing kit before the initial run when we moved back to cannibal.  from then on, we assumed that there should be enough jerseys within the club that people could ask to try on someone else’s.  we know that this is not ideal, but since we don’t have a physical shop, the sizing kit would need to reside at someone’s house and be brought out when someone needed to try things on.  for the committee, this is an extra burden that we didn’t think had enough upside.  generally a few conversations around the coffee shop and you can pretty much work out what size you should order.

material thickness of the bib knicks was also raised a few times.  the feeling was that the material is too thick and therefore too hot in summer.  there is definitely a trade off here.  thinner material wears quicker and loses it’s stretch.  one reason we moved away from champion systems was that the knicks had no longevity.  i went through 2 pairs in a year, while i still have a usable pair of cannibal knicks from before we used champs for 2 years.  for the number of days a year where the knicks may be perceived as too hot, i feel, is outweighed by the longevity and wear properties that mean that you don’t need to continually purchase new knicks every year.

Do you have any feedback with regard to the durability of kit items you own?

Broken jersey zip after less than 6 months use

They tend not to survive being dragged along Tarmac

The cannibal kit lasted forever last time, heaps better than the Champion Systems

Socks too thick and colour fades. Stitching on knicks has come loose. Have handstiched and ??.

The bibs just don’t last. least the last 6 I had I got only a few months the last pairs only days so I just stopped using them all together.

this is not normal and there seems to be a further issue here.  perhaps get in touch with the kit committee to discuss.

Good quality – equal of any other commercial or team brand

SPR kit is good value

The chamois in my bibshorts wasn’t sown in very well and is coming loose. I’d like a better quality zip on the jersey too.

we have had sturdier zips in the past and there are then issues with the jersey bunching when leaning forward.  the current zip is a good compromise without being too flimsy.

Durability has been good

Shorts wear out quickly (a year or so)

The stiching around the shamios needs extra sewing.

They have lasted well. The black on bibs is fading but there’s been many washes.

The aero jerseys sometimes the color mixes a little (i.e. black “bleeds” into white at the edges)

Comment ref nicks catching on seat when sweat soaker came with age.

I’ve had to sew up sections of my chamois that have come unstitched but I’ve had it since the first release so it’s going ok, just hadn’t lasted as long as my other branded knicks

Don’t hold up well in crashes. Need to investigate a lycra/kevlar blend.

stay upright

for the price not very durable in comparison with similar price range of European source

Strong fabric, less grazing in a crash

Stitching pulling around the chamois creating holes, despite the rest of the fabric still be fine.

Good durability

The inner seams on the bib-knicks are in a place that causes wear and tear. Every other kit manufacturer makes their Knicks with no inner-seam, which means that the friction of riding doesn’t cause seams to rub against the seat / the other leg. This impacts on the durability of the kit.

I’ve had to get the legs on both pairs of my bibknicks repaired a couple of times as the thread has broken and holes appeared along the seam lines. Admittedly this could possibly be because I usually go for a snug fit.

Extremely hard wearing. Still wearing original purchase and these get outings twice a week every week.

Quite durable

Not happy about chamois of previous knicks that became non functional

Excellent.

Seams around the chamois came apart only a few weeks after purchase.

The chamois

It probably explains why the bib shorts are awful but after many washes hoping the shorts would allow some give for my privates they remain as stiff and uncomfortable as the day I bought them.

so, i am not here to tell people how to “suck eggs”, but previous conversations with glenn  from cannibal about the seams around the chamois have generally related to exactly how you are putting the knicks on.  most people, when putting on any type of pants will put both legs in and then grab the waist and pull them up.  pretty standard practice around the world of pants.  however, with knicks and particularly with knicks that have a tight or very grippy leg band, all this does in put extra stretch on the fabric.  when the fabric over stretches, the point that will rip first will be where the seams has punched holes in it.  so if you grab the waist and try to get the chamois high enough to be snug, you are probably going to eventually tear your knicks.  what you need to do is put in one leg at a time and get the leg band in the right place first.  there should be a tell-tale tan-line indicating just how far to pull then up.  once both legs are in place, grab the waist and pull them over your bum then pull the bibs up over your shoulders.  this way nothing is over stretching and creating undue stress on the garment.

we will also feed back about the seams on the inside of the legs being a potential wear issue along the saddle.