Bike Gear in Shanghai

**bikerdoc** · 12-13-2011, 03:05 AM

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.

**Nuhaus** · 12-13-2011, 03:58 AM

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?

**Fred** · 12-13-2011, 05:36 AM

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.

**Nuhaus** · 12-13-2011, 09:40 AM

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.

Seriously though, heated hand grips? Anybody?

**Fred** · 12-19-2011, 07:04 AM

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 !

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.

**Fred** · 12-21-2011, 12:58 AM

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

**euphonius** · 12-21-2011, 01:57 AM

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

**milton** · 12-21-2011, 04:49 AM

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.

**euphonius** · 12-21-2011, 05:26 AM

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.

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!

**Barry** · 12-21-2011, 07:22 AM

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.

Winter handguards! Perhaps you can install these inside too!