Considering a one-piece suit or...

[szurszewski]

I think I'm in the market, possibly as birthday present for myself in a few weeks, for a one piece suit. I'll start by saying I'm NOT interested in a Roadcrafter - a bit too stiff/formal or something like that, I guess, for my tastes (and more than I could get away with spending right now).

 

My main motivations are to have gear that feels less likely to move around in a crash and the likely subsequent sliding, and to avoid my tendency to wear a proper jacket, but not proper pants when I'm not going far (which means most of my rides) and it's not pouring rain (maybe half my rides).

 

To that end, I've been looking at an Olympia Phantom, or possibly a Stealth. I haven't found much out there beyond that of an affordable price, and I'm hoping to get some thoughts here - either on those suits or something else you'd suggest instead. Primarily I'm thinking one-piece, but I'd also consider a two-piece with full perimeter (or close to that) zipper attachment.

 

Thoughts?

 

[tallman]

Years ago when someone invovlved w/the development of the TEIZ

riding suit posted here there were a lot of let's wait and see if they're for real/stick around/etc. comments.

I have no personal experience with them but they are still around and offer a lifetime warranty.

 

Anyone?

Teiz

 

http://www.teizms.com/

[realshelby]

I have both of the Olympia one piece suits. The Stealth is a very user friendly suit. I think the solid panels are made of Cordura which should be better than the polyester based material in some riding gear. Venting is good, but I still wear the Olympia airglide pants and Tourmaster jacket combo when it is really hot. About two years or so old and has held up very well. I put a liner in it and use it into the upper 40 degree mornings. Definately a suit I could recommend for a good value in the price range it sells for.

 

The Phantom I bought when they first came out. Well constructed and has been waterproof the few times I have had it in the rain. A little stiff because of the heavy construction but that should equate to better protection. Problem with it for me is HEAT. The inner liner is solid and there is NO vents in the lower part of the suit. Uncomfortable at 75 degrees I have to get out of it at 80 degrees. I don't use it much because of that. In cool climates it might be just fine.

 

Both seem to be ever so slightly small for the size indicated. If you buy one I recommend trying them on for fit first.

[DiggerJim]

I think I'm in the market, possibly as birthday present for myself in a few weeks, for a one piece suit.

Interesting that you brought this up right now. I have a Roadcrafter one-piece which I love for the feeling of protection and the warmth (especially with a heated liner) for my cooler/cold weather riding. I haven't had any of the waterproofing issues other people report so am happy with it in the rain too (including an SS1K that rained almost the entire ride). I don't like the bulkiness of trying to store it somewhere when I get off the bike or having to walk around in it. I don't like it for warm weather either.

 

So, I got the Olympia Phantom for warmer weather riding. Much less weight, not as stiff as the 'stich and fits a bit snugger (I found that the sizes ran large without the liner). It has a liner but then that's another piece to deal with & the 'stich is good for the cool/cold. The Olympia is harder to get into (the velcro ends up sticking to itself or wrapping around sticking to other parts of the suit), the pockets aren't as convenient as the 'stich. It's got similar issues as the 'stich in terms of taking it off & stashing it on the bike although it does roll smaller. However, the taking off/putting back on drill is enough of a PITA that I tend to keep it on when I'm off the bike & in hot weather (like last week up here in the NE) that's a recipe for slime. In fact last week I'd be sweating - drippy wet slimy - before I got all the zippers zipped & velcro fastened. It's enough of an inconvenience that even in not-ugly-hot weather, I'll go jacket only vs one-piece most times & use the onesie only for longer distance rides.

 

For hot weather local rides I have a Motoport Kevelar Mesh jacket which is great. If it cools down, I have a heated jacket I can use inside so it's very convenient. But it doesn't have the lower protection for my legs/hips. I'll ride with leather pants but that'll help the potential for road rash but not any armor. Tried Bohn armor but that made the leather pants hard to fit into & jeans would just scrape off in a get off and expose the really light Bohn fabric - I'd get the armor protection but lose the abrasion protection.

 

Last week I bought myself a pair of Olympia Air Mesh pants. Armored, reasonable abrasion protection, fits over jeans or shorts. I can take the jacket off somewhere & leave it on the bike or carry it without a big bundle if it's hot. If it's really hot I can take the pants off too and then I've got the same issue as the one-piecers in terms of putting them somewhere but that's only in really hot.

 

Bottom line, I used to be a one-piece preferred guy but have moved on to the convenience of two-pieces for summer/fall riding. I'll keep the 'stich for winter/spring wearing.

[randy]

it maybe out of your desired price range, but Motoport Air mesh Kevelar one piece suite is very nice.

 

I happen to also prefer for summer riding in HOT/HUMID Atlanta, the moto port two piec air mesh. They do zip together.

 

As noted with warm silk long under wear and a gerbing heated jacket and Gerbing G3 htd gloves I can ride tank to tank down to about 40 degrees. Much below 40 degrees and I do not ride anyway.

 

I still have my one piece stitch and do use it during the winter on really cold days. The stitch is a lot warmer than the air mesh. But I use the stitch about 20 - 25 riding days a YEAR. The air mesh gets used the other 275 days a year.

 

I have looked at and tried on the Olympia gear. But last time I looked Olympia did not make thier gear in Tall sizes so for me fit was a little bit of a problem. I tend to be long from "seat" to shoulders and the Olympia gear fit very tight in that area. I am sure my big ass, and fat gut also affected the fit. So if your more athletic shape you may find the olympia gear to fit better.

[RockBottom]

I think I'm in the market, possibly as birthday present for myself in a few weeks, for a one piece suit.

 

This has to be said: So you're talking about your birthday suit?

[StroupDog]

I am looking at the Aerostitch Roadcrafter Light. Price is a little lighter too. I have all the two piece stuff, pants, leather, mesh, Tourmaster heated gear and such. Want something that fits in one of the sidebags, that is easy to put on over my work clothes or civies.

[szurszewski]

One of the mesh kevlar Motoport suits would make a great...er...birthday suit - or, in that case, I'd probably go with a two piece as they seem to have the full perimeter zip which would let me stop worrying about my jacket sliding up in a crash - but that would mean that I'd maybe be able to afford the pants now, and have to wait another quarter to get the jacket. Which is not to say I'm not considering that.

 

I'm pretty close to a standard 42 as suits go - just a little extra length in the arms. I tried on, very briefly, a large Olympia Phantom suit a few years back and it seemed to fit fine in the showroom.

 

Actually, that whole showroom thing is a plus for the Olympia brand and others I could actually try on. It's a shame I didn't try on the Motorport stuff at the BMW rally last year, but at the time I could just barely afford to go to the rally and didn't have any money to spend on anything else (ok - I bought an oil filter wrench...and then, after I got home, finally found the other two I already had).

[RockBottom]

One thing to consider--szurszewski's original post said the Roadcrafter was more than he or she could pay right now. The Motorsport suit is even more--$1000.

[szurszewski]

One thing to consider--szurszewski's original post said the Roadcrafter was more than he or she could pay right now. The Motorsport suit is even more--$1000.

 

Very true. But, since the Motoport can be had as a zip-together two piece, I could buy half now and half later. Probably that would be the pants first as I have a few jackets, at least one of which I consider to be of high quality (Belstaff 3/4 touring jacket), but both pair of pants I have are more of a casual nature.

 

josh

[tallman]

Almost all jackets/pants when bought separately come with a zipper that you can use to sew to the other item (jacket/pants)

so they will zip together.

 

You can use that to zip dissimilar items together.

[szurszewski]

Almost all jackets/pants when bought separately come with a zipper that you can use to sew to the other item (jacket/pants)

so they will zip together.

 

You can use that to zip dissimilar items together.

 

True, and I've even made adapters to zip not mating garments together, but most come with 6-8" zippers and, though I've never tried it out, it seems to me these aren't going to be super great about keeping the jacket where it's supposed to be (I'm willing to accept that I might be totally wrong about this, but it's something I think about while riding, and I'd rather be thinking about other things). That's one of the primary reasons I'm looking for something either in a one piece or with a full or very close to full circumference zipper.

 

Since starting this thread, I've also considered the idea of having such zippers added to the stuff I have, but, you know, it's more fun to get new stuff....

[RockBottom]

Well, you've already taken it off the table, but I adore the Roadcrafter I got last winter. I like the one piece since I can wear a business suit under it and even on casual rides, when I stop for lunch I can pop it off and cable lock it to the bike. And I don't have to carry a rain suit.

 

I haven't found the stiffness to be an issue. And I think I look like an astronaut in it! (Or maybe like a space cadet).

 

So far I've found it comfortable between 45 and 85, and even up to 90 if I'm on the open road. The only reason I don't wear it below 45 is because it's a bit too tight to add a bunch of layers, so I use other looser fitting stuff then.

[szurszewski]

I took it off the table for a couple of reasons. First, I've used one before and despite it fitting pretty well, I didn't particularly like it (my wife had one that fit her perfectly and she wasn't a fan either), and, second, I know there's a VERY large number of people on here who love theirs and I'm looking for ideas other than the Roadcrafter.

 

That said, a two piece Darien or Darien light is within the realm of possibility.

 

The more I think about it, the more I lean towards something mesh - either the Olympia Stealth or a two piece Motoport (which would add the flexibility of a two piece and, presumably, a good bit of protection, but mean I'd have to quell my need for instant gratification). It's pretty temperate here and, in general and especially on the RT, I'm much more often uncomfortably warm than uncomfortably cold. The pants I have now have small mesh panels that are pretty useless on the RT, and, and this is a huge annoyance to me, they have an inside rain liner which I will almost never stop to put on. So, yeah - thinking mesh whatever with either something waterproof to put on over it.

 

josh

[DiggerJim]

The more I think about it, the more I lean towards something mesh - either the Olympia Stealth or a two piece Motoport (which would add the flexibility of a two piece and, presumably, a good bit of protection, but mean I'd have to quell my need for instant gratification).

I love my Motoport Kevlar Mesh Jacket more than my 'stich :-) If you're up for the deferred gratification I'd say go for it. If you decide on the Stealth, check one in a store. One poster here said the large fit him (size 42) but I'm a suit size 44R and the medium fits me - the large had room for me & some company.

[Bernie]

I think Motoport makes a one piece mesh suit also. And you can get rain liners, or wear a FrogTogg over the top for the quick summer showers.

Personal I use and like my 2pc Stich. 180 K and counting.

[szurszewski]

Alright, alright. I'm feeling pretty well decided that it will either be the Motoport pants now and jacket later (...hmm...3/4 length or the waist-cut?), or save the money and buy both or a suit later.

[Elhoff]

I also tried the Olympia Phantom only to find the Velcro excessively frustrating. To be fair I was in the dealer's carpeted showroom. It stuck to me, itself, to the floor... I'm sure it would be better in my concrete garage, but still not great. Other than that I loved the fit and feel. Seemed to offer good protection. I love my other Olympia gear.

[DiggerJim]

(...hmm...3/4 length or the waist-cut?

I like my waist-cut jacket. Doesn't feel too bulky like a 3/4.

[randy]

i have worn both the 3/4 and waist jacket. I do not believe the 3/4 jacket will zip to the pants. I did not like the moto port rain liners. Frogg Toggs work a lot better (for me). Htd gerbing jacket, air mesh kevlar and frogg toggs and I was good to go for about a 100 mile trip in nearly freezing rain. I had to go to new orleans for a funeral, and got caught in a steady very cold rain. at that time I did not have the htd gloves or glove covers. But other than freezing fingers I was warm and dry. Shortly there after I bought glove rain covers, and of course have never needed them in the last 7 years. I have worn them once or twice, but to be honest it was just to justify to myself buying them :-0

 

awe murphy's rule

 

for pretty fair 4 season riding, not much beats the air mesh kevlar, htd gerbings liner, htd gloves and frogg toggs. Of course the htd gloves MUST have rain covers.

 

I have three pair of gloves, Htd G3, motoport kevlar gloves (my all around favorite) and one pair race gloves (sidi I think)

 

The kevlar gloves are 90% year round with just htd grips and rain covers if really cold. But last two winters I have gotten to be a whip, and really enjoy the G3 htd gloves.

 

All my motoport gear is at least 5 years old, with the pants going on 8 now. Pants have been in one time for repair, udpating. Jacket gets washed once every other month. the Green HiViz never has looked good, but other than that you really cannot tell the jacket from new.

[tallman]

Randy,

My TourMaster Transition 3/4 jacket will zip to pants.

The zipper is just sewn higher in the jacket than the waist length style.

 

Pretty similar here.

G 3's w/Aerostitch triple digit covers for single digit temps.

up to 40ish.

Held Steve's rest of the time.

 

Best wishes.

[szurszewski]

Alright, alright. I'm feeling pretty well decided that it will either be the Motoport pants now and jacket later (...hmm...3/4 length or the waist-cut?), or save the money and buy both or a suit later.

 

Well, it took almost a year, but I finally ordered the pants this afternoon. Hard to put money aside when you don't ride much, have a young family, a mortgage and are starting a business...but I have to do a week + trip to eastern Oregon for work (so sad, right?) and I get to take the bike (even sadder, I know) next month and I decided I NEEDED some mesh pants. I was just about to order something else, but there was nothing used in my size and it seemed silly to spend a third of the Motoport price on something I didn't really want...

 

Anyway, I called today and they said production time is currently seven weeks (!) but that they could most likely get me my pants by 8/12; they'll let me know for sure on Monday after checking available stock and such.

 

Fingers crossed. Thanks again to all who shared comments last summer.

josh

 

 

[RockBottom]

Hard to put money aside when you don't ride much, have a young family, a mortgage and are starting a business...

 

 

I eventually told my family that while I'd enjoyed hanging around with them for all of those years, I simply couldn't afford them AND all the bike gear I wanted so they had to go.

[szurszewski]

Hard to put money aside when you don't ride much, have a young family, a mortgage and are starting a business...

 

 

I eventually told my family that while I'd enjoyed hanging around with them for all of those years, I simply couldn't afford them AND all the bike gear I wanted so they had to go.

 

In my case that wouldn't make economic sense: my wife is a baker and I'd have to spend far more money replacing all the pain au chocolat, challah, bagels and other goodies I now get for free than I would ever spend on bike stuff.

 

Good line though, and I know it's in jest as I just read your most recent post to the worst vacation thread (and, by the way, that doesn't sound like all that bad of a vacation - other than being too short).

josh

[szurszewski]

I called Motoport two Fridays ago to get my order in the que, but didn't have my measurements ready. They said production time, if they needed to do a custom job, was about seven weeks. I asked if it would be possible to have the pants in hand five weeks to the day from my call - they said they could do that. I emailed my measurements over the weekend along with a request that they let me know they got them. I hadn't heard back, and then my work schedule was changed moving my planned trip a week earlier. I called again one Friday (three days) ago, asked if they got the measurements (they did) and if they could possibly have the pants to me a week earlier. I was told they would see what they could do, and that they could let me know the first part of this week.

 

I got a voicemail today saying they had a pair that almost exactly matched my requirements, and that if I would call and ok it by 3pm, they would make a couple of changes to them and have them out today! When I called they said the pants had hip pads, which I hadn't ordered, and asked if I'd rather have the pads left in for no charge or have them removed. Hmm...free stuff? Ok.

 

So far then, pretty happy with the customer service - I figure the happenstance of free hip pads (which I had considered ordering) makes up for them missing my request to let me know the measurements were received.

 

Looks like I'll have a chance to do a bit of riding this weekend as well in some nice hot weather, so I'm hoping the pants will show up by then and let me test them before my trip in August.

[szurszewski]

Good news:

Got the pants - I'd requested no cargo pockets and both halves (one sewn to the pants and the other loose) of the around-the-waist connecting zipper, so I could connect the pants to my current mesh jacket, and they sort of failed to meet either request - and they fit great.

 

Great news:

Got to ride 300 ish miles today in them around Mt St Helens and they worked great.

 

Bad news:

It wasn't hot, so I don't know how well they will do in warmer weather, but with jeans and UnderArmour (sp?) shorts, they were very comfortable both on and off the bike all day in cloudy/overcast/partly clear weather with temps between 60 and maybe a shade over 70.

 

I did ride with them yesterday in city traffic and temps about 80 - had the same jeans on underneath - and they were fine when moving and walking about doing errands, but a bit warm standing still in the sun (though not nearly as warm as my black Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants or even my black Hood pants).

 

[tallman]

You're wearing jeans under riding pants?

[szurszewski]

You're wearing jeans under riding pants?

 

Only when my tuxedo pants are at the cleaners.

 

Seriously, though, when I wear overpants, I usually wear them over pants - and since mostly I'm commuting, I wear them over whatever I need to be wearing when I get where I'm going. Yesterday I was planning to try the Motoport pants with just the wicking/compression shorts, and threw the jeans on thinking I'd take them back off in an hour or so...then it never warmed up.

 

You're suggesting something else, I assume? I get that jeans are terrible as far as wicking and have seams in weird places and are often uncomfortably bunchy...

[tallman]

I wear dress pants under riding pants going to work.

But jeans?

No way, too much IMO, esp in warm/hot weather.

Confining w/riding pants.

Everyone is different, glad the riding pants are working out.

[szurszewski]

I wear dress pants under riding pants going to work.

But jeans?

No way, too much IMO, esp in warm/hot weather.

Confining w/riding pants.

Everyone is different, glad the riding pants are working out.

 

Fortunately, most of the time I don't have to worry about warm/hot weather - I can imagine that jeans under riding pants in your part of the country would be rather awful (in fact, I'd think jeans without riding pants, and just standing around would be awful - I'm not a fan of heat).

 

Perhaps I'm just more used to wearing jeans - the closest I get in everyday wear to dress pants is lighter weight Carhartt or Gramicci pants, so jeans don't feel heavy/unusual/restrictive under my riding pants.

 

I do wear shorts under them when I do ride in the hot, and I'm really looking forward to trying that with the Motoport - I always figured with the Joe Rocket pants, they'd be very likely to ride up in a crash and not do me much good particularly over shorts.

 

 

[tallman]

Definite location issues.

I'll wear microfiber mesh type "pants" in hot weather as they allow a layer between skin and riding pants so more evaporation/breathability.

Cold weather a pair of microfiber fleece type "pants".

Works from lowteens to over 110 for me.

Love the ambients in the PNW...