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Freewheelers Mulholland (Spartan Leathers Sportwear Repro)

Mysteryo

One Too Many
Messages
1,312
Location
Nantes (FR)
I agree with @Carlos840
Fantastic jacket @Superfluous , congratulations, you must be a happy man!
Beware, the main zipper is very fragile and to find a replacement is a challenge in it self! And Freewheelers are of no help in the event of a broken zipper replacement.
I always wondered, how do you feel wearing leather jackets in California? Isnt it a hot weather?
Here in France, in a couple of days we go from 10°C to 25°C, and it's no more bareable! Except when you ride a motorcycle....
 
Messages
10,598
upload_2021-3-30_6-30-25.gif


And so is the fit.
 

El Marro

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,584
Location
California
That's funny, the pocket stitching is what I particularly like about this jacket :)
I love the pocket stitching as well but I remember strongly disliking it the first time I saw it a few years ago. I think it was when I began looking at Cal Leather jackets that I began to appreciate the stitching as an authentic detail from a bygone era.
 

dwilson

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
LA
I always wondered, how do you feel wearing leather jackets in California? Isnt it a hot weather?
Here in France, in a couple of days we go from 10°C to 25°C, and it's no more bareable! Except when you ride a motorcycle....

During the summer months its a no-go to wear a jacket but southern California is cooler than many people expect. I moved here from middle America kind of on a whim and a job offer not really knowing the climate and I assumed it would be like Florida; aka middle America's vacation destination of choice. It is not. Due to the constant ocean breezes off the enormous pacific the air is far cooler than you may expect especially if you live only a few miles off the coast. So often times having a light jacket to keep the breeze off your skin is desired even if the ambiant temp is 25C. Going further inland you get less breeze so the temps get hotter.

Also great fit. The jacket fits like it was made for you. I would be super interested in knowing more about the leather and comparing it to my Flat Head leather. TFH leather is thick but not at all pliable and really needs a while to be broken in. My brown one is just now starting to get broken in and showing graining. My black is still in the process. The black one was so rigid on the first day it bruised my left elbow. Luckily it only happened the first day.
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,700
Location
Illinois
Like you i wondered about the "Spartan Leather Sportwear" brand.
The best explanation i can come up with is:
That brand never actually existed but is inspired by "Trojan Leather Sportswear" which actually did:



I agree there is no Spartan Leather Sportswear Brand I am aware of. Trojan Sportswear goes back to the early 1930s with addresses in Englewood and Los Angeles. They were for real.

I thought the Freewheelers used the Trojan Sportswear Label in these jackets?

The Mullholland has the style/look of a 1930s West Coast Police Jacket. They most often have Buttoned cuffs. some have belt loops, side laces, side adjustments.

This Seattle Woolen Police jacket is from the 1930s

DSC02958.jpg
DSC02991.jpg
DSC02983.jpg
 

Superfluous

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3,995
Location
Missing in action
During the summer months its a no-go to wear a jacket but southern California is cooler than many people expect. I moved here from middle America kind of on a whim and a job offer not really knowing the climate and I assumed it would be like Florida; aka middle America's vacation destination of choice. It is not. Due to the constant ocean breezes off the enormous pacific the air is far cooler than you may expect especially if you live only a few miles off the coast. So often times having a light jacket to keep the breeze off your skin is desired even if the ambiant temp is 25C. Going further inland you get less breeze so the temps get hotter.

I used to live further inland with very few jacket days. I recently moved and now live 100 feet from the water. Completely different climate -- much cooler and many more jacket days.

Lately, the bigger obstacle has been the lock-down, which drastically reduced outings suitable for leather jackets (I don't wear my leather jackets to walk the dogs or ride my bicycle). Now that things are opening back up, I hope to have more jacket wearing opportunities, although the impending Summer will counteract that.

Also great fit. The jacket fits like it was made for you. I would be super interested in knowing more about the leather and comparing it to my Flat Head leather. TFH leather is thick but not at all pliable and really needs a while to be broken in. My brown one is just now starting to get broken in and showing graining. My black is still in the process. The black one was so rigid on the first day it bruised my left elbow. Luckily it only happened the first day.

The FW Shinki is VERY different from the FH Shinki -- night and day. I tried on the FH Delraiser last weekend and was again struck by the rigidity of FH leather. That said, the FH Shinki is superb in its own right. We are neighbors so you are welcome to see the FW jacket anytime.
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
I used to live further inland with very few jacket days. I recently moved and now live 100 feet from the water. Completely different climate -- much cooler and many more jacket days.

Lately, the bigger obstacle has been the lock-down, which drastically reduced outings suitable for leather jackets (I don't wear my leather jackets to walk the dogs or ride my bicycle). Now that things are opening back up, I hope to have more jacket wearing opportunities, although the impending Summer will counteract that.



The FW Shinki is VERY different from the FH Shinki -- night and day. I tried on the FH Delraiser last weekend and was again struck by the rigidity of FH leather. That said, the FH Shinki is superb in its own right. We are neighbors so you are welcome to see the FW jacket anytime.

Top tip, keep your house at a lower temperature and wear jackets indoors.
Everyday is a jacket day!

Seriously though, even if i don't leave the house i usually wear at least two different jackets for a couple hours each daily.
 
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10,598
There was and is a Spartan Leathers, but no way is FW referencing them. No way at all. Gotta be some play on Trojan.

Side note, the LW CHP has a Trojan label in it too.
 

Superfluous

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,995
Location
Missing in action
Top tip, keep your house at a lower temperature and wear jackets indoors.
Everyday is a jacket day!

Seriously though, even if i don't leave the house i usually wear at least two different jackets for a couple hours each daily.

The broken in look of the FW Muholland has motivated me to wear my other jackets at home and thereby expedite their break-ins. The obstacle is my wife, who would consider me completely insane if I wore a leather jacket sitting at my desk.
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
The broken in look of the FW Muholland has motivated me to wear my other jackets at home and thereby expedite their break-ins. The obstacle is my wife, who would consider me completely insane if I wore a leather jacket sitting at my desk.

I'm really happy to read this!
I always thought it was a shame that all your jackets still looked so new.
Enjoy the break in, get some water involved, enjoy the insanity...
 

Will Zach

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,800
Location
SoFlo
The broken in look of the FW Muholland has motivated me to wear my other jackets at home and thereby expedite their break-ins. The obstacle is my wife, who would consider me completely insane if I wore a leather jacket sitting at my desk.
She'll get used to it. My wife used to ask "where are you going?" when I'd put on my jacket. Now she just looks.
 

dwilson

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
LA
The broken in look of the FW Muholland has motivated me to wear my other jackets at home and thereby expedite their break-ins. The obstacle is my wife, who would consider me completely insane if I wore a leather jacket sitting at my desk.

Mine is just used to it now. Though I do tend to take off my Delraiser when I have to hop on a video meeting. I don't think my team is prepared for it :)
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,674
Location
Iowa
Mine is just used to it now. Though I do tend to take off my Delraiser when I have to hop on a video meeting. I don't think my team is prepared for it :)

My workgroup got to see me wearing the Aero Ridley a month or so back, when the outside ambient temps were around -15C / 5F. I only had my furnace set to about 18C/65F as it was having some trouble keeping up. No one said anything, I expected someone to ask it I was planing to go for a motorcycle ride.
 

MrProper

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,279
Location
Europe
Top tip, keep your house at a lower temperature and wear jackets indoors.
Everyday is a jacket day!

Seriously though, even if i don't leave the house i usually wear at least two different jackets for a couple hours each daily.

I wear my jackets at home in the home office every day. I suspect some colleagues wonder about this during video calls. ;)
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
There was and is a Spartan Leathers, but no way is FW referencing them. No way at all. Gotta be some play on Trojan.

Side note, the LW CHP has a Trojan label in it too.

Do you have pics of old Spartan Leathers? I have never seen any, would love to see them.
 

jeo

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,050
Location
Philadelphia
Congrats on getting your first FW leather @Superfluous! I know you wanted one for a very long time and you couldn't have done better. Fits brilliantly! Kinda makes me wish I didn't sell mine to @Jin431 :p although he wears it better than I ever did. I'll find one in my size eventually.
 

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