Page 37 - Lady Rider June.cdr
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“Looks the part, but functionally worthless in a

                        real crash. Avoid at all costs.” “



   First  up,  the  full-face  helmet.          ·  “Armor” was flimsy sponge,
   Advertised  as  DOT  and  ECE                   not CE-rated.
   certified,  it  featured  aggressive
                                                ·  Stitching  frayed  after  three
   sportbike  styling,  integrated  visor,         rides.
   and ventilation claims.
                                                ·  Zippers failed after a week.
   Reality Check:
                                            Even  light  abrasion  testing  with
      ·   No  traceable  DOT  or  ECE       coarse grit sandpaper showed the
          homologation codes.
                                            fabric  tore  easily—suggesting  it
      ·   Padding  was  thin,  non-         wouldn't last seconds in a slide.
          removable,  and  smelled          Verdict:  Better  than  riding  in  a
          strongly of glue.
                                            hoodie,  but  miles  behind  even
      ·   The shell flexed disturbingly      entry-level  gear  from  reputable
          under  moderate  hand             brands.                                  (marketed  as  CE-rated)  and  fit
          pressure.                                                                  better than expected.
   We took it to a third-party lab with                                              Pros:
   experience in impact testing. While                                                   ·  Denim  blend  thicker  than
   not  a  full  formal  certification  test,                                                fast fashion.
   simulated  impacts  using  industry-
                                                                                         ·  Pad  pockets  correctly
   standard  drop  protocols  revealed
   the  helmet  failed  to  adequately                                                      placed.
   disperse force.                                                                       ·  Padding  tested  better  than
                                                                                            jacket inserts.
   Verdict:  Looks  the  part,  but
   functionally  worthless  in  a  real                                              Cons:
                                                                                         ·
   crash. Avoid at all costs.                                                               CE rating on pads couldn't
                                                                                            be independently verified.
                                                                                         ·  Pads  moved  easily  out  of
                                                                                            place.
                                            Gloves:  Near-Disposable                     ·  Material  still  wore  through
                                            Quality                                         quickly in slide tests.
                                            At  $8.99,  expectations  were           Verdict: Better than casual jeans,
                                            low—and  for  good  reason.  The         but  not  a  substitute  for  armored
                                            gloves  looked  like  fingerless  gym     pants  with  slide-resistant  fabrics
                                            gloves  stretched  into  something       like Kevlar or Cordura.
                                            vaguely moto-themed.
                                            Issues:
                                                ·  No knuckle protection.

   The  Jacket:  Looks  Cool,  Feels            ·  Synthetic  leather  palms
   Cheap                                           wore  through  after  a
   Temu's  armored  textile  jacket                weekend of city riding.
   looked  promising  at  first  glance:         ·  Velcro  failed  after  three
   mesh  panels,  foam  padding  at                uses.
   shoulders/elbows,  zip-out  liner,       Verdict:  Almost  zero  protection.
   and bold “protection” branding.
                                            Not recommended even for scooter
   The Good:                                use.
      ·   Fit was surprisingly decent.
                                            Pants: Surprising Performance
      ·   Good  airflow  for  warm
          weather.                          The  jeans  were  one  of  the  few      Boots: Style Over Substance
                                            bright  spots.  They  came  with         The  faux-leather  boots  looked
   The Bad:
                                            removable  knee  and  hip  pads          decent—until we rode in them.

     Lady Rider Magazine                                                    37                                                                           June 2025
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