Quote:
Originally posted by STEVE M
Crowtree are superb.
Not only are they made to fit you, but they make them suit the type of riding you will be doing, eg. you sit very different when racing than if touring on a Multistrada. On places like hips they use up to three layers of leather for extra protection. Loads of my mates used them when racing and they coped very well with some HUGE crashes.
You won't be dissapointed
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Yup. The fit for a full-on race suit is
very snug and specific, so I wouldn't advise that for general road use. They're a great company, and your £800ish is going into materials and manufacture rather than marketing and retailing. The downside is that you have to visit Louth twice (convenient for Cadwell) and wait a while cos they prefer quality control over company growth. Also, the industrial strength does make them less comfortable for allround road use.
For racing, there's absolutely no comparison against crash-once-then-replace off the peg leathers. Look at and ask around any club racing paddock for proof. Different animal really. Maybe not so relevant if you ride safely on the road, but a definite consideration if into trackdays.
Alternatives are Hideout (nr Cambridge, excellent too), BKS (bigger, more organised, more expensive), MW (London, intentionally lighter built I believe), 9-lives and others.
The £300 Daineses - wasn't that a one-off from the factory last year (usually a staff-only price?) or are they always available at that sort of money when you visit?
Andy