Cycling stuff at Aldi on thursday 26th April

[Mrs Tortoise]

A variety of cycling stuff available at Aldi from this coming thursday, including clothes and equipment such as pumps and saddles.

[reohn2]

I nipped into Lidl this morning (they were advertising 10x50 binoculars for £10)but they also had some "biking" socks for £1.99 and they're great not just chep and chearful but really good .

[Si]

lidl also had a 'trekking' tent for under a £10er - OK I guess if you are only going to use is a few times during the summer.

[horizon]

And then what?

[Tallis the Tortoise]

Good point, I meant to let you guys know. One of the staff in our local branch specifically told me last week when I was getting food. That's the recognition that you get for repeatedly cramming their products into your super C panniers every few days

Of particular interest to me are leg and armwarmers for £3.99 and a gillet for under £10.

Andy

[Si]

Got the gillet last year - an excellent bit of kit. A bit warmer than some more expensive ones but does the job nonetheless.

[PaulR]

(they were advertising 10x50 binoculars for £10)

And worth every penny in my experience - I bought a pair last time these binoculars appeared and they're excellent. I've seen worse views through binoculars costing several times this amount.

[reohn2]

(they were advertising 10x50 binoculars for £10)

And worth every penny in my experience - I bought a pair last time these binoculars appeared and they're excellent. I've seen worse views through binoculars costing several times this amount.

Yep your right I bought a pair and the image is superb, all I need is the crane attachment to lift them and all will be well,
............now where did I put my hernia truss .........

[Oracle]

I can’t believe all this support for the likes of Lidl and Aldi, particularly after all the discussion of exploiting cheap labour and how the workers are falling prey to capitalist regimes. No wonder our own ‘home bred’ industry has suffered so much.

OK, I’ll admit that I’m a great fan of Lidl and Aldi but have to smile at the irony of the desire for cheap kit (and perhaps cyclists are such frugal people by nature) while also bemoaning the effects of globalisation and exploited labour that have appeared on the Message Board. Would we buy this kit from Tesco?

Sorry, having a ‘reflective’ moment.

[horizon]

Mrs H is a great fan of Lidl. I tell her that she is selling her soul to the devil. Lidl only sells bike stuff as special promotions. It then disappears. I would rather people bought bike stuff from Lidl than none at all, but, like everything at Lidl, it is cheap, limited in range, hard to know where it comes from and the staff won't be able to help. Its only virtue is that being German it tends to be quite practical stuff.

Now, if Waitrose started selling free range, organic bike parts from small local factories in the UK with special attention to threatened makes and in recyclable packaging - that would be something.

[Si]

To be honest, some of us can only afford stuff from the likes of lidl or aldi (if we can't find it second hand). I'd much rather have bought stuff from the LBS, but, comparing the last two purchases I made at Lidl: Lidl prices: £10 & £3. LBS prices: £40 & not-availible.

So for me it wasn't a choice of buy at Lidl or buy at LBS, but buy at Lidl or don't have.

I have a little more money availible to me this year so I am much more inclined to buy at the LBS (as recent purchases have shown), although, I'd much rather buy second hand, thus not only is it cheap but it is also recycling!

p.s. just 'cos it's cheap does it follow that it comes from child-labour-sweat-shops and that expensive stuff doiesn't - may be just that they are creaming off a larger profit on some of the more expensive stuff!

[reohn2]

I can’t believe all this support for the likes of Lidl and Aldi, particularly after all the discussion of exploiting cheap labour and how the workers are falling prey to capitalist regimes. No wonder our own ‘home bred’ industry has suffered so much.

OK, I’ll admit that I’m a great fan of Lidl and Aldi but have to smile at the irony of the desire for cheap kit (and perhaps cyclists are such frugal people by nature) while also bemoaning the effects of globalisation and exploited labour that have appeared on the Message Board. Would we buy this kit from Tesco?

Sorry, having a ‘reflective’ moment.

Oracle
The Binocular i bought is Bresser brand (no I haven't either) I'd love to tell you where they're made but can't as there is nothing on the box that says.Of course I could have bought a British made binocular but i don't know of any,do you? next stop would be Europe (I think Bresser is a European company but who knows where they source they're goods)to buy European binoculars,Lieca,Swarovski,perhaps probably would have cost upwards of £500 so something tells me I'm not in the same market.
Ah found it,on the box it says Meade instruments Rhede Germany

As for the socks same story here to I'm afraid dunno of any British socks either

So thats my excuse you will forgive me won't you,good, I knew you would you being the altruistic soul that you are. .

PS I wonder who it was who closed all the manufacturing down in Britain,would it be the workers who need the jobs.Or might it be the owners who needed bigger profits.
Over to you Oracle

PPS I give you three guesses.

Sorry to go on but if you had a factory in the UK making thingymebobs and you were making say £1million a year.Then someone tipped you the wink and said you could make £2million by manufacturing in China.Which would you do?
I'll put it to you that capitalists have no soul,just reflecting on capitalism.
Whilst capitalists reflect on profit.

[Tallis the Tortoise]

I can’t believe all this support for the likes of Lidl and Aldi, particularly after all the discussion of exploiting cheap labour and how the workers are falling prey to capitalist regimes. No wonder our own ‘home bred’ industry has suffered so much.

OK, I’ll admit that I’m a great fan of Lidl and Aldi but have to smile at the irony of the desire for cheap kit (and perhaps cyclists are such frugal people by nature) while also bemoaning the effects of globalisation and exploited labour that have appeared on the Message Board. Would we buy this kit from Tesco?

Sorry, having a ‘reflective’ moment.

Aldi staff actually get paid very well compared to other supermarkets from what I hear. A magazine of graduate jobs seemed to confirm this for at least the regional managers, getting massively more than somewhere like ASDA. Aldi stuff (foodwise) is still cheaper and better or equal quality to much from other supermarkets and they get you through the checkouts at lightning speed! They are just VERY efficient.

As for LBSs, I do support mine with some things. However, there is none in my university town at all and the one back home are very focussed to racing and mountain bikes with a hint of commuter stuff. Consequently, I get a lot from Wiggle and Spa Cycles. I ain't paying over £100 for a short sleeved Assos jersey.


Andy

[dodger]

Thank You Mrs T
Went in to Plymouth Aldi just after 9.00 to find a scrum of bargain hunting cyclists.
Bought some good stuff at silly prices so thanks for the tip.

[GeoffL]

Thank You Mrs T
Went in to Plymouth Aldi just after 9.00 to find a scrum of bargain hunting cyclists.
Bought some good stuff at silly prices so thanks for the tip.

Ye gods, me too! We may even have vied for the same stuff as I got there at about 09:15 to join the scrum.

I bought a jacket, shirt, and gloves each for my missus and I - and everything except "my" jacket (which fits my missus - so she's having that) and the gloves is going back because the sizing is from a different planet.

Geoff