Modern Vespa

I'm about to get a 5.0, the carbone, winter gloves and the lap apron.

Does anyone in the Bay Area use these items reguarly? Have you found them adequate protection against the fog, drizzle, rain, wind and relative cold?

I say relative cold because I'm from Ohio and an SF "winter" just cannot compare

The 5.0 indicates it's water resistant and I'm assuming wind resistant/proof, is this consistent with what other riders have experienced? Is the jacket warm or do you feel you need to layer underneath?

How warm are the Carbone gloves? Do you feel as if you need a glover liner? I'm sure the winter gloves are fine.

How about the lap apron? Looks pretty stylish ... does it keep you warm, dry and keep your pants clean?


Thanks!

I'm a bit farther north in Orgeon, but (minus several inches of rain) the weather isn't that different from SF.
I wear the Corazzo 5.0 jacket and the Corazzo lap apron. I just got the apron a few weeks ago so I haven't tried it in weather below 42f.

The Corazzo jacket is ok for the weather. I'm totally happy all winter if I'm wearing a turtleneck and a cashmere sweater under the jacket, but it does feel a bit chilly with just cotton at around 50f. (But at 50f I'm wearing a sweater anyway, I'm walking outside alot during the day). Even during hard rain, I don't get wet with the jacket on. I do think that the madrin collar is a bit high and assumes a longer neck then I have. So I don't often fasten the collar all the way up.

I love the lap apron!! It's making the weather change so much more pleasant. I feel warm and cozy. And it's WONDERFUL for protecting me from rain and drizzle. No more damp jeans! A little draft swirls around behind my legs around my ankles, but that's it. I have no trouble at stops putting my legs down. I don't think it would work as well at freeway speeds, but up to 45mph it seems great! If I was going faster I'd get a termoscud from tuscano urbano.

South San Francisco can be freezing in august let alone winter time. I have the speedway jacket which does not really do anything below fifty degree weather. I wear a sweater underneath, with scarf(very important) and urbano gloves.

My ride to work has been routinely in the 30s and twice in the 20s. I would think that the 5.0 with a scarf and the winter gloves would be fine. The winter gauntlet gloves would be better because they dont leave a gap around your wrists. all that with a good pair of merino wool socks and you will be ready for anything.

Oh, and the lap apron is for girls. So it may work for you.

The lap apron is for girls? Literally? I thought it was a unisex item. People are already breaking my balls for buying it.

I'm pretty tall, 6'6", and I have to have my 5.0 tailored before it will fit. So for now, my Northface jacket is going to have to work.

Sounds like I'm on the right track.

Zach

The lap apron is for all people who would like to comfortably extend their riding season.

Every person I know that has one swears by them (including me). I have also heard good things about the underhoody, but have not checked it out myself.

I think T. Fletcher may be a ball breaker

My apron will be here tomorrow. Looking forward to using it as the winter starts to kick in to full swing here in the Bay Area. This will be my first winter riding a scooter, so I hope I don't have any issues with slippage.

ZE

Stay away from streetcar tracks, white street paint and MUNI, you will be golden.

My ride isn't too bad. It's mostly a long drive up Mission from Daly City.

Zach

Maybe it's safer to ride up south Van Ness. Seems safer than Mission. Too many moron cagers double parking or not looking out when they swerve into traffic.

Uuugh! They all suck My Mission ride is cake from Geneva to 24th. Once I'm in the Heart of the Mission all the rice cages start zooming and swerving and cutting in traffic just to beat me to the stop light.

Looking foward to a light rain season this year

Zach

depending on where you're coming from, and where you're going, you might find san jose ave a faster route. i lived off westborough for a while. i'd take junipero all the way to john daly, up to mission, then take san jose at the mission/san jose fork. stay on san jo all the way till it becomes guerrero. the stretch between glen park/280 and the beginning of guerrero, in particular, is about a mile or more of uninterrupted hauling ass at 50+ mph.

weatherwise, i rock a $20 slicker courtesy of ace hardware.

Ah, more proof that Ohio manufactures babies for export. (Mentor baby here) Ohio babies are everywhere and always crowing about how easy the winters are (insert current location) compared to where they grew up.

I think wet and cold is wet and cold anywhere. Over here in Modesto my husband is currently wearing lined coveralls from Wal Mart. They unzip up the pant leg and go on and off over his work clothes very well. He claims to be very toasty and he rides freeway speeds 40-50 mile round trip to Manteca daily. He is actually looking for a better glove. The coveralls won't keep him dry, but we decided that this year - keeping dry is what a car is for.

The coveralls don't have armor, his jacket does. According to him the coveralls cost less than a fill up of his car. So a week of wearing them and they were "paid" for.

So far on my short commute I am wearing jeans and layers under Olympia jacket.

I've ridden with a blanket on my lap before during cold weather and it really did cut down on the cold substantially. Dunno if I'd buy a lap apron, but I bet it'd really help to warm one up.

Coming from the top of the Top of the Hill area in Daly City. So Mission is more direct for me, but if San Jose can get me through a little faster a jog off and back on might be called for.

My fellow Ohioans The winters here are much more remarkable than I thought. We threw away most of our sweaters and jackets when we moved here, "Aww how bad can it be? It's not Ohio!" ... big mistake

Cold + wet [here] = cold + wet [everywhere]. It all sucks.

Zach

the only lap apron I reccomend is the scooter skirt that's made locally. Ruben can customize them for you if you need more leg coverage. Corazzo jackets are very popular here, and I must say...I like how warm they are.

My Corazzo Max isn't so hot for the cold, so to speak. I often have to wear a sweater underneath.

When it rains, I have a full set of Tourmaster rain gear. I just wear that over my armor.

having done the mission route before i discovered the san jose route, and since you're coming from top of the hill....i highly suggest taking san jose. it puts you at guerrero and cesar chavez a few minutes faster than mission -> cesar chavez. it's also a far less congested route, and more fun when you come up under the 280 and open it up for a flyin' mile or more.

Heheheh nice. I'm heading to the financial district (Cal @ Sansome) so it's slightly more out of the way to head up San Jose. But if I can make up the time with open lanes then I'll check it out for sure.

As for the apron from Corazzo ... we'll see how it goes I'm 6'6" so if it's not long enough I'll have to send it back.

ZE

guerrero -> 17th (or 24th) -> folsom -> embarcadero -> washington

I take Mission in from Silver to CA/Kearny everyday. Where are all you people? I never see anyone.
I kind of like taking Mission. I liken it to a real life video game and especially more exciting if there's more police activity than usual. I'm not sure how I'm going to like it with rain thrown in to the mix though. Pretty brutal pavement to navigate through as it is.

Mission is a concrete jungle for sure. My biggest fear EVERYDAY is those metal grates over BART. Everytime I ride over those my scooter starts to act squirrely. That won't be good in the rain for sure.

I don't ususally see PoPo activity in the morning, always on the evening commute though.

Z

Yeah, this is definitely the way to go.

I was gonna say, hit Folsom.

5.0 - I've worn mine in the rain for about 30 minutes at most - always stayed bone dry inside, and it dries pretty quickly hanging over a chair.

Gloves - I've got a pair of Corazo gloves, but I don't know which. They're not waterproof, I know that much, and would make my hands very cold even in warm-wet weather.

Lap Apron? Bah. Get a pair of rain pants.

Rode San Jose today to work. I ended up leaving 10 minutes later than usual, got lost and turned around and still managed to get there in the same amount of time.

Looks like when I get the routed down it will definitely be cake.

Thanks for the warning about the merging lanes and the muni tracks. DAMNIT that was scary

Zach

you people are so cute. lap aprons when it gets down to the 20s.

I tried out the lap apron and wasn't really digging it. I just shipped it back to Corazzo.

For now I'm going to use my Musto sailing pants. They are super water resistant and breathable.

Z

I've got the Tucano Urbano skirt & it rules! I love the fact that I no longer have to wear rain pants & can wait awhile longer before I start wearing long underwear. It also looks pretty damn cool on my black scooter. Girly or not, I love it

you know where you took a wrong turn or something? the first freeway underpass at the chevron station is a bit confusing the first time around.

That was it! I turned up Alemany. Thank God for Google Maps on my iPhone so I could check out the route a little closer.

sometimes i wondered whether alemany was actually a better route for that leg, as i believe you can turn left from it onto santa rosa, which puts you right at the beginning of the flyin' mile stretch.

Maybe I'll try that tomorrow ...

ZE