Roadcrafter One Piece - Experiences

[Pennys Dad]

Hi Everyone

 

I am looking for some past/current experience info with the 1 piece Roadcrafter.

I live in SoCal and motorcycle commute between Covina and Irvine every single day. I ride a K12S. I am considering buy a roadcrafter 1 piece. If you know what our summers are like here in SoCal and what riding through the desert in May to Torrey, is the Roadcrafter a practical piece of gear. Is it to hot? I currently have summer and winter gear but if I can have one base gear and then layer as needed then that would be perfect. What are your experiences with this? Thx

[ShovelStrokeEd]

It will still be hot, perhaps too hot if you are wearing regular clothing underneath. That said, it is still the most versatile piece of gear I have ever owned. We don't get quite as hot in S. Fla as it does in the desert but we have the humidity to make things miserable. I have worn the 'Stitch in mid August Florida heat. Very little underneath but a pair of running shorts and a wicking tee shirt. I towel around the neck soaked in water does help, or even a sweat shirt. Danger there of Monkey Butt due to the water dripping down your back.

 

At the risk of loss of protection, you can run the leg zippers up and get a good breeze on the lower half. Use the snaps at the bottom of the legs to reduce flapidge.

 

I have found that full mesh gear just flat doesn't work in extreme heat. Kinda like riding into a giant hair dryer. Better to have controlled venting and some form of evaporative cooling.

[RichEdwards]

And I love the mesh gear here in Florida. Sold my one-piece Roadcrafter because it was way too hot and I never used it here in FL. In fact, I use Olympia mesh gear for nearly everything (or my Darien jacket and pants for trips north when temps may be under 50 degrees.)

[AdventurePoser]

Hi guy....from Glendora, CA....

 

I am on my second one piece roadcrafter, black no less. My wife rides in a silver/grey one piece and she is noticeably cooler on those hot days.

 

That being said, my 'Stich is good up to about 100 degrees AS LONG AS I KEEP MOVING. Stop and go freeway riding during an August afternoon is unbearable-I'll purposely wait until the sun gets lower in the sky if I think I may have to ride in those conditions.

 

All that being said, my 'Stich is a very important piece of riding gear, and would not trade it. It is reasonably waterproof and offers incredible protection.

 

 

Good luck with your choice.

 

Steve in So CAl

[Bill_Walker]

I think a lot of it will depend on your personal constitution. For me, the comfortable temperature range of my Roadcrafter is extremely narrow. If it's over 75, the suit seems to allow no air movement and I'm getting sweaty. If it's below 65, the suit somehow becomes totally porous and I'm cold. I can't figure it out.

 

Partly it's because I'm on an RT with a larger-than-stock windshield, I'm sure. I switched to Motoport/Cycleport Kevlar mesh, and I'm pretty happy with that so far.

[ESokoloff]

..... If it's below 65, the suit somehow becomes totally porous and I'm cold. I can't figure it out.

 

 

 

Bill, you might consider a windstoper (Type) jacket like this.

 

I'm uncomfortabule above 90* in my one piece but for the last 8 month's I've worn mine 105 miles/4 days a week rain or shine

 

I'm considerng picking up on old sheild to cut down for the summer (RT).

 

The water cooled K should be cooler then an 03RT.

[Pennys Dad]

weather has change for me as well. The cooler months can be harsh so i layer. Summer months I coast through, but I agree the perf gear does feel hot like a blow dryer. I road through the desert to and from Torrey with my non-mesh gear and I was sweaty but I felt ok. I think its time to invest. Oddly enough I was considering the black with reflective ballistics.

[russell_bynum]

..... If it's below 65, the suit somehow becomes totally porous and I'm cold. I can't figure it out.

 

 

 

Bill, you might consider a windstoper (Type) jacket like this.

 

I'm uncomfortabule above 90* in my one piece but for the last 8 month's I've worn mine 105 miles/4 days a week rain or shine

 

I'm considerng picking up on old sheild to cut down for the summer (RT).

 

The water cooled K should be cooler then an 03RT.

 

Yep. The roadcrafter needs airflow when it's hot, so a barn door windshield will mess with that. Likewise, if you're going to be stopped a bunch on your commute, the roadcrafter will get miserable pretty quick.

 

My standard setup is the roadcrafter (1 piece) plus a Gerbings liner. When it gets cool, I add the Gerbings, which is a pretty decent windbreaker. As it continues to get cold, I turn on the heat.

 

On my RT with stock shield, I was OKdown to the 20's if I added a fleece sweatshirt under the gerbings. Without the gerbings, I was OK up into mid 90's. Above that and I'd use the Hoon Cooler to stay damp and I was fine in pretty much anything.

 

On my Tuono, with much more airflow than the RT, I have to start adding extra layers much sooner, and I'll add a rain jacket over the gerbings, with a thermal top under the gerbings if it starts getting really cold).

[EffBee]

The Roadcrafter is a fabulous piece of equipment. But it's too hot for your commute in the summer. From October through May it'll probably be OK. Take a look at the Olympia Stealth one-piece mesh for the warmer months. At $299, it's a bargain.

[Bill_Walker]

Bill, you might consider a windstoper (Type) jacket like this.

 

Yeah, that works. Been there, done that. My main issue with the RC is that it neither ventilates well when hot NOR blocks wind when cold. It ought to at least do one or the other, IMHO. But the lack of ventilation on the hot side is what killed it for me. I still keep it around to use for "test rides" during bike work, since it's the quickest full protection to put on and remove.

[Pletch]

Just my two cents, I would take a look at the tourmaster stuff. I have the intake II jacket and pants, full mesh but has the armor in all the normal places, same with the pants. I ride the Alps in early spring, sub-freezing temps on top and mid 70's in the valley. The system has two liners, a water proof and an insulated one, and I have yet to find conditions I couldn't get comfortable in. Even took a ride to souther Spain last summer, early September, and as long as we were moving even jsut a bit, the venting was great. Best part, got the set for less than half what the going rate is for one of the raodcrafters.

 

Again, just my 2 cents.

Dan

[elkroeger]

I would think a 2-piece would be a better choice for Califoria. Mid-summer here in Seattle (ie. spring or fall at your place) I wear the full suit for the morning commute, then just the jacket in the afternoon. I usually leave the pants off above 85F.

 

I've found that above 40mph, the jacket alone isn't much worse than a mesh at 100F. Yes, you're sweaty in the 'stich, but they're both hot. Stop'n'go traffic, on the other hand, will suck.

 

My techniche wet-vest works great under the 'stich. Add a Gerbings or a wool sweater and you can come up and visit us in Seattle.

[Tapatio]

 

IMHO a 1 piece aero is way too hot for our weather. I commute daily in business casual clothing underneath a Dainese perforated leather jacket and Firstgear HT overpants.

 

The pants have a liner for colder weather so they are comfortable in So. Cal. year round. I ride a RT so the jacket is sufficiently warm in the winder since the bike provides good wind protection.

 

 

[tallman]

Another First Gear HT user.

Mesh w/liner and the textile w/liner.

They come in Tall sizes.

I use the mesh pants for a lot of conditions.

Rather than use the liner in it I carry rain pants that can go on over the mesh pants. This extends the temperature range and more weather protection.

I also usually wear a poly/microfiber ventilated "pants" under the mesh. This allows wicking to occur and keeps skin and riding pants separated which I find more comfortable.

For winter use I wear a warm polymicro pants under the textile riding pants, sometimes using the liner that came w/them if it is cold enough.

I usually remove work clothes and wear riding gear for commutes.

Exception is in the a.m. ahen it is cooler.

In warm/hot I may wear work clothes under mesh if cool enough, if not change at work.

Winter wear work clothes and use Gerbings jacket liner, stay plenty warm.

I keep a plastic tub at work that I can stash gear in and keep some work shoes in.

Rather than compromise due to work, I decided to wear the right gear when on the bike. Works for me.

Best wishes.

[Tony31138]

I wear the Olympia Airglide 2 gettup year round from Temecula to San Diego daily. The only variable is that I carry a rain suit for downpours.

There hasn't been temps or conditions yet that the suit couldn't handle. It truly is year round gear...for socal anyway.

http://www.olympiamotosports.com/home.htm

[Lineareagle]

Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter Roadcrafter

 

Make sure you are accurate on the dimensions, style of riding and definitely get the hip and back pads.

 

A get off at 70 mph resulted in no road rash at all. If it wasn't for the foot catching I would have been A OK.

 

You can make the Stich comfy for any temp, it does get warm but you don't get the de-hydration of a mesh.

 

The point of the suit is protection after all.

 

When I zip it on, I feel protected, love it.