Team-BHP - The Riding Gear thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_aditya (Post 3557631)

I have the same concern but only on the left knee. I pulled out the armor to check if it was placed incorrectly (upside down) but it wasn't. Maybe I need to reposition it or wear a thin pair of pants inside. I had an ugly red scuff mark on my left knee after a full day's ride.

I get actual bleeding there, small but noticeable. I tried changing the knox knee guards with the elbow guards from DSG Triton jacket, since they are much thinner. That didn't help much either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebonho (Post 3557683)

The other problem with the Spartan pants is that they claim to be waterproof but are far far from being so. Heard the same about their Cordura jacket (Achilles? Adonis?).

On the last rain ride to Goa, my friend had bought these pants specifically for the ride. By the time we were 100 kms into the ride (the uber fantastic Varandha Bhor ghat - where it was coming down in celestial buckets) his inners were soaked.

I was wearing my Aussie Dri Rider WP pants, and while eventually I too got that first dreaded cold trickle, my inners were not even close to the wring-buckets-of-rain-water-out wet as his were.

I have "heard" that DSG's Nero pants (the one with the Adidas style side piping) are better on this score. Ashok (ashkamath) here wears them. Maybe he can confirm?

LOL, let me tell you my experience with the waterproofing of Spartan Odysseus pants. I took them on my maiden ride to Ladakh, all smiling and sure that nothing could stop me. From Chandigarh to Manali, I was in great pain due to knee guards, didn't wear them for the rest of the ride.

After Manali, we didn't get much rain. But then at Talangla all hell broke loose! Ice cold rain, hail and huge thunderstorm. I kept pushing through, thinking everything was waterproof.

Suddenly I felt a strange pain shooting down my balls. Turns out the Odysseus is not waterproof at a very strategic location - the rough patch under your ass. The water had seeped in, and it felt like someone had shoved an ice pack right down my bum :Shockked:. Horrible horrible feeling.

Yesterday was election day in Pune and my company had given us a holiday to allow us to exercise our franchise comfortably. So my duties done as a good citizen, I set off to check out the armor in the Spartan and Cramster jackets I was speaking of above. Happy to say that regardless of the fit, finish, material, features, look, etc., that one comparison settled the issue in my mind at least.

Let the photos tell the story ......

CE rated Spartan dual density foam back protector (the outer yellow part has a raised central section with a recessed border)

Thickness of 1 cm.

CE rated stamp on shoulder pad (type B - not the smaller lighter type A)

Outer part of shoulder and elbow pad (the elbow pad does not have a CE rating stamp incidentally, even though it looks exactly lie the shouldr one)

The inner part of the shoulder and elbow pad (elbow pad does not have the CE rating stamp here either)

Inner part of the Knox upgrade back protector (available in higher models, Hyperion onwards, as well as for Helios for 1500 extra)

Outer segmented surface of Knox back protector (CE rating stamp visible)

CE rating stamp of the Knox back protector

1 cm thickness of Cramster single layer plain foam back pad (non CE rated)

Shoulder and elbow armor (claim CE rated, but no rating stamp anywhere seen) with the back pad

Close up of shoulder and elbow armor (outer black hard plastic shell stitched to a thin yellow foam inner - no CE rating stamp visible anywhere)

The shoulder armor is 15 mm thick at its thickest central part, while the elbow armor is 10 mm thick at its thickest central part.

Inner yellow foam layer covered with a yellow cloth type layer (this layer would be max 3-4 mm thick - with the hard pastic layer maybe 2-3 mm)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiderZone (Post 3557941)

After Manali, we didn't get much rain. But then at Talangla all hell broke loose! Ice cold rain, hail and huge thunderstorm. I kept pushing through, thinking everything was waterproof.

Suddenly I felt a strange pain shooting down my b***s. Turns out the Odysseus is not waterproof at a very strategic location - down he rough patch under your a*s. The water had seeped in, and it felt like someone had shoved an ice pack right down my bum :Shockked:. Horrible horrible feeling.

Taking the liberty to star out the words not acceptable here bro.

But I get the point. Most riders who have felt that first cold trickle on their hitherto perfectly dry and warm protected inners would .....

I think the weak area is the zipper. From there the water enters, trickles down between your legs, and then pools in between your legs where the V of your legs and buttocks makes a natural reservoir dam with the seat acting as the floor. You can actually feel the water sloshing there, working its way up your natal cleft (look it up), and you have this terrible dilemma in your mind as you juggle controlling your bike hurtling along at 80 kms per hour though the falling rain, the cold lake swelling between your thighs, and the urge to release that water level build up by moving.

Only the thought of that icy water coursing down your as yet dry and toasty legs and into your socks to then form additional downstream sub-reservoir pools at the bottom of each of your riding boots keeps your buttocks firmly anchored in place. Till such time as you stop and get off the bike (and promptly dance the jig) as the dam finally bursts. OR you keep riding, too chicken to stop, trying to delay the inevitable, and the dam bursts anyways as the water now flows over the curve of your seat and finds its way in twin streams down each thigh .....

Aaaaah, what bliss to be a rider in a thunderstorm! :D

My last ride with the quick drying moisture wicking inners (top and bottom) from Decathlon was a HUGE improvement in comfort levels though. Highly recommended as base layers. Even when the enemy finally breaks through, you do not feel sopping miserable like with wet cotton, and it dries off to a nice dry-ish non clammy soft non sticking layered feel within no time of the rain stopping and the air blowing though (if you have vented pants that is).

Guys, mods, sorry for the borderline graphic descriptive process. But believe me, for a rider, nothing is more important than dry underwear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebonho (Post 3558016)

Taking the liberty to star out the words not acceptable here bro.
======
Guys, mods, sorry for the borderline graphic descriptive process. But believe me, for a rider, nothing is more important than dry underwear.

Didn't know these words were not allowed, will go with nuts and buns in future :)

I did raise this waterproofing and knee-guard issue with Spartan, they said it's your fault and then stopped replying to my emails! :Frustrati

I gotta get me one of these inners man, do you mean the cycling shorts or is this something more specific to motorcycle riding? Cost and item name please, if possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiderZone (Post 3558094)

I did raise this waterproofing and knee-guard issue with Spartan, they said it's your fault and then stopped replying to my emails! :Frustrati

That's really not nice. I thought these guys were rider-friendly. Apparently to a point only.

Quote:

I gotta get me one of these inners man, do you mean the cycling shorts or is this something more specific to motorcycle riding? Cost and item name please, if possible.

There was a discussion on this before the Independnce day holidays. Let me search.

Here:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ml#post3500834

HELP NEEDED! Looking to buy riding pants for my upcoming Bhutan ride. Since it's going to be cold, need the pant to have a removable thermal liner.

Checked with DSG, and their Nero pant is no more available, some replacement for it is coming, which will take a while.

Don't want to go with any Spartan product, because of the horrible experience I had with their Odysseus pants.

Zeus seems to have a pant that fits my bill, but can't see any reviews for it. Anyone here use it?

Any other suggestions are welcome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by harishnayak (Post 3561054)

Went through the thread but could not find anything on what i'm about to ask and hence this post.

Is there anyone who has a KTM 390 matching riding Gear ( Read Jacket , Riding Pants & Riding boots ).

I have the LS2 as of now for the KTM and complete Riding Gear for my TBTS but looking for the perfect match for my 390

If you are looking for KTM branded products then they have following two options listed on the KTM website -
Vented pant - 3PW1312203. Vented jacket - 3PW111123.
If you are just looking for color coding like orange/black or white then there are products from SPG, DSG and A* with that combination readily available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the VTEC guy (Post 3567105)

Team, has anyone placed any international orders for any products from Revzilla or any such websites for the riding gear. What is the experience on the customs charges, delivery timeline? Tried to order through Revzilla they do have restriction of minimum 300$ order.

Sir,

Revzilla is a very reputed/reliable site and I have dealt with them from within US.

They make sense when they talk of MOV of $300 as it would justify the higher shipping costs/customs etc. They usually ship the same day of the order, next day at most and then its up to the logistics company (They mostly use FedeX and UPS too)