Suzuki V-Strom (VStrom) Owners Club DL250, DL650, DL1000 & DL1050
Oily Rag - Dedicated to Pat, Greywolf. 26/06/45 - 04/06/18 => Clothing => Topic started by: BigFoot on January 22, 2018, 11:47:18
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blokes
thought it would be interesting to start a thread on essential bike kit you use which is not bike specific.
Mine would have to be my Dare2b mid layers. £15 each and far better than any of the expensive techy stuff I've ever tried.
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My Ion Air Pro video cam, use it all the time and on the bike. :thumb:
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50 litre compressor. When you change tyres as often as I do it's a must have.
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Superdry sweatshirt - I have a number of regular "hoodie" style sweatshirts I wear under my bike gear, but they are all quite thin and sometimes require a thermal layer under a t-shirt to keep me warm.
Bought a superdry sweatshirt in the january sales and it is warm! even at 2 or 3 degrees when I set out for work I'm perfectly OK in t-shirt, sweatshirt and Alpinestar Andes jacket :)
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Until a couple of years ago I commuted year round, and though I had my bike gear on, I would usually wear a day-glow workwear jacket on top.
Partly because they we’re excellent Wind-Stoppers, hence even in winter I rarely wore anything other than a T-shirt under my bike jacket.
Also because of the reaction from dozy drivers, it made a massive difference, they would see me easier and take a longer look fearing I was the plod, especially when the jacket was new.
They were 100% waterproof, usually for at least six months if not longer.
And also they were cheap (especially if like me, they were company issue).
Something like this.. https://www.arco.co.uk/products/1870700
I still use or carry them theses days, the leggings too. Very useful. ????
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must admit my day-glow jacket has reduced the number of near misses to 2 or 3 per trip :)
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And don’t forget, the plastic bag you carry your leggings in, doubles, by slipping it over your boots one at a time, as the perfect tool to ease slide the leggings on over the boots.
Simples.
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Yep, I hate the thought I’m choosing to wear such a jacket because of the poor observation skills of others, but are happy to do so if simply to load the dice a little more in my favour.
The wind-stopping, hence warmth retaining qualities of unlined waterproof stuff cannot be over-stated.
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Flipping this on its head. I use my old motorbike gear when I'm clearing gorse and birch scrub. It's a job that needs to be done at this time of year so as well as protecting me from the gorse it keeps me warm. :thumb:
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Decathlon do 2 pairs of cosy merino wool socks for a tenner. They are so nice I bought 6 pairs and wear nothing else all winter. It's an age thing....
Get them in season though, they don't stock them over summer.
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I bought 6 pairs and wear nothing else all winter.
Is that not a bit... chilly?
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I can also endorse the decathlon socks . Got a few pairs myself , very warm .
Also , Uniglo heattech thermals . Very warm but also very thin so can fit under just about any clothing.
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I got some merino long johns from Aldi that I always wear plus a really thin micro fleece from edz. Both great at keeping me warm and taking the edge off any wind
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And don’t forget, the plastic bag you carry your leggings in, doubles, by slipping it over your boots one at a time, as the perfect tool to ease slide the leggings on over the boots.
Simples.
This makes the difference between me being able to get my waterproof noddy suit on and throwing it away in disgust and frustration.
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Is that not a bit... chilly?
:groan: I asked for that though!
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Montane featherlight smock. Folds down to the size of an apple. Great wind protection, just a very thin layer, but so good and effective.
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must admit my day-glow jacket has reduced the number of near misses to 2 or 3 per trip :)
You must be joking :shock:
So far in 10k miles I had 2 near misses: one was cager not expecting me to jump across busy junction and pulled out of his driveway, other one...I was checking out girls in cabriolet next to me :shy: ...
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My daily commute is 32 miles (16 miles each way) with about 15 to 20 miles of filtering. With all the numpties texting, reading the news, putting their makeup on, doing all 3, I'm lucky to still be in one piece :smirk:
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ouh, my commute is either 9 roundabouts in 7 miles or 6 miles of solid filtering. Filtering option means up to 2 videos per day submitted on Essex police website with some moron on the phone. Started enjoying filtering option :icon_batterup:
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When it started raining I once forced my missus to slip a pair of neoprene cycling shoe covers over the fashion boots she insisted on wearing.
They fitted really easily, and she didn’t complain too much so they must’ve been good.
Even though it pisched doon for a couple of hours she said her feet remained dry and warm.
Like these..
https://www.planetx.co.uk/I/q/CLALNOSH/altura-nevis-overshoes-black
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I think they might be better than the over boots my wife uses, bit better fit & easier to walk a few yards in them if necessary, plus take up less room when not being worn!
King Orry, do you know how they work out size wise? The good lady is size 5/6 in shoe/boot I was thinking a medium???
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My wife wears a size 6 shoe, (she prefers wearing ‘normal’ leather ankle boots when on the bike). I bought the over-boots to cover my cycle shoes which are a 10, but they fit over her boots really well.
I guess that’s the beauty of neoprene.
I’ll check if they have a size on them somewhere, (though it won’t be for a few days).
They did a great job of keeping her toes warm & dry, and as you say, are a doddle to slip on, are okay for walking in, and so discreet (in black anyhow) that they’re barely noticeable. :thumb:
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:thumb:
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Had a look at my cycle overshoes today, they are size L, and from PlanetX.
They are a tad big length wise, so I guess M would be a better fit, but they ain’t bad (and anyhow, they’re only kept on while on the move, she’d not be seen dead walking about with em on!)
The rear Velcro fastening does make them easy to slip on/off, and I also pushed them over the heels of the wife’s boots.. see pics :)
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P.S. I pulled the toe part to make it look as bad as poss, they don’t naturally sit so baggy on the front.
She’s just commented they’d keep her toes warm even when up on top of the snow covered high passes in the Alps last year. ????
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German Army Para Boots.
I've been wearing many pairs of these for the last 30 years on the bike. They've never let water in. I've never paid more than 3 quid for a pair.
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@ King Orry, thanks for that. Think I'll get some for her. Off to the French Alps this year (hopefully) so could be useful!! :thumb: