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View Full Version : Biking Stuff from America - a mini-review.


SoulKiss
18-04-07, 02:24 PM
Ok so maybe its just me doing a "la la la - look what I've got - look at my shinys" but anyways.....

Two big boxes of stuff arrived yesterday - 3 weeks after shipping.

Wont go into the shipping stuff, been there done that in other threads.

Anyways, contents were as follows, with my 1st impressions.

1) Icon Timax2 Leather Jacket
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/timax2leather.jpg
Nice :) Has a good weight to it, removable quilted thermal liner which as well as zipping in had a number of press-studs to hold it in place.

Leather is perhaps a little of an over statment - the front and the arms are leather - the back is mostly mesh to anchor the back protection in place - which is uin the form of 4 overlapping pads.

Gets its name from the Titanium plates on the shoulder - Frank Thomas does something similar in a more subtle way:)

Overall I like it so far.

2) Icon TRX Long gloves.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/trxlongglove.jpg

If you look carefully you will see that Judge Dredd favoured these gloves.

Well ok not quite - but with the Titanium on them they would be glove of choice for a discussion with a chav that just cut you up.

Good fitting, but despite the look, not a winter glove.

3) Icon Field Armour Leg Armour.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/legarmour.jpg

Basically knee and shin pads, plastic over foam, fastens together with velcro straps at the back of the calf (3 of them) and one velcro strap over the knee. comfortable.

4) Icon Field Armour Elbow Armour.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/elbowarmour.jpg

An elbow cup and fore-arm guard, similar to the leg armour but has a "sleeve" built in velcro and elastic straps to hold it together.

5) Icon Field Armour Shorts.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/shortarmour.jpg

Look like cycle shorts but have Aramid (kevlar) built into them.

6) Icon Field Armour Vest.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/vestarmour.jpg


Completely OTT and silly looking back/chest protector. Back protector is a bit short, would be more at home on a Paintball day.

7) Icon Standard Jeans.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/jeans.jpg

Aramid protection at the knee, unlike my Draggin Jeans, nothing on the backside - hence 5) above - adds that to any trousers/jeans.

8) Icon Timax2 Mesh Jacket.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/timax2mesh.jpg

Went for red in this one, and boy is it bright - colour matches nicely with my K6 red SV, or so I am told.

9) Icon TRX Short Gloves.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/trxshortglovered.jpg
Also in red - like the long gloves but shorter - so less titanium

10) Icon Mil-Spec Hi-vis Vest.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/mil-spec.jpg
Aparently there is a standard of visibility etc that must be achieved before you can ride a bike on a US military base.

Seeing a gap in the market, Icon made a Hi-Vis vest that complies with all arms of the US militaries specs.

Not worn yet but has a couple of useful pockets :)

11) Icon Field Armour Boots.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/boots.jpg

Kinda look like a pair of work boots. Easy to get in and out of - zip down the inside, but also had clips like on Snow Boots across the front and if that wasnt enough, they even have laces - so 3 ways of fastening them.

Downside on them, is that on the bike there is not much feedback. I had read a review of them where the guy couldnt shift gears up. I can see where he is coming from, but I CAN get my foot under the pedal and shift, might be happier if I adjust the pedal up slightly. Compared to my Sidi Vertigo Corsas, these might as well be made of concrete for all the feedback I get, but I like them and think I can adjust to them.

12) Icon Urban Tankbag.
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/tankbag.jpg

Now I have been very happy with my oxford humpback tankbag (tho it will be going back as one of the zips has just gone on it) but it had one problem.

I can fit my tiny Sony Vaio laptop in it, but thats kinda past it power wise, and its replacement, the Toshiba Tecra M7 wont even look at going in.

Enter the Icon Urban - laptop fits like a charm.

Think that makes me the only person on the forum that can carry a laptop in their tangbag :)

So thats it apart from 3 pinlock inserts (light smoke, dark smoke and yellow).

The above can all be seen on www.rideicon.com (http://www.rideicon.com), or I will be tarting them around London in the VERY near future :)

As said above, happy with the build quality etc so far, but time will tell.

David

gettin2dizzy
18-04-07, 06:00 PM
http://www.pcmtl.com/public/misc/this_thread_is_useless_without_pics.gif

lynw
18-04-07, 06:30 PM
http://www.pcmtl.com/public/misc/this_thread_is_useless_without_pics.gif

The above can all be seen on www.rideicon.com (http://www.rideicon.com),

:p :D

actually pics would be better... its still loading atm :rolleyes: :( maybe the blondes taken over my pc again ;) :p :D

gettin2dizzy
18-04-07, 06:41 PM
i was just picking faults ;)

walnuts
19-04-07, 01:14 PM
Just been looking at the icon website. Some of their stuff is well tasty.

Did you mail-order this stuff then? How did you know what sizes?

Jelster
19-04-07, 01:30 PM
Think that makes me the only person on the forum that can carry a laptop in their tangbag :)

I've got a HUGE Baglux tankbag that came with my Falco and it can take my wide screen laptop in a laptop bag ! But it's a bit big for a sports bike and it looks awful !!

Some of that stuff looks cool, but I hate websites that are based on flash, and hate even more websites with music.....

Those gloves look pretty impressive !

SoulKiss
19-04-07, 01:41 PM
The previous version of the gloves were WAY OTT - might still try an get a pair tho :P

Lyn - will add pics :)

David

Stu
19-04-07, 01:42 PM
Erm... were you wearing all this stuff when you had your off at Christmas?




Sorry, I'll get my coat - after wishing you many years of not testing it in anger, well maybe only the gloves as described above. :D

SoulKiss
19-04-07, 02:04 PM
I've got a HUGE Baglux tankbag that came with my Falco and it can take my wide screen laptop in a laptop bag ! But it's a bit big for a sports bike and it looks awful !!

Some of that stuff looks cool, but I hate websites that are based on flash, and hate even more websites with music.....

Those gloves look pretty impressive !

You should see last years version of them - still tempted to get some :P

http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/timaxglovelong.jpg

northwind
19-04-07, 02:15 PM
Are you going biking or jousting?

Tomcat
19-04-07, 02:21 PM
Wow, that website is great .... if a little too 'dude' but then I am getting old! The 'feel' of the site is quite snowboarderish, or is that just me?

Some really tasty stuff on there, wish I needed new gear, I would certainly be looking. Love the gloves, and the ladies gear is well nice :thumbsup:

Viney
19-04-07, 02:27 PM
Sorry but the fake 'six pack' look is dreadful. Those boots, im sure you could get in camden market. As for the other stuff, nothing that you probably couldnt get in the uk, and for the hassle you went through David, not worth it. But, if youa re happy, then thats all that matters

SoulKiss
19-04-07, 02:30 PM
Some really tasty stuff on there, wish I needed new gear, I would certainly be looking. Love the gloves, and the ladies gear is well nice :thumbsup:

I can just see you in a nice pair of pink chaps - well maybe not :P

Vixis got the following

1) Bombshell Boots
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/bombboots.jpg

Described by our very own Rictus as "Well Kinky" :P - he was round when the big unpackathon was in progress :)

2) Tuscadero Pants
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/tuscpant.jpg
Doesnt really show in the pic but these are leather

3) Tuscadero Jacket
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/tuscjack.jpg
Again not a great pic - doesnt show the buckle detail at the waist (like the boots above and the gloves below

4) Tuscadero Gloves
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/tuscglove.jpg
Well she likes strappy and buckley

5) Rogue Jacket
http://www.chaoscrypt.com/icon/roguejack.jpg
For those warmer days.

Should have gotten her some armoured jeans as well, but its only in the last week or two she could see the point of wearing anything less than leather when on the back of a bike - pillion or otherwise.

David

Tomcat
19-04-07, 02:41 PM
Dont' think I could ride in them boots, great for pillion though. The leathers are all well nice, and I am afraid it HAS to be leather all the way. I wear black leather, and I quite fancied them gloves but in white ... just to break it up and be a bit different.

Good for you quys, enjoy paying the mortgage that you must have taken out for it all :thumbsup:

SoulKiss
19-04-07, 04:34 PM
Just been looking at the icon website. Some of their stuff is well tasty.

Did you mail-order this stuff then? How did you know what sizes?

I actually bought it all from a dealers in Indiana and had a friend pick it up and send it over, original plan had been to order it online in advance of my visit and then bring it back, but I decided I wanted to see some of theor stuff before buying to see build-quality.

Most of the online retailers have the Icon size chart on their website - advice I got was that they run a little small size-wise so I added a couple of inches to my real measurements before checking the table.

Tomcat
19-04-07, 04:38 PM
size-wise so I added a couple of inches to my real measurements before checking the table.

typical bloke ;)

SoulKiss
19-04-07, 04:45 PM
Dont' think I could ride in them boots, great for pillion though. The leathers are all well nice, and I am afraid it HAS to be leather all the way. I wear black leather, and I quite fancied them gloves but in white ... just to break it up and be a bit different.

Good for you quys, enjoy paying the mortgage that you must have taken out for it all :thumbsup:

Actually even with the customs addition came in at about £2k.

Which wasnt THAT bad I guess :) - the other stuff we got for a mate - A Joe Rocket Mesh Jacket, 2 pairs of the jeans and some visors for him came in at about £200 of that - and I know that the jacket is £125 on its own - and the jeans would come out between £70 and £100, he probably got over £300 of stuff for £200, the Icon stuff is harder to compare as so little of it is available in the UK, but Hein Gerricke do the Icon Retro Daytona Jacket for £339.99 and you can get it online in the US for $450.00 - so sat £225.

All the Customs thing did really was wipe out the discount I had gotten from the shop on the stuff - $3800 of kit for $2900.

So expensive because it was a LOT of stuff at once - but each individual bit was good value :)

David

SoulKiss
19-04-07, 04:55 PM
Sorry but the fake 'six pack' look is dreadful. Those boots, im sure you could get in camden market. As for the other stuff, nothing that you probably couldnt get in the uk, and for the hassle you went through David, not worth it. But, if youa re happy, then thats all that matters

I think you will find its actually an 8 pack :)

Not my favourite part of the styling, but is some more padding between an already padded area and the tank :)

I have already looked in the UK for the stuff, and there was a stall at the Bike show @ Exell that had some of the range, they didnt do everything, and Hein Gerricke have started doing some of it, but all stuff from last years range (and some of that stuff is this year only)

Wouldn't ride in ANY of the boots I could get in Camden, soles are always too soft and no ankle protection.

Moffatt666
20-04-07, 09:19 AM
That stuff looks great! I may well order a new pair of boots when I have an income.

Tomcat
20-04-07, 09:24 AM
Actually even with the customs addition came in at about £2k.

Which wasnt THAT bad I guess :) - the other stuff we got for a mate - A Joe Rocket Mesh Jacket, 2 pairs of the jeans and some visors for him came in at about £200 of that - and I know that the jacket is £125 on its own - and the jeans would come out between £70 and £100, he probably got over £300 of stuff for £200, the Icon stuff is harder to compare as so little of it is available in the UK, but Hein Gerricke do the Icon Retro Daytona Jacket for £339.99 and you can get it online in the US for $450.00 - so sat £225.

All the Customs thing did really was wipe out the discount I had gotten from the shop on the stuff - $3800 of kit for $2900.

So expensive because it was a LOT of stuff at once - but each individual bit was good value :)

David

No offense intended, was just pulling your leg ;)

Really different stuff, which is always good. Have put the site on favourites for when I am ready for something new :)

Jester666
21-04-07, 06:25 PM
Are you going biking or jousting?

I think he's about to start a war!!! :-D

Our guys in Iraq don't have that much protection!!

SoulKiss
21-04-07, 10:12 PM
No offense intended, was just pulling your leg ;)

Really different stuff, which is always good. Have put the site on favourites for when I am ready for something new :)

No offence taken, was also thinking along the "Fsck there goes all my money" lines too :)

The unfortunate thing about the Icon stuff is that ladies stuff comes in pink, white, black or purple mainly - which is fine if you are a girly-girl, but leaves you with one choice if you arent - cos I dont think that white is really a good choice....

Vixis (Teraza)'s stuff must be ok - got a writeup from Rictus on the Soho Massive>Pigbunk's Tea Account thread :)

David