Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Aero Cafe Racer plain back

beaprepp

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Germany
Ok,
I will buy a Cafe Racer.
Do you guys think adding handwarmerpocket would be an better choice than pockets with zippers?
I have heared that pockets with zippers are hurting the hands.
Has a REAL Cafe Racer just breastpockets?
 

QTime

New in Town
Messages
22
Location
Munich
Hey there,

I think the Cafe Racer is a much better choice, especially for a younger guy which doesn´t seem too bulky at all.

With "plain back" you mean that there ist no bi-swing, or? Because the back of a Cafe Racer isn´t plain like e.g. the back of an HG5.

Nevertheless, I own a Cafe Racer myself and really like it. I might shoot 1-2 pictures soon and will be posting them right away.

Concerning the pockets my advice is as follows: If you drive a bike, you can go with the zippers at the handwarmer pockets. If you just use the jacket then go without. Mine does have the zippers and although I can cope with them, I don´t like them at all. They sure will scratch, maybe place scratches on your watch and so on. But yes, i´d take handwarmerpockets.

When will your jacket be made?


Simon.
 

captaincaveman1

A-List Customer
Messages
361
Location
--------------------------------
I've owned my fair share of cafe racer style jackets. Prefer to stick my hands in my pant pockets versus in the "handwarmer" pockets because the zippers can do a number on your hands/wrists if you actually keep your hands in them. No, I use those zipper pockets to securely hold my phone/keys/etc... instead.

If you ride a bike of course you'll want to keep the zippers unless you don't mind dropping your brand new cell phone at 70 mph and then circling back on the freeway and searching the shoulder w/ your riding buddies for your $$$ phone only to discover it shattered into a thousand little plastic shards. :(
 

beaprepp

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Germany
Prefer to stick my hands in my pant pockets
Thats true. If a wear a blazer (what I normaly), I put my hands in my pants pockets, too.
Because there are no pockets;-)

So, it`s just a question of style.
Four or two pockets (with Zippers?) what do you think?
I read somewhere, that the two breastpockets style is the original. Is that true?
 

QTime

New in Town
Messages
22
Location
Munich
Well, I wouldn´t actually think about what the original style is and what isn´t. I would only go by my own taste and see what fits me best.

So in this case of course the zipped breastpockets are typical for the Cafe Racer I guess, but still it´s no problem to order this jacket without.

I personally would order the jacket with breastpockets just because I like them, though I´am not using them as much as I could do. But it´s all a matter of your own taste. E.g. I got a Long Half Belt which normally comes with just one breastpocket. I ordered mine without this pocket because I prefered the cleaner look and still do.

So just do what you like. It´s your jacket, you will wear it probably the next 30 years and the jacket will be totally awesome, with or without those pockets, zippers, and so on.

Simon.
 
Last edited:

beaprepp

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Germany
Hi QTime,

I agree with that I should go with my own taste, but I like to wear cloth which are close to the original.

At the moment I am thinking about to take the jacket with or without sidepockets.
 

caffeinated

New in Town
Messages
46
Location
Henderson, NV
I plan to order a cafe racer also. I haven't decided if I will have handwarmer pockets or not. If I do, zippers are a must because I plan to ride in this jacket.

But I am pretty set on a "slash" type breast pocket, only one and on the right side of the jacket. The same type of pocket found on the Route 66. My reason being that an angled pocket will be easier to get my hand into. I think a single slash pocket would look cool, but I don't think I would like two. Still on the drawing board though.
 

Aether

One of the Regulars
Messages
293
Location
Surrey, UK
Caffeinated,

It's been mentioned on here a few times, but I'd specify the depth of the chest pocket if you plan on using it. The pocket on my halfbelt is really deep and fairly narrow so it's not that useable, you could maybe put a couple of Churchill cigars in it...
 

caffeinated

New in Town
Messages
46
Location
Henderson, NV
Caffeinated,

It's been mentioned on here a few times, but I'd specify the depth of the chest pocket if you plan on using it. The pocket on my halfbelt is really deep and fairly narrow so it's not that useable, you could maybe put a couple of Churchill cigars in it...

I'll keep that in mind when I order. Would hate to have to stick my arm in up to the elbow to get my Ipod out. lol
 
Last edited:

beaprepp

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Germany
So, Friday is order day.
Thanks for all the help so far.

We have talked so mutch about the design of the jacket, that I forgot an importend question.
I wanted to order the Jacket in HQHH, just because thats what Aero is famous for.
After a lot of reading I have found out, that they make a lot of different horsehides.

FQHH
HH
Italien HH
and Vintage black

I have seen a lot of black HQHH which are getting brown with age.

I am looking for a leather which looks after a couple of years more grey like this
http://www.jcrew.com/browse/multi_p...T<>prd_id=845524441810497&bmUID=1294223499830

What would be the right choice for me?

Just to remember, I don`t ride a bike, so a really heavy jacket is not a must for me.
 

QTime

New in Town
Messages
22
Location
Munich
Depends on when you want to wear the jacket. If you want to get most use out of the jacket I would go with FQHH black vintage - which by the way, would come closest to the color you can see at jcrew.

If you want to use jacket in summer I´d pick HH black vintage. Though black is the only color in which I´d pick the vintage. Brown, cordovan and cherry I prefer in non-vintage. Don´t buy that italian stuff - thats not comparable with good old chrome tanned horsehide.
 

beaprepp

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Germany
I want to wear the Jacket in my freetime, trough the whole year.
Of couse I have other Jackts and will continiue to wear them, as well.

This would be my firts leather Jacket, if I love to wear leather I will go for another one in autumn. A brown Cafe Racer with black watch tartan, for the colder days.

Where can I see pics of the Vintage Black?

I really like the look of the J.Crew Jacket, but I dont like to wear things in a used look. I like to create patina by myself.

What`s about with the HH?
I have heard that the leather ages not very nicly because it`s paintet (lackiert?)
 

Dav

One Too Many
Messages
1,706
Location
Somerset, England
Here's a couple of photos of a vintage black FQHH Highwayman, I think from a member of the Lounge.
Highwaymanblk15long1.jpg

Highwaymanblk15long4.jpg
 

beaprepp

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Germany
Thats a good idea, I will call them tomorrow, for a couple of samples.

The leather on the photos seem to be not my taste, but the foto quality could be the reason for that.

The member Gancho has a Cafe Racer in vintage black, but unfortunally I can`t see the pics.

Although I call them tomorrow I would be glad about getting more informations and pics
 

GriffDeLaGriff

One Too Many
Messages
1,203
Location
Sweden
I really do not think the Aero black will loose that much color.
I dont have any black Aero, but I havent seen a single picture on the net on a black Aero that has
lost its color to that degree. The most I have seen is a little shade lighter only.

You should have loved my old jacket haha.

From what I have seen, this kind of color loss only hapens on cheaper leather
where the color is almost sprayed on, and only sits on the top.
I believe Aeros coloring goes straight through the leather.

However, the leather is extremely nice and its just no way back when you have been there.
Its not an easy lether to wear tho, so the medium weight horse might be an option
although all the charecteristics of the front quarter hide is gone, for good and bad.

I would order samples of the black FQHH and the black medium weight horse.
I dont see any point in the vintage since its only tumbled and you can just roll some
on the floor with the jacket if you want and still get it more broken in to your body. IMHO.
 

GriffDeLaGriff

One Too Many
Messages
1,203
Location
Sweden
I dont like the look of that jacket up there either, but I think the photo isnt showing it right.

Here is some pics of black Aero cafe racers in FQHH:
2966893490_ec2096eefc.jpg

4254cc2b8e3e5431_va887.jpg

130510171456_P1090592.JPG
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,260
Messages
3,077,471
Members
54,183
Latest member
UrbanGraveDave
Top