Do you always were your protective gear?

Do you always were your protective gear?

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Schnellmann

Original Poster:

1,893 posts

210 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Picking up my first bike for 15 years tomorrow.

Used to ride sport bikes for fun. Now buying a KTM 390 Duke for transport (although hopefully fun too).

When I used to ride I never went anywhere (garage to garage!) and always wore full protection (leathers, boots, etc).

I just bought today a textile jacket and trousers (Harvalssons - following suggestions on another thread). 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. Definitely the jacket but if I don't have somewhere to put the rest of the kit less certain. When I go into town the bike will be acting as a scooter....and I don't think I would wear full kit on a scooter for riding around town.

Other thoughts?

If I don't where the trousers and boots what are the best alternatives?

LoonR1

26,988 posts

183 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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It's your choice, other than the helmet which is compulsory. I always wear full kit, again that's my choice.

Bit confused how "when I used to ride, I never went anywhere...." I'm guessing that you'd be Ok not to wear any clothes at all in that case!

Schnellmann

Original Poster:

1,893 posts

210 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
quotequote all
LoonR1 said:
It's your choice, other than the helmet which is compulsory. I always wear full kit, again that's my choice.

Bit confused how "when I used to ride, I never went anywhere...." I'm guessing that you'd be Ok not to wear any clothes at all in that case!
Well...I meant I didn't use the bike to go somewhere, park up and do something else (like you do in a car). When I went out on the bike is was purely to ride it and have fun.

Disastrous

10,132 posts

223 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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I don't wear full kit around town but do if going for a 'proper' ride.

If it's just around the city then it's whatever trousers and most probably a wax jacket or something.

.blue

726 posts

186 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Kevlar jeans with knee pads + textile jacket for daily stuff is what I use.

Renn Sport

2,761 posts

215 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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its been said... its your choice.

Personally I wear a Lid, Gloves, Boots, Back protector and Dainese textile jacket and trousers that zip together. Also in this weather a neck muff and balaclava help.

On a ride out its always full leathers.


Also top tip... when you commute, they'll always be little incidents, especially as you find your way again. Don't share these with the Mrs.. wink

clen666

925 posts

128 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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I've travelled to work in my regular work trousers before.
Only because I was running late and I didn't feel too comfortable doing it.

I also felt like people were judging me like I judge all those yanks who ride around in jeans and tshirts

Dannaz

313 posts

152 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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For any ride longer than nipping to the local shop (500 yards lazy I know) I wear full kit, my opinion is it's not worth the risk, you may find you are the most cautious rider and do everything by the book, but you cant stop over road users doing something stupid.

Just my 2 pence

Andy XRV

3,857 posts

186 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Some might say it’s the wrong attitude but every time I jump on a bike I don't convince myself that everyone is out to kill me nor do I think too much about crashing. So in the winter I wear stuff that keeps me warm and dry which on the plus already has quite a bit of knock protection built in. For general summer riding I wear normal jeans and a jacket and a pair of dealer type boots. For longer trips I wear mesh stuff which also has built in knock protection.

I know it's not for everyone but in the summer I really enjoy riding in "civilian" clothes rather than full bike gear and that’s one of the main reasons why I still love biking.

ZesPak

24,895 posts

202 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Locally, my minimum is a vest, gloves and the helmet. The vest makes sense as I have to put something on, might as well be the protective gear. Helmet is compulsory, and the gloves I just do because even at a low speed you're going to use your hands to protect yourself.

Once I know I'm going to do a road that has a 50mph limit or higher I wear full protective gear.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

267 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Priorities are gloves and boots. If you don't want to walk around your destination in bike boots there are alternatives that look conventional but still give reasonable ankle protection but I can't remember the makes.

Kevlar jeans can be worn all day, though you might want to take the armour out.

Mastodon2

13,916 posts

171 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Schnellmann said:
When I go into town the bike will be acting as a scooter....and I don't think I would wear full kit on a scooter for riding around town.
You probably wouldn't, most people don't. At a minimum I'd wear textiles top and bottom, gloves, helmet at those bike boots that look like casual, everyday boots. You can still catch some wicked road rash at 30-40mph. But it's your skin at the end of the day, wear as much or as little as you want.

https://rideapart.com/articles/why-wearing-jeans-o...

I ride my bike around the block when washing it, helmet and gloves being the only protective equipment I use, but I only do about 250m on 30mph roads, so it seems a bit much to get fully kitted up, but I'm under no illusions about what state even a 30mph slide could do to me.

Disastrous

10,132 posts

223 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Andy XRV said:
I know it's not for everyone but in the summer I really enjoy riding in "civilian" clothes rather than full bike gear and that’s one of the main reasons why I still love biking.
Ha, I totally get this. It feels so free just meandering along and I have no temptation to hammer it either. Love it.



ETA - The problem I have is with the logic of wearing full kit all the time. Let's take riding through town to my office. I don't go near anything but a 30 limit. Yes, of course I could get hit by another car but I also cycle to work on the same roads and will happily wear shorts/t shirt so why is it that on one mode of transport, I would wear much more gear to travel on the same roads and sometimes at the same speeds (less relevant if we're talking about being hit by others).

On the bike forum, they get all angry at people not wearing a helmet to supplement their lycra so really, it just seems to me like people believe a certain level of protective clothing just should be worn on a certain vehicle, without really questioning why.

Obviously, out of town at NSL speeds, gear makes sense!

Edited by Disastrous on Thursday 22 January 17:41

Spanna

3,733 posts

182 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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My minimum protective gear is jacket, gloves and of course helmet, with that on I'll wear jeans and 'work' type boots. I think riding the little Duke you'll find yourself throwing it into bends in no time in which case I'd go with wearing kevlar jeans and boots too.


Pothole

34,367 posts

288 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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WWTFYL.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

267 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Disastrous said:
Obviously, out of town at NSL speeds, gear makes sense!
..including ear plugs.

sjg

7,526 posts

271 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Nipping around the paddock (or just down the drive to test something) without a helmet on always feels lovely.

Most of the time on the Monster it's kevlar jeans, boots, textile jacket (as it has useful pockets), proper gloves. If it's really hot and just around London then sometimes drop to regular jeans and trainers (but at the sturdier end of trainers). Further afield either full textile or leathers.

I do thousands of miles a year on a bicycle, hit 35-40mph on most rides and have nothing more than lycra for protection. If I'm going no faster on the bike it's not the biggest worry - I'm more concerned about proper ankle support (if I overbalance at the lights, etc) than abrasion resistance for town stuff.

Disastrous

10,132 posts

223 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Dr Jekyll said:
Disastrous said:
Obviously, out of town at NSL speeds, gear makes sense!
..including ear plugs.
Agreed! Can't hack it without them.

spareparts

6,783 posts

233 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Other than helmet and gloves, wearing a proper bike jacket with CE level 2 armour (mesh, textile or leather) on any ride out is the minimum for me.

If you come off - even at very slow speed - and land on your elbow, you have a very high risk of suffering a broken elbow as a minimum. This can take 6-9 months to heal properly and regain full strength. An armoured jacket mitigates against this.

I know having suffered a broken elbow years ago that snapped clean off and ended halfway up my tricep. Metal work, 2 ops later, and my arm was reset at a slightly different angle. Now, I never get on the bike without a proper jacket.

Prof Prolapse

16,160 posts

196 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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Short journeys in good conditions I just wear lid, gloves, and increasingly a back protector.

I'm mental though. Sometimes I don't even rinse my grapes before eating them.