3 moto gear shops in London. How do these popular moto gear shops rate when it comes to riding gear, and female riding gear, in particular?
Let’s see how these shops rate gear-wise, and the general vibe for a female shopper.
Moto Gear Shops – London
1: The Bike Shed
The Bike Shed is an iconic motorcycle venue in Shoreditch, London with a cool retro theme. It is more than just a bike gear shop, it’s an entire moto-community-focused venue, that hosts moto events, has a cafe and restaurant, ample covered parking, a barber shop and a quality gear shop. The Bike Shed tends to stock a higher-end range of motorcycle clothing with a price tag to match. Everything is nicely laid out and visually appealing. The staff were friendly and helpful but also left me to have a quiet look around, which I liked.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of Bike Shed’s key offerings:
The Shop
The retail section features premium motorcycle gear, apparel, and lifestyle accessories. Their female gear section, as with most motorcycle shops, is limited to one section. However, the gear on offer is top-notch, such as MotoGirl, Revit, Pando Moto, etc.
Additional Aspects Offered:
Bike Shed also has a café and bar serving meals, snacks, coffee, cocktails, and spirits. Additionally, there is also a boutique barbershop offering haircuts and grooming. They offer a membership program which includes access to private lounges, exclusive events, and community perks. Regular events like art exhibits, live music, and motorcycle showcases create a vibrant hub for enthusiasts and creatives. Visit their site for more details: Bike Shed Moto.
My Experience
Before flying from Thailand to London, I emailed the Bike Shed to check if they had certain items in stock and received a prompt and helpful response.
When I arrived at the Bike Shed I was treated great by the staff. I didn’t feel patronised as a female rider and the staff (two male staff members) were helpful and cooperative. It was a relief to feel heard. Very appreciated!
What I Bought
Initially, I had thought about buying Motogirl leggings because they had rave reviews. Kevlar lined and form-fitting. After trying them on I sadly realised that they were too hot for tropical climate riding. A few of my female friends in Thailand have also been curious about these leggings as well, so I had to let them know this disappointing news. The leggings are great though.
I was also interested in the lightweight Knox jacket but the Bike Shed, but felt it was not protective enough and couldn’t justify the cost.
I tried on several items and bought a pair of Pando Moto Kusari Black Jeans. These are Kevlar lined and have pockets for hip and knee protectors.
I also bought an MX T-shirt.
2: Urban Rider
Urban Rider is a small, high-end quality gear shop (The Bike Shed stocks many of their products), on the New Kings Road in Fulham.
The Shop
The store was quite a bit smaller than I had anticipated, given their online stock, and sadly there were very few lady rider items. Mostly heavy gear with a retro flare.
My Experience
To be honest, it wasn’t such a great experience. A stark contrast to the Bike Shed experience. As soon as I entered the shop the staff member seemed not so friendly and when I asked where the ladies’ gear items were he pointed over to the rack, without assisting much. Maybe I caught him on a bad day, but it would have been nice to have had a better experience.
What I Bought
Given how dismal the ladies’ gear options were, I decided to buy a Knox back protector and some Rokker hip protectors, purely because I needed them and I wasn’t sure if I could find them anywhere else. I honestly would have preferred to have spent my money elsewhere, though.
3: Infinity Motorcycles
Infinity motorcycles is a more budget-friendly store, which has several outlets. I visited their Great Portland Street store, and I was hoping to find some great-priced items.
The Shop
The shop in Great Portland Street is fairly small but has two levels. The upper level was mainly helmets and accessories with clothing located in the lower level. (I also used to live in this area prior to moving to Thailand 13 years ago, so was a little strange to be back there and brought back memories)
This shop had a decent enough range of women’s gear, with all the main popular brands available (motogirl leggings, etc). The prices were friendlier than The Bike Shed and Urban Rider, but not as many high-end cool items.
My Experience
The staff were courteous. They asked me if I needed any assistance and when I said I was just looking, they left me to browse.
What I Bought
In the end, I bought just a couple of small Rok straps, as I specifically needed some smaller straps for my tool bags attached to my bike. I am happy with them. These straps are as good as straps get!
Summary
Items in Detail
Conclusion:
In truth, I was sad to see that there were not more gear options for women but unsurprised. Women rider-specific gear, although still limited in options, is certainly improving. From a comfortable customer service point of view, the Bike Shed wins. I felt taken seriously as a rider and was treated with consideration. It was a great experience. The only downside is that you are paying a premium on gear at the Bike Shed – but the gear is top-notch!
My Key Gear Items
Full List of my Motorcycle Gear Items:
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3 Comments
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Great article, and you were correct in your analysis of the type of product stocked for use in Thailand. Too heavy, uncomfortable and sold for “protection”, not good design. Next time try to take a look at http://motolegends.com.. about 45 kms south west of the capital
Best & Cordially
Hi Derek. Thank you for the comment.
I do get the feeling that there are better selections outside of the capital in general, and Motolegends looks like a great shop to check out. Thanks for the recommendation.
I had such a short time (with commitments in central London) that getting out to view other places wasn’t really possible.
Maybe I will get an opportunity next time as would like to see this store.
As you also mentioned though, the UK range in general just isn’t suitable for the Thailand market. However boots and gloves and general accessories (and armour etc), is still much better value than Thailand. So great for those items.
A new helmet is on the horizon and needing to be replaced soon, but I love my Shoei so much that it’s hard to say goodbye to it. Plus the cost of replacing gear certainly mounts up! >.< Appreciate the feedback. My best!
“I imagine Australia having more hot weather gear options, but unsure if they have a decent range for women or not.”
As with the general industry, women’s options are still a smaller percentage of general, but Australia’s bike clothing selection is pretty fantastic, even for ladies. I’d suggest Gold Coast/Brisbane and Sydney (blergh) for shopping around.
Australia has seen a huge uptick in women coming to motorcycles, which is so awesome! I really wish the market would provide equal stocking for women, but as you say it is getting better.
As always, great write up!