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No thongs need apply...

3K views 26 replies 18 participants last post by  humungus 
G
#1 ·
Helmets are a no brainer (pardon the pun), as far as what to look for safety and comfort wise. In a jacket I figure the season and type of riding dictate the material and protection, same with gloves...but are heavy armored pants really necessary? What do you wear? Jeans? Cargo pants? Just no thongs.

;D
 
G
#2 ·
I wear armored pants and boots almost every time I ride. Except when I'm going to work, because I just can't manage it. I felt a little "goofy" wearing all of this stuff at first but I got used to it real fast. I haven't crash tested a pair of leathers. And tested jeans only at really slow speeds. But I have talked to too many people who have and seen too many pictures. If I go down I'll be very happy I had them on. Just my 2 cents.
 
#4 ·
Full leathers, most of the time.

The only time I wear jeans is if I have a quick few blocks to go AND I'm feeling lazy.

I got a back protector for Xmas that I've had on EVERY ride since I've had it - it may be overkill for some people but most people have too much to lose to do otherwise.
 
#5 ·
I wear armored pants and boots every time I ride now.
Especially riding to work.
I think commuting is the most dangerous riding I do. (lousy cell phones...grumble)

I crashed once in town (going maybe 15mph) wearing:
helmet, gloves, boots, leather jacket, and khakis.
wanna guess the only place I got hurt??
 
#7 ·
Right then, do any of you lot ride in places like Death Valley, and if so what do you wear? I hired an XT600 on holiday in Zante last year dressed in T shirt, baggy shorts, sandshoes and I was lucky to get a helmet complete with a buckle. Even dressed as daftly as that I was sweating like a beast. It was even worse on Rhodes the year before, coming round a corner in the mountains into the sun was like opening an oven door. I don't know how you can ride Kevlarred up in heat like that.
Before you give me a row I used to descend on hills when I raced bicycles at 60mph dressed in lycra, I didn't do speeds like that on the XT.
 
#10 ·
I have a pair of jeans that have been through 2 crashes at 10-15mph and they still don't have any major holes. Personally I can't see myself wearing full leathers unless I'm on a track...
 
#11 ·
I wear the mesh ventilated stuff with CE armor in the hot months, Got my wife one for her bike, too. Fieldsheer on both, Marsee is good, too.
 
#12 ·
Right then, do any of you lot ride in places like Death Valley, and if so what do you wear? .
Um, yes....Fresno. 8)
I wear a Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket for commuting and dirt riding, and also the Cortech vented 2-piece (wish i had the cortech GX air!)

The trick to being cooler is hydration
you are cooler with your skin covered and vented than with just a tshirt. the hot air sucks the moisture off and you dont get the cooling effect.
We ride across the S.J. valley every year in July for Laguna Seca..and its friggin hot. This year i wore a camelback and drank water the whole time and it was muuuch better.
also wet your clothes and inside your helmet at stops...it dries out fast, but feels good while it lasts.
If it's 100 or more, you're gonna be hot no matter what you wear (or dont)
 
G
#13 ·
Wow, I appreciate all the reponses. Personally I go love my legs as much as my arms and the overwhelming concensus seems to be armoring up the legs. How the hell I am gonna ride out in the Hamptons area this summer I will have to figure out, but I am not really into seeing my leg bones. Of course I will probably wear the thong underneath to stay cool...(joking so relax) ;D
 
#14 ·
I have crash tested jeans many times when I was a young kid. Full leathers were never worn on the streets back then. I had a set for the track only. Back then....Armour, what in the hell is that? (I still have my race leathers from 1980).

Speeds of my street crashes varied from 10 mph to over 100 mph. The majority of the damage was always done to the upper body. (as well as the helmet). OK I admit it I was a squid when I was young, but it was fun.

The term to describe the damage is "road pizza" because it will look like pizza that is slightly burnt a couple of days later.

The worst part was waking up the next day with the sheets imbedded into your wounds and the sheets would come off the bed when you got up.

The hardest impact areas are the back of shoulders and elbows. After that your hips get hit. Most of the time you will slide on your back. If you have you **** together during a wreck and you keep your wallet in your back pocket, you can slide on your wallet.

My experience the only times the knees hit were in the turns while dragging a knee.

Today, I wear some sort of jacket protection except for very very short rides. I almost never were my leather pants. Too old now for the stupid stuff.
 
#18 ·
I crash tested an Alpinestars TZ-1 jacket, icon titanium gloves, and a pair of jeans (all on same crash of course). I hit a gaurd rail doing 60. Fractured right foot and road rash on right leg. Though I know I am very very fortunate (2 feet from going over 200ft+ cliff), I believe had I been wearing leather pants and good boots, like some Sidi's, etc. , I would've walked away unscratched. I sport the same gear now, plus a pair of Alpinestars Twin pants. Now if only they made leather gear for the bike itself.....
 
#20 ·
Draggin Jeans from Australia are regular denim with a kevlar lining. The qualities of these jeans are demonstrated by the owner of the company being dragged on his ass behind a top fuel dragster over the 1/4 mile.
They look like a regular pair of jeans.
 
#21 ·
I too used to bicycle race; >50mph descents in nuthin' but Lycra. I found (the hard way) that abrasion is only ONE of the ways you get hurt in a crash.

In every one of my bicycle crashes, I landed hard on my hip. This resulted in the skin SPLITTING open! Major swelling ensued. Not only do I always wear armored pants (Cordura when it's cold, full perf leather when it's warm/hot) but I also refuse to buy pants that aren't padded in the hips. That, based on my experience, makes no sense at all.
 
#22 ·
Work days - Arai helmet, gloves (summer and winter versions), Joe Rocket jacket (hard armor - summer and winter versions), MSF Refelective vest, Sidi stradas and my work pants.

On wekeends, the draggin jeans come out. The MSF vest does not always make the weekend trip (it is a must in the city rush hour).

I leave shoes at work, but having to take my pants and change each day is a tad much. My ride to work is only 7 miles in city traffic. Rain in the morning will put me in my car. If it rains at night I just deal with it.

I've been hit by one car - stayed upright and left the battle scar (paint smear) on the monster's rear turn signal. I've never dropped or crashed a road bike (knock on wood) so my prep is untested.
 
#23 ·
Same here, I find it hard to have my pants at work, so I can wear my riding pants on the commute. Maybe its just the idea of having to dress after you get there, shoes are no problem.

Maybe it is just habit and if you started doing it , it would become a daily behavior.
 
#24 ·
My cordura goes over office pants; at least without the quilted liner in. That's why I wear those to work instead of leathers.

So I need only to leave shoes at work.
 
#25 ·
I have a pair of super comfortable leather pants, cut like a pair of 501 levis that I bought for $100 at flea market. Afte wearing them for 2 years they are more comfortable then any jeans I own. I've crash tested them at 80km/h and they only suffered some light scuffing which a little shoe polish covered nicely. I even wear em on hot days and they are'nt much worse then jeans. I can't imagine riding without them
 
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