[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

What "summer" gloves do you recommend? Rs 2500 or thereabouts should be Ok. Thanks again for your time and patience with my queries bud!

Glad i am able to help

Gloves - i would recommend the DSG Revive or any Spartan gloves.

I personally have used the Revive for 2 years and found them excellent. They have air vents (which actually work) on the fingers to keep your palms cool. The kevlar / carbon fiber protection is available on the finger area in addition to the knuckle area. The sides of the fingers are perforated as well so these gloves offer excellent ventilation. These are full leather cuff length gloves and an excellent product. Here is a link to the product page.

Now i use the Spartan Phaeton which is also very comfy and has a mix of leather and textile (not mesh). Works well and the amount of textile is minimal and leather is provided in all impact areas of the glove.

You can also consider the Pegasus, similar to the Phaeton but difference is that the Pegasus is full leather. This was my first choice but the Phaeton was gifted to me so using it for now.

If you want a full gauntlet glove to protect your wrists also, then this is a good choice.

On the Dainese boots, they are fine but look for something like this or this. Do keep in mind that waterproof boots esp. ones with a Goretex liner will make it very uncomfortable to use in our hot tropical weather.

I use this one although it is a racing boot, it is very comfy and has quite a lot of safety features.

I have not posted a detailed review on the Spartan pants yet since it has been used only on 2-3 rides but they are very comfy and the armor can be adjusted by way of velcro straps on the outside of the pants (just below the armor area).

There are vents right above the knee area so the pants keep you cool while on the move. These can be closed as well. The pants also have a warm/rain liner but i have never used it even on my riding jacket.

The waist straps are velcro so you can adjust them within a 4 inch range (that's a lot ). The pants have armor at the hip area and the best part is that the seat area has a leather kind of material to avoid wear and tear on the seat area as well as helps in staying glued to the seat under hard braking.

I particularly loved this feature since i destroyed quite a few pairs of jeans as they started tearing on the seat area. The ninja has a grainy texture on the seat for traction so under hard braking the pants go through a lot of stress and over time they start to tear. (I used to wear knee guards earlier on the jeans). Now i have no worries since the pants have this leather material to help me stay in place on the seat while braking or cornering and also they would last quite long.

These pants are cargo style pants and no one can say the rider looks weird since they are not excessively over the top in the styling department. Very subtle and understated looks. I have posted a brief review on these pants though, please search for my posts.

Happy hunting.

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Glad i am able to help

Gloves - i would recommend the DSG Revive or any Spartan gloves.

Brilliant! So very detailed; thanks a heap Aditya.

I have to say though; just looking at the desi websites puts me off their stuff.

Take Spartan for example. Checked out the Odysseus pants on their website. They do not even have a sizing chart. It just says M, L, XL and so on . And the cramster site; the less said the better. If this is how much effort they put in to "lure in" the customers; lord knows how their product quality & after sales support would be like. One example that comes to mind is "Bachhoo motors". Have read a few reviews that mention some fella named "Zulfi" being very helpful when it came to gear selection and the entire buying process; but when folks contacted him for help they didn't hear didly.

Sorry for digressing - but a few other questions please.

Do these (Spartan) pants come in the camo colour only? No black? I am guessing it has no reflective piping? and any (removable) rain liner? If camo is all it comes in then I ll be dropping it off my list right there.

What about the pants from DSG (Nero)? Have read positive reviews. The only good part about all this desi stuff is that I can check them out 1st hand at their retail stores. Oh; and this one comes with a quilted and water "resistent" liner as well. So my temperature range also goes up considerably. Its similarly priced as the Spartan pants.

Regarding the shoes - I have extensively looked (online) at Sidi and they sure are top notch. I am however also looking for something a little more inconspicuous that does not scream RACE. Dianese Nighthawks for me look ideal with some excellent user reviews.

And regarding Gore Tex - I thought this was the best waterproofing material there is. Their whole philosophy is that your body stays dry and you do not sweat like a pig. Its apparently a breathable membrane that does not give you that trash bag / foot soup effect.

As always bud; super nice of you to take time out to go over my queries. Hope to catch you on some twisties sometime. Ciao!

Edit - Forgot the gloves

For winter riding; I am ordering AGV Sport Telluride waterproof gloves. These cost around $57 - 58. For summers; I like the pegasus (of the ones you recommended). Given that its an all leather construction; how do you think this will hold up in Delhi heat? I do not want to arrive at my destination in bowls of sweat. I agree that it is preferable that one sweats rather than bleed. But speaking from a passive safety perspective; given the discomfort of extreme sweating I doubt if the rider will be able to give his / her 100% attention to the road. And for Pegasus money; I can actually go for soemthing like "Teknic Apex" (Revzilla is having a super close out sale on all teknic gear) full gaunlet race leather gloves. For almost half the money - I can get a Teknic Chicane. Apex actually has super "pinky" reinforcement as well (for that unfortunate flesh shredding low side crash). Thoughts?

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/teknic-apex-gloves

[ebonho]

Aditya, how is the DSG Nitro compared to the Revive? Does not have as long a waist (not really a proper reinforced armored guantlet) as the Revive, but the construction and the knuckle protectors look better built. And both are in the same price range, and leather.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Do these (Spartan) pants come in the camo colour only? No black? I am guessing it has no reflective piping? and any (removable) rain liner? If camo is all it comes in then I ll be dropping it off my list right there.

Please see my short review on the Spartan pants here.

They are available in black in addition to the camo color scheme. The pants also have reflective piping on them with a removable rain liner.

Your location is updated as Delhi and per the Spartan website, you can visit the below store and try out the pants for size

Meandering India, Shop # D 4/B, Opp. Sec B Pocket 8,
Gate No. 2, Near G.D. Goenka School,
Vasant Kunj,
New Delhi - 110 070.
Tel: +91 11 - 26898955 Mob: +91 9810168402. Website:
www.meanderingindia.com
Contact: Mr. Rajiv Pradhan

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

What about the pants from DSG (Nero)? Have read positive reviews. The only good part about all this desi stuff is that I can check them out 1st hand at their retail stores. Oh; and this one comes with a quilted and water "resistent" liner as well. So my temperature range also goes up considerably. Its similarly priced as the Spartan pants.

I cannot comment on the nero pants since i don't know anyone who is using it. Quite a few of my riding pals are using spartan products and are happy with it.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

And regarding Gore Tex - I thought this was the best waterproofing material there is. Their whole philosophy is that your body stays dry and you do not sweat like a pig. Its apparently a breathable membrane that does not give you that trash bag / foot soup effect.

A buddy of mine who owns a ninja 250 in chennai has a pair of Alpinestars waterproof boots and he takes them off at every pit stop since his feet are boiling in them.

It's pretty simple - if they are ventilated then water will seep in and there goes the water proofing concept. Breathable membrane has a limit to the amount of ventilation. It might only stop the boots from stinking after a ride.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

For summers; I like the pegasus (of the ones you recommended). Given that its an all leather construction; how do you think this will hold up in Delhi heat?

I dont really know how hot it gets up there in summers (and don't want to know either ).

Your best bet then, is the Revive since it is well ventilated and will keep you cool.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Aditya, how is the DSG Nitro compared to the Revive? Does not have as long a waist (not really a proper reinforced armored guantlet) as the Revive, but the construction and the knuckle protectors look better built. And both are in the same price range, and leather.

The revive gloves might be a tad cooler in hot weather compared to the nitro, since they have air vents on the fingers. The armor on the revive is also very strong and will protect you well in case of a mishap (God forbid).

I haven't used the nitro so can't say if its better than the revive.

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

What about the pants from DSG (Nero)? Have read positive reviews. The only good part about all this desi stuff is that I can check them out 1st hand at their retail stores. Oh; and this one comes with a quilted and water "resistent" liner as well. So my temperature range also goes up considerably. Its similarly priced as the Spartan pants.

I own the DSG Nero Waterproof pants. First things first - I had a problem with the elastic waist-band - after one ride, they became quite loose. And it took me a lot of unwanted effort in chasing/begging with DSG for them to replace it for me. Actually, it took me 4 months to finally get back a new piece from there. Strike off for customer service.

Otherwise, the pants are actually quite good. I've owned a pair of AGV Riding pants and these are comparable in quality to them. But I see on the site that they mention "Dual-elastic panel waistband with adjustable velcro waist belts". I am not quite sure of the adjustable velcro waist-band - maybe that is something that they have introduced in the new stock. Will confirm once I check my pants.

Oh and when you mention "and this one comes with a quilted and water "resistent" liner as well" - no, the pants are water-proof. The liner is only for the cold. Removable.

Love it where it has enough pockets to store stuff - very handy. And I have used the pants in moderate rain and stayed dry. Check it first hand in the store if you can and I'd say it is worth it.

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

I own the DSG Nero Waterproof pants. First things first - I had a problem with the elastic waist-band - after one ride, they became quite loose. And it took me a lot of unwanted effort in chasing/begging with DSG for them to replace it for me. Actually, it took me 4 months to finally get back a new piece from there. Strike off for customer service.

Otherwise, the pants are actually quite good. I've owned a pair of AGV Riding pants and these are comparable in quality to them. But I see on the site that they mention "Dual-elastic panel waistband with adjustable velcro waist belts". I am not quite sure of the adjustable velcro waist-band - maybe that is something that they have introduced in the new stock. Will confirm once I check my pants.

Oh and when you mention "and this one comes with a quilted and water "resistent" liner as well" - no, the pants are water-proof. The liner is only for the cold. Removable.

So the removable liner is the quilted one (for cold) and there isn't a rain liner then? I am more interested in breathability than waterproofing frankly. I will be ordering a duck back rain suit.

Is this a mesh pant or full textile? How well does it breathe (compared to a pair of jeans; on a 40+ degree day)?

I am heading to Meandering India this Sunday to check out some gloves and will try these pants too. Thanks for your comments bud! Very helpful

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

I am heading to Meandering India this Sunday to check out some gloves and will try these pants too.

How did your visit go? Did you find anything interesting?

Apart from Spartan products, what other stuff does Meandering India stock?

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

How did your visit go? Did you find anything interesting?

Apart from Spartan products, what other stuff does Meandering India stock?

Hey Adi - could not go unfortunately. Other commitments took precedence (read daughter's 1st b'day celebration prep )

I did call Rajiv and told him I will be seeing him this Friday. Basis my coonversation with him; this is what he has in stock:

• DSG - full range of gloves (not sure if available in all sizes); Aero & Nero pants (again, not all sizes available). Some "cordura" jackets
• Alpinestars - Gloves, pants, jackets (not sure what exactly does he stock; more to follow)
• Spartan - Did not have the Odysseus pants. Said "the company" is out of stock. When I asked about the "black" (& not camo pants); he drew a blank. Said Spartan pants are availble only in camo; no black available. I told him about the info you gave me and asked him to check out Team BHP as well
• Cramster - He was suggesting that I go for some Cramster pants. said these were "highly recommended". He also has the "Breezer" jacket in stock

Hopefully things go as planned this time around. Will keep you posted on how it goes

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

• Spartan - Did not have the Odysseus pants. Said "the company" is out of stock.

• Cramster - He was suggesting that I go for some Cramster pants. said these were "highly recommended". He also has the "Breezer" jacket in stock

Do contact the Spartan Experience Center at the below nos:

Helpline Number - 98410 40225
Landline Number - 044 -24530195 ( office hours only )
Working Hours - 10.00 am to 6.30 pm
Weekly Holiday - Tuesday

This is from their website.

You could try out the pants from the Meandering Store and if they have no stock of the ones you want, you could ask the experience center if they can courier the product to you.

Avoid cramster products as their quality is, sorry to say, pathetic. I have had terrible experiences with their products.

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

You could try out the pants from the Meandering Store and if they have no stock of the ones you want, you could ask the experience center if they can courier the product to you.

Avoid cramster products as their quality is, sorry to say, pathetic. I have had terrible experiences with their products.

Had read your views on this thread regarding cramster and have made a mental note to strike it off my list.

Question - How is the fit of the Spartan pants; Especially around the ankles. I ask as I would not prefer a baggy fit. I went riding with my Cargo pants on a few days back. Almost every time I brought my foot down to the road on traffic lights; the bottom of the pants invariably fouled against the foot peg; almost disbalancing the bike once.

I would very much prefer a slimmer silouhette as opposed to a cargo pant fit.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

How is the fit of the Spartan pants; Especially around the ankles. I ask as I would not prefer a baggy fit. I would very much prefer a slimmer silouhette as opposed to a cargo pant fit.

The spartan pants go over the boots on the ankle area. That said, I have not faced the issue you have cited. There is a velcro strap to keep the pants in place which you can tighten as required. You could also tuck them in your boots if need be. I mostly ride with them un-tucked and find it very comfortable.

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

So the removable liner is the quilted one (for cold) and there isn't a rain liner then? I am more interested in breathability than waterproofing frankly. I will be ordering a duck back rain suit.

Is this a mesh pant or full textile? How well does it breathe (compared to a pair of jeans; on a 40+ degree day)?

I am heading to Meandering India this Sunday to check out some gloves and will try these pants too. Thanks for your comments bud! Very helpful

Yes, the removable liner is the quilted one. It is not the rain liner. It is not mesh - full textile wonly. And nope, I wouldn't recommend it in 40 degree weather. But honestly, I have used it on my coast to coast ride and didn't feel all that uncomfortable. Your mileage may vary though.

Oh and did you check it out?

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

How did your visit go? Did you find anything interesting?

Apart from Spartan products, what other stuff does Meandering India stock?

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Oh and did you check it out?

Went to the store (Meandering India) yesterday. Directions for Dilli waalas - If you are coming from Mahipalpur towards Vasant Kunj, cross the 1st flyover and take a left at the next traffic signal. Ride on for another 300 metres and the shop is to your right. Its easy to miss as it does not give a "store" type look from the outside. It basically is a 2 BHK thats been stocked with some riding and hiking stuff.

This is what I could find there:

Pants: DSG Aero / Nero - First up; the Nero. All black, waterproof with some reflective piping. I did not even bother to put it on. Its definitely not for warm weather riding. Your legs would roast in Delhi type heat. Construction quality seemed fine. It comes with a quilted liner. If you do any warm weather riding (IMO even in early 30's temperature) my suggestion would be to stay away. Costs INR 5750.

Tried the Aero mesh pants. It does not come with any liner; so no waterproofing. Should breathe well. It costs around 5k IIRC. I tried the pants on. Immediately; I disliked the feel of the fabric against my skin. The knee guards kept "floating around" and refused to stay in place. I think I tried the Large size. It had a 4 odd inch adjustment range and fit me well around the waist. I would have however liked somthing a little more snug and more importantly; have some level of adjustability for the knee armour. Rejected!

They did not have the Spartan pants in stock. It is expected to arrive sometime next week.

Jackets:

DSG Nero - Its a textile jacket with a some venting via zippered mesh around the chest area. It would be crazy hot in the Delhi summer though. IMO, anything over 35 deg C would get quite uncomfortable. A size large fit me pretty well (5'11, 180 lbs, 41' chest, 34 waist in jeans, 36 measured by soft tape) with some room to spare. It comes with a removable liner too. The armour was held in place and inspired confidence. I do not think I would buy this one though. Nothing wrong with it really; its just that another jacket left me quite impressed. Oh; and there also was a DSG triton in stock too. Did not try it on as it did not look like a summer jacket (all textile). Oh; and the Nero is definitely on the bulkier side of things. Costs INR 6k IIRC

DSG Rage - A mesh + textile combo. It was available in the green + black scheme. Looked nice. Should flow a ton of air. Similar fit as the Nero. Both jackets are a straight fit and not a "v shape" cut; so would accomodate a little extra belly fat too.

Oh and there was a Cramster Breezer too (Black). I must admit it was quite a looker. But having crossed Cramster off my list did not spend time on it.

Alpine* T-GP Air - I loved this jacket the moment I laid my eyes on it. It was all black with some very sexy; classy logos all around. They had an XL and an M in stock. Reached for the XL; seemed to fit me OK but the armour placement was not too great. Wanted to try an L but was out of stock. The jacket itself is not too bulky and is a full mesh contrsuction with cordura reinforecment in the impact areas. It does not come with any liner (bummer) and going by the reviews onlline (US - folks that live in Texas) this thing flows a ton of air. The L size is expected to arrive next week. This costs INR 10k.

I am definitely leaning towards the A*. Quick math would reveal that it costs 67% more than the DSG stuff. But IMO the quality of this jacket speaks for itself. It should outlast my bike; LOL.

However; I do not like that there is no liner. Even a wind proof (non waterproof) would have meant a greater temperature range. A* usually fits a little snug; which means putting a sweater / sweatshirt under the jacket (size L) would not be possible. XL leaves some extra room but I do not like the way elbow armour is placed against my body. Additionally; it comes with only a foam pad for a back protector (DSGs come with a proper CE level 1 certified back armour at a much lower cost). I am also a bit surprised with the "lower than USA" pricing. But Meandering enjoys a good reputation so the last point may not be much of a factor here.

Totally confused. Still dont know which way I would lean. Mind says DSG; the heart SCREAMS Alpinestars.

Anyhow; I picked a pair of DSG Primal gloves. It was surprisingly comfortable for a full gauntlet & it fit me (size L) better than the Revive gloves. The protection on offer is excellent. This glove is well worth the 500 extra bucks over the revive. Price - INR 2750. Downside - gets pretty hot and makes you look like a Power Ranger who lost the rest of his costume.

There were some other gloves available such as Revive, some Cramster gloves and Alpinestarts Air Carbons (INR 4.5 k IIRC). I could see some riding boots as well. A pair of A* SM-X5 and some other Gore tex full length boots (web Gore tex methinks). There was a pair of white A* fastback shoes as well. I could also see a couple of Orazos & Quechuas.

Oh and my Alpinestars Ridge boots & Scorpion Scrub gloves arrived today. I am pleased as a punch. Both are excellent products. Will put up a few lines on them shortly.

In the meantime; any pointers on other jackets / locations would be much appreciated. I am very much inclined towards ordering the Teknic Aquavent from the states (will cost me INR 6k, a relative will carry it for me). But frankly; after visiting the store I feel that the best way to buy a jacket is to try it on. And the pants; franky - I think I have given up on them. A pair of good (I am thinking A* Vapor) knee guards over a pair of denims should do just fine.

Take care!

[Urban_Nomad]

Have ordered the teknic aqua vent jacket in high viz yellow colour. It should be here by next week. Also ordered these:

Elbow guard - Select Size SM-MD. Link - http://www.revzilla.com/product/thor-static-elbow-guard.

Kneee guard 1 - No size issue (free size). Link - http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dainese-knee-v-guard

Knee guard 2 - No size issue (this one is free size too). Link - http://www.revzilla.com/product/thor-sector-knee-guard

The guards might arrive next month though. Hoping they too arrive with the jacket.

Had gone to meandering India again a couple of days back. Tried the aero pants once again. The armor not only moves around but also kinda digs into the shin whilst walking around. Breathes extremely well though. For now have crossed riding pants off my list.

[chotu_r]

Sharing my experiences with my Knox Cross Knee guards purchased six months ago. They are being used only for touring purposes. Most recently, i used these on a 1000km roadtrip.

1)I bought these from outdoortravelgear.com after going through a lot of reviews online. Wanted to go for dainese v guards or forcefield armadillo, but neither were available here within my budget. Finally, splurged close to 4k on these.

2)The guards have a hard plastic shell with soft interior padding. I was apprehensive whether they would cause sweating due to the hard outer shell, turned out that my fears were unfounded. Sweating is there only at low speeds. No itching.

3)Require a little breaking-in for the elastic straps holding the guard to expand to optimum size. After the first two time i did not feel any discomfort on this account.
4)These are meant to be worn inside trousers only. i have no problem using them inside comfort fit jeans. Definitely won’t fit inside slim-fit jeans though. No way of putting these on without dropping down the pants
5)Knee cup is shaped such that the knee fits comfortably while in riding position. No discomfort even after wearing them continuously for 3 hours at a stretch.

6)Now coming to the major grouse i have with these knee guards. I always put on these while standing or with leg straightened. When the knees are bent as in riding position, the top straps slide down a little bit but do not pose any discomfort. When the leg is straightened, the top part of the strap bunches up under the hard plastic shell making the entire guard lose its snug fit and pop up a bit over the knees, leaving a little space between the guard and legs. This creates a weird feeling while walking with the lower part of guards attached to the legs and the upper part floating in air. It disappears after returning to riding position.

7) As mentioned, the guards keep popping out of the knee after getting off the bike. This is a deal breaker for me as i planned on keeping these guards on throughout the day, didn’t want to go through the trouble of dropping the pant down multiple times at office to put on/take off the guards. There is also no way to take them off keeping your pants on, so it might be a trouble for one day trips where you have to keep them on throughout the day and have no choice other than to keep walking with that weird feeling of the guards floating above the knee!

8)Because i wanted to be able to remove the guards whenever possible, wore them over jeans during a recent roadtrip. These are definitely not meant to be worn over jeans. The elastic straps can stretch a lot and these is no friction between the inner padding and jeans to provide a good resistance to sliding. These are NO BETTER than the cheap ebay fox guards if worn over jeans IMO and will slide right off even before any impact!
9)Not crash tested & definitely hope will not have to!


I have decided to stick with these for the time being and go for Odysseus riding pants instead after piling up Vitamin M