Bike Gear in Shanghai

I swear by the handlebar mits, I'm sure most of you that are in China will know what I am referring to. Those over-mits that are applied over the bar ends that make an appearance in the cold areas of China at this time of year.

I have several pairs, with a couple of extra pairs I bought at a "everything" motorcycle wholesale store in QianDaoHu town. The ones I purchased from there are slightly bigger than the norm, and are fairly well constructed. I liked them so much that a few months ago when I was riding down that way with mates, we stopped at the store and everyone bought a pair. Some bought several pairs (me included) along with a few other items. The store is great, full of all things motorcycle related, but not motorcycles. Lights, HID lights, crash bars, inner tubes, helmets (though not high end brands), visors, seasonal riding gear, spark plugs, all the little hard to find items. The handle bar mits are cosy in the coldest part of winter and I swear by them. I'll get a couple of photos and post them here so that one can see the brand etc. On the Jetmax there is a flow of warm air that radiates upwards via the handle bar plastics, and exits right by each hand grip. When combined with the handle bar mits, I could get away with not wearing any gloves at all during snowfall or rainfall and winter, however as I try to be a ATGATT type rider, I wear gloves, sometimes fingerless leather gloves but most of the time, it's full leather regular gloves. I don't like the bulky feel or lack of feel from typical winter gloves so the handle bar mits are a great solution.
I have found the handle bar mits just as great on my Dragstar Classic even though it has exposed handle bars etc.

I'm going home to Vancouver for the spring holiday so I'm looking forward to finding some gear in my size for a change. I have been searching all the shops for gloves and boots but everything seems to be made for my smaller Chinese friends.

In the interest of warm hands, has anyone tried installing heated handle grips? Or are they just a bad idea?

Nuhaus, I don't know about your size(s) but you can find pretty much all the gear you're looking for in Shanghai, and good quality too.
My Spidi summer gloves were XXL (for some reasons the Motoinfinito winter ones are L), and I always saw good gear with European and American sizes in the shops I went to here.

:offtopic:
My size 46 feet are yet to find boots in Shanghai. I have a pair of Alpinestar goretex / leather boots that have got almost 2 and a half years on them. I know they're 300$ in Canada. So, roughly 2200 RMB after tax.
Got to love the cheaper Nolan Helmets out here though. I'm picking up a bluetooth communication kit in Canada too. I've been informed by the GF that riding the bike is not an adequate excuse for missing calls. :gun_bandana: :cryfiddle:

Seriously though, heated hand grips? Anybody?

Jeff, you asked for a review of the MotoInfinito Alaska gloves, here it is after a 700km trip last Thursday and Friday, in temperatures between -2 and 6 degrees Celsius. I may add that I do not have either heated grips or handguards.

Strong points :
- they're warm !:lol8: Obviously you'll say, but it's still important to point out. Very warn when riding up to 120 km/h and when the temperature is around 5-6 degrees Celsius. No problem even on finger tips then.
- I got used to them quite quickly, meaning the feel for the throttle as they're thicker than summer gloves (Captain Obvious strikes again !).
- they fit really well, no area where they might pinch or bother when twisting the wrist, very good quality, very comfortable to wear.

Weakness (if I need to find one) :
- not related to the gloves themselves in fact : from 2 degrees Celsius and below, when riding above 60km/h, the finger tips get cold, and of course it goes downhill from that when colder/faster. It's a very slight disappointment for me, I thought they'll stay warm at those temperatures/speed. They're my 1st pair of winter gloves, so they're maybe very good in that regard in comparison with others winter gloves, I don't know...

It didn't rain for the whole trip and since I bought them, but they are supposed to be 100% waterproof.

I can confirm now thanks to the beautiful weather we have in Shanghai (rain and 95% humidity...), the gloves are indeed waterproof. :icon10:

Thanks, Fred.

So you are saying these gloves at 690 RMB are both warm down to zero C and a bit below, and remain dry in light to medium rain? A bit north of US$100 is not a lot to pay for a solid winter glove, considering the alternatives...

(I'm sure my cozy deerskin gloves are NOT waterproof.)

cheers

Bikerdoc swears by the handlebar mits, which are inexpensive and simple. They might stand a better chance of protecting our gloved hands than an exposed pair of gloves. Just need to figure out how to fit them over the bulky hand guards on my JH600.

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Originally Posted by milton

Bikerdoc swears by the handlebar mits, which are inexpensive and simple. They might stand a better chance of protecting our gloved hands than an exposed pair of gloves. Just need to figure out how to fit them over the bulky hand guards on my JH600.

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Fitting to our bikes should not be difficult. You cut them open where necessary, and have a local tailor sew in Velcro strips so they can be secured properly. They'll need to be big. Maybe even custom made.

cheers!

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Originally Posted by milton

Bikerdoc swears by the handlebar mits, which are inexpensive and simple. They might stand a better chance of protecting our gloved hands than an exposed pair of gloves. Just need to figure out how to fit them over the bulky hand guards on my JH600.

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Winter handguards! Perhaps you can install these inside too!

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Originally Posted by milton

Bikerdoc swears by the handlebar mits, which are inexpensive and simple. They might stand a better chance of protecting our gloved hands than an exposed pair of gloves. Just need to figure out how to fit them over the bulky hand guards on my JH600.

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Yep, I did mean to get some photos and post them up, but haven't had a chance though I have been riding the Jetmax daily, and still exploring the mountains on a daily basis. Sorry you SH'ers you guys are missing out up there in the concrete jungle, I know since I lived there for a couple of years. About the handle bar mits... the bigger than average brand that I have several pairs of, have "ANAN" screen printed onto the fabric which itself appears as though it's a combined synthetic/cotton blend and is a dark grey colour, they also appear anf feel a little more accommodating than the average ones around. They employ a type of twined string for securing compared with velcro as is used on the other brand mits I have used and still own. Must add that the mits are great on all my bikes, but even better on the Jetmax maxi scoot which blows a steady stream of warm air up through the handlebar shrouding onto the handgrip areas. I am now riding with a full leather summer glove even when it is 1-2'C outside. A few degrees warmer and I may ride with the leather fingerless gloves.
Prices of the ANAN mits were reasonable and probably can find them on Taobao, perhaps even buying a couple of pairs and cannibalise a couple to enlarge a pair to fit.

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Originally Posted by euphonius

Thanks, Fred.

So you are saying these gloves at 690 RMB are both warm down to zero C and a bit below, and remain dry in light to medium rain? A bit north of US$100 is not a lot to pay for a solid winter glove, considering the alternatives...

(I'm sure my cozy deerskin gloves are NOT waterproof.)

cheers

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Yes, that's what I'm saying. :mwink:
Completely waterproof, and warm up to zero C at 70 km/h, -2 C at 60km/h, etc.

I use a Toread Ski glove 150RMB, with bar mitts, 20 RMB. Cheap and works, down to -5c plus bike windchill for 30 minutes on so, after that it gets painful. I need to think about feet options now.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

I use a Toread Ski glove 150RMB, with bar mitts, 20 RMB. Cheap and works, down to -5c plus bike windchill for 30 minutes on so, after that it gets painful. I need to think about feet options now.

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Maxi scooter perhaps??? I can vouch for just how great they are for protection from the elements and worse... the dirty air conditions in China. I note that you are in bonnie ol' England so perhaps there's not as much grime as there is here, and I'm not even in a big city. Pity the folks riding in places like SH and BJ :P
MeRrY ChRiStMaS everYone!

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Originally Posted by 22363

www.qiyi.cc/

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G'Day,

Had a few dealings (Spidi gloves, Ctek battery Tender, Luma bike lock ground anchor) with them lately through the Pubei Road shop and very satisfied with the customer service.
Yesterday picked up the AGV "Rossi" helmet for our son after 10 days as promised, they had to get a small size (M) in for him.
Checked through the import biker clothing range (don't need any myself) and they had XL / XXL sizes in stock as well.

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

G'Day,

Had a few dealings (Spidi gloves, Ctek battery Tender, Luma bike lock ground anchor) with them lately through the Pubei Road shop and very satisfied with the customer service.
Yesterday picked up the AGV "Rossi" helmet for our son after 10 days as promised, they had to get a small size (M) in for him.
Checked through the import biker clothing range (don't need any myself) and they had XL / XXL sizes in stock as well.

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Do you consider this Pubei shop better outfitted then the Dragonrider one in Wuzhong Lu?
If so, where the hell can I find this shop?

E.

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Originally Posted by 998S

Do you consider this Pubei shop better outfitted then the Dragonrider one in Wuzhong Lu?
If so, where the hell can I find this shop?

E.

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Dear 998S,

Dragonrider is mainly a manufacturer of motorcycle clothing of moderate quality, not great, not awful. The shop is mainly a showcase of their stuff, though they have some other brands as well, particularly a selection of helmets. They probably have the best selection of Nolan helmets in Shanghai, but it's not complete. The problem, apart from it being way the frick out on Wuzhong Lu, is that the people who work there come from the garment industry, and are not motorcyclists. They have little knowledge about motorcyclists and our needs. When I've gone there it's usually a couple of matronly ladies who can do little more than take your money.

Qiyi Motorcycle Accessories, which operates the "Spidi shop" in Pubei Lu as well as the Qiyi shop in Wenshui Lu way up in Hongkou District, takes things to a much higher and friendlier level because the owner, Simon Wang (aka Wang Anyun 王俺云), and his wife are enthusiastic motorcyclists, which is why they opened the shops. The Pubei shop is four times the size of the Wenshui shop, and has lots of very nice gear under great international brands, including Spidi. Simon often has some really rare finds; last time I was there he showed me a new jacket and pants set from Italy that were some crazy system of water resistance and warmth, at a price of more than US$1000. Simon's wife speaks more English, as I recall, but she tends to hang out at the Wenshui shop.

Needless to say, the feeling you get in the two shops is radically different.

Another shop where you'll be served by ardent motorcyclists is Chemichen Motorcycle Gear 车迷辰, the source of HJC and many other helmet choices up in Xincun Lu not far from Scooterville (Jiaoji Lu). The owner there, Qin Xiaochen 秦尧辰, makes a strong statement by parking his Ducati in a place of honor directly inside the entrance. As noted elsewhere in the Flip Front Helmet thread, Chemichen has a lot of nice stuff under one roof.

If there are other similar "riders' shops" in Shanghai, or elsewhere in China, I hope others will post the coordinates in this thread! The H-D shop qualifies in some regard, as do the BMW and Ducati shops, but these lean hard toward dealers' interests rather than riders' and the sticker shock is unbearable, for me anyway.

Cheers!

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Originally Posted by 998S

Do you consider this Pubei shop better outfitted then the Dragonrider one in Wuzhong Lu?
If so, where the hell can I find this shop?
E.

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G'Day,

The Spidi Lifestyle shop is a great place to get bike gear in Shanghai, excellent customer service in my opinion and they know the stuff they sell........

http://i42.tinypic.com/qxjkhe.jpg

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

G'Day,

The Spidi Lifestyle shop is a great place to get bike gear in Shanghai, excellent customer service in my opinion and they know the stuff they sell........

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Great, seems some shopping time is looming ... thx for the info.

E.

G'Day,

Anyone looking for cheap as chips fake Belstaff jackets with protectors, HONGQIAO PEARL MARKET Hongmei road (corner Yannan / Hongmei road) is your place.
Be warned, they are very lousy quality and the protectors sit in the wrong places, sizes run small and the sleeves are to short in my opinion.
Took an overseas visitor to the market this morning, haven't been out at the market for ages, still only crap on offer..... not my cup of tea.......

G'Day,

HOG Shanghai arranges a ride-out on 25/03 Sunday at the Puxi Harley Davidson dealership 12:00 noon to depart for a group buy (Adrenaline-Asia motorcycle gear / clothes) around 12:30 noon.
Adrenaline-Asia: http://www.adrenaline-asia.net

***have no affiliations with HOG or Adrenaline-Asia, just posting the info***