Monday, November 10, 2008

Giving the Gerbings their first try

I recently purchased Gerbings G3 gloves and a jacket liner. After the jacket liner arrived, we had an abnormally warm stretch of weather. Now we are experiencing abnormal cold weather. Sunday afternoon was cold (31 degrees), damp, and cloudy. I donned my Gerbings and my other riding gear. The jacket liner really puts out the heat. The liner was warm around my neck and back. The way the liner fits, it was not in contact with my front side.

Lesson number #1, wear a snug vest or shirt over top of the jacket liner to get heated from the front. The jacket liner really puts out the heat. The liner was warm around my neck and back. The way the liner fits, it was not in contact with my front side.

Lesson #2, be reasonable. At 70 mph, the hand and upper body was fine. But the vents on the head allowed the wicked damp cold in. Then there was the freezing feet. Add to this was riding farther than I should have, around 70 miles. My body was starting to get confused with very warm and very cold being experienced.

Ultimate lesson is that the Gerbings will make weather that I normally would ride in for short period or even longer rides more comfortable. Say a round trip ride to Champaign in the Mid-40s. They won't make me superman.

5 comments:

irondad said...

Greetings!

Came across your blog from Doug's Cruising Ohio. An especially warm greeting from one instructor to another.

You're right. The Gerbing liner makes life a whole better in cold weather!

Lance said...

Thanks for the review! Being a fairly new rider, I am beginning to appreciate the need for good technical wear for riding.

Unknown said...

I'm following in the steps of IRONDAD, trying to "UP my EGO" another notch. It was very windy yesterday, almost got blown over into the other lane, big wind storm hit Vancouver, and only saw one other 2-wheeled machine. I listened for the weather forecast before deciding to ride the bike, then I remembered the wind gusts down in the Columbia Gorge and said to myself if I can do the Gorge, then I can ride . . .
I have heated grips on my SV with the Hi-Off-Low switch. Too HOT or Too COLD, so I have to turn them on and off all the time to get the right temp. My heated vest has some HOT spots, but perhaps that is because you are not suppose to wear fleece under. I was told that the electric vest has to be over your T-shirt, then the jacket on top, but I don't follow instructions very well. I was thinking of getting those Heated Gloves at the motorcycle show. I tried them last year and they were very toasty. It's just that I'm not sure I want all those wires hanging around. I also forget to "detach" the vest when I hop off the bike, someone should make a MAGNETIC connection (like on coffee kettles) that will detach easily.

Unknown said...

That is why getting the same brand of heated gloves as the jacket liner is essential. The gloves plug right into the end of the sleeves. I wish that the jacket liner zipped into the jacket, but then I may as well buy the heated jacket.

I guess we could always move South and ditch the heated gear altogether.

Phil said...

Moving south doesn't always work so well.....Well, I suppose it depends on how FAR south you go, but here in Atlanta we have plenty of humid cold days, and believe me the humidity has an impact. I have a heated vest that I use when I go out with club members on some colder weekends, but I still don't like the frigid rides below about 35...even with the electrics. I got one of those vests from Aerostich, and it has zippers to attach sleeves, which I also bought, but the sleeves aren't heated. It works for my needs, since I have the heated grips on the Beemer. Y'all stay warm now.