Having very much bicycled on a budget, my main concern is buying cheap gear. Made by exploited, underpaid labour in a far away land and then flown or boated half-way across the world causing untold devastation and woe to poor planet Earth.
For example my most recent purchases were a budget waterproof cycling jacket, casquette and shoes. A grand total of £52.97.
From order to dispatch there was a 7 day delay, due to the warehouse not having the items in stock. No doubt they had to be shipped in from somewhere.
Indeed my BTWIN “RC 100 SPD Road Cycling Shoes – Black” are Made in China. I am not being xenophobic, I don’t care who makes the things I buy, I just care that the people making the things are treated – and paid – well. China does not have a good reputation in this regard.
I also have a problem with goods being shipped half-way across the world, causing all sorts of environmental issues. Of course this would be mitigated somewhat if the shoes were of sufficient quality to last a lifetime. While they have served me well for a whole month and are still as good as new, I suspect after 18 months I will need to replace them.
So here is my philosophy: buy cheaply once, if the item wears out quickly then buy a more expensive replacement. The theory being that if you use the cheap item so much that it wears out quickly, you can justify the expensive, more durable and higher quality item.
I certainly ride my bicycle every day but have only worn the shoes on my commute to and from work. I have yet to do a long ride in them. Same goes for the casquette and, as it’s summer (even in England) I have only used the waterproof jacket a few times.
B'Cycle Rob Blog 