A request for all female riders

[MonstaChicky]

I'm doing a bit of market research and would be really grateful if you would share with me your clothing woes...how hard have you found it to get what you want?

What fitting problems have you had? If you could design anything differently, what would you ask for?

Any particular problems? Leathers? Winter gear? Helmets? Boots? Gloves? Anything else?!

Where do you shop for your kit? How are you treated? How would you like to shop?

Any other stories you can share with me?

Please either reply to this thread or PM me, many thanks for your time :)

Nicky

[CK & AK]

I'm doing a bit of market research and would be really grateful if you would share with me your clothing woes...how hard have you found it to get what you want?

What fitting problems have you had? If you could design anything differently, what would you ask for?

Fit: No problems apart from jackets & trousers (and dont even start me on one piece!)Would ask for:

better 'darting' for bust
Attention to sleeve length - and diameter (we are not all of us bigger all round if we have bigger boobs!)
Attention to waist: yes, it may change shape, but we are NOT like fella's who tend to be more 'straight' down the torso
We also have hips (well, some of us do!)


Any particular problems? Leathers? Winter gear? Helmets? Boots? Gloves? Anything else?!

Leathers: as mentioned above. Also - colours, why on earth are the 'ladies' ones done in such 'pillion' colours (black or pastels is the norm). I like to wear bright colours on occasions - just like the ones sold in the fella's side of shops
Helmets - fine, but not many stores have a good selection in XS sizes even in the top of the range lids
Winter gear: not many of the ladies goretex have all-round zipping. Obviously we are not supposed to ride in winter. Sizing also a bit dodgy
Gloves: usually a good selection, but NOT always good quality. Far less protection in the many of the ladies gloves, as opposed to the mens.
Boots: one size 5 fits all? Nope, its just like shoes or boot shopping in that soem fit & some dont, some you like but some you dont, but the choice is (usually) poor. Many made with 'big' ankles which are blinking uncomfy to walk about in unless you wear padding. Have found Sidi boots to fit me best, but none of the new ones in their range fit 'just right, so am still in my old ones at present.


Where do you shop for your kit? How are you treated? How would you like to shop?
Usually I end up going to Hein Gerike as I know them, but do venture to other places - but not found any much cop so far. (where I sometimes buy mens stuff & take it to Nine-Lives to be altered afterwards tho)
How am I treated? Usually quite well, until we find that actually nothing fits very well. Arms too long, cut of arms too wide at the top, trousers too long in the lower leg, back (neck area) gapes at the top is the usual - sometimes just the one prob, but usually a combination. No suggestions are then forthcoming..........

Hope this helps for starters...........

CK

[gremlin]

I have a nightmare time being 5'1 and a size 8. Everything has to be shortened, which if it's leathers with a zip at the ankle have to be sent away, also my summer leathers have a pocket for my knee protection which actually isn't where my knee is although not too bad on the bike they do feel strange when walking around. I got my first jacket from Hein Gericke and my winter trousers from Just Bike (I think) they were made to measure. My jacket that I wear now is from Bering and the trousers are from Rev it.
Helmets can be difficult being XS and my gloves are XXS I think, and as CK said don't have huge amounts of protection.
Our local shop is very helpful and will order sizes in just in case something may fit and they'll send stuff to be altered for you. I must admit jackets haven't been too bad to find although I have got a material one that drowns me. Boots can be a problem in that some are cut larger so I'm a 3.5 and others are smaller so I'm a 4 and most don't do half sizes. As for colours I have to say I prefer black with a bit of colour, which when we were looking for a jacket last time was a pain as most girly jackets were, pink, powder blue, beige or cream yuk! Also as CK said there is an issue with waists, if you have a bum the waistband sticks up like a pallisade, well it does in my case. I tried some jeans the other day and the waistband stuck out about four inches away from my waist all the way round, they looked awful.
I think being petite is a problem anyway, normal clothes are pretty hard to come by that fit so bike wear is going to be harder.
Also while bike manufacturers make bikes that are too tall for us tinies you're going to have a shortage of small girly bikers because we can't find a bike low enough so most won't bother or will stay as a pillion possibly without the right gear because they think clothes manufacturers won't bother to make clothes for us because they don't make the bikes for us.

[MonstaChicky]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply...I have a plan...will let you know when things are up and running :)

Nicky

p.s. any more replies gratefully received!

[ladybird]

i think i have had an epic moan recently, just got some leathers measured for
mostly am annoyed that manf. don't cater for you if you are of a proper womanly shape
lids no problem now i have found something i like
boots big pain as haven't been able to get ones to go over my calves since my first pair when frank thomas made decent boots (13 years ago)

oh yes and a size 18 can be anywhere from a 14 to an 18, either do girls sizes to standard or don't use them, ie my jeans are a 16 but i can't even get into an 18 pair of bike leather trousers, it's stupid.

i've been in kevlar mostly for the last few years, so generally end up looking and feeling like the mitchellen man, but in black

[MonstaChicky]

This is really useful stuff, thank you...keep it coming!

[MrsJel]

Biggest gripe - gloves. Size is anywhere from L XXS to L M - depends on who does them. Usually don't even bother trying to go shopping specifically, if I see some that fit and are just right at the time, then I'll get them. Choice is very limited most of the time you'll find me pootling round in Gericke pathans (vulcan gloves)

Next - trousers. being a pear, if I find trousers that fit my behind, the waist gapes at the back and the legs are too long and/or the thighs are too tight. I've had most success with Hein Gericke, but have found Triumph fit quite well too (and they do different leg lengths!). Same as gloves - have been so disappointed when I've gone shopping specifically for trousers, that I've taken to just trying on a pair when I see one I like. No sizes are the same, cuts vary even within manufacturer.

Jackets - never really had a problem, but don't envy those who've got a normal or even large bust because jackets are usually a bit tight around there. Arm length has been OK - best jackets so far: an old Frank Thomas lightweight thing that just keeps going and Dainese winter.

Boots - have tried sidis, but found them just wrong around the ankle - have had current pair of Daytonas for about 5 years, they're like putting on comfy slippers now and will definitely have them again.

Going shopping? - Hein Gericke, Clay Cross, J&S, Pidcocks Triumph, Windy Corner, MCA, or even BMF once a year. I don't buy on-line because the sizing/cut is all over the place.

Treated? - don't think I can remember bad service - I can remember J&S and MCA being particularly patient when I was trying on trousers.

Summary: I don't do bike gear shopping often because I hate it.

Carole

[gremlin]

Looking at the clothing rails in most bike clothing shops around here, there is a good selection from size 14 upwards so I'm not sure if it's because they expect us to be big because we ride bikes or whether the smaller stuff is out there but they don't buy it in because they expect us Norfolk lasses to be big. Sometimes the style of jacket isn't very flattering and makes you look like Arnie, luckily mine has neat shoulder and elbow protection and the back protector and everything can come out although it's a pain to get back in so I leave it, but it's not too in your face so I wear my jacket alot with jeans when I go out which is good it means it gets a bit more usage.
Think that ought to be a consideration in the design for most companies, because unless you ride every day your leathers aren't going to get a huge amount of usage and to be honest if you're paying £200 odd pounds for a jacket it would be nice to get a decent amount of wear out of it whether on or off the bike. Both my jackets are cut quite nicely with a slight tuck at the waist and flare at the hips rather than the unflattering straight up and down which is the norm it seems.
So far our local Wymondham Motorcycle Clothing centre has been good, for service they have a reasonably sized ladies section with everything from leather, material, kevlar etc. I just hate clothes shopping full stop, I get so depressed because I know most of it will have to be shortened, although funnily enough Clive buys a lot of my stuff and does a pretty good job bless him, he usually buys me a complete outfit at christmas. He doesn't get stressed out about it and so far has bought things that I'd have chosen myself.

[giler]

I really struggle with high heels in a size 9..

[MonstaChicky]

Haha very funny Giler :)

[gremlin]

That conjures up all sorts of scary thoughts, only a size 9?

[giler]

That conjures up all sorts of scary thoughts, only a size 9?


Only a size 9, but double FF on the width!

[ducrissi]

Main problems have already been mentioned. Ladies sizes for bike gear dont seem to match ladies 'normal' sizes.

Leathers
Main problems with Jackets - even the ladies ones don't allow for a bust and a waist.. and the colours are normally black or pastel pink / blue...

Trousers - i suppose i'm lucky in that i have a relatively small waist (relative to my hips that is) but all the leathers that fit on my hip hang off my waist. Normal trousers at size 14 fit fine - so why not bike ones?

Gloves - not really enough choice - normally buy mens gloves just have to shop around.

No probs with helmets & some good boots around - just takes a while to find them.

I hate normal clothes shopping but quite enjoy bike gear shopping. Always been treated well by staff.

We all seem to be saying similar things - what's it for??

[slob]

Thuli says:

Trousers: If they fit my waist they are almost invariably baggy round the butt, conversely of course if they fit my butt they are too tight in the waist. They are almost always too short in the leg.
Jackets: I have to go by shoulder fit and arm length (being the most vital components for comfort for me) and therefore usually end up with a jacket too big for the rest of me (although as someone else has said, for some reason leather ones still manage to be snug around the bust). I had to adjust the zip in my leather jacket so that it would match the one in the trousers which are several sizes smaller (both Hein Gericke)
Boots: I think I found a pair on sale really quickly and they are very comfortable. It was so long ago I can't remember if I had the usual 'have to go for a size 6 because so few manufacturers make half sizes any more' problem.
Gloves: I wear a man's small (Spada Carbon Race) on recommendation by Rob because they offer good protection (though I think they do women's ones too). They are pretty good though other pairs I have had have been too long in some of the fingers.

I've always been treated well and staff have been helpful. Hein Gericke features large in all my purchases so far.
My plea would be the same as for all clothes: Bring back the half sizes!

[singletrack]

Hi Monstachicky - I am a bit busy to reply in full at the moment. I will PM you next week - if I don't, please remind me.
Anne
PS my biggest gripe with ladies clothing is that it does not come in big enough sizes - a size 18 motorcycle jacket is usually more like a size 14. And mens jackets are always too big on the shoulders and too narrow on the hips.

[kathb]

Leg length is an issue for me, I can get the fit around my waist and hips, but the legs are invariably way too long.

Jackets feel rather shapeless on me, even though it is a woman's jacket I feel like a blob!

Gloves and boots are major problems. I had to resort to the children's collection for my last pair of summer weight gloves (yes, my hands are that small!) - but they're rather short in length.
Boots are a similar problem. If I can get the width and length right, they often don't fit around my calves!

Yet for all that, the local branch of Bransons is well stocked and service there is always really helpful (she was great when it came to finding the helmet that I liked in my size). I've found the Hein and Gerrick in Cheltenham rather stand offish.

[Hoolie]

Same thoughts as the previous posts especially Singletrack - if a jacket fits me round the waist it's too big on the shoulders and vice versa if it fits on the shoulders I can't get it done up round the waist.

My pet hate is the so called ladies colours (pink, pale blue, cream etc) so I usually end up wearing black.

I'm tall and not slim so my other problem is getting hold of long leg trousers that fit well most manufacturers seem to think all women have a 29 inch inside leg. I was at J&S last week trying on some trousers and was told strangely that the brand I was trying on only made long leg in the smaller waist sizes :scratch: does that mean they think people get shorter and fatter! In the end I didn't but any because the ones that fit me around the waist were of course far too short in the leg.

And don't even get me on the subject of ladies t-shirts - since when did an XXL only fit a size 12/14?

Don't have a problem with gloves and boots as they appear to be pretty unisex.

As I see it there is a huge gap in the market for decent female biker clothing.