New GearChic Shirts

 

I've finally uploaded a copy of this design of my cute gearchic top . If you're looking for a soft, slouchy top to wear and flaunt my website where everyone will definitely be looking, it'll only cost you $31.90! 

Another view from MotoGP, 2011. I'm wearing a navy blue one in medium in these photos. In the first pic, I'm about 15 lbs lighter so the top is even looser than before. The sizing is very generous. If you order a small, it'll be a small/medium since it has a nice wide fit in the torso and a loose boatneck. It's not too wide at the neck to wear it'll sit on the ends of your shoulders (unless you order a size up), but it has a nice flattering neckline. 

I've also uploaded an additional color option in heather gray with a white logo:

 

Store Link: gearchic.spreadshirt.com

Price: $31.90 (actual price, no markup!)

Sizes: S-XL

Motorcycle Gear for Summer

 

In my last episode of The Pace and in a recent reader email, I made some suggestions for summer gear options for my fellow women riders.  (Of course, these outfits all come in men's versions). 

 

Dainese

G-Air-Frame Tex Jacket

MSRP: $269.95
Where to Buy: Revzilla.com, DStores Orange County, San Francisco or Chicago.  (be sure to call for availability)

The Air Frame has a removable windproof liner and a 3/4 connection zipper to wear with any Dainese pants (unfortunately you can't zip a Dainese jacket or pant to any other brands). The fit is more on the long and lean side, so I'd recommend this fit for gals with a longer torso. The shoulders are not too narrow and not too broad. 

They also have the Air Flux at $199.95, which is a little less expensive because it doesn't offer the removable liner or connection zipper. That would be a good alternative as well.

Drake Air Textile Pants

MSRP: $259.95
Where to Buy: Revzilla.com, DStores Orange County, San Francisco or Chicago.  (be sure to call for availability)

The Drakes are the most fitted, ventilated riding pant I've ever tried on or seen. Dainese makes all of their pants with tha 'skinny jean' shape. Instead of a boot cut leg style, they have a more tapered fit. You can still wear them over your boots, but they can also be worn inside your boots if you have plenty of calf adjustment since the knee armor also has a shin guard. If you're looking for a really lean fit in riding pants and want to find something to wear as close to the fit of your jeans as possible, you'll love the Drakes. I wear a 42 in these and I'm a size 4 in jeans. The length is perfect.  The rise in the waist is rather low, so if you have hips you may find them to be too short in the waist.

 

Olympia

Switchback Jacket

MSRP: $229.99

Where to Buy: Revzilla.com

The Switchback is a lighter version of the Airglide. It has a removable waterproof/windproof liner that isn't insulated. The fit and sizing is great for curvier body types and comes in hi viz!  More generous in the shoulders, arms, waist and bust. The length is a bit shorter so it's better if you have a shorter torso. 

Airglide Pants

MSRP: $229.99

Where to Buy: Revzilla.com

The Airglides are an overpant, with full hip to toe zippers. I've mentioned them a few times before, as they're a well ventilated pant made of  Cordura.  The fit is generous in the hips and thighs and is perfect for a curvy body type. The knee armor is adjustable and removable too. With the large mesh panels on across the thighs, I've seen many women wear a full size smaller in these vs. their winter counterpart, the Pros. 

REV'IT

Airwave Jacket and Pants

MSRP: $199.99/Jacket, $189.99/Pants

Where to Buy: Revzilla.com

The Airwave offers plenty of ventilation in a lightweight jacket that doesn't have a removable liner. The fit is much like the Tornado, and has a great all around fit for almost all body types.  The pants also feature a full inner leg zipper which make it easy to wear shorts underneath and get to wear you're going . (The Tornados feature a removable waterproof, thermal liner and are for year round riding, whereas these are strictly for summer). 

 

Plus Size Jacket and Pants

My friend Chris needed some help finding gear. She met me at Scuderia the other day and we got her dressed! She's a ~US 10 on top and ~US 14 on bottom and has a 31" inseam.  Her immediate needs were a pair of boots and riding pants.  She's making the transition from a cruiser to a dual sport bike (woo hoo!), with an upright riding position. But she also likes to borrow her man's sportbike and wanted something that would be comfortable on that bike too.

Chris is a real woman with real curves and she needed real gear. She wanted protection in the knees and hips, no mesh/ventilation (since she's commuting on the freeway) and enough room in the hips and her inseam. Although we couldn't get her into the Ventura pants like I wanted, we did get the unisex Horizon Pants, XXL Standard (see photo gallery) on her and they fit perfectly.

What Fit?

The Horizon in XXL (standard length) were perfect (see photo gallery). As you can see, they fit her real curves nicely. The inseam is just right, the armor fell at the knees in the right place (although they are adjustable). They also come in standard, short and long.  They don't have full length zippers, so they're supposed to be worn as pants. You could wear them as overpants without the thermal liner. You'd just have to take off your boots every time you needed to change in and out of them. Chris is wearing them over jeans in these photos.

   

Unfortunately the Ladies Tornado 46 was a little too tight (without the thermal liner, over jeans), so we tried the men's 48 (over jeans, without the thermal liner). The rise (bottom of the crotch to top of the waistband) was way too short so she couldn't even get them on comfortably.

We also figured out that the Horizon and Axis had the best female fit, meaning a slightly higher rise in the waist, room in the hips and thighs but a nice tapered fit at the knee.  The problem with the Axis was that the legs didn't taper enough at the knees and just weren't as protective and fully featured as the Horizons.

The Jackets

Although she didn't leave with one of them, here are two jackets that she tried on.  Unfortunately I didn't have other colors in her size so you can see the difference between the two. She's wearing size 42 in both which translate to a 14-16 or L/XL.  They're very similar, but slightly different in terms of price point and features.

The one one the left is the Ventura. Read my review here. The one on the right is the Indigo (also available in hi viz). The Indigo doesn't have some of the features of the Ventura, and it's also a little bit longer in the torso and falls below the hips.

Both of these would be great options for commuting, touring or everyday riding.