Kinda fed up - Gyde heated products

[bikerdrumr]

So I just saw that Cycle Gear had a clearance sale on the Gyde gloves: $99. So I just picked up a pair and rode yesterday. I was laughing to myself though because the finger tip of the ring finger in my new right glove didn't have heat.

 

[kendoo]

Can you do a brief comparison Ken? Despite riding through the 30's, I've never needed heated clothing due to the 'art of layering', but admit to wondering about it from time to time. This Hotwired jacket (Revzilla, Cycle gear) looks like an affordable stab at it for occasional use if the quality is ok.
I like the idea of no separate controller as well.

All things equal, I'd take the Gerbing jacket. There just seems to be more to it. It's thicker and seems to be a little better made. But I've had to return my fair share of Gerbing products..jacket 2X, gloves 3X, socks 1X. I bought the Hotwired jacket, pant liners, insoles and gloves on sale. Don't recall what I paid but I did end up returning the gloves a few weeks later because I couldn't deal with the loss of dexterity. I really like the idea of having the controller built into the gloves. Hopefully they will redesign the gloves some day and make them a little thinner. Since all things are not equal (price and warranty), I highly recommend the hotwired stuff.

 

[Buckeye Rich]

If you have an 'old' style Gerbing jacket, one of the plugs is for the liner, the other is for pants. I went into my liner and fixed the wiring so the gloves would be on a separate circuit.

I'd love to know how you did this? I have an older Gerbings and it still works great. However, if I want the gloves controlled separately, I have to use an additional "y-cable". Was it hard to do? Any insight?

Thanks!

 

[Whisperquiet]

I have been using Warm n Safe dual controllers for a long time and a Warm n Safe jacket liner for five years. I had several Gerbings jacket liners through various periods of the Gerbings ownership cycle------had to send the liner and Gerbings gloves back for repair quite a few times. The service and turnaround time was great when Gordon Gerbing owned the company, but sucked after the business changed hands. I currently have a pair of Gyde T5 gloves that I have used for two winters with no problems...my older Gerbings gloves still work, but are not as hot as the new Gydes which were purchased as closeout from someone on EBay.

FYI.....the owner of Warm n Safe (Mike Coan) gives a discount on his products if you are a STOC or AMA member.
[FONT=&quot]Warm & Safe Heated Gear[/FONT]
Warm & Safe Heated Gear lets you start earlier and ride later. Heated clothing and controllers designed by bikers. Since the company owners are bikers, they understand the need to stay warm without bulk. To encourage others to join the AMA we offer to members an 18 percent discount on all product categories other than Outlet Store or Trade Ups. Enter [FONT=&quot] at check out to receive your discount.[/FONT]

 

[JimGregory]

All things equal, I'd take the Gerbing jacket. There just seems to be more to it. It's thicker and seems to be a little better made. But I've had to return my fair share of Gerbing products..jacket 2X, gloves 3X, socks 1X. I bought the Hotwired jacket, pant liners, insoles and gloves on sale. Don't recall what I paid but I did end up returning the gloves a few weeks later because I couldn't deal with the loss of dexterity. I really like the idea of having the controller built into the gloves. Hopefully they will redesign the gloves some day and make them a little thinner. Since all things are not equal (price and warranty), I highly recommend the hotwired stuff.

Wondering what gloves you use with the hotwired jacket liner. How are the controlled etc? The hotwired gloves DO eventually break in, but it tales a very long time. They are great though for my girl on the back of the bike. They don't need to break in, just be warm. And they are warm.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I'd love to know how you did this? I have an older Gerbings and it still works great. However, if I want the gloves controlled separately, I have to use an additional "y-cable". Was it hard to do? Any insight?Thanks!

Rich - The wiring inside the old Gerbing jackets is what I would call 'lamp cord' - just twisted two wire. If you look at the inside of the jacket near the bottom, you will see a vertical seam (on one side or the other) that has been whip stitched (over the top instead of from beneath). You get a seam ripper and carefully pick the stitches apart which gives you access to the 'innards'. You trace the wires from the glove connections (you can do this by feeling of them) and you will find they all connect to one of the input connectors (mine has two coax ones). In the older jackets, one of the external connectors went to a pants connector and the other one the jacket/gloves connector. You have to 'desolder' the glove connector and solder the glove wires to other coax input. You may have to add some wire for the glove connector inside the jacket so the glove circuit is not so short. I use regular heat shrink tubing to insulate the new 'joints' after I solder them. It's handy if you have some 'extra' Gerbing harnesses laying around for the wire, etc. I've replaced the glove connectors on one jacket when they failed with the ones from an original glove harness (actually sturdier connections). On the 'new' used jacket I got, I replaced the SAE jacket connectors with coax connectors since all my controllers are coax. You just have to pay attention and be careful with the soldering iron! ;-)

 

[kendoo]

Wondering what gloves you use with the hotwired jacket liner. How are the controlled etc? The hotwired gloves DO eventually break in, but it tales a very long time. They are great though for my girl on the back of the bike. They don't need to break in, just be warm. And they are warm.

I use Gerbing T5's with the Hotwired jacket. Good point about the gloves being good for a passenger.

 

[amorley]

I have two sets of Warm n's Safe Gen 4 jackets and their Touring gloves with the second generation remote controller. Works flawlessly all the time.

 

[Buckeye Rich]

Rich - The wiring inside the old Gerbing jackets is what I would call 'lamp cord' - just twisted two wire. If you look at the inside of the jacket near the bottom, you will see a vertical seam (on one side or the other) that has been whip stitched (over the top instead of from beneath). You get a seam ripper and carefully pick the stitches apart which gives you access to the 'innards'. You trace the wires from the glove connections (you can do this by feeling of them) and you will find they all connect to one of the input connectors (mine has two coax ones). In the older jackets, one of the external connectors went to a pants connector and the other one the jacket/gloves connector. You have to 'desolder' the glove connector and solder the glove wires to other coax input. You may have to add some wire for the glove connector inside the jacket so the glove circuit is not so short. I use regular heat shrink tubing to insulate the new 'joints' after I solder them. It's handy if you have some 'extra' Gerbing harnesses laying around for the wire, etc. I've replaced the glove connectors on one jacket when they failed with the ones from an original glove harness (actually sturdier connections). On the 'new' used jacket I got, I replaced the SAE jacket connectors with coax connectors since all my controllers are coax. You just have to pay attention and be careful with the soldering iron! ;-)

Thanks Uncle Phil!!! I'll give it a shot.

 

[ST Gui]

Ok for clarity you guys who're (LOL) having problems with Gerbing gear— is this Old Gerbing (as noted in one post) or Glyde/Gerbing?

I'm looking for a HJL and it'll be between Gordon/Gerbing (newest!) and WnS. I'm completely unfamiliar with T5/T7 nomenclature. I'm aware that nothing lasts forever but I'd like to give Gordon/Gerbing some business if I can. And I'm aware that Gerbing isn't part of the Gordon business name.

 

[Uncle Phil]

T5 is a version of the Gerbing heated glove produced somewhere along the transition. Don't know if it was by Gerbing(2) company or Gerbing(3) company or Gerbing(X) company... ;-) It was know as the 'microwire' version like their jacket liners.