This weeks Gear Guide features an enticing array of stuff to keep your shoes clean, your vision clear, your fingers warm, your cash safe and you looking generally pretty (or bad-ass, depending on how you look at it!) THE AVIATOR PILOT T2 GOGGLES IN BROWN LEATHER The search for a perfect set of goggles has been a long one. Balancing good visibility with comfort and a shape that fits both the face and the contours of your lid are seemingly tough requirements to meet. I finally acquired a set of Aviator Pilot T2s last winter, and finally found the goggles that fitted well, give good clarity and actually fit inside a Biltwell Gringo. Recognising that the majority of goggles offered to the open face biker were originally designed for the cockpit of WWII fighter planes or for snow sports and hence were often ill fitting and uncomfortable, Davida entered a close and innovative collaboration with the French manufacturer Jeantet in the late 90’s to create a biker specific goggle. The Pilot T2’s are specifically designed to fit and work with modern open face and retro full face lids. They have highly effective anti-fog ventilation for crystal clear vision, a well proportioned padded leather face mask providing an effective windproof seal, and made with hyper allergenic soft goats leather. The frames are high quality rolled brass. They also have a small cutaway section to accommodate the arms of spectacles or sunglasses. Up until now the Pilot 2 were only available in black leather, but now Davida are offering them in a lovely brown leather. They are offered in gold, chrome and gunmetal frames. These are stunning. http://www.davida.co.uk/type.php?id=Aviator_Pilot PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BIKE SHED’S TIMM WELLENS - THE ACME SHIFTY So what happens with the mastermind of Karmarama’s creative department Dave Buonaguidi gets bored and tired of ruining the tops of his shoes? Good question I am sure everyone asks in the morning when they wake up. Let me tell you, the Shifty! Dave has styled and developed a toe protector that simply attaches to your boot laces. The double eyelet and brass studs hold the Shifty in place and is very secure. It’s made from high quality leather that Dave personally selects in North London. He then cuts each Shifty piece by hand and emblazes his logo on the tab. The concept stemmed from Dave’s frustration with the advertising world and his gear shifter ruining his Redwings. How those things came together he didn’t really explain. He came up with the idea of ACME London to produce a simple, fashionable accessory to end left toe rub (or right toe rub if you ride classic British bikes like me). I have ones for both boots and one of the limited edition Mk I samples (only ten in the world). These things take a bit of work to make sure they sit on your shoe properly and not ride on top of your shifter. But after wetting the leather and gently pressing the tab around the toe of your boot it will form into a position that will add protection your boots deserve. Even if you ride a scooter or electric bike, these things are a cool way to give the subtle nod to the world you are on two wheels. I just wonder what Harvard J. Nasty will make of these clever little things. http://acmestudio.bigcartel.com/product/shifty-motorcycle-footwear-saver PRODUCT REVIEW - ROLAND SAND DIESEL GLOVES LA based custom builder supreme Roland Sands builds bike apparel just as well as he does builds bikes; combining his signature sharp eye for design with practical functionality. The Diesel is an ergonomically shaped 'technical' glove that has managed to maintain simple retro styling. I took these out of the box and to Wheels and Waves and rode with them solidly for six days. These were comfortable and tactile from the outset, with no wearing in period. They are a responsive glove that gives good feedback. They're a versatile mid weight glove that didn't cause me to overheat in the midday Southern European sun or to get cold digits in the cooler Atlantic nights. The styling has a distinct seventies feel with consertina stretch panels and a close fit. They're fastened across the top of the hand via a zipper which facilitates a close cut. They have a reinforced padded palm and padded finger knuckles. I went for the limited edition black/oxblood two tone colour way to match my Roland Sands Clash jacket, but they come in variety of colour combinations. The tobacco and sand combination is also pretty cool. As with all Roland Sands products these deliver a high quality product at a reasonable price. http://the-cafe-racer.com/motorcycle-accessories/motorcycle-gloves/roland-sands-design-limited-edition-diesel-gloves-oxblood#.U6QJFKhK4sE PRODUCT REVIEW - PIKE BROTHERS 1965 RIDERS WALLET One thing that's key for a good long ride out is a decent wallet. Down at Wheels & Waves the last thing I wanted to wear was a glib little rucksack or an effeminate man bag as I jostled shoulder to shoulder, bar grip to bar grip, with those rough-ass Basque biker anarchists. So my Pike Brothers 1965 wallet came into its own. It's big enough to hold ample change and cash to buy yourself out of trouble, your license if collared by the local largely absent rossers, improvised maps scribbled on the back of fag packets, maxed out credit cards and all the great stickers on offer from the better half of Europe's builders. There's also enough room for all those receipts you'll try to pass off as work expenses when you get home. Beautifully crafted from rugged cow hide in Portugal, the 1965 Riders Wallet calls out for hard wear. It breaks in really nicely and quickly develops it’s own unique patina. It’s incredibly robust, with heavily stitched seams. The wallet contains a zipped coin-pocket, several slots for credit cards, a driving license window, a large compartment for bank notes and a D-Ring on back for a lanyard or a wallet chain, and secured with tough reliable hard wear. I have mine fastened securely by the 50cm Pike Brothers Rider Leather Lanyard with its industrial grade buckles. This is a handsome wallet available in natural, black, cognac and rough out. http://www.pikebrothers.net/ BOLT LONDON MARK PETER FRASER COLLABORATION JEWELRY Bolt London has teamed up with chopper riding artisan Mark Peter Fraser to produce a limited run of bike inspired sterling silver jewelry. Mark has produced by hand a ring and a pendant using traditional wax cast iron moulds. The rings are in two sizes, a massive 70g version and a smaller size, using a nut design with an etched Bolt logo. They come in either mirror polish or raw finish. The Bolt pendant is again hand made in silver with the Bolt logo where the makers mark would traditionally appear. Mark makes them in his workshop in the Lake District He is known for Artisan Uprising, a group of artists who make bike products the old fashioned way under the moniker “Kustom craft for the discerning revolutionary”. Mark’s jewelry is about as far as you can get from being mass produced. Every aspect of the work is done by Mark himself in his workshop from the initial design idea right through to the final polish. Nothing is outsourced. Nothing, other than the raw material, is bought in. Mark lives by his motto “Modern Jewelry - Traditional Dirty Hands.” Mark also paints and sculptures. When not creating art he likes to build and ride custom motorcycles and simply to "have a good time." Bolt London are a gallery and custom bike showroom based in Hackney curated by Andrew Almond. http://www.boltlondon.com/