What saftey gear?

[webbcraft2150]

Cam chain tensioner thread was kinda getting off track so I thought I would start a new one directed at the "off topic" responses.

I will have to admit to riding in shorts, tee shirt and tennis shoes, alot. ALWAYS wear my helmet despite brain frying tempatures. Long ride will qualify jeans and my steel toes. Weather permitting, I will don my leather jacket. Always have some type of glove on. Glove of choise lately has been the fingerless style or my vented MX gloves. Kinda strange that when I would go dirt riding, I would wear full dirt armor, regardless of the temp. Just can't hack it on the street though. They way I figure it, most asphalt rash is survivable (or has been in the past) and its just a risk I take.

Ok, lets hear back. Sure I will get blasted by someone.

(BTW, I run with sissors to )

[Pat Kelly]

It's been 111 degrees F here lately. My head was roasting until I put my (full-face) helmet on. Something about 2" of insulation between me and the sun made my head cooler.
Gloves, always along with a jacket. In this weather it's my Joe Rocket Phoenix mesh jacket. Boots usually and when I'm getting 'recreational' I wear the Phoenix pants too.
You can't sweat if you don't have any skin.
I used to live in Phoenix AZ and I always wore a (full-face) helmet and jacket. Keeps the 115F, 80 MPH wind from flaying your skin. In those days it was a denim jacket. Mesh jacket is much cooler, even with the armor.

It is also my belief that you should wear (or not wear) whatever you want. Ride in shorts and sandals and bare-chested (even if your female ).

[DiverRay]

Work and home, tennis shoes, jacket, gloves, and helmet. This road trip, mesh jacket and pants, boots, gloves, helmet, and WATER! The water goes on the jacket and pants, to "AC" the body.
I have done the 1/2 mile "store and back" with shorts, T-shirt, tennis shoes, and helmet + gloves, but not often.
Ray

[mason79]

okay i must admit when i go to the gym it a sweatshirt and skate shoes, full face, and chp gloves, other wise, it's armour mesh jacket, hi tech gloves, boots, jeans, still one sweaty mess...

no wonder us riders have some things in common...

why don't chp's wear jackets on the freeway, is it because they are some of the best riders and know how to crash?

[John LM]

Safety Gear

I lived in Taiwan for about two years and rode a bike there... the climate is generally hot and humid. Despite having first ridden in Canada always wearing full gear whatever the weather, in Taiwan I soon got used to riding with only a tshirt, shorts, sandals, and a full-face helmet. Despite a few minor crashes nothing really happened to me. Back in Canada I am once again driving with full gear.

A few important distinctions: In North America people basically follow traffic laws but drive fast and don't pay attention. Two-wheeled vehicles are the exception and not the norm.

In Taiwan traffic laws are generally understood to be "for reference only" (ie traffic is chaotic), but people usually don't drive quickly (too congested) and pay a lot of attention to what's around them. Also, two wheeled traffic is normal.

Conclusion-I felt safer riding in Taiwan with less/no gear. North America is dangerous as people drive on auto-pilot. I prefer to dress for an accident here.

John

[mason79]

besides do you see lance armstrong et el, wearing leathers, i'm sure they see 80 mph on decents, and they do crash, around town less gear, freeway speed more gear?

[Targetman]

Interesting point of view John, I agree with the North American "auto pilot" problem.

around town less gear, freeway speed more gear?

Have heard this from alot of people Mason.
But, I remember seeing some statistics about being something like 80% more likely to have an accident in the city or suburbs (on the highway everyone's going the same direction, in town you've got intersections, opposing traffic, people backing out of driveways into you.....etc.)
I don't know if it's true, but it sounds logical.
My only accident was on a highway, go figure.

[JWSanders]

Have to have the full-facer. My face isn't all that pretty, but I want at least it to survive a wreck.

Heat isn't a problem (even on the furnace that is an XS11) with the Joe Rocket Mesh jacket I have. It's almost like wearing nothing, both in weight and breathability. Highly recommended!!

[mro]

Do wear geans, helmet and steel toed boots, gloves sometimes.

Have found on occasion, geans will protect you for about the first 1/32 of a second on pavement. Gloves have been good for one low speed spill, (like geans) and then need replacement.

Need new jacket. Feel a little weird riding an XS wearing my only leather biker jacket (Hardley w/fringe )


mro

[Pat Kelly]

Now I'm going to jinx myself

I wear gear all the time (of course full leathers when I was racing).
I have never used them.
Riding almost daily since 1978 and haven't been down at speed (dirt dosen't count ).
I have had 2,793 close calls. Been hit twice. Never been down.
As fas as injuries on a bicycle..... Apricot Fiesta Criterium race had just ended (I was way in the back). Everyone sat-up after the sprint to the finishline. One guy hit another and they both went down. Another following hit one of the down riders in the chest breaking his ribs and collapsing a lung. He subsequently went flying off his bike into a tree and shattered both forearms with the treetrunk. Look at bicyclists knees and you can then appreciate leg armor.

[Parr8hed]

besides do you see lance armstrong et el, wearing leathers, i'm sure they see 80 mph on decents, and they do crash,

I follow the tour quite a bit and the interesting thing is that just in recent years has everyone been wearing helmets. The first couple of victories for Lance he was not wearing helmets. Guess that the tour directors made it mandatory. I think that they top out at 55 mph or so on the decents of the Alps. Have you seen how thin their tires are? I have the same ones on my road bike and WOW, there is not much between you and the road. I never wore my helmet for that bike until I had my son and since I force him to wear one, I too wear one.

[Jerry]

Like most, I have a "light gear" and "heavy gear" combo.

Light gear, used for short trips and commuting, is a leather jacket, full-face helmet, Kevlar fabric gloves, long pants, and shoes.

Heavy gear, for long rides, substitutes my TourMaster jacket and pants for the leather jacket and 6-inch high steet-toe boots for other footwear.

In either case, I always have on my helmet, gloves, long pants, decent shoes, and some type of jacket. The Tourmaster is actually more comfortable in hot weather than the leather jacket, due to its mesh lining and adjutable vents. Being armored, it is more difficult to put on and take off, so I don't use it for short hops.

[CWilliamson]

for me it's Joe Rocket leather jacket (can't afford the mesh one and riding after the sun goes behind the rockies in the spring and fall can get chilly so I opted for the heavy). I always wear my alpinestar riding boots (i've taken more rocks to my shins than I can remember), Joe Rocket phoenix gloves, and a full face helmet. I haven't found any riding pants that fit me right, I'm short in the inseam and the joe rocket phoenix pants come closest and I'll order them when I get the ride running again.

Clark

[Pain]

I wear an armored jacket, full face helmet, gloves and over the ankle boots, at a minimum. When I can, I will also wear armored riding pants, but they are just too hot sometimes (Here in Wisconsin we are dealing with 90s and high humidity)

I just decided to order a mesh jacket, which I should be getting next week, otherwise it was always a First gear Kilimanjaro. Nice in the winter, little warm in the summer.

[CWilliamson]

Yeah, I did the hour+ commute wearing a Joe Rocket Ballistic when it was 103+ a couple times. With all the vents open it was just bearable. Really need to get a mesh jacket and mesh armored pants.