Wearing jeans on a bike

[rhinochopig]

Fine chaps, take out you girlfriends/wife's out on the back of your bikes wearing jeans/paddock jackets and when (not if) you come off and your OH is laying there with her arse smeared down the road, feel content that its ok because she was wearing what she wanted to

A colleague of mine is a paramedic that covers the Helmsley TT road, and over the summer he regularly scrapes up the mess from morons who think its cool to ride in jeans. And do you know what, because they end up hospitalised, it provides the police and the anti-speed lobby (which are sick of bikers and looking for any excuse to stop them using that road) with the ammunition they are currently looking for to reduce the speed limit on the road to 50mph. So when all your favourite biking roads have been reduced to 50mph or less, and your riding around on a 1000cc bike that is capped at 80bhp because biking has been deemed to be too dangerous, feel good about yourself because at least you got to wear jeans. Thanks, thanks a bunch you selfish tts.

And if you still think its cool to wear jeans, then please make sure you have private medical insurance because why should my taxes fund your stupidity.

[toxgobbler]

FourWheelDrift said:

Do they still flap about in the wind (30mph)? The chap I saw his jeans were flapping about a bit so not sure if they were protected ones or not.

Only a bit, the denim they use is also thicker than your average pair of jeans, but not enough to annoy.

[touge]

I am guilty of wearing jeans on my bike along with my alpinestar smx4 boots, jacket, helmet and gloves. I will be investing in a nice pair of leather trousers to zip to my jacket soon though.

[dern]

rhinochopig said:

Fine chaps, take out you girlfriends/wife's out on the back of your bikes wearing jeans/paddock jackets and when (not if) you come off and your OH is laying there with her arse smeared down the road, feel content that its ok because she was wearing what she wanted to

A colleague of mine is a paramedic that covers the Helmsley TT road, and over the summer he regularly scrapes up the mess from morons who think its cool to ride in jeans. And do you know what, because they end up hospitalised, it provides the police and the anti-speed lobby (which are sick of bikers and looking for any excuse to stop them using that road) with the ammunition they are currently looking for to reduce the speed limit on the road to 50mph. So when all your favourite biking roads have been reduced to 50mph or less, and your riding around on a 1000cc bike that is capped at 80bhp because biking has been deemed to be too dangerous, feel good about yourself because at least you got to wear jeans. Thanks, thanks a bunch you selfish tts.

And if you still think its cool to wear jeans, then please make sure you have private medical insurance because why should my taxes fund your stupidity.

I can't be arsed with any more fking stupid conversations about what other people should wear on bikes.

[Wacky Racer]

My son was injured in a bad bike crash several weeks ago, he has three broken bones in his lower left leg, has had extensive plastic surgery and skin grafts, will be off work at least nine months... his lower leg probably would have had to be amputated if he had not have been wearing substantial leather bike boots..... The impact speed with the other vehicle was 15/20mph btw.

[hugoagogo]

should all cyclists wear leathers too then?

[black-k1]

rhinochopig said:

Fine chaps, take out you girlfriends/wife's out on the back of your bikes wearing jeans/paddock jackets and when (not if) you come off and your OH is laying there with her arse smeared down the road, feel content that its ok because she was wearing what she wanted to

I have had a few accidents while my other half was on the back and both of us were jackets & jeans because back in the late 70’s - early 80’s that was what everybody who rode a bike wore and no, neither of us were ‘smeared down the road’. I have also lost a couple of friends in motorcycling accidents over the years and, from the details I know about the accidents, full leathers would not have helped any of them. Each of them died because they came to a sudden stop by hitting something solid/immovable.

Now, I’m not saying that jeans and jacket offer the same protection as full leathers, only that you need to get the actual risk to a realistic level.

rhinochopig said:

A colleague of mine is a paramedic that covers the Helmsley TT road, and over the summer he regularly scrapes up the mess from morons who think its cool to ride in jeans. And do you know what, because they end up hospitalised, it provides the police and the anti-speed lobby (which are sick of bikers and looking for any excuse to stop them using that road) with the ammunition they are currently looking for to reduce the speed limit on the road to 50mph. So when all your favourite biking roads have been reduced to 50mph or less, and your riding around on a 1000cc bike that is capped at 80bhp because biking has been deemed to be too dangerous, feel good about yourself because at least you got to wear jeans. Thanks, thanks a bunch you selfish tts.

I would suggest that motorcycles are far more likely to be banned/restricted because of people doing wheelies/stoppies/phenomenal speeds in built up areas/using loud cans etc. These are the things that actually upset the ‘blue rinse brigade’ who, like it or not, are the ones who will be able to influence the key decision makers. So far, every one on here has said that when riding without full leathers on they take things a whole lot easier which would suggest that wearing full leathers is actually more likely to result in the restrictions you mention!

Now, let’s discuss who is being selfish here! Is it the person who says ‘you do what you want and I’ll do what I want’ or is it the one who says ‘you can’t do that because I think it’s to dangerous for you’? I know where my money will be! Added to that, the second statement is also incredibly arrogant!

rhinochopig said:

And if you still think its cool to wear jeans, then please make sure you have private medical insurance because why should my taxes fund your stupidity.

Actually, I’ll be using my taxes to pay for any hospitalisation that I need as I have just as much right to NHS care as any other citizen of this country (including smokers, drinkers, rock climbers, sky divers, Shell tanker drivers etc.). Now, if you are referring to the overall cost to the state per person, and you actually do your homework, you will find that, despite potentially larger medical bills, groups of risk takers’ are actually cheaper for the state as they tend to die earlier in life thus avoiding the expensive requirement for the state to support them in old age.

[Busamav]

dern said:

I can't be arsed with any more fking stupid conversations about what other people should wear on bikes.

Edited by Busamav on Friday 27th June 11:37

[lawrence567]

Tbh,
It's really pissing me off you banging on about what we should wear.
I pay my taxes so therefore if i get injured then so be it i'll be paying for my own treatment.
For you to go round preaching to people that they're stupid for not wearing this that & the other it clearly makes you a single minded moron.
You'll be telling me i need to wear a back protector full leathers a helmet and gloves to walk up a staircase in a minute just incase i slip over so you don't have to pay my taxes!
You might want to consider going and being Gordon Browns right hand man & help him wrap the country up in cotton wool!
& for your info, when riding to work (max speed 15-20) i wear jeans a leather jacket, leather gloves and helmet.
If i go anywhere from aroun 30-50 i wear my full armoured textiles suit & if i'm doing motorways etc i wear leathers - full set & boots!

[rescynic]

Noobish question:

Is there a huge difference between the protection given from a pair leather trousers and say Draggin (or) any other kind of reinforced manufactured kevlar/ reinforced jeans?

just asking as im about to buy some trousers, as i would personally feel a bit safer sliding down a road wearing something other than denim.

been a good thread so far, lots of good arguments on all sides.

[lawrence567]

I've never worn armour jeans.
I've got a set of textiles and a set of leathers and i would say leathers feel safer & they are but for short journeys they're not comfy!

[black-k1]

rescynic said:

Noobish question:

Is there a huge difference between the protection given from a pair leather trousers and say Draggin (or) any other kind of reinforced manufactured kevlar/ reinforced jeans?

just asking as im about to buy some trousers, as i would personally feel a bit safer sliding down a road wearing something other than denim.

been a good thread so far, lots of good arguments on all sides.

I would be surprised if they offered as much protection as good quality leather but I have nothing scientific to back that up with. They will likely offer no worse protection than mid-range textiles, just without the waterproofing!

The key is to not do any sliding down the road then you’ll never need to know how good/bad they are. Use the best piece of safety equipment you have, it’s currently lodged between your ears! That, and get as much training as you possibly can.

As I have said many times before, 100% of people survive, totally unharmed, accidents they don’t have!

Ride safe and enjoy.

[Busamav]

The problem with leather jeans is that the top will ride up and your midriff will take an unprotected pounding.

I wear 2 piece when i want to wear leathers , but the must have a full zip all the way round , sewn to the leather , not the lining like a lot of them

[Twit]

rhinochopig said:

And if you still think its cool to wear jeans, then please make sure you have private medical insurance because why should my taxes fund your stupidity.

That is a ridiculous, not to mention scary, attitude. We all pay taxes to have treatment when needed. What next - don't treat people with lung cancer because they may have smoked? Don't resus overweight patients with heart conditions because they have caused the condition through lifestyle? Don't treat long term diabetics who may have added to their condition? Its the same argument!

As for the actual discussion, what people wear is personal choice! I tend to wear proper gear but sometimes I don't - I certainly would not judge people based on what they are wearing. Someone riding like a tt in all the gear is still a tt; a safe rider in boxers is still a safe rider. In the end that is what counts. Also, condition governs what you wear. I have ridden a bike round the world. When the temperatures were below freezing etc (high plains in Pakistan / n India) I wore as much gear as I could for warmth! Crossing the desert in S.Iran the temperature was 40 plus, as it was in central Australia. At that point if you are trussed up in leathers etc, you are putting yourself at more risk through heat exhaustion and dehydration than falling off. Therefore, in that position I wore as little as I could get away with! Sometimes that meant binning the helmet for the day - stone me!!!!

Finally, look at the Police etc in Italy and Spain and look what they are wearing! Its not too protective. I find this whole discussion bizare, its only really in the Uk and maybe Germany that people get hung up on protective clothes. The rest of the world just get on with their lives!

[UpTheIron]

rescynic said:

Noobish question:

Is there a huge difference between the protection given from a pair leather trousers and say Draggin (or) any other kind of reinforced manufactured kevlar/ reinforced jeans?

Yes. Mainly because most "bike jeans" are reinforced knees/hips etc held together by denim - which might/will fall apart quickly.

[Ordinary Bloke]

It's up to you what you wear. T-Shirt and shorts is legal.

I fell off a few bikes in my teens wearing denim, and the road just cut a hole in them. Zero protection. You might as well wear silk pyjamas.

I had my 'big' accident wearing leathers, and 12 years later I'm still thankful that I was.

If you want to know, try running an angle grinder against some offcuts of leather and denim. Then make your decision...

[UpTheIron]

Ordinary Bloke said:

If you want to know, try running an angle grinder against some offcuts of leather and denim. Then make your decision...

Bang on...but "do what you want"...just "don't come running to me"...although if in denim you probably won't!

[gareth h]

There seems to be a big difference in the quality of kevlar used in jeans, check out a few before you buy, Draggin have a very thick kevlar lining, many others (like the ones I bought (doh, you live and learn) don't.

[John Laverick]

I fell off my bike a couple of years ago at about 25mph wearing jeans [good quality ones] and although I was battered and bruised they didn’t abrade through [in fact I still wear them now]. I was actually pretty impressed by how they stood up!

[Mr J]

[quote]And if you still think its cool to wear jeans
[/quote]

You're ragging on people who wear jeans when there's people riding around in a t-shrit, shorts and sandals? And then on top of that you're laying the blame of all bike-related issues on them? Wearing only jeans isn't advised, but you win the prize for the overreaction of the internets.