Do you always were your protective gear?

[powerstans]

Obvious error, I am not over 400 years old (though I am a grummpy old G1t)

[Pothole]

Wildfire said:

All the gear, all the time. Even if it's a quick nip out It's jacket, gloves, helmet and Kevlar jeans.

Sandals or flip flops?

Edited by Pothole on Friday 23 January 16:37

[SAS Tom]

Jewelly_Boy said:

I remember when I rode across town in a white Nike hoody, addidas trousers and globe shoes on a new 1098S back in 2008/09, the look of disgust as I pulled up outside the Ducati dealer was fricking hilarious.

My bike is a toy so always full gear.

Did you pay cash though?

[bogie]

The daftest riding gear ive worn was New Year 91, went to a fancy dress in another town 20 miles away, never had a car until I was older so myself and mate went on our bikes. I was in a gorilla suit and he was a grim reaper with cape blowing in the wind ...we got some funny looks, especially as I was carrying the (plastic) scythe it didnt fit on a GSXR very well

Have also been pulled up for "inappropriate clothing" ...never gave it 2nd thought, and hadn't planned to go far that day. I just had some 34" bellbottom flared jeans on. The bike cop thought they were flapping about dangerously close to the chain, and advised me to wear cycle clips LOL

[Rick448]

I used to always wear the full kit all the time, now it's mainly as follows.

Track day- one piece leathers, race boots, race gloves.

Proper ride out on sports bike - as above but maybe 2 piece leathers

Commuting - 2 piece textiles, waterproof SIDI boots and gloves (type dependent on weather)

Tootling into town or a handful of steady miles - textile or leather jacket, jeans and SIDI short boots.

I'm not as anal about this as I years gone by but other than the obligatory helmet I value my fingers and toes.

[Simes205]

Full kit on Honda.
Just jacket and helmet on Vespa.

[Fort Jefferson]

Schnellmann said:

If I use the bike for out of town riding I will use the full gear. But when riding into town (3 or 4 miles of 30 mph) not so sure.

This is the wrong way round, if you fall off at 30mph then the gear will probably help save you. If fall off at 130mph, you may as well be in shorts and a T shirt, because you'll probably die anyway.

[bogie]

Fort Jefferson said:

Schnellmann said:

If I use the bike for out of town riding I will use the full gear. But when riding into town (3 or 4 miles of 30 mph) not so sure.

This is the wrong way round, if you fall off at 30mph then the gear will probably help save you. If fall off at 130mph, you may as well be in shorts and a T shirt, because you'll probably die anyway.

yeah exactly ...all the gear stops a 30mph "minor" off crippling/maiming you for life . No amount of gear will save you at high speed colliding into something hard

Just look at the number of cycling KSI rising, in built up areas with lots of traffic, people on 2 wheels with no kit on, cycling has become the most dangerous way to commute these days. Dont fall into the trap of thinking just because you are doing sub 30mph on a scooter you are any safer than the guy doing high speeds on country roads.

Riding alone in the country at high speed is a damn site safer than commuting into a busy city putting your life in the hands of others each day

[Nigel Worc's]

moanthebairns said:

out for a ride, everything...

riding to work, or nipping to get fags (typically don't get above 30 mph) jacket, gloves and Kevlar jeans.

I can tell you as someone who road MTB's and BMX's who fell off a lot. Skate parks, bus shelters, flights of stairs.... it hurts but always wear jeans. Its amazing just how much they "protect" your skin in a small spill. You'll still get burnt but nothing like the above.

I deem riding my bike to work (don't exceed 30) no more dangerous than I would be on a push bike.

I would like to say I'm all the gear all the time, but I'm more like MTB.

Local stuff, just helmet jacket & gloves.

[dwilkie]

90% of the time I'll have something. In the summer it's usually just a jacket/kevlar jeans.

I've ridden across town to my parents a few times last summer in a T-Shirt - it's about 2 miles on 30 limit roads and I felt a kind of guilty elation the whole way. Which is daft really because I got passed twice by cyclists wearing Lycra and I'm pretty sure I'd fare no worse (and at least I wouldn't be found at the side of the road in Lycra)*.

• Apart from my full lycra undersuit of course. I like the feel.

[CaptainMorgan]

Fort Jefferson said:

This is the wrong way round, if you fall off at 30mph then the gear will probably help save you. If fall off at 130mph, you may as well be in shorts and a T shirt, because you'll probably die anyway.

Who said anything about doing 130mph? I'm sure there are plenty of people that have been saved from damage at 40/50/60/70 by wearing kit.

I wear everything every time I go out on the bike except in the summer I went to the shops in joggers and trainers. It felt soooo strange, everything felts a bit more alive, louder, felt 'closer' to the bike. Not sure I'd do it often, I literally rode about half a mile to the shop and back, to be honest, such short trips it's easier to jump in the car.

[Twincharged]

Fort Jefferson said:

Schnellmann said:

If I use the bike for out of town riding I will use the full gear. But when riding into town (3 or 4 miles of 30 mph) not so sure.

This is the wrong way round, if you fall off at 30mph then the gear will probably help save you. If fall off at 130mph, you may as well be in shorts and a T shirt, because you'll probably die anyway.

Here are some images of Guy Martins gear after his 170mph crash
http://www.iomtt.com/News/2010/06/28/Guy-Martin-sa...

I'm not sure that a shorts and T-shirt would have done such a good job...