Commuting Clobber? Recommendations?
Discussion
Commuting Clobber? Recommendations?
Right guys ... I’m starting a new job on the 1st of September which will involve a 12 mile commute each way [city centre and country lanes]. I share the car with the missus so will probably only plan on commuting 2/3 times a week all year around.
At the moment I only have summer hooning kit, I don’t think the one piece race suit will exactly be suitable for the daily commute!!
I need the kit to be pretty waterproof but also not too hot and sweaty as I want to avoid having a shower at work and I ideally need to wear my trousers/shirt and tie underneath. Any hints and tips?
Can anyone recommend some decent kit? Jacket / trousers and gloves – I think my boots and helmet should be fine.
Right guys ... I’m starting a new job on the 1st of September which will involve a 12 mile commute each way [city centre and country lanes]. I share the car with the missus so will probably only plan on commuting 2/3 times a week all year around.
At the moment I only have summer hooning kit, I don’t think the one piece race suit will exactly be suitable for the daily commute!!
I need the kit to be pretty waterproof but also not too hot and sweaty as I want to avoid having a shower at work and I ideally need to wear my trousers/shirt and tie underneath. Any hints and tips?
Can anyone recommend some decent kit? Jacket / trousers and gloves – I think my boots and helmet should be fine.
Two options here! During the summer months I wear my leathers (with shirt and tie underneath) for commuting and simply leave the suit and shoes in the office. The shirt does get a little creased but it’s not too bad.
During the winter I wear my Hein Gericke Master jacket and Cruise trousers over the top of my work clothes. (Though I still tend to leave my suit jacket in the office.)
This system works well as the HG kit is warm and waterproof for the winter but if I decide to come the long way home in the summer then I’m wearing my full leathers.
During the winter I wear my Hein Gericke Master jacket and Cruise trousers over the top of my work clothes. (Though I still tend to leave my suit jacket in the office.)
This system works well as the HG kit is warm and waterproof for the winter but if I decide to come the long way home in the summer then I’m wearing my full leathers.
John Laverick said:
Commuting Clobber? Recommendations?
Right guys ... I’m starting a new job on the 1st of September which will involve a 12 mile commute each way [city centre and country lanes]. I share the car with the missus so will probably only plan on commuting 2/3 times a week all year around.
At the moment I only have summer hooning kit, I don’t think the one piece race suit will exactly be suitable for the daily commute!!
I need the kit to be pretty waterproof but also not too hot and sweaty as I want to avoid having a shower at work and I ideally need to wear my trousers/shirt and tie underneath. Any hints and tips?
Can anyone recommend some decent kit? Jacket / trousers and gloves – I think my boots and helmet should be fine.
I'd avoid anything leather and go for fabric all weather gear, they normally have thermal zip in liners, removable for the summer. The trousers will be the same and baggy enough not to crease suit trousers too much.Right guys ... I’m starting a new job on the 1st of September which will involve a 12 mile commute each way [city centre and country lanes]. I share the car with the missus so will probably only plan on commuting 2/3 times a week all year around.
At the moment I only have summer hooning kit, I don’t think the one piece race suit will exactly be suitable for the daily commute!!
I need the kit to be pretty waterproof but also not too hot and sweaty as I want to avoid having a shower at work and I ideally need to wear my trousers/shirt and tie underneath. Any hints and tips?
Can anyone recommend some decent kit? Jacket / trousers and gloves – I think my boots and helmet should be fine.
As for gloves, it's a personal choice, but I wear summer gloves all year round and put mitts on in the winter with silk liners inside the gloves, so my hands don't sweat and I can control the bike properly in traffic. I've started using karting gloves for wet weather as they are cheap and I don't ruin my bike gloves, they don't give the same protection though.
I'm looking at changing my kit for similar reasons - will need to ride through winter and only really have leather kit at present...
I've been looking at Hein Gerricke Cruise GTX and also Bering textile kit ... both you can wear over work clothes and are fully waterproof. Designed to be worn all year round.
I've been looking at Hein Gerricke Cruise GTX and also Bering textile kit ... both you can wear over work clothes and are fully waterproof. Designed to be worn all year round.
Edited by Mr OCD on Friday 1st August 10:31
Mr OCD said:
...I've been looking at Hein Gerricke Cruise GTX and also Bering textile kit ... both you can wear over work clothes and are fully waterproof. Designed to be worn all year round.
After much deliberation I bought the HG Cruise GTX jacket and trousers and wear them all year round.They're 100% waterproof in even the most torrential storm and with the removal thermal liner are OK in the summer months too.
On really hot days you'll sweat in anything, but Id rather sweat than get gravel rash.
I did have an issue with the jacket were it frayed after about 9 months, but HG relaced it on the spot with a brand new one without any quibbles.
Rukka gear is supposed to be the best in textiles (or so I keep getting told) but it is bloody expensive.
m3psm said:
Mr OCD said:
...I've been looking at Hein Gerricke Cruise GTX and also Bering textile kit ... both you can wear over work clothes and are fully waterproof. Designed to be worn all year round.
After much deliberation I bought the HG Cruise GTX jacket and trousers and wear them all year round.They're 100% waterproof in even the most torrential storm and with the removal thermal liner are OK in the summer months too.
On really hot days you'll sweat in anything, but Id rather sweat than get gravel rash.
I did have an issue with the jacket were it frayed after about 9 months, but HG relaced it on the spot with a brand new one without any quibbles.
Rukka gear is supposed to be the best in textiles (or so I keep getting told) but it is bloody expensive.
I've got the HG Cruise jacket and trousers, top choice and good value for money, can be worn all year round. I think it's probably second only to Rukka gear which is the best, but very expensive! Think about £1200-1800 for a good 2 piece textile suit!!
Edited by Aubrey on Friday 1st August 13:54
Another vote for HG here too...
I had 3 months late last year traipsing up and down the M23 / M25 / A217 and leathers were either too hot or cold, plus it was a right faff adding waterproofs as well if it was wet - as was getting changed in the gents which were miles away from me desk.
I got the Cruise GTX jacket matched with Journey pants. The grey does get grubby, but that's my only complaint.
I had 3 months late last year traipsing up and down the M23 / M25 / A217 and leathers were either too hot or cold, plus it was a right faff adding waterproofs as well if it was wet - as was getting changed in the gents which were miles away from me desk.
I got the Cruise GTX jacket matched with Journey pants. The grey does get grubby, but that's my only complaint.
If it's raining when I leave, I usually put on my thin waterproof all-in-one oversuit over my gear as it stops it getting so dirty - especially in winter. They cost less than 20 quid and are well worth the money IMO.
Just make sure you get one with a mesh lining otherwise they're really difficult to put on!
The only down side is that you do tend to sweat a bit in them.
Just make sure you get one with a mesh lining otherwise they're really difficult to put on!
The only down side is that you do tend to sweat a bit in them.
Another thumbs up for Hein Gericke from me , do a 13 mile each way run every day and got myself the HG journey textile jacket and trousers about 18 months ago , fantastic product ( it's now updated in the 2008 brochure ) , it's first real test was a trip to the ring last year , rained very hard all the way back from the ring to calais , HG stuff did not let a drop of rain though , the crappy boots and gloves i still had did , needless to say a week after coming back i popped in to see the very helpfull staff at the Luton branch and came away with new boots and gloves , never looked back , highly recomended as a product and their staff.
This stuff will be perfect for what you need , pop in and see some of it at your local HG store , no pressure selling , just nice friendly staff willing to listen and help.
This stuff will be perfect for what you need , pop in and see some of it at your local HG store , no pressure selling , just nice friendly staff willing to listen and help.
Similar journey, 20 ish miles each way, I use Akito Desert Textiles, have zip out thermal liner and zip out waterproof liner, fully armoured with Knox armour. There are vents on sleeves and back so even in warm weather I stay pretty cool. I travel in suit trousers and shirt and have shoes and jacket at work (stilettos just don't go with the bike
) My workwear is corporatewear so designed not to crease too much but even so I'm pretty much OK when I get there. Total cost for textile 2 piece £170, where Aubrey manages to spend £1800 I really don't know?!
) My workwear is corporatewear so designed not to crease too much but even so I'm pretty much OK when I get there. Total cost for textile 2 piece £170, where Aubrey manages to spend £1800 I really don't know?!I have a HG Cruise jacket also seen me through 2 winters commuting into London so far (40 miles each way motorway & A roads), but I pair it with a set of RST leather trousers or some Halvarssons cobra trousers (fit me bettter than HG trousers did) http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/acatalog/Halvarssons_Clo... and also kept me toasty and dry through the winter. If you wanted a glove recommendation I had a set of Rev'It Fahrenheit gloves and they are the best winter gloves I have used yet.
If wearing the leather trouser combo, I keep a pair of these under the seat (http://www.protecdirect.co.uk/Hi%2DVis-Trousers/Waterproof-Hi%2DVis-Trousers.htm) waterproof and fold very small.
If wearing the leather trouser combo, I keep a pair of these under the seat (http://www.protecdirect.co.uk/Hi%2DVis-Trousers/Waterproof-Hi%2DVis-Trousers.htm) waterproof and fold very small.
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