Gear advice for a beginner?

[sam.la]

I am either not very good with the search function or new people don't ask about buying protective gear?

So best way to put it, I am brand new to the biking and will be getting a bike very soon (fingers crossed). I have a thread in the New Bikers section already asking for bike advice. Anyway I have now come to the stage of researching what gear to buy.

So I am planning on riding 50km/h and below as I am only commuting to work and back and I only have a budget of $800 to buy my protective gear. I am looking for practicality, not style as I need to wear my work attire underneath my protection.

Is there some system where you can give me? for example a % system where you split the money. 30% on Helmet, 45% on Jacket and Pants, 15% on boots, 10% on gloves?

I assume the bare essentials are:
1. Helmet
2. Jacket and Pants
3. Boots
4. Gloves

If there are you more are you able to add to the list and let me know what I should be looking for type of gear, ie material, design.

For those who are still reading, I have one last question. I have a pair of safety boots for work, which are steel cap and very solid leather are these sufficient for my low speed use or are these no good?

[steve_t]

I am not very good with the search function

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh....-Make-a-offer!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...le-250-leather

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ar-on-a-budget



Helmet - as long as it meets some kinds of standard like ECE22.05 and fits well, you should be sweet for now. Good luck with the hunt. Get your gear before you get your bike so if you need to borrow a little from the bike fund, you'll be OK

[nzspokes]

Go see Rick at Lifestyle Imports. Hes out by Mercer but its worth the drive. Just been there tonight and will be heading out again tomorrow night. Phone number is 0272787813. My guess is he will be able to make that work. If you want to you can follow me down, I will heading down after work.

He also does leathers for short fat people.

[Damantis]

150-300 for a helmet.
250-400 for a matching set of pants and a jacket
40-100 for gloves
80-200 for boots

Regular safety boots prob don't have ankle protection. Sliding your leg down the road with the 200 odd kilos of bike on it will grate your ankle like cheese. Also, imagine what happens in a shoelace ends up in your chain.

Boots are your friend. You may never come off . . . you may come off when you least expect it. I crashed last week and luckily I was travelling fairly slowly and I took a tumble mostly on the grass. Yet, if I wasn't geared up, I'd be pretty well fucked up right now. You don't need to spend thousands, but visualise yourself sliding / rolling along the asphalt at 100 kph towards a concrete pole. Now, imagine what might improve your odds of survival in that scenario. Not rocket science really, huh?

[nzspokes]

I tried work boots and it sucked. You cant feel the controls. And riding boots will have ankle support etc for accidents.

[Desert Eagle]

What did I spend when I was first got my gear?
$135 helmet on special
$115 gloves
$200 Jacket (cordura)

$200 for boots
$200 for pants
$200 for back protector

a touch over $1000, although I didnt shop around too much, I bought the helmet, jacket and gloves in one go first, then the rest just followed. If i was going through the process again, I would get boots aswell.
When Im going going anywhere I make sure ive got pants of some sort on, if Im going 100km/h for more than a few k's then leather and back protector.

I recommend trying your gear on before you buy, especially the helmet.

[sam.la]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Qmoto is too expensive for me...

Mercer is a bit far but if I can't find anything I will contact Rick. Are there any local stores? also are there any good stuff from trademe?

Stuff like this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-405280988.htm <--- very cheap so I'm guessing it sucks?

[ynot slow]

Buy the boots Rick sells off hand about $165,pretty well waterproof and comfy,mine were good and regret selling them,but had bought another pair of Diadora off trademe thinking they'd be better,but weren't.

[tigertim20]

look the honest truth is that Any gear is better than NO gear. Shop around and buy the best gear that you can afford. You're probably looking at cordura rather than leather for a start, but theres nothing wrong with cordura.

[nzspokes]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Qmoto is too expensive for me...

Mercer is a bit far but if I can't find anything I will contact Rick. Are there any local stores? also are there any good stuff from trademe?

Stuff like this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-405280988.htm <--- very cheap so I'm guessing it sucks?

Its worth the trip. Ive looked at the cnell gear. Not sure I would go there.

My leather pants were $220. He does Cordura jackets for 140/160 and pants 140. For 3 hundy your a long way there. You could maybe work in a leather jacket to the budget. He also let me sit on his bike to make sure it worked.

Its about half hour to 40 mins from my place.

No I dont work there etc. But went there tonight.

Seriously, follow me out tomorrow. His webbie http://www.lifestyle-imports.co.nz/shop/index.php its a bit out of date but you get the idea. Over the past week Ive tried on stacks of pants at different retailers, he spent the time with me to get the right ones. No BS or hard sell.

I did try Qmoto and 1Tonne, neither could help with my unique sizing but were both very helpfull.

[allycatz]

Keep an eye out on the $1 reserve auctions on TM. I just picked up $500 jacket and gloves (IXON) for $85 and that was brand new from a bike shop

[ynot slow]

Try Cycletreads sale items as well online,some good bargains.

[Quasievil]

So best way to put it, I am brand new to the biking and will be getting a bike very soon (fingers crossed).

If you dont have a pressing need right now as you havent got your bike yet my recommendation would be to save up some more money and get decent gear, i.e a quality named brand, especially if youre intending to ride in the longer term, cheap gear can be a false economy.
Go to some of the stores around Auckland and look out for good brands on sale, there are heaps of brands, Revit for example has a good ladies range and its well made and will last longer than a cheap no name brand.
In Hamilton we have Boyds Suzuki who have a large stock holding all on sale!! there must be an equivalent in Aucks , Cycletreads ?

What ever you do look at think about its construction, thickness, stitching type how many rows, etc etc

Perhaps even get a Kiwibiker Mentor to go along with you, they would have the experience to know whats good and whats not.

good luck anyway and welcome to biking !

[Maha]

Cycletreads and Motomail (at times) have start up packages for learners.
All I can say is go and see them, tell them how much you have to spend and let them do the rest.
The sales people at both stores are very very good.
Or Lyfestyle Imports as nzspokes suggeested, I have seen thier gear and its real tidy stuff.

[4AGE]

I just got into riding this year and i bought a spool textile jacket and pant set off trademe for a reasonable price. Second hand but in very good condition.

I didn't even try it on. I just asked them to get some good measurements and got the mrs to go around with a tape measure.

Good condition second hand gear (except helmet) would be a good way to go especially to get decent gear but for a more reasonable price.

Also i bought a pair of 1 tonne boots for around $150 and they have been nothing but excellent so far.