.........or is it me? Because I now need a decent two piece I thought I would have a look at a few new two piece sets.......namely RST and some others because of the cost attractiveness and the fact that RST do a mix and match on the trousers / jacket sizes........ So I tried a few on........sort of. I'm a 42" minimum chest, with a 31" waist..........I put a 44" RST jacket on and couldn't get the zip up more than about 8" and the arms were way too long, so I tried a 46" which drowned me..........both were really tight across the armpits. It seems I'm an odd size.........or so I thought........... I got home and checked the size of my old Sportex jacket which fits, but is a little bit tight......it's a 40" !! Looks like I will have to spend a fortune on getting my 90s made to measure one piece Swift renovated and converted to a two piece...........last estimate approx £600 (that's assuming the stitching is AOK)....... ....Hell and sod it........... AL
I tried on a few down jackets a few weeks ago (the ultra lightweight ones). The difference in sizing and cut from one brand to another was enormous. So RST sizing may be weird, but other brands may not be. In Dainese I am a bog standard size 50 for two-pieces and 52 for one-pieces. I'm probably about a 31" waist too now.
Well, it's been 32 for years and I've gone down a couple of belt notches over the summer, so it can't be far off 31 now. It used to be 31 about 20 years ago. Put it this way, next time I go shopping for jeans, I'll start be trying on a pair of 31. There's nothing that remarkable about this. My best mate weighs the same as he did at University 30 years ago.
It was only 10 years ago that my waist was 28" and my chest was 44"..............I thought I was normal........
I tend to get my leathers fitted. By nine lives - Nine Lives He works on Dainese. Don't get em done during the race season as he does a lot of racers and his time is limited. But his work is good and a fair price. I am a 30" waist. My summer jacket is a EU46 and my winter jacket is a EU48.
Well, RST are a bit hit and miss with the sizing. TBH, with that waist and chest you are no bigger than a 42" kit wise (sometimes that's a 52" depending on Euro/UK size). I would recommend going to a large store like J+S and trying on as many brands as you can. HOWEVER!!!.... it is supposed to be REALLY tight, leather gives 10% at least, get it done up and stay in it 10 mins but it is worth trying a premium brand to compare the quality of the fit. Please don't fall into the trap of thinking your leathers need to be nice and baggy, they really don't!
When I was getting my one-piece made, Paul Varnsverry of Swift Leathers as was, showed me a couple of photos of injuries caused by loose leathers flapping against upper arms, shoulders and back.........it can severely bruise and even take the skin off under a T-Shirt.
Not to mention the leather moving meaning that the armour can move away from where it needs to be. It's such a pitfall that people fall into, when I worked in a bike shop I would always put someone in a size too small first and 'concede' to work up one rather than put them in a 'comfy' size as they would never accept that it was the way it needed to fit. it's not about not being able to breathe, that's where the fit comes in and finding a brand that is snug fitting but allows the correct movement. Some for example have loads of stretch panel under the arm pits and backs of the knee's and it makes a huge difference to comfort levels.
My one piece is so tight I can't stand up straight and struggle to do the calf zips up. However when I'm crouched on a bike it's perfect.
Itz a Bingo!... exactly, was hoping someone would say it, it's made shorter in the body at the front so it doesn't bunch up when you are crouched.
Yeah, his website int great. He extended the legs of my dainese perfectly though. I bought a set of 28" which fitted my waist but were an couple of inches to short in the thigh. Like all dainese. They fit the waist but short thighs, or fit length of thighs but are to baggy round the waist and arse. I despise saggy arsed leathers. I'd love a proper set of fitted leathers though. But with my luck i'd end up being cut out of them a week later.
Can only really talk about Dainese leathers, but they get comfier and comfier. I can barely feel I have my one-piece Krishima on when I'm riding. There are so many stretch panels these days that even when it is tight, it's not at all uncomfortable.
