Black Skulls Women's leather Jacket BSW02 Guest review from the Bike Shed's own Vikki, AKA ”The Dutchess" Something for the ladies… The Black Skulls, a cool and unpretentious bunch from Hackney, went from a passion for customising their bikes to developing a clothing and accessories range and thank god they did! As a biker who is always on the hunt for cool gear, I was excited to hear that they had started to produce a women’s range, and when Gareth arrived with a package for me to review I was excited and slightly nervous! Getting women’s biker clothing right is tough and producing something that is functional but cool is no mean feat. So imagine my pure delight and relief when I opened the package to see a beautifully crafted, high quality sexy black leather jacket in size 6! The jacket is thick cow hide, but not over bearing, the zips are beautiful but feminine and after I slipped into it… I literally refused to take it off. The attention to detail is spot on, the zips are quality and stylish and there are seven pockets, all of them functional and packaged up with a lovely quilted lining. The design is based on a classic motorbike jacket with a custom twist, and all handmade in London. Unlike most biker jackets, the waist also fits perfectly - the Black Skulls seem to really understand a woman’s proportions and how a jacket hugs you when you’re riding! Actually it was down to shed loads of testing and their pattern designer Joseph Nigoghossian. It feels luxurious and snug but your not dragged down by the weight. It’s definitely the kind of jacket you can cruise around in and then wear it out on a night on the lash! Ladies this is definitely one worth considering for the collection, and Gents, you know it makes sense. Size: Bang on Quality: Luxury/Handmade Protection: Moderate Sex appeal: Off the scale So this is my first review for the gear guide, what a start! Thank god I didn’t have to lie or upset anyone! My bank account now has a dent in it courtesy of the Black Skulls, but it’s worth every penny! http://blackskullslondon.co.uk PRODUCT REVIEW - UGLY BROS - MOTORPOOL PANTS Come summer, sweating in leathers can literally drown the pleasure of riding, so often protection in sacrificed in an attempt to keep cool. To combat this UglyBROS have developed a pair of protective trousers that breathe: the Motorpool. Manufactured from 11oz stretch cotton they come with CE approved knee and hip protectors. The knee protectors are easily removed once off the bike. Stretch shirring panels above the knee and waist back give increased flexibility. They come with flap pockets on the hips and legs. They are a slim, straight fit that look good off the bike, and come in grey, camo, and oil-stain khaki. They also do a women’s version that look terrific. UglyBROS are committed to ergonomic designs that combine fashion orientated design with technical fabrics. Founded ten years ago, UglyBROS was born out of a need to fuse protective motorcycle gear with fashion orientated garments, creating motorcycle clothing that works on the cycle and at work and play. “Fashion fused with function and safety”. These are comfortable and airy, and are perfect on a warm spring day, ideal for buzzing around town and commuting to work. With the armour removed easily whilst wearing, I’ve worn them all day and they’re as comfortable as a normal pair of combat jeans. They have a tough construction with solid stitching and sturdy hardwear. They work well with a pair of combat boots or engineers and a wax jacket for an easy ride with a decent level of protection. These are going to get plenty of wear over the summer months. www.uglybrosusa.com/ PRODUCT REVIEW - FUEL APPAREL T-SHIRTS We all love bikes. There are things that makes us different, you may prefer café style over tracker, open face as opposed to fully protected, hair to clean shaven, fat or skinny, beardy or baby’s bum, and some of us like to mix it all up. One thing that all bikers like is a good T-shirt. No matter what occasion, no matter what time of year, we love the T-shirt. There are so many companies out there that are making designs, some good, some bad. There is no lack of choice. One company that is making a fantastic shirt is Fuel Motorcycles. Their design is modern with one eye on retro. I prefer the long sleeve T’s, in particular there are three that stand out: the T-Mann; The T-Team; and the T-Stripes. These shirts are well made with great vintage detail, with more than a nod to sports nostalgia, in particular desert racing. The quality is exceptional and the fit is good. The t-shirts are manufactured in Barcelona. http://www.fuelmotorcycles.eu PRODUCT REVIEW - INDIGO PEOPLE SCARF Even though the weather’s getting warmer, a scarf is an essential bit of kit. Even with a well insulated full-face and layered up leather, an exposed strip of skin between the collar and the chin can lead to a wretched ride home. Now you may opt for the threadbare acrylic number you bought outside Wembley at the 1982 FA Cup Final, or the coarse itchy monstrosity your granny knitted you for Christmas. I prefer something a little more comfortable. Indigo People make gorgeous scarves that combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. They use unbleached cotton that is dyed indigo then weaved by hand by artisans using non industrial hand powered looms. Not only are these really comfortable and good looking, they’re ethical. Indigo People support small communities who preserve traditional handcrafting methods. As the raw cotton is manually spun it creates a non uniform nubbiness, each scarf is unique with its own particular natural and rugged look. When I first got mine, the weave was firm, if a little stiff, but still comfortable. As I’ve worn the scarf it’s become more flexible and soft. It’s big enough to wrap around my neck and cross over my chest, providing that extra bit of core layering. It rolls up tight and is easily stored inside my lid, and because of its unique cotton construction it isn’t bulky like wool. Indigo People create great looking and very individual scarves that are tough, warm and snug. They come in a number of subtle designs, of course all indigo. www.indigopeople.net/ PRODUCT REVIEW - NORTH SEA CLOTHING SHACKLE WALLET If you a want a no-nonsense tough-as-nails wallet that’ll last you a lifetime then the Shackle Wallet from North Sea Clothing is the one. This is constructed from premium grade English bridle leather. It’s fully vegetable tanned, traditionally pit tanned, hand stained and hand finished using tallow and natural oils, that with wear develops into a subtle and mellow leather that will improve with age. It has a 316 stainless steel bow shackle for a lanyard and is stitched with marine grade cotton. It has three internal credit card slots, a large billfold pocket and a coin compartment. It’s available in tan, navy, natural and green. It’s a practical shape and size sits well in the back pocket of a pair of jeans, and is comfortable when on the bike. North Sea Clothing is a London based company launched by a vintage collector Neil Starr who used to source and sell original WW1 and WW2 Submariner sweaters. As thy became increasingly more rare, he decided to re-make the sweaters to the exact specifications and original design. His range has expanded to a number of nautical-inspired products that “....suit modern use but maintain the same level of utilitarian quality as the originals.” http://www.northseaclothing.co.uk/ GUEST REVIEW BY WORN TO RIDE http://worntoride.com/ BLITZ X CADOT RIDER GILET Aside from a choice jacket, lid, a good set of gloves and a pair of toe scorned boots there are few items of clothing so ubiquitous in the world of custom motorcycles as a quilted gilet. Those fine Frenchmen at Blitz MC have taken a momentary break from constructing automotive works of art and have teamed up with gilet connoisseurs and fellow countrymen Cadot to create the ‘Rider Gilet’ which as its name suggests has been produced with the rider in mind. Taking a standard Cadot gilet as the foundation, the most telling difference is in the rounded back and front that have been taken up to ensure a close and snug fit when in the saddle. The black Brisbane Moss English waxed cotton shoulder patches are further signs of a quality piece while the 45 degree chest pocket is a lovely touch and separates this from any other that we’ve seen before. As ever with Cadot the beauty here runs deeper than the simple aesthetic form. Each gilet is made from a genuine heavy weight Woolrich wool outside lining and black flannel cotton interior keeping you warm as the sun goes down and the miles roll by. http://blitzmotorcycles.bigcartel.com/product/cadot-x-blitz-rider-gilet