First Jacket and armour

I have had various bits from the IXS range and they sell some of the cheapest Goretex kit.

Facebook Market Place is also a good bet as there is always loads of good gear on there. Brandwise any of the makes below will be a good direction. RST is great for entry/ mid priced gear but if you want all-weather then you will need GoreTex and if budget is tight I would opt for a decent textile jacket as a priority and accept your legs will get wet. If GoreTex is out of your league (and it was for me for years) then a good waterproof under jacket works just as well with a leather/ cheap textile jacket. In the summer when it's over 20c I generally wear a vented or leather jacked and just take a waterproof pack mac as a backup rather than rocking the textiles.

Kevlar jeans I find the most versatile and comfortable and if it's raining then some over trousers although there are quite a few jeans out there with a water-repellent coating that will cover you for showers with no issues, they also have lycra which makes the world of difference in comfort and movement. In the winter when it is dry I just wear a pair of thermal long johns underneath.

Alpinestars

RST

Rukka

Klim

Hein Gerik

Dainese

IXS - surprisingly good value

TCX - great value high-quality boots

I will probably get booed for this but if your budget is tight then I would kit out in the following order:

Helemt - best you can afford that fits well - go to a shop for the first time to find a helmet that fits right and then in the future buy online when you know what brand and shape works for you! A good fitting <£150 is better than a poor fitting >£300

Jacket - Goretex as an all-rounder or leather with a waterproof pack mac for £20

Boots & Gloves - solid walking boots will work to begin with but make sure they are proper laces so you can lock it to your foot. Again if you can get a pair of goretex summer gloves (Alpinestars do a set for about £90) and if not then a pair of disposable gloves underneath also work well for heat and keeping your hands dry.

Trousers - RST do a great kevlar budget pair which can be bought for around £90 new

I know people say "if you can't afford gear then you shouldn't be riding" but its your body and not everyone has the luxury of a healthy bank balance, kit out the best you can afford and then build up your gear over the years. It's taken me to about 7 years to finally have all the gear I want and it involved buying one big-ticket item per year.

Hope the CBT goes well!

Hi All! Thanks for the help and suggestions!

We went to Sports Bike Shop today to grab some gear

Great staff, really helpful and let us try loads on! Very happy to have this as my local bike shop! Ended up going for the best I could afford and that also felt right - felt comfortable.

Got myself:

RST Paragon 2 boots

Richa Cyclone Gore-Tex Jacket and Trousers

Richa Hurricane Gloves

HJC C70

Passed my theory on Friday, doing my CBT in a couple of weeks (yeah I know, that’s kinda in the wrong order!) - it’s all beginning to happen! Can’t wait!

Nice one, congrats on the theory test and good luck on the CBT.

Good choice of kit there. All the best with the cbt