Brooks Gold Label Cafe

[veesixty]

Hope you all don't mind me butting in
Firstly I guess I should say hi, so hi!

Found this thread as I've had a desire for a vintage leather cafe for some time now. I ride a couple bikes and have had utilitarian leathers in the past but never anything with the nice warm aged feeling that some of the beautiful examples in this thread and elsewhere on this find of a site have.
Further to this I bought this


Plan is wear it sunny days on my older bike when just cruising, no heroics like, wouldn't want to call afoul of the lack of CE armour.
What do you guys reckon? I'm sure some of the folk from this site of the pond might recognise the seller from the pic ha!

Lastly a quick question which I'm sure your all bored to death with but how best to treat the leather on these old jackets?

Anywho, sorry for the rambling post and thanks for the advice and welcomes in advance

 

[ProteinNerd]

Hi,
Does anyone have a gold label Brooks in a size 44? If so, could you post the chest and shoulder measurements please. Trying to nail down which size I would need. Thanks

 

[Edward]

I agree but my zipper is about an inch higher than that. Maybe I just need some jeans with a higher rise or it may not even be noticeable with my shirt untucked.

Higher rise is the answer. You'll instantly find them more comfortable too.... my sole warning on this front: it ruins you for the discomfrot of modern, low waists.

Hope you all don't mind me butting in
Firstly I guess I should say hi, so hi!

Found this thread as I've had a desire for a vintage leather cafe for some time now. I ride a couple bikes and have had utilitarian leathers in the past but never anything with the nice warm aged feeling that some of the beautiful examples in this thread and elsewhere on this find of a site have.
Further to this I bought this


Plan is wear it sunny days on my older bike when just cruising, no heroics like, wouldn't want to call afoul of the lack of CE armour.
What do you guys reckon? I'm sure some of the folk from this site of the pond might recognise the seller from the pic ha!

Lastly a quick question which I'm sure your all bored to death with but how best to treat the leather on these old jackets?

Anywho, sorry for the rambling post and thanks for the advice and welcomes in advance

It would certainly look cool on an old bike; whether you're comfortable without CE armouring for riding on the road is personal choice. If the leather's decent and reasonably thick, it's as good as modern for abraision resistsnce in the event of a spill; the CE armour's real purpose is to lessen the impact effect of hitting the ground, so. As with everything else to do with getting on a motorcycle on a public road, it's all about knowing what the risks are and making an informed choice.

As far as treatment of the leather goes, the crew here will largely recommend Pecards Leather Dressing (it's sold in several labels, for furniture, jackets, boots.... but they're all the same thing). Only for dried out leather, though - if it's not in danger of damage due to being dried out, I wouldn't worry about it.

The basic issues seem to be that, the volume of parcel traffic is so high, and prices (and wages) are so low, there is little or no time, or inclination, to offer what we would like to imagine is a proper service. If tracked stuff goes missing, eBay rarely seems to investigate, they just pay out the seller and buyer, and close the case.

Totally. Number one rule of consumer-facing businesses: treat your staff like doodoo, then there's no motivation for them to treat the customer any differently....

 

[Grayland]

Hi,
Does anyone have a gold label Brooks in a size 44? If so, could you post the chest and shoulder measurements please. Trying to nail down which size I would need. Thanks

I'm a 40 and have a size 42 Gold Label Brooks. I could you measurements for that if it would help at all. I think Seb has a size 44.

 

[ProteinNerd]

I'm a 40 and have a size 42 Gold Label Brooks. I could you measurements for that if it would help at all. I think Seb has a size 44.

That would be great. How do they fit? I've heard the run small for their tagged size?

 

[Grayland]

That would be great. How do they fit? I've heard the run small for their tagged size?

22.5 Pit to Pit, 18.5 Shoulder. I'm surprised it measured that big pit to pit. While it isn't Thurston Brothers tight, it fits pretty slim in the shoulders and at the bottom of the jacket. I have a bit of a sprinters behind and if were any slimmer at the bottom, it wouldn't work for me. The good part is that the zipper starts 4-inches up from the bottom.
It doesn't feature the high armholes and slim sleeves of some of the Aero/Himel models, but it wears well and I like the idea that it vintage.
The sleeves were pretty long. I assume it was designed as a riding jacket. I'm 5'9 and sent it to Alan at JL to shorten the sleeves. I also had Alan remove the windflap. Looks much cleaner w/o it in my eye.

 

[Seb Lucas]

They vary in size. I've had two 44s - pit to pit for each was just over 23 and just over 24 inches. The shoulders on both were just over 18.5 inches. Sleeve lengths 26 and 26.5 inches.

I have flirted with sending one to Alan and asking for a copy in custom measurements. Longer back and made in goatskin.

 

[bn1966]

I'm a UK 46" chest & in Brooks take a size 48 / 50

 

[tmitchell59]

Just got this Brooks in size 42. My other must be a 44, though no label. The 44 is getting thin. Here are the two.

 

[tmitchell59]

Wore the "new" Brooks last night. It is Squeaky Clean. Cleaner than I thought and very squeaky.

These are so nice and affordable.

 

[bn1966]

Nice score..they're great aren't they. On the look out for a Gold Label size 50 in the brown. Had one years back but stupidly sold it after a youth fashion craze for CR's over here put me off. My 48 is cool but I wouldn't mind the extra room

 

[Mysteryo]

Nice score..they're great aren't they. On the look out for a Gold Label size 50 in the brown. Had one years back but stupidly sold it after a youth fashion craze for CR's over here put me off. My 48 is cool but I wouldn't mind the extra room

I have a 50, but in black... PM me if interested!

 

[ProteinNerd]

If anyone has a 42 or maybe 44 in Brown that they want to sell, let me know.

 

[Surferbruce]

They are squeaky. I give mine a light going over with some Vaseline or other ph neutral petro jelly (including the seams) about once a year and it works wonders....for a while.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I love the look of these. Having had several now I am struck by how mediocre the leather and workmanship is. If we had a jacket made like these by one of the premium makers we'd be upset. Errant stitching, shoddy lining, misaligned zips, thin, uneven leather. But they look so cool, they are the real thing and demonstrate that workmanship is not the reason we celebrate leather jackets.

 

[ton312]

I love the look of these. Having had several now I am struck by how mediocre the leather and workmanship is. If we had a jacket made like these by one of the premium makers we'd be upset. Errant stitching, shoddy lining, misaligned zips, thin, uneven leather. But they look so cool, they are the real thing and demonstrate that workmanship is not the reason we celebrate leather jackets.

This is a great point. The pattern itself outshines the flaws and by quite a bit. I've had dozens of these jackets over the years and they've been wildly inconsistent aside from the fact that they fit just beautifully. This was one of my favs. Back when my little girl was still technically little. Unusually heavy hide for them and pretty darn stiff. Early black and white label. Was a nice one!

 

[Seb Lucas]

ton, it's this that is for me the essential mystery behind leather jackets.

I am really close to sending a Brooks to Johnson Leathers to copy and "fix" up. Better hide, cotton drill lining, a few other tweaks. But I wonder, will the magic disappear?

 

[ton312]

ton, it's this that is for me the essential mystery behind leather jackets.

I am really close to sending a Brooks to Johnson Leathers to copy and "fix" up. Better hide, cotton drill lining, a few other tweaks. But I wonder, will the magic disappear?

TBH I think it would. It's not that you wouldn't get a great jacket. For sure you would. But sometimes those little incongruous details just make it what it is. Sometimes the real deal just can't be matched. There aren't many patterns I think this way about. The Buco repros to me are better when repro'd but something like the Brooks CR or an old Bates? That's an uphill battle. And I say this largely feeling that repros almost always eclipse the original.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yeah... I'd hate for it to be a failed experiment.

What I really 'need' is a longer leather jacket. A 3/4 Herc. But that's another story.

 

[ton312]

Well please don't get me wrong. I think if anyone could/can do it, it's Alan. But when the original can be had for such a bargain...is it necessary? It's hard to say but I will confess that the Brooks CR pattern is (in my opinion) the best of the bunch and blows the Buco clean out of the water. The gussets and paneled back make it just a better fit. IMHO.