The eSkootr Championship and racing suit manufacturer Bison have created the very first bespoke racing suit for e-scooter riders.
In the inaugural 2022 season, riders wore motorcycle leathers due to the assured safety of these tried and tested suits. Going into the second season, however, there was an ambition to give eSC riders their own identity, one that matched the urban ethos of the series as well as the unique needs of an electric scooter rider.
When Bison received the call from eSC, they were already researching the e-mobility segment, having identified a gap in the market for this emerging category. Family owned and operated, Bison have been creating high-quality, bespoke and affordable motorcycle suits for the past five years, travelling between racetracks to offer their customers an unrivalled first-hand experience.
CHARGING UP FOR AN EXCITING PARTNERSHIP
Bison initially stood out to eSC due to their existing “vegan” motorcycle suit which became a starting point for the project. The priority for both eSC and Bison was safety, which required a brand-new approach as e-scooter riders crash differently to motorcycle riders and this affects the types of materials needed and where they need to be applied and reinforced.
Of starting this process, Robert Lackey, Co-founder and CEO, Bison said, “The unique thing about designing an eSkootr kit is that there aren’t any existing templates or concepts for how the items should look or perform. The e-mobility segment is still in its in fancy, and this is especially true when it comes to the protective gear.”
DEFINING THE SEGMENT
In line with the sleek lines of the S1-X racing e-scooter, futurism was a key visual tactic to achieve the desired look, and Bison, in collaboration with designer, Ivan Caro, drew on science fiction and urban trends for inspiration.
“It was pretty clear that the eSC team was on the same page as [Bison] when it came to the aesthetics of the kit: clean, functional, sustainable, fashionable and modern. We kept coming back to Tron, Cyberpunk and urban streetwear as the design direction.”
eSC wanted to transition to a two-pieces suit from the initial one-piece motorcycle leather, harking back to its urban roots. Having two separate items also offers riders more comfort to remove layers between racing heats.
Another streetwear element that Bison incorporated into the suit was cleverly placed zippers, which have been trending on runways over the past years. They created “unzippable panels” which were able to provide a unique level of flexibility to the suit.
“The wearer will be able to zip the suit up and cinch it down for inclement weather or high-speed riding, and open it up and relax the fit for low-speed cruising or simply hanging out. Racers will have the ability to fine-tune their fit as well as their look, with the added bonus of unzipping everything to cool off in the paddock without climbing in and out of their race suit!”
Completely unzipped, the rider is inso-called “city mode” for an off duty look, but with the fastening of a few Velcro straps they quickly return to “race mode”. This kind of thinking also lays the groundwork for the ambition to one day make the eSC x Bison suit commercially available to fans – providing them with a functional and fashionable e-scootering suit of their own.
KEY FEATURES
The final eSC x Bison race outfit includes the suit, gloves and boots. For our nerdier fans, below is a detailed rundown of the purpose-built features.
The eSC rider suit consists of a jacket and trousers enabling versatility and convenience. Combining 1000D Cordura and SuperFabric® – two fabrics that stand out due to their abrasion resistance and longevity – Bison have built a “vegan” construction to replace the traditional use of animal hides. For protection, CE Level 2 armour is placed in 12 impact areas and dual-compound external protectors reinforce the shoulders and knees in case of a slide. Accordion panelling on the back, shoulders, arms and knees offers additional dexterity and a more comfortable fit.
The eSC x Bison gloves are built to be lightweight, in another “vegan” construction using synthetic suede and SuperFabric®. Velcro panels attach the gloves to the suit cuffs creating a seamless look without the need to secure straps around the wrists.
The boot is made predominantly of synthetic suede and falls just below the calf to give riders ample mobility when adjusting their positions during riding. Velcro straps at the top of the boot attach to the bottom of the suit leg creating another smooth transition between the items. A ratcheting lace system and Velcro strap provide strong yet simple fastening atop a dual-compound rubber sole designed for maximum grip and durability.
DESIGNED FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
Another shared value of both Bison and eSC is an effort to grow the e-scooter segment sustainably and minimize the environmental and social impact of all racing operations. This not only means picking lower-impact materials but also optimizing logistics and reducing waste during production while ensuring all workers are treated and paid fairly.
Bison is a family-owned and operated business which means they have full control that their production is ethical and intentional. Bison’s suppliers are also family-owned and operated, and they connect with them frequently to ensure a standard of fair working conditions is maintained.
Rob said that “one of the most important long-term goals for Bison is to move away from animal hide as the primary material used. For over 100 years, leather has been the go-to for motorcycle safety gear thanks to its durability and availability. These days, it is important that we consider alternatives afforded to us thanks to advances in technology and testing.”
Given that safety is the first priority in race suit manufacturing, sustainable practices in this area are only just developing. Both eSC and Bison are committed to exploring and integrating existing sustainable practices into the suits as much as possible now but also in the future, thinking too about how waste created by the suits is kept to a minimum.
TESTED FOR THE CITY TRACK
Rob and son Carter Lackey test all Bison suits themselves in the first instance. For the eSC suit, they bought their own e-scooter to simulate the eSkootr Championship racing experience. They bring multiple configurations of the first prototype to the track and stress test them in the places they anticipate the most damage to occur.
Due to e-scooter riders standing upright, they are “more likely to go down on the knees and hands as opposite to the hips and forearms in a motorcycle low-side”. They also noticed that e-scooter riders crash at lower speeds than motorcycle riders, which changes the way the fabric is impacted. At high speed the rider slides across the pavement whereas at lower speeds the gear “grabs and twists on the rider” which puts extra stress on zippers and seams.
“This is why we have used so much SuperFabric® material on the gloves, arms, hips and knees: not only do the tiny plates on the surface of this material provide abrasion resistance, they greatly reduce friction thereby reducing the effects of low-speed torsion in an impact.”
eSC will commission independent testing procedures as well.
FIRST THOUGHTS
Rob is well acquainted with suits, having been in the business for years as both a manufacturer and racer, and his first impressions are invaluable at this stage to understand how the Bison suits stacks up against the motorcycle leather for an eSC rider.
His first impressions are that “the suit is much lighter than a one-piece leather motorcycle suit and features elements such as flexible accordion panels and zipper vents placed in areas specifically chosen for e-scooter use”. The increased comfort this provides will enable riders to perform at the top of their ability, as well as ensure that they are protected specifically for the kinds of crashes and falls that occur with e-scooters.
“We’re very excited about the direction of this project and look forward to the entire kit coming together in all of the teams’ unique liveries!”
With final adjustments currently being made, the next phase will be mocking up all the unique team liveries within the suit design and getting them ready for the first race of the season.
Keep up to date with all updates on the eSC x Bison suit at esc.live and @esc.live.
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