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-   -   The Riding Gear thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-safe/42000-riding-gear-thread-277.html)

Yes, Royal Enfield has an A* Drystar pant. It is yet to arrive at my local store, so I havent been able to try it out. The Drystar pants will be a good option, barring the lack of hip protection.

Can somebody suggest riding gloves with focus anti-vibration.

Just go out and buy the thickest gloves you can find.

Or install foam grips on the bar.

I generally prefer a 9.5, so was a bit apprehensive at first that they did not have the in-betweens, only a 9 and then a 10.
But I noticed that the TCX 9, size-chart wise, was equivalent to a 9.5. I also tried out the mid-rise 9, so I was fine with it.
The boots fit near perfect, not too snug, that my feet are gasping for breath, not too wide, that I need to tighten the heck out of the last clip.

My feet are in between narrow and wide but I have always preferred a wide front, think the Decathlon 9.5 trekking boots (nothing fits as well as that for me).

I want to clarify this - I meant that I was silly to have used them over my riding pants, without any rain pants :Frustrati There ain't nothing that's going to stop water entering from the top, and once that happens, it takes a while for them to dry. And I mean quite a while if they're thoroughly wet, which I was :D

On another note, I got the Mototech Urbane boots a month back and they've been holding up well. Have ridden some 1000kms with them within city. Extremely comfortable! I have used them through the entire day and haven't felt any discomfort. I believe they're slightly waterproof as well.
I went one size up for a wide, comfortable fit.

KLIM ADVENTURE GTX is the thickest, most padded. Feels like I put my hand in a muffler and puts me to sleep lol: Big Bad Bikes had them in stock, check it out

I haven't seen a review of the Royal Enfield (TCX) Cabo WP Boots here, so I thought this might help people.

I've been using these for city riding for about 6 months now. Unlike regular sneakers, they are pretty heavy.



Pros

• Brilliant protection for the city

• Look inconspicuous and can pass off as just about any other sneakers

• Ortholite footbed makes the shoe very comfortable to walk

Cons

• Heavy, will take a while to get used to

• Waterproofing makes them a pain to wear in the summer

So far my experience has been great with these shoes. I just ensure that I am wearing dryfit socks because your feet will sweat, a lot. I've also changed to black laces, this makes the shoes stand-out even less.

Looks nice. I was eyeing these, but put it on hold for the time being. Can we use it for walking on slight slippery surfaces like office floor, wet floor, etc. I find the outside sole looks very flat without much wide grooves.

I regularly wear them to my office but I have to exercise some caution as they don't offer as much grip as regular walking shoes. However, no slipping and sliding incidents till now.

Hi Guys,
Thanks to this informative thread and many suggestions offline by fellow riders, I picked up my 1st set of Riding Gear.

1. MT Hummer Helmet Rs. 6,000 (AH Helmets, Andheri)
2. Komine gloves Rs.4,000 (Lazy Ass, Andheri)
3. Solace Air X Jacket Rs 6,000 (Cross Road, Mira Road)
4. Solace Pant Rs 9,000 (Cross Road, Mira Road)
5. Tarmac Midlength Adventure boots Rs. 10,000 (AH Helmets, Andheri)

My observations (please note I am a noob rider):
Pants are an overkill in the city. They have knee and hip protectors. Restricted leg movements with the boots.
Jacket doesn't have much vents. It has elbow, shoulder and back protectors. All L2. They are perfect for my size. It has a loose rain liner too. At city speeds, insides sweat a lot. The drifit was wet.
These mid length boots are for highway use only. They need proper break-in before that. I am not used to hard boots at all. I had nervous moments during my break in ride. I missed the gear lever multiple times. Once on the move, it became easier to predict the lever position. Twice it happened, that my leg didn't move when I wanted to put my foot down :disappointed.
The Helmet is good size and pretty much value for money. It has poor ventilation. My hair was all wet inside once I didn't use the balaklava. I will have to upgrade the helmet once I ride regularly.
Gloves have abrasion padding and finger padding. It is enough for short city rides. Nothing fancy here.

Some photos for reference.














and last but not the least, My used Versys 650 2016, Been 1 month and multiple short rides. I have never owned a bike before. I have an Activa for short runs. I was always a Car lover before this.

I have the same ones, but not full length, only calf length.
Really happy with these. I agree with you, they do feel invincible.

After a 1500 KM road trip to spiti, it was just dust and wipe and they were all clean again. Really feel sturdy.

The best part is they are very comfortable for all day wearing, standing and walking too. Really happy with the purchase.

CHEERS!!
Rachit

That's good to hear Rachit! I had this fear that the leather needs to be babied. Your words are comforting.

My only gripe with the full length boots, is that when I wore them under my pants without long socks or a full length base layer, the top of the boots are chafing quite a bit against the calf. I have a neat thick wound now. The problem isn't while riding even. It is when I walk with them. Painful. Until I can find full length socks I've decided to wear them over my pants itself.
And this way, they're really comfortable to live with through the day, even 13-14 hours.

Hi Shyam,

Just buy football/soccer socks from your nearest sports store or Decathlon. Good choice of riding gears :thumbs up

Cheers,
surjaonwheelz
PS. I'm back

My 2 Paisa: Please wear those over your pants. Far more articulation available for your ankles plus no scrubbing. Pants over high boots makes your ankles clumsy and restricts mobility of everything down the knees in general. Plus it would be a good idea to get a thin, breathable base layer for your legs, like those from Decathlon (compression leggings).

I also oil the leather parts of my boots at least once before and once after monsoon. I use unspeakable oils used by a friend owning a leather goods shop, but you may use Vaseline jelly. Just extends the life of those hard earned leathers, that would otherwise crack up with use (not babying by any means).

Cheers,
Sayan

P.s. We share the same bike. Would be nice to hear about your rides. :)

Thanks @surjaonwheelz! Solid advice! I meant, I'm out on a ride and don't know where to buy "good" high length socks. No Decathlon here :)

Thanks @Sayan! That is helpful. I've been wearing them out, and so far extremely comfortable. Good tip on the oiling part. I shall do something for sure.

Also, I'm aware that we share the same bike :) I'll try & put up whatever I can, whenever I can, for sure!

So did a Malshej group ride with AOG yesterday.

And the shoes did an excellent job of keeping my feet dry. Had worn an overpant over the shoe, so no worries of water getting in from the top.

This is how the boot looked post ride.


While I have wiped and cleaned it thoroughly with lukewarm water as per Gaerne's manual, I have no clue which conditioner to use. Any pointers? Or just get any well rated one from Amazon? Are there any boot leather specific cleaners available too?