Wonderful Monday morning everybody
I just got a new job and will need to commute on the M25 through all seasons, hence I am going to make the bike pay back what I spent to get it - means I will commute on it. I have some OK kit, such as Frank Thomas two piece leathers, waterproof overalls, thermal layers and such but I want a kit that is waterproof from the start and I really like the snug fit of leathers.
Instead of waiting for the NEC bike show to get some Revit kit (which I really learned to like through numerous tests and long term usage reports in several magazines both in the UK and Germany) I am thinking about getting waterproof made to measure leathers. I have looked at several manufacturers but the only renown one that makes such equipment is a German company called ALNE. I asked for a quote on a waterproof kangaroo leather jackets with ray skin inserts - yes, ALNE doesn't use any type of metal on the shoulders or elbows but ray skin instead. They say metal inserts whilst grinding on tarmac can become sharp and the splinters can also cause injury. Ray skin also has 90% less grip on tarmac then metal and hence will decelerate the body inside the jacket much more gently on impact.
I read good reviews about this company and asked some details about the jacket itself, for example do I want UK made forcefield EN1621-2 approved protectors in there instead of the SaS-Tec 1621-1 certified ones. They can make one to my measures and with my protectors but would need to see them first to be able to sew them in. They also sent me some pictures of a leather suit with the ray skin worked in there. I am not sure if the seams on the inserts are not a weak point on the leathers, they cost 100 Euros for the shoulders and another 100 Euros for the elbows. On their website it says that with kangaroo leather the ray skin is not really necessary so I might just go for the plain jacket. The quote for the jacket is normally € 811,25 but they seem to have an end of season kangaroo leather promotion and want to give me 20% off. On top of that I will be paying UK VAT instead of the higher German one.
What do you think about the skin ray inserts? Are they a good idea or would you go for the plain jacket? And does anybody on here commute all year around in leathers? I see mostly bikers with good textiles such as Rukka.
Cheers,
DJ
I just got a new job and will need to commute on the M25 through all seasons, hence I am going to make the bike pay back what I spent to get it - means I will commute on it. I have some OK kit, such as Frank Thomas two piece leathers, waterproof overalls, thermal layers and such but I want a kit that is waterproof from the start and I really like the snug fit of leathers.
Instead of waiting for the NEC bike show to get some Revit kit (which I really learned to like through numerous tests and long term usage reports in several magazines both in the UK and Germany) I am thinking about getting waterproof made to measure leathers. I have looked at several manufacturers but the only renown one that makes such equipment is a German company called ALNE. I asked for a quote on a waterproof kangaroo leather jackets with ray skin inserts - yes, ALNE doesn't use any type of metal on the shoulders or elbows but ray skin instead. They say metal inserts whilst grinding on tarmac can become sharp and the splinters can also cause injury. Ray skin also has 90% less grip on tarmac then metal and hence will decelerate the body inside the jacket much more gently on impact.
I read good reviews about this company and asked some details about the jacket itself, for example do I want UK made forcefield EN1621-2 approved protectors in there instead of the SaS-Tec 1621-1 certified ones. They can make one to my measures and with my protectors but would need to see them first to be able to sew them in. They also sent me some pictures of a leather suit with the ray skin worked in there. I am not sure if the seams on the inserts are not a weak point on the leathers, they cost 100 Euros for the shoulders and another 100 Euros for the elbows. On their website it says that with kangaroo leather the ray skin is not really necessary so I might just go for the plain jacket. The quote for the jacket is normally € 811,25 but they seem to have an end of season kangaroo leather promotion and want to give me 20% off. On top of that I will be paying UK VAT instead of the higher German one.
What do you think about the skin ray inserts? Are they a good idea or would you go for the plain jacket? And does anybody on here commute all year around in leathers? I see mostly bikers with good textiles such as Rukka.
Cheers,
DJ