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Lou Girardin
4th September 2004, 07:35
After reading the posts in Firestormers recent thread of woe, my darling wife and I indulged in communication. She communicated her desire to go to Melbourne to shoe shop, so I communicated my desire for a new jacket.
So I now have a lurvely new Spidi GT jacket with so many adjustments and pockets and fancy bits that I needed lessons on how to put it on.
So there is a spare Spidi Globe jacket - XL, available for any reasonable offer.

Mongoose
4th September 2004, 12:36
After reading the posts in Firestormers recent thread of woe, my darling wife and I indulged in communication. She communicated her desire to go to Melbourne to shoe shop, so I communicated my desire for a new jacket.
So I now have a lurvely new Spidi GT jacket with so many adjustments and pockets and fancy bits that I needed lessons on how to put it on.
So there is a spare Spidi Globe jacket - XL, available for any reasonable offer.

XL you say Lou? Does that mean all those adjustments in the new jacket are for "Outwards" to allow for MORE expension?
Never mind, cows seem happy with what they wear so I will stick to that as well.Can not help but wonder if all this new kit is so good, why do racers stick with leather?

Blakamin
4th September 2004, 12:43
XL you say Lou? Does that mean all those adjustments in the new jacket are for "Outwards" to allow for MORE expension?
Never mind, cows seem happy with what they wear so I will stick to that as well.Can not help but wonder if all this new kit is so good, why do racers stick with leather?

Kangaroos nowadays!

DebK
4th September 2004, 16:07
Can not help but wonder if all this new kit is so good, why do racers stick with leather?
Apart from protection, I'm assuming that aerodynamically leather is still the best option?

FROSTY
4th September 2004, 17:44
big difference in the raceing world and the road riders world.
The only negative I've got about this new fangled stuff is that it balloons up

Artifice
4th September 2004, 17:50
another reason why racers wear leather is because your uppers and lowers have to zip together or they dont let you on the trak. and though my jacket came3 with a zip i never could be bothered sewing the thing to mah leggings. so when i go to the trak i have to get the old faithfulls out.

Lou Girardin
5th September 2004, 17:24
big difference in the raceing world and the road riders world.
The only negative I've got about this new fangled stuff is that it balloons up

That's one reason I got the new one, it has a pot gut adjustment to prevent ballooning and I don't get draughts up the back passage now either.
I saw one of our customers Spidi jackets that he had a little excursion in, sans bike. After sliding about 150 metres on his back, it had 2 small rips where the armour sits and a Spidi logo was torn off. The back had scuffing but wasn't penetrated at all.

sporty03
5th September 2004, 17:51
A new Spidi huh? What's with all the different models :spudwhat: My buddy has a Tourer that he swears by. Big difference with leather is the water proof qualities of the Spidi. Wouldn't mind one myself. Would go with my new gloves. Who has the best selection and what's the best model? Gt, Globe, Tourer ????? Only need to buy this sort of gear once, so I don't want to get :buggerd:

Cheers :spudwave: :beer:

Hitcher
5th September 2004, 18:21
Sounds like you found a bike shop with a decent selection of makes, models and sizes in stock. Makes a change from the stuff you find for short-arse, skinny pinheads in most kiwi bike shops... (said the "fuller-figured" big head)

texmo
5th September 2004, 18:25
Leather has the best abrasive protection so when your sliding along the ground nothing beats leather, but leather soaks up water (thats why they are used for chamos) and rots ifs you dont dry it properly.
The new stuff is also water proof and has armour for when you first fall to stop the impact from doing as much damage.

Hitcher
5th September 2004, 18:34
Leather has the best abrasive protection so when your sliding along the ground nothing beats leather, but leather soaks up water (thats why they are used for chamos) and rots ifs you dont dry it properly.
The new stuff is also water proof and has armour for when you first fall to stop the impact from doing as much damage.
You can get waterproof leather but you can't get waterproof seams!

Interesting fact of the day, shammy (chamois) leathers aren't made from chamois, they're made from slink skins (slink being the skin from a dead new-born lamb).

Blakamin
5th September 2004, 18:41
Interesting fact of the day, shammy (chamois) leathers aren't made from chamois, they're made from slink skins (slink being the skin from a dead new-born lamb).


mmmm......lamb.... now i'm hungry :wacko:

Hitcher
5th September 2004, 18:51
mmmm......lamb.... now i'm hungry :wacko:
You won't get much meat off a slink...

texmo
5th September 2004, 18:52
You can get waterproof leather but you can't get waterproof seams!

Interesting fact of the day, shammy (chamois) leathers aren't made from chamois, they're made from slink skins (slink being the skin from a dead new-born lamb).

WTF is up with that why do they call it a chamois then?

Hitcher
5th September 2004, 18:55
WTF is up with that why do they call it a chamois then?
Because they were once made from chamois?

texmo
5th September 2004, 18:59
What is a chamois, where do you find it on the cow?

Blakamin
5th September 2004, 19:04
What is a chamois, where do you find it on the cow?

a chamois is a type of antelope i think <_<

Hitcher
5th September 2004, 19:09
a chamois is a type of antelope i think
An extremely agile goat antelope (Rupicapra rupicapra)

Posh Tourer :P
5th September 2004, 20:43
WTF is up with that why do they call it a chamois then?

Cos slinky was already copyrighted and they couldnt call it new born lamb skin???

That and it may have originally been sourced from chamois, but later changed

texmo
5th September 2004, 20:46
Do you guys use chamois on your bikes after you wash them?
Leather or synthetic?

Posh Tourer :P
5th September 2004, 21:10
How does The Original Chamois Company make Chamois Leather ?

Chamois leather is made from high quality sheep and lamb skin.
The skin is split into 2 pieces.
The flesh side being used for Chamois and the outer piece for other leather types.
The flesh side is Hot Drum Tanned in Genuine Cod Liver Oil.
Thus Giving the skin it unique character of Chamois Leather.
Chamois leather is then dry-cleaned to remove excess oil.
Final stages include buffing the leather with an abrasive wheel, removing any excess grain and fleshings


Does that explain it? from www.chamois.co.nz/faq/

Posh Tourer :P
5th September 2004, 21:13
http://www.kiwisafaris.co.nz/chamois.htm tells you all about the animal that donated it's name, but none of it's skin to the product. It is indeed related to the antelope, and is classed as a pest in NZ, in the alpine areas, perhaps somewhat contentiously...

jrandom
5th September 2004, 21:21
classed as a pest

= 'can shoot it'.

Good.

jrandom
5th September 2004, 21:24
http://www.kiwisafaris.co.nz/chamois.htm tells you all about the animal that donated it's name

"we also have areas which are only accessible by helicopter..."

"to fat, overly wealthy American tourists who need an M249 to hit anything" remaining unsaid, of course.

Posh Tourer :P
6th September 2004, 08:51
= 'can shoot it'.

Good.

That was the original point of it being introduced....

AMPS
6th September 2004, 09:24
Sporty '03, the Spidi range tends to get updated every year, so it looks like a lot of models but some are just updates. The GT range is a shorter cut jacket designed to be zipped to the GT pants. Others like the Roadway range are longer, touring style jackets. Go into www.spidi.com and check the features. Barring bins, these things will last for years and are actually waterproof, unlike some.
The new Technic gear is also very good. They've gone to Goretex liners in the higher end models, they're also a bit cheaper than Spidi.
As for waterproof leathers, Harley do the FXRG range which is a water-resistant leather outer with a detachable waterproof liner. Absolutely superb gear, premium price though. And it's understated, not covered in Harley logos for those with other loyalties.
Lou

sporty03
6th September 2004, 10:54
Lou,

Thanks for the info and the link. Will be in for a look as soon as the work pressures allow. :sweatdrop Probably in 1/2 an hour or so. :laugh:

Cheers
Graham :apint:

vifferman
9th September 2004, 10:20
Crikey! I've missed out on a few threads I could've put my oar in on while I was in Orstrylya. Since Lou mentioned my name, I thought I'd better chime in on this.
OK - I used to wear only leather, but got tired of the unpredictable D'Auckland weather, so I invested in a Teknic Hurricane jacket. The comparison is:
Leather jacket: Hot in summer, cold in winter, showerproof at best, good abrasion resistance, poor impact resistance (thin foam 'armour' only).
Tecknic: Cool in summer (zip vents in chest, back, sleeves), warm in winter (thermal liner and detachable neck warmer for those with detachable necks), waterproof (via special breathable fabric, not Goretex), partially abrasion resistant (padded kevlar armour on elbows and shoulders), good impact resistance (hard armour in elbows and shoulders and built-in back protector).

It doesn't flap in the wind, but it can be 'cinched in' on the sleeves, sides and waist via a combination of domes and straps. There is provision (pouch in the lining) for an additional vetebrae style spine protector. It has reflective stripes on the sleeves. The cordura doesn't offer very good protection in a slide, which is why it now has leather covering the lower sleeves and shoulders, which had holes in from a couple of short slides on the tarseal and asphalt. There is a zip on the back which attaches to my (leather) pants. Because of the leather parts, it doesn't breathe as well as it used to and the leather sucks up water, so I now just wash it a couple of times a year in the washing machine (it gets VERY grubby commuting!), and spray the whole thing with masses of silicon.

By the way, whoever asked about synthetic vs. 'natural' chamois - the synthetic ones SUCK. They're practically useless.

VivaVee
26th October 2004, 07:48
[QUOTE=firestormer]so I now just wash it a couple of times a year in the washing machine (it gets VERY grubby commuting!), and spray the whole thing with masses of silicon.
QUOTE]

Hi

Do you mean you put the jacket in the washing machine? Gentle or torrid? Do you use a special wash or just regular powder?

In case yopu are wondering I've lost the instructions for my suit but vaguely remember concerns about washing powders attacking (blocking?) the waterproof lining.

Paul in NZ
26th October 2004, 08:25
I've owned a Spidi NT Tour for around 6 years and 45,000km.

Generally it is a pretty good bit of kit but I'm not sure the brand is worth the premium charged for it (Spidi).

Leather is great but when you are touring, you cannot beat the textile equipment. Vicki and I road home from raglan on sunday and it rained / drizzled all the way. I had a thin polyprop t shirt and a longsleeve cotton T and was warm as toast all the way and DRY. What's more, the gear dries out in a flash, none of that get wet on the first day and stay wet the whole trip crap you get with leather.

My jacket is a little worse for wear and is starting to leak a little in torrential rain.

Never wash them in ordinary laundry powder. It's mostly phospourous bulking agent and it clogs the gaps between the fibres wrecking the breathability and allows water to wick through (leaks). Use a sports wash obtainable from sports goods stores.

Similarly, don't let them get too dirty!!! Same thing happens.

Basically, there are 2 systems, jackets that use a waterproof outer layer and ones (like Spidi) that use a tough outer layer and a waterproof membrane underneath. The later have a sort of gutter system so don't wear your gloves over the sleeves if it is gunna rain.... Your gloves will fill up with water really fast!

The later Spidi gear is better and better and will last longer (according to an email I got from Spidi) but I'm pretty happy I will keep mine a bit longer yet!

Cheers

vifferman
26th October 2004, 08:49
Never wash them in ordinary laundry powder. It's mostly phospourous bulking agent and it clogs the gaps between the fibres wrecking the breathability and allows water to wick through (leaks). Use a sports wash obtainable from sports goods stores.Yeah, what he said; try SnoSeal SportWash from an outdoor sports store like R&R or Motomail.


Basically, there are 2 systems, jackets that use a waterproof outer layer and ones (like Spidi) that use a tough outer layer and a waterproof membrane underneath. Make that 3 (three) systems. The Teknic gear has an outer layer that is breathable, and in the rain the water runs down mostly outside the fabric, but some runs down in the fabric, and out the bottom. This sort of fabric MUST be washed with SnoSeal.

Now that my jacket is mongrelised, I spray it with silicon to make it waterproof on the outside, as the leather bits need to be waterproofed anyway, so I figured it was easier to just waterproof the whole thing.
The friggin thing looks dirty all the time now, due to all the crap from traffic fumes and road spooge, and possibly some dye from the leatherybits. It also really stinks when it gets wet. :argh:

And yes, I do just bung it in the washing machine, but don't use normal washing powder as it contains lots of caustic which is bad for leather. It's a bit awkward to wash, as even after I've removed the hard armour, there's still the soft armour and back protector making the thing a bit bulky and stiff.

I'm currently out of SnoSeal, so I use detergent for woolens instead. Takes a couple of days to dry properly, due to the leatherybits and multiple layers, then I use a whole can or two of Scotchgard or similar all over it.