Stone Lake Leatherworks visit

[rangerider]

Never having spent much time east of the Mississippi, I decided to take one day of my recent holiday trip and travel from my in-law's place outside of Stillwater, MN to visit Stone Lake, WI, home of Dan and Diana Rogers and their business. I had spent time on-line looking at what I could find on their leather bikeware and not found much info. Thought I would post this for any interested parties.

Had a nice trip up and finding the place was easy once I got turned around from going two miles too far; executed two Doof Loops, one because the road sign was in some Scotch pine trees by the road, the second because Google Maps suggested their place was at a crossroads when in fact it was a half mile south of there. Their shop sits on a pretty spot and they live right there. If anyone decides to make a trip to see them, PM me and I'll give you some can't-get-lost directions.

Dan was in the process of leaving for Chicago to get a new trailer, so I spent the time with Diana getting fitted and having her line me out on their clothes and the thinking behind the design. She rides herself, and their designs are based on much input from a lot of miles and many customer comments. They keep many sizes and options in stock; most choices online can be shipped in a short time. They recently hired an employee to help with the manufacture, so she is hopeful they have more time to update their website with more pics and visuals which are somewhat lacking in both the website and catalog. Nice illustration work, though.

Interested members can view most of the design particulars on-line and especially in the catalog (free), so I'll just give you my impressions of the clothing.

First of all, these leathers are put together well. The stitching is a little crude but very tough, and they use several different kinds of thread to ensure longevity and durability. Fit on everything is better than the pictures would suggest. You can size or custom order any fit you want, and obviously the sitting position is given more emphasis than standing. But the sleeves, cuffs, legs, etc. fit well and sizes can be varied to accommodate many body types. That's actually the beauty of the bibs; they do better than pants at "fitting". Also, they have specific designs to fit women which I think is a real plus. The touring jacket is pretty much the most functional jacket I've seen, and again the fit looks a little haphazard until you put it on and sit, stand, and stretch out like you're in the saddle. From collar to hem to cuff it seems to really work well. I had issues with the direction of the snap flaps on the lower pockets and their performance in wind/rain. Diana said they work well.

Secondly, the leather they use is much better than any off the rack wear I've seen. It's competition weight but fairly supple and won't take a ton of riding to break in. Black of course is standard, but there are several colors available. If you take a slide down the blacktop, this stuff will stand up. Hardware is heavy brass and bulletproof, no apologies. Clothing is lined so it's on/off with a minimum of fuss and effort. There are several options available for venting, color, padding and insulation.

Thirdly, their prices considering the quality of the build/materials is real reasonable. I had spent over a year looking at everything from Langlitz on down and I feel a buck goes farther with these guys than about anywhere else.

Okay, enough sunshine, here's the downside. This gear is way more about function than fashion. If you need outerwear that strips down to streetwear, you're okay - sizes reflect layers underneath if you so desire. If you're into biking in the same duds that you dine, shop, socialize or barhop in, this stuff isn't for you. It's heavy-duty and looks less fashionable than even the MoCo's FXRG type stuff. Comparing Stone Lake's gear to average leather biking wear is like comparing a '74 Ford F250 to a '95 Toyota SR5 - they both have the same functional intent but the Ford is tougher, cruder, and heavier. Which brings me to point two...

Hot weather in this wear is not good. There are venting options, but you can't have this heavy of leather and construction and expect to be anywhere close to comfy in the heat, especially in bibs and a 3/4 length jacket. To that I say most people, including me, will still ride in heavy jeans and perforated leather, or fly a bird in the face of the asphalt gods and ride in street wear. I've put a lot of miles on with minimum protection and largely gotten away with it to this point - not smart but still done. I'll probably end up with a cheap pair of cycle pants for the heat, but where I live there isn't a lot of that and I actually stand heat very well - cold I have a problem with. I talked a little to Diana about the possibility of doing pants and using goathide; it's a possibility in the future.

I'll end this tome with a thought; lots of people don't like leather gear on bikes. Many reasons are given, not the least the poser and Village People angles. Comfort in heat and singleness of use are others. These leathers don't look the part of fashion wear and would not be confused with anything from leather clothing sources. They don't do everything but what they are designed for they do very well. I bought a pair of bibs and will give them a try come warmer weather and anticipate a short learning curve. I will probably wind up with the touring jacket at some point, but I have two jackets and a leather pullover that serve me well right now. Also, there is a large contingent that prefers textile clothing. I don't have any qualms about the fact that it exceeds leather on some levels. I just prefer hide.

To end the trip, I took a little different route home and passed through the town of Shell Lake, WI and stopped at a little bar on the corner of 63 and their Main Street (which I think was 6th Ave). Great hamburger and beer lunch and the guy behind the counter was a Vietnam vet and a great guy. The movie Midway was playing on the tube and we wound up talking about his time overseas and military avation in general and I didn't get home until way after dark. Had a great time...

First shot is of Dan and Diana's shop, second is the little bar on 63.

http://stonelakeleatherworks.com/bibs.htm

[mudslinger]

Nice story looked at the site and requested a catalog.

[BigTOE]

Good write up...thanks for the info.