|
Ghostnuke posted:Since we're talking about gear shops in Cali, has anyone been to the Dianese store in SF? I'm planning on going next weekend. I've been there and bought some stuff from there. The staff have been generally pretty helpful.
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 06:50
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 13:12 |
|
|
Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:Since we've discovered what a twat Nicole is, I thought I'd mention what a nice lady Alejandra was at GoAZ in Scottsdale. She showed me all around the whole complex to find me some nice winter gloves, and was surprisingly positive when I mentioned I was an MMI student, even telling me I ought to send in a resume. Surprisingly because most people around there are not fond of MMI students, me included, because they're all worthless pricks. And she had a cool Italian name and her rear end looked great in her tight jeans. Haha... I live at FLW/Shea. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 08:05
|
|
|
Some stuff that would be useful for newbies (like me) to have in the OP: What items should I buy before starting to ride seriously? I'm assuming a jacket, pants, boots, gloves, and a helmet. How much should I be spending on each of these?
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 08:28
|
|
|
It's usually better you just ask us. Every case is different - one guy may have 2500 to drop on a stupid custom 1piece race suit so he can look cool while commuting while another may have 300 bucks to drop on reasonably priced starter gear. If you wanna provide some info on your situation people will be happy to find gear that not only offers great protection but will fit your budget as well. Or, if you have gear in mind people will either have reviews of it or know of better equipment for the cost.
|
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 09:28
|
|
|
Add a spine protector and you're good.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 09:30
|
|
|
What do you mean by riding "seriously"? Wouldn't riding like a hoon require more safety gear? I'd say a helmet, gloves, and a jacket are vital. The brain is too critical and too easy to injure; any DOT/SNELL helmet will do, recommend strongly a full-face, options start at the $100 point and go from there, don't spend >$400 or so on your first helmet. If you splurge on one piece of gear, splurge on the helmet, since cost and comfort are usually well correlated, but remember fit is the most important factor and don't burn cash on superfancy graphics. The gloves and jacket protect the areas most likely to touch down in a beginner accident and also provide protection from the wind and elements / bug and rock strikes etc. Plenty of good beginner gloves in the $50-$80 range and you can push less than that if you really have to. A good textile jacket (or mesh, if it's usually over about 80F where you ride), with elbow and shoulder armor, can be found for $100-$200 fairly easy. Pants and boots are good ideas. But the cheaper boots are only marginally better than steel-toed workboots and some of the "motorcycle sneakers" are possibly worse. I haven't found a cheap set of boots I would recommend. Low-end pants can be low quality, poor fitting and slippery in the seat. Low end jeans in particular can be mostly gimmicks with poor kevlar coverage and no armor. Better than khaki cargo shorts, of course. Viable pants seem to start showing up around the $200 point. My personal take is you can wait on boots/jeans, but other CA members will disagree, and I do have a spot of roadrash scar from shredding unarmored jeans in a lowside. I'd also say by your 2nd or 3rd season you're going to have a much better idea of what you want out of gear, and will end up buying all new stuff, even if you haven't scuffed up the old kit. That's why you don't want to go balls out at first. E: also, saving some money by buying used is fine, except for the helmet. A helmet can look pristine and be completely compromised safety-wise. Unless it's your da's old helmet that you know for a fact he got for holiday, wore twice to the shops and has kept on the shelf since, buy a new helmet. Snowdens Secret fucked around with this message at 09:36 on Oct 9, 2012 |
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 09:33
|
|
|
Awesome, didn't know if this was frowned upon. Info below: I'm 6'2", 200 pounds. I'll be commuting to work 20 miles (30-40 minutes) each way, most of it on the US-101 highway in the SF Bay Area. Average year-round temperature will be around 60 degrees. I'll be riding something like a EX250, a GS500, or a SV650, depending on how I feel after the MSF class. In terms of gear, I don't really care about flashy graphics, but I'd rather not look like a doofus. In fact, less flashy may be better since I don't want to look obnoxious in my office's parking lot. I do have money to spend, but I'm all about bang for the buck - once the increase in price no longer correlates well with a somewhat corresponding increase in quality, that's my limit. I don't mind paying up front for potential rear end-saving. Collateral Damage posted:Add a spine protector and you're good. On the last page or two of this thread, someone said these were worthless  Thanks! Really useful information.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 10:21
|
|
|
Pissingintowind posted:On the last page or two of this thread, someone said these were worthless They aren't useless, but they aren't magical either was the consensus. That goes for any piece of gear really.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 10:35
|
|
|
If the criterion is that a piece of gear must be able to save your life/limbs under any circumstance, then all gear is useless. Obviously, that's a stupid way to look at it and not many people would. The way I see it, gear buys you the chance at a lesser injury, or no injury where there would otherwise have been one. To maximise the chance of the best possible outcome in the event of an off, maximise points of coverage and quality of gear. Unless you've never seen a back protector before, I don't think it takes too much imagination to see how much pain and suffering such a thing could save you. Obviously sliding backwards in to a light pole at speed is going to end badly regardless of back protection, but taking a tumble down the road, maybe landing heavily on your back or hitting a kerb? I'll take a back protector any day to spread the load and provide some sort of hard barrier. I don't think it would take much of a knock to make you regret not wearing one, personally.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 15:03
|
|
|
Winter is (almost) upon us, and it *looks* like I may be riding by the end of the week. Because of this it's time for me to lust after winter gear. 'Cause, you know, I'll probably just end up breaking my bike and scowling all winter; but hey a guy can hope! :iamafag: First, the jacket. Either this, hip and cool:  The Rev It! Melville Or this Alaska tested hardcore jacket (as described on Revzilla):  Icon Patrol Next, the gloves. I've poked around and I think without getting much over $100 these may be the best "bang for the buck":  Dianese Clutch D Dry And then: pants.  First Gear HT Overpants. Once again: bang for buck I'm not going to find waterproof, 3 season overpants for less than 200ish. This may be a dream item, I'm probably just going to have to freeze my legs off for a little while until I can raise the money. Finally boots. I'm between two. First, the cheaper of the two:  Icon Patrol. There's been a lot of really favorable reviews for these and I think they're moderately sharp looking at least. Then there's these, slightly higher on the ankle and more expensive:  Alpinestars Scout boots. Once again, really favorable reviews, but they're like twice as much so that's a minor issue. Ok so that's my winter wish list. Depending on how well/if my bike is running will depend on how geared up I get this winter. Last year it was REALLY mild, with temperatures in the upper 20s nearly the entire time, so I guess that will play a role in how bundled up I need to get too.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 15:23
|
|
|
I would recommend over-the-cuff gloves for winter riding
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 15:54
|
|
|
Snowdens Secret posted:I would recommend over-the-cuff gloves for winter riding This. I vividly remember my first below-60 morning with short summer gloves, freezing my rear end off and wishing I had bought gauntlets.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 16:07
|
|
|
And if you're going to be riding in anything below ~30, heated gloves. Gloves can only have so much insulating material before they make your hands nearly useless.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 16:30
|
|
|
Xovaan posted:The man at Cycle Gear said that he's not reopening because he didn't pay off his old place's rent. But, you know, it's Cycle Gear. Nah, he just moved.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 19:06
|
|
|
Isn't Icon gear pretty widely recognized as poo poo?
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 19:12
|
|
|
Ghostnuke posted:Isn't Icon gear pretty widely recognized as poo poo? Edit - Re: Cycle Gear I could write an entire dissertation on the subject, but I'm sorry that happened to you Xovaan. The computer system CG uses is indeed only capable of looking back 365 days (unless you know how to dig around, which 95% of associates aren't going to know how to do), assuming the purchase was made at that location, and assuming it was sold under the correct customer name. With that said, what the employee put you through is pretty unacceptable. Cycle Gear "exclusive brands" (BiLT, Sedici, Street and Steel, Stockton, Trackside, Megaboost/Duraboost, among others) are the easiest thing in the world to deal with when it comes to exchanges. If you had come into my store under the same circumstances, I would have just let you swap them out for a comparable pair of the same brand (assuming they were discoed), or given you a credit towards something else using a current model as a reference. Employees are given an INCREDIBLE amount of freedom when it comes to helping customers. Basically, if it means the customer leaves happy, you are more-or-less free to do whatever the gently caress you need to do to make that happen. Can never get in trouble for it. The employees you dealt with were incredibly dumb for a variety of reasons. Calling/emailing corporate is 100% the best course of action in this case. Truthfully, they probably won't be fired (though it's possible) but it will light a fire under the store manager's rear end to make sure that kind of poo poo isn't happening. -Inu- fucked around with this message at 19:56 on Oct 9, 2012 |
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 19:20
|
|
|
when I fell in my icon jacket it held up surprisingly well. Small tear in the elbow and that was it. It was the ARC textile jacket, if that helps at all. For reference, almost every zipper pull on the backpack I was wearing is missing now, so it helped me! Just don't buy field armor and wear a t-shirt under it please.  That's the rip.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 19:23
|
|
|
Ghostnuke posted:Isn't Icon gear pretty widely recognized as poo poo? When it came out, Icon gear was positioned to compete with Joe Rocket, which meant it was generally cheap, flashy and lovely. They've since moved upscale price and hopefully quality wise and seem to be trying to compete more with Astars, but with better fit on 'husky' Americans and more radical extreme styling. I have a couple pairs of cheap Icon gloves and haven't had complaints, for what they are. I have an Icon leather jacket that is perfectly fine, not as nice leather or nice fitting as my Rev'It jacket, but MSRP'ed at 60% the cost. My Icon hi-viz vest that I sold here was certainly highly visible and, uh vesty. I had a first-gen Icon helmet that was kind of crap and my first-gen Icon jeans were cruddy, but both product lines have been extensively redone since then.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 21:42
|
|
|
Snowdens Secret posted:trying to compete more with Astars, but with better fit on 'husky' Americans Which is funny because Icon doesn't make a glove big enough to fit me but A* does.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 21:46
|
|
|
Speaking of Icon helmets, has anyone had any first-hand encounters with the new Icon Airmada helmet yet? From what little I've read online it's apparently very nice, and it's probably the only helmet marketed as a narrow oval head shape that isn't $600.
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2012 22:49
|
|
|
Boru posted:Winter is (almost) upon us, and it *looks* like I may be riding by the end of the week. Because of this it's time for me to lust after winter gear. 'Cause, you know, I'll probably just end up breaking my bike and scowling all winter; but hey a guy can hope! :iamafag: I just picked up those FirstGear HT overpants since I'm going to be riding in <50F weather (started this morning). Overall, I'm happy and I never regretted spending full price. They function well, are easy to take on and off, and keep the wind off of my knees. I have yet to use the liner, but I'm hopeful it will make them capable of WAY cooler temperatures. OK, So I don't know how well they "function", yet.
|
|
#
?
Oct 10, 2012 19:58
|
|
|
One thing about overpants that style, particularly waterproof ones, is sometimes the fabric in the seat is way slipperier than, say, the Levi's you've been riding in all summer. It can really throw you off (!) the first time you reposition yourself and end up drat near sliding off the seat. Something to check on to see if it bothers you if you can sit on the bike in them before buying.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 04:33
|
|
|
Snowdens Secret posted:One thing about overpants that style, particularly waterproof ones, is sometimes the fabric in the seat is way slipperier than, say, the Levi's you've been riding in all summer. It can really throw you off (!) the first time you reposition yourself and end up drat near sliding off the seat. Something to check on to see if it bothers you if you can sit on the bike in them before buying. I'm about 8 rides (~23 miles each) in and they've been doing fine. No slippery butts for me!
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 05:59
|
|
|
I'm not a motorcyclist but i'm a bit curious about what the UK law is in regards custom/ novelty motorcycle helmets, especially in field of vision restriction. I've seen dudes wearing skull masks and nazi helmets in the past so maybe they're relatively relaxed, or they were breaking the law, or maybe the masks weren't as restricting on vision as they appeared.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 13:07
|
|
|
Lets Play Arson posted:I'm not a motorcyclist but i'm a bit curious about what the UK law is in regards custom/ novelty motorcycle helmets, especially in field of vision restriction. I've seen dudes wearing skull masks and nazi helmets in the past so maybe they're relatively relaxed, or they were breaking the law, or maybe the masks weren't as restricting on vision as they appeared. I'm just making a random assumption here, but as long as it passes the UKs helmet safety testing I assume it'd be legal.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 13:34
|
|
|
I think what Lets Play Arson is asking about it not strict legality but the enforcement, which probably varies wildly from area to area, even copper to copper. Law says it needs a kite mark, and your standard fiberglass skull-tight german helmet-alike will never get near one but I know people who ride with non certified lids (imports and such) and they've not been done for it yet. You can probably get away with some stupid poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 17:11
|
|
|
It's time for my to get waterproof boots. I sort of ignored it and the rains are coming back now. I'm looking at the Alpinestars Alpha Touring ($170) or the Ridge ($150). Between these two, is it really a matter of how tall the boot is and what I prefer? It doesn't seem like I can go wrong with A*S.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 17:32
|
|
|
Heated gloves or heated grips? I need to get one or the other, which is better in terms of comfort/convenience/cost (in that order) Was looking at these grips last year, but never pulled the trigger on them.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 22:17
|
|
|
Cost- Grips definitely cost a lot less than gloves. They can wire direct to the battery or you can run them through something that already is (headlights) that only comes on when the ignition does. Gloves require a connector, adding to the cost. Convenience- Grips are more convenient in that you just turn them on. You don't have to take the time to (un)plug them, with gloves you do. However, if you're riding someone else's bike (for whatever reason) and they have the same connection, you can use your heated gloves. The same idea goes for multiple bikes that you own. Comfort- Gloves are going to provide more comfort in that they heat your entire hand, whereas grips only get the palm and fingers. Another issue with grips is that it will take longer for the heat to get to your hands, and it dissipates quickly when you break contact. The thickness of your gloves is a big issue, too. I have a thick, bulky pair and the heat barely gets through them, so I use my lighter gloves with a thin palm designed to work with heated grips. The top of my hands suffer for it though. Personally, I'm fine with grips. I got a cheap pair ($45) with a hi-lo rocker and they work just fine. The coldest I've gone down to is in the area of 24F. My hands were pretty cold, but still at a usable temperature. My gloves are starting to go to poo poo, so that doesn't help much.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 22:34
|
|
|
xd posted:
I got those same heated grips for last winter and while they're not bad, my fingers were still freezing with my non-perforated summer gauntlets in temperatures below 40F. The issue is that the wind carries away a lot of the heat, so I installed handguards a few days ago. The weather isn't cold enough to really feel the difference yet, but they definitely cut down on wind. I haven't tried heated gloves or any other brands of heated grips so I can't comment on those.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2012 22:49
|
|
|
xd posted:Heated gloves or heated grips? I need to get one or the other, which is better in terms of comfort/convenience/cost (in that order)
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 13:01
|
|
|
xd posted:Heated gloves or heated grips? I need to get one or the other, which is better in terms of comfort/convenience/cost (in that order) I have both because I'm dumb and hate money, also because I hate being cold. Heated grips are nice because you can flip them on whenever. Starts raining and your hands are a bit cold, flip them on low. Stuck at work late and temp has dropped to mid 50's, put them on high. I even had a set on my dirtbike for cool/wet riding and if I ever change commuting bikes heated grips will be the first addition. Wind still cools your hands down and your fingers will get cold. Gloves are awesome because they are warm and heat the whole hand including the fingertips. I use them anytime it's below ~55 or so simply because it feels nice. They will keep you comfortable in the widest range of temperatures at the downside of cost and carrying another pair of gloves. Mine also shorted out after two winters of daily use. My cold weather riding is heated grips, heated gloves, heated jacket liner, silk glove liners, balaclava, olympia phantom with thinsulate liner and hand guards. With this I've ridden down to about +12F on the interstate only slightly chilled on a naked bike.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 17:01
|
|
|
Pissingintowind posted:I'm 6'2", 200 pounds. I'll be commuting to work 20 miles (30-40 minutes) each way, most of it on the US-101 highway in the SF Bay Area. Average year-round temperature will be around 60 degrees. I'll be riding something like a EX250, a GS500, or a SV650, depending on how I feel after the MSF class. Sorry to quote myself, but does anyone have any specific recommendations for what I should buy for my particular circumstances?
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 17:28
|
|
|
Pissingintowind posted:Sorry to quote myself, but does anyone have any specific recommendations for what I should buy for my particular circumstances? Well, you need a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and pants. For general advice on these, check the OP. For helmets, you need to buy that in person to make sure it fits. So find a gear store in the area and start shopping. For boots, you can buy those locally to fit, but may have luck online, especially if you don't have hosed up Hobbit feet (super wide, etc.). I prefer higher ankle support, but don't like the big race boots for motorcycles. So, I went with some "combat style" boots with good support, soles, etc. Jackets run the gamut of price, style, etc. I like my Xelement armored leather jacket that cost about $170. http://www.leatherup.com/Site/product?action=reviewsForProduct&productID=138063&sortBy=reviewTime%20desc Lots of folks are more brand sensitive and go more spendy. Don't get me wrong. Brand sensitivity for bike gear is pretty valid, since you won't know if it was worth it until it's too late. So well-known manufacturers offer peace of mind that is worth paying for. For pants, I am still working that out. I have some mesh overpants that are good in summer, as I can throw them on over shorts to ride, and drop back to shorts in the garage. They are A* or Icon, and ran about $125 IIRC. Now that it's colder, I am looking for something in leather or textile to just wear as riding pants. HTH
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 18:06
|
|
|
-Inu- posted:Gloves are superior in every way except cost. Your fingers will still go numb with grips and they are counter intuitive when used with winter gloves (thick gloves don't absorb the heat very well). Summer gloves + heated grips + handguards + handlebar mitts = best solution. Heated gloves are still bulky and the wiring is annoying unless you have a heated jacket which is also annoying.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 18:11
|
|
|
Unfortunately I can't install handguards, tried to fit some last year on my faired sportbike. Anyone want to buy a pair of blue cycra handguards? I think heated gloves are looking like the best option for everyday winter commuting.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 18:22
|
|
|
What size gloves do you need? I have some Gerbing G3's in Medium; I wear size 9 Held Steve gloves.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 18:44
|
|
|
Oh and the top reason why heated grips suck is that people get the adhesive ones and install them on aluminum bars, which steal all the heat. If you have Alu bars, get the Oxford's which have the heating element molded into the grip.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 18:44
|
|
|
Pissingintowind posted:I'm 6'2", 200 pounds. I'll be commuting to work 20 miles (30-40 minutes) each way, most of it on the US-101 highway in the SF Bay Area. Average year-round temperature will be around 60 degrees. I'll be riding something like a EX250, a GS500, or a SV650, depending on how I feel after the MSF class. I commute year round across the Bay Bridge in an Aerostitch, Daytona Evo Sport boots, Helimot gloves, and a Suomy helmet. I might be subbing in some truly waterproof boots at some point, and a set of waterproof gloves, but with that plus heated grips (or a heated vest integrated into the Aerostitch) you should be golden for all weather and all riding types. Leave a pair of shoes at work, stash the 'Stitch in a locker or under your desk, swap boots for office shoes, and you're good to go for the day.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 19:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 13:12 |
|
|
'stich is holding up great to rain right now! But it made me realize I absolutely need a topcase. It's so convenient I'm surprised I didn't have one before.  What's the best option for a lockable topcase that can hold my 'stich, gloves, and boots, and alternatively (when I'm commuting to class) my Kriega R30 pack and a pair of boots? There are so many options available and they're pretty expensive so it makes it hard to settle one one. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2012 19:41
|
|
