TOP TO TOE
OUR REGULAR RIDING GEAR IN DETAIL
Helmet: Shark Spartan Carbon Skin £350
www.nevis.uk.com A light, comfy helmet with a double-d-ring fastner and a decently dark drop-down sun visor – operated by a stepless slide on the top of the head (which is okay to use, but still a little fiddly). It has clever vents and spoilers that do keep the plush interior reasonably cool, and it’s impressively quiet. The visor comes with a Maxvision Pinlock and stays mist-free, as do my specs. My usual helmet is the top-of-the-range Shark Race-r Pro, which is lighter, plusher, better vented and has a far better visor – but it costs £240 more. In terms of bang for your buck, this helmet is very hard to beat.
Jacket: Halvarssons Seventy £339
www.jofama.se I love this jacket – it’s the kind of thing I aspired to when I started riding as a teenager (but couldn’t afford back then). The low collar fastens with a single popper, the cut of the body and sleeves is slim, the zips are chunky and metal, while the liner is blood red. But it’s also practical. The weathered goatskin is triple-stitched and backed in key areas by an anti-abrasion material. There’s CE armour in elbows and shoulders, plus I have the (£54 extra) Level 2 back protector fitted. There are three pockets outside and two inside. Best of all, for all the level of performance and protection, it’s still supple and superbly comfortable on the bike – plus it looks cool enough to wear to the pub.
Gloves: Held Air n Dry £187
www.held.de Hard to fault these two-chamber gloves, which are like two sets for the price of... two sets. One side is rain-tight Gore-tex, but on hot days hands go in the vented palm section. Great feel, without ever overheating – and if there’s a shower, just pull over and swap how you wear them. They’re properly armoured, secured with wrist and cuff adjusters, fitting even my large hands comfortably. Did I say they’re hard to fault? They’re as close to faultless as gloves get – but they should be, at this price.
Jeans: Bull-it SR6 £130
www.oxfordproducts.co.uk Properly armoured riding jeans, reinforced with an aramid anti-abrasion material, with CE Level 2 knee armour – to which I added the optional (£22.50) hip armour. They’re far heavier than a pair of normal jeans but they’re far more protective. Even with all the armour in, they’re comfortable to walk in – though they can get a little sweaty doing that on hot days. They come in a range of sizes, including a proper long fitting with a 36in inside leg.
Rucksack: Givi EA104B £53.44
www.givi.co.uk A simple but well-thought-out compact rucksack. It has a 22-litre capacity, but zips down to a slightly smaller size if not full, to stop it flapping. It has a well-designed helmet carrier and a rain cover that fixes at the top (so it stays on when riding). Shoulder straps are broad, with chest and waist belts to help spread the load. It’s good.
Boots: Alpinestars Supertech-r £400
www.alpinestars.com I’ve had this pair of race boots for more than six years and they’re great – and still going strong. The tough yet flexible outer has a solid shin protector, while inside there’s an articulated inner boot to protect against twisting injuries. The sole and especially the heel are solid, yet feel on the bike is fantastic. Better still, they’re boots you can walk in – they’re brilliantly comfy. They are expensive, but they’re absolutely worth it. SIMON WEIR
“For bang for your buck, this helmet’s very hard to beat”