Clothing hints for Spain.

I have Rev'it Airwave 2 pants for warm weather riding (even in Ireland) and I have a Rev'it Chronos mesh jacket that comes with a stand alone Goretex jacket. In Spain I don't bother with the waterproof layer under or over the mesh.......if you get caught in rain and it's not cold, you dry out fairly quick as soon as the rain stops.
 
I'm doing a three day ride in Southern Spain (Malaga, Ronda etc) end of April, start May. First time I've done this. I was gonna wear my Atlantis 4 trousers & BM Comfortshell jacket.

Will I boil in those trousers?

Should I invest in a pair textile trousers or maybe some single layer bike jeans?

If it's gonna be in the 20's and it probably will..............Mesh (choose your own price range/level of protection)
 
I find, with a mesh, that it's useful to have the waterproof liner to hand (top part). It may sound counterproductive but there is a temperature range, which is different for each of us, where the windchill becomes just uncomfortable enough if it continues for long. Also, you may go through different altitudes. So, for instance, I could begin in Valencia where it's warm enough not to need it but once on the Plains in, say Teruel, the temperature has dropped just enough to make the airflow chill you a bit. It just does enough to keep the wind off.

So, for me - and I hasten to add that this is what I am used to rather than experimentation with other fabrics and suits - ANything below 20 degrees I will wear the waterproof liner which will be kept cool against my wicking layer but it will keep the wind off enough not to chill my bones. Once the temp climbs above about 24, then it does need to come off, especially when I stop (but there again, so does the jacket).

This will almost never happen Jun - Sep anywhere in Spain (possible exception of the Pyrennees and Asturias), of course, but April, for instance, I have been given one or two shocks as I climbed. Likewise October.

Good point someone touched on earlier. With a mesh suit you really do need to stay hydrated because you are effectively being air-dried as you go along. It may be quite some time before you realise that you are dehydrated and the first sign is usually a splitting headache which takes as long to go as it does to come on. Camelback is a good thing if you're doing a long day on the Plains.

Ride safe, all.
 
I ride all year round in Southern Andalucía, this is all I have, and it’s covers all my needs. Mesh jacket, mesh trousers, a pair of tights, a fleece jacket ( full length zip) that keeps me warm enough for down here in winter, I just add an oversized waterproof jacket ( full zip) oversized waterproof trousers, they keep me dry enough, and at a fraction of the price of waterproof liners, and roll up to next to nothing. Now for the 95% of the riding down here from May till October, mesh trousers, mesh jacket, socks, under pants, and a Rohan or similar tee shirt. The temperature peaks around 3/4 o’clock time. If it’s Summer time, try and start early and finish early, and always carry a bottle of water.

It fabulous riding country down here, enjoy.:beerjug:
 
On my Picos, Pyrenees trip last year (Sept) I bought an RST mesh jacket with waterproof liner.
The liner I used for the early morning starts but then removed as it warmed up. In my opinion it’s exceptional value for money for a quality piece of kit.
 
Will somebody start a thread on clothing to wear when it’s hot in Italy and another for France?

PS When you are wearing mesh clothing and it drops cooler (or even colder) than you expected. Put something over (or under) it. It’s not a difficult concept to grasp. In extremis, a bin liner or newspaper will do.
 
There’s a world of advice out there, much of it delivered by those you wouldn’t want to sit next to on a bus:

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when in Spain I like to wear a sombrero, I feel it makes me blend into my surroundings....

can you guess where I'm going on my hols this year...
 

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where's troon....? (actually where's your post gone Wapping)

I was aiming for an italien look, hang on will give it another go... (obviously I'm going to italy)

well I didn't know where troon was... this would be suitable for troon...

this could be an ace dragons den idea, supplying holiday makers clothes so the blend into their destination.... genius....
 

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Will somebody start a thread on clothing to wear when it’s hot in Italy and another for France?

PS When you are wearing mesh clothing and it drops cooler (or even colder) than you expected. Put something over (or under) it. It’s not a difficult concept to grasp. In extremis, a bin liner or newspaper will do.

I'll be honoured to oblige you:

When it gets over 20ºC in Italy (France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, etc., etc.) take the jacket off and tie it on to your awesome steed then continue riding in a thin polyester top. You'll stay cool, hydrated and get a great arm tan at the same time.
It always works for me!
 

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Revit Eclipse mesh jacket, BMW Summer 3s and a set of Dainese Antrax jacket & trousers & a pair of Forma low Adventure boots is my set up now for touring in hot summer climate.

3 micro fibre tee shirts from Mountain Warehouse that compress to next to nothing, 3 pairs of micro fibre undies that do the same, 3 pairs of bamboo socks that don't get stinky. 2 pair of trainer socks, a Montane Prism jacket that again compresses well down, a tee shirt for the evening and a pair of trainers & a thin fleece top. Same gear for 3 weeks or 3 days.
 
where's troon....? (actually where's your post gone Wapping)

I was aiming for an italien look, hang on will give it another go... (obviously I'm going to italy)

well I didn't know where troon was... this would be suitable for troon...

this could be an ace dragons den idea, supplying holiday makers clothes so the blend into their destination.... genius....

Troon's just doon the coast from where I am at the moment!
 
When it gets over 20ºC in Italy (France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, etc., etc.) take the jacket off and tie it on to your awesome steed then continue riding in a thin polyester top. You'll stay cool, hydrated and get a great arm tan at the same time.
It always works for me!



Way to go, bro!
 
"Use and Lose" - this was my favoured option for last year's 15 day jaunt to Spain. Old and scruffy socks, pants and t-shirts saved up over the year, discarded after use on the bike, cheapo replacements to be bought in Spain. What surprised me was the price of clothes in Spain; I think we've got spoilt by Tescos and the like selling really cheap clothes. When I had run out, a trip into Vic (a town, not a person) turned into a bit of a mission to find cheap clothes. At one point I thought I was going to have to pay 50 Euros for three pairs of boxers. Now I'm sure they were brilliant quality and, as explained by the shop assistant, something of a bargain as they were 20 Euros for just one pair. T-shirts were at least 15 Euros each, even at the supermarket.

Eventually common sense took over and we found a Poundland shop that sold skiddies for 2 Euros a pair and t-shirts for 3 Euros. Not great quality, but did the job.

Bike Kit - When I first went touring in Europe (1985, 19 yrs old, Yamaha XS400 DOHC) it involved taking the only bike kit I had, that also covered four-season riding in at home. I don't recall enjoying the tour any less, though we did get thoroughly soaked in rain riding down to Spain through France. So I do wonder if we sometimes make this more of a challenge than in needs to be. In 2000 I went on a tour with friends through Luxembourg and Germany where it was very hot, and rode in full two-piece leathers. It was hot, but we survived... So I think the lesson is that if you can afford the "right" kit, go for it. But if not, it's hardly a game-stopper.

For the last few years, the challenge of kit for June in Spain had been (a) variable weather in Spain and (b) the weather challenges on the way there, both in the UK and in France. In France you can be fairly sure it won't be properly cold, but in Spain last year the temperature in places in the North West was below 10 degrees and very wet. A few days later in Catalunya and it was a dependable 30 degrees and sunny.

So my preferred kit was:

  • a Hein Gericke mesh jacket and trousers combo
  • a very lightweight windproof and showerproof jacket liner that fits in a jacket pocket and is very quick and easy to put on. Ideal if it starts to get a bit chilly.
  • a nylon liner from an Olympia jacket (long since thrown away) that is both warm and waterproof though not breathable
  • a pair of waterproof over trousers to keep legs dry and warm if necessary
  • two pairs of gloves - one very lightweight leather, one waterproof and warm
  • wicking two piece underwear from Lidl (cheap but very effective, helping stay cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold)

That seemed to cover most eventualities.

The most important advice I would offer up is this: If you're considering whether it might be time to stop and put waterproof kit on, ALWAYS DO IT! You might waste five minutes putting it on and taking it off later when the sky has magically cleared, but if you don't put it on and it pisses down for even two minutes, you'll be cold and wet for at least a couple of hours and maybe the rest of the day.
 
The above post made me question how much kit I currently have in use. Here goes...

BMW Tourance jacket and trousers (Goretex)
HG mesh summer jacket and trousers
HG yellow winter jacket and trousers (faux Goretex)
HG black two-piece leathers
HG Tuareg textile jacket and trousers (with removable Goretex linings)
Spada two piece textile suit (faux Goretex)
Lidl two piece textile suit (faux Goretex)
Aerostich Roadcrafter (Goretex)
Klim denim riding jeans
Richa textile jacket
Richa leather trousers

BMW Touring boots (Goretex)
Daytona GTX winter boots (Goretext)
HG short boots (Goretex)
Held short boots
Army surplus winter boots (Goretex)
Army surplus desert boots (brilliant in summer)
Alt-berg boots (Goretex)


HG textile 'lobster' gloves
Dainese textile winter gloves
HG lightweight summer gloves
BMW GS Dry gloves
Lidl winter gloves
Two or three other pairs of textile gloves

Schubeth C3 Pro
Caberg flip-up
BMW System 5
Lidl flip-up

Assuming I rode a bike every day and changed at least one item of biking kit every day, I could not repeat an exact combination for nearly five years. If I did a 'mix and match' between jacket and trouser combinations, that would increase to 33 years! I'd be 87 if I started that today. (Lots of it has removable linings but if I included lining variations it'd start getting silly.)

Bike kit manufacturers and vendors have obviously got rich from people like me buying far more kit than we really need, but there's nothing I don't wear relatively regularly, or that fulfils a particular 'need' of some sort. Some of it has been bought second hand (and all of the BMW kit has been bought in sales as it's great quality kit but still overpriced in my view).
 


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