BSMC Gear Guide #36
By Gareth Roberts - 29 Nov 14

As the temperature plummets and the heavens open, this week's Gear Guide features plenty of stuff to keep you warm, dry, and protected on your bike, with all your lovely stuff nice and safe. Oh, and a great sweatshirt to wind up your R1 riding leather onesy sporting mates.
PRODUCT REVIEW - RED CLOUD COLLECTIVE WAXED CANVAS FITTED WORK PANT
Finally I’ve managed to get my hands on a pair of trousers for the bike that are rain resistant and warm but don’t look like snow boarding pants or plastic bin liners.
These slim fit work pants are designed for durability and water resistance, built from hardy 10.10 oz waxed canvas. They have triple stitched reinforced seams, are double layered on the front of the legs, and riveted on the stress points. They’re fastened with a brass YKK zipper.
They're made to fit and feel good with pockets in all the right places for spanners, screw drivers, pencils, pocket knives, phones, lighters, and everything else you may carry around with you. I would, however, recommend removing them from your pockets before you get on your bike as landing on a screw driver handle can give you more than a dead leg, I know that from bitter experience.
They will protect you through rain, wind and cold weather. I‘ve had mine a few weeks now, and have been caught in the rain a couple of times and they’ve kept me warm and dry. They’re useful when working on the bike as you can stash half your tool kit in them, and they’re oil resistant. They look good, so you can wear them at work and the pub. They’re not lined, but are warmer than a pair of jeans, and with some Kevlar long-Johns underneath, these are a pretty complete pair of trousers for the bike.
The more I wear them, the better they look. A little stiff out of the packet, they losen up quickly, and give good crease lines. These are wipe or brush clean.
Allow two to four weeks for delivery, as each pair is made to order. They’re available in four colours: olive, black, havana, and brush brown.
They’re handcrafted in Portland, Oregon USA by the Red Cloud Collective, a bunch of friends who believe in creating products with an honest approach and practical design.
“All functions and fabrics are considered in creating a lasting life for our products. We are designing for the people who want quality exceeding the standards and needs of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. As a collective of makers and adventurers, each piece is an extension of our lives.”
http://redcloudscollective.com
PRODUCT REVIEW - ALLY CAPELLINO KELVIN WAXED CANVAS RUCKSACK
Usually when fashion brands collide with bike culture they end up creating pale pastiches of a Prius driver's idea of what a biker once wore in the late sixties/early seventies. Stuff that doesn’t keep you warm, dry, or safe, and that resides somewhere between the weird and the useless.
Ally Capellino are a high fashion brand that primarily produce bags. They have a reputation for high quality workmanship, utilizing premium fabrics and (by high fashion standards) reasonable prices.
They have, in the Kelvin, produced in my mind the nearest thing to a perfect backpack for use on the bike. It is a contemporary take on a classic canvas rucksack with a squared flap, front pocket, zip secured side pocket for quick access to your wallet and adjustable padded straps. It’s big enough to get what you need in there, even for a short touring trip. It’s 37cm long, 49cm high, and 17cm thick.
What’s refreshing about this pack is its pared down simplicity. It has only the most basic functional detailing. It is constructed from tough, thick waxed canvas that is water proof. It has concealed press stud fasteners that keep out the wet, and it is closed tight with tough draw strings and thick bridle straps that can be operated with gloves on.