gloves

All The Gear, etc.

| Richard

With the new RT on its way and with plans already made for a couple of long rides in 2024 – well, three, actually – it was time to consider what kit we’d need to update and/or put in place.

The RT is intended to be used as a workhorse, so my trips will be working trips for my photographer and nascent videography ventures, so one of the obvious choices was a new camera.  The other videos on my YouTube channel over the last few years (not counting the early ones with camcorder footage) have been shot using a Garmin VIRB Elite, but although that’s great for capturing video with all the GPS data embedded, it’s quite old now and bulky and the tech has come on in leaps and bounds.

So whilst I will still use the VIRB for pushbike stuff, for on-bike/in-car footage I’ve sourced a GoPro Hero12 Black Edition which I will be mounting – initially at least – on my Arai Quantic helmet.  The RT’s setup means that I would need to do some mods to the handlebar bracketry to mount it on the bars, but maybe that’s for a second camera in due course?

In the meantime, we also wanted some up to date protective riding gear.

I went to Gran Canaria at the start of October with some friends and was riding a Ducati Multistrada hired from the lovely people at CanaryRide and it was waaaay too hot as there was a calima and I was wearing my old Alpinestars leather jacket, which is black and padded.

Now I used to have some Triumph leathers that were water-resistant to go with some Rukka Ceres shorty gloves, but when I got killed (temporarily) by someone knocking me off my Triumph Sprint GT1050 my jacket had to be cut off and due to two of my fingers being “de-gloved” the resultant mess in my Ceres gloves was not for the faint-hearted to deal with so again they were disposed of in A&E.

So that just leaves my venerable old Rukka Gore-Tex jacket: totally waterproof, removable lining, but next to ventilation.  Similarly Mrs Me also has a nine year old Dainese textile jacket and trouser combo that is also great for cold and wet but not so good for dry and hot conditions:

I’ve been researching jackets for quite a while now and the Klim ones looked exactly what we needed, but which one to go for in their line-up? Well I don’t need to go top of the range touring with the Kodiak as I already have a duck down jacket that might do well as a mid-layer and of course both of us have heated Keis waistcoats with accessory sockets on the RT to match. So the best choice looks like the latest version of the Klim Latitude for me and the ladies’ version, the Klim Altitude, for her.  And of course I needed replacement waterproof gloves to go with my Alpinestars race gloves for guaranteed dry days, so a pair of Alpinestars SMX-1 waterproof shorty gloves have been sourced as well, all from SPORTSBIKESHOP online.

Of course as the RT is white with grey or black bits, the Klim gear and gloves are similarly coloured: “Cool Grey” for the jackets and black and white for the gloves.  I’ll let you know how we get on with them in due course.

Klim Latitude Back Alpinestars SMX-1 Drystar Gloves Klim Altitude Front Alpinestars SMX-1 Drystar Gloves Klim Altitude Back Klim Latitude Front

Hein Gericke – Appalling Lack of Customer Service

| Richard

Around 18 months ago, I bought a pair of Alpinestars GP Pro gloves from Hein Gericke – these are £130 gloves I’m talking about, so not cheap rubbish.

Sadly with limited use – one trackday, RBLR1000 1,000 miles in 17 hours and some very occasional weekend rides – one strap fasterner had started to come away from the rest of the glove.

So after my trip to the  Gorges de l’Ardeche in France with some mates this summer, I got in contact with Hein Gericke’s Customer Services department and a guy called Ross Marchant. He told me that Hein Gericke would either repair or replace the gloves if I sent them back to Hein Gericke: either option was fine as far as I was concerned.

On 16 September 2011, he e-mailed me over a returns note, saying:

“Please return your goods back to the following HG FREEPOST address for a refund or exchange…”

On 19 September 2011. I e-mailed back saying:

“Dear Mr. Marchant,

Many thanks for this.

Just to let you know, the Alpinestars GP-Plus gloves were posted on Sunday so they’ll be collected at the postbox I used this afternoon and hopefully be with you shortly after that.

Kind regards,

Richard”

A couple of weeks later, having heard nothing in the meantime, I e-mailed Mr Marchant on 7 October 2011:

“Dear Mr Marchant,

Any news on the repair/replacement?

Many thanks,

Richard Morris”

Nothing!

On Christmas Eve, 24 December 2011, I followed it up, coying in Hein Gericke’s Customer Services e-mail address too:

Dear Mr Marchant,

Any news on the repair or replacement gloves?

It’s been months now with no news and no gloves at all!

Richard

Still nothing! Not even an acknowledgment.

Today I’ve followed it up yet again:

“Dear Sirs,

I cannot believe how appallingly bad the lack of customer service is at  Hein Gericke.

Not only am I without any gloves at all – expensive ones at that – but also you never reply to any of my follow up e-mails.

When will I receive my gloves back, a new pair or a refund?

Yours faithfully,

Richard Morris”

This time if I still hear nothing from them it’s off to the Small Claims Court, I think. Hein Gericke? Avoid them like the plague: they’re clearly only interested in taking your money for defective goods and then ignoring your complaints.