The monsoon and your gear
Riding through July and August in Himachal: how to stay dry, see clearly and keep gear from rotting.
Your first fitting at Sector 17
What happens in a 45-minute fitting, what to bring, and why we sometimes send people home without buying.
A fitting at our store is free and takes about forty-five minutes. Most riders book one before their first long trip, or when they want helmet, jacket and boots to work together. Here is what to expect.
We start by asking about your riding: the bike, the routes, the season and how long you are usually in the saddle. Someone riding to Leh in August needs different gear from someone riding to Ludhiana every weekend.
The helmet comes first, because it is the hardest to get right. We measure your head, look at its shape, and try two or three helmets on you, with the strap fastened, for at least ten minutes each. Then the jacket, worn with the liners in and out, sitting on a bike on our stand so that the sleeves and back length are checked in a riding position. Boots last, with your riding socks.
Bring the clothes you usually ride in, your riding socks, and your bike if you want luggage fitted. Bring your current helmet too; it helps us see what has and has not worked.
Sometimes the right answer is to wait. If nothing in stock fits your head, we will order a size and call you, rather than sell the closest one. About one rider in ten leaves a fitting without buying, and many of them come back when the right size arrives.
