All the Gear, All the Time?

As the title suggests really. I was wondering who wears full leathers/textiles EVERY time they ride?
So far during my riding career I've always worn full protective gear. However sometimes it'd be handy to go somewhere in jeans, like a meal for example.

I know you can get jeans designed for bikers with protective elements but I'm always unsure how well they work? After having an off, I was glad I had proper gear, and even they had a hole melted in the hip and elbow. Would the jeans fair any better/worse?

Please note now, I'd never ride in regular jeans!

Regards

Mike

If I'm nipping into town/gym I usually just wear jeans.
if I'm going for a proper ride then its full leathers all the way..
Amazes me to still see guys in the summer riding with shorts and T- shirts.
Always have jacket, gloves and if I'm in jeans then I wear a pair of cat boots or the like..

I'm sure many of you have been to France and witnessed the froggie bike cops whizzing around on their big BMs in just shirt sleeves

Have you ever visited the states? Flip flops, shorts, t-shirts and no lids on a hyabusa!

Saw someone in shorts and t shirt on an R6 in the summer. Would hate to feel the pain having the grit removed from their skin.

I wear biker jeans most of the time as im normally commuting to university or work. Last week i actually came off the bike wearing them and the outer surface (the denim bit) tore. But the the kevlar lining stayed pristine. If i go out on the bike purely for a ride or if it involves going on national speed limit roads such as motorways i wear either full textile gear or if its a warm day i wear my leathers. I always wear gloves but a lot of people i ride with dont bother.

Was there any padding in the jeans? I found the lack of padding on my hip caused me issues for a month or so. Got padding now though.

Regards

Mike

Have a look at this, American I know but interesting still!

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Interesting research

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Full thickness gravel rash is not nice...
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The jeans came with free knee and hip pads. I dont use the hip pads but ive always used the knee ones- they are actually quite discreet and i can wear them at uni without anybody realising ive got them one, unlike if i wore leathers, never mind how warm id get!! :-p

I prefer to wear full leathers with back protector etc. This time of year i use textile suit.
There is a guy i work with that that uses a second hand helmet that and he just doesn't seem to understand why i have a problem with this.

Stu wrote: he just doesn't seem to understand why i have a problem with this.

Get him to look at the Bikesafe video Rosco posted, he may then realise it's not just you having a problem.


I wear full gear 99.9% of the time, even when I do my weekly shop I'm in my leathers, has a secondary benefit of the shoppers usually getting out of my way
The .1% is when I take the bike into the mechy, I have my leather jacket (textile if it warm enough) and usually textile trousers on - the only compromise is my boots, wear my work shoes, but even that 1 mile trip I feel uncomfortable and 'undressed'. If I had to commute, I'd rethink my clothing, but it'd still be full protective.

Just to think that in my yoouf, trainers, jeans and often no gloves was the order of the day

Always full protection, textiles or leathers and no excuses. It can sometimes be restrictive and I have toyed with the idea of getting some Kevlar jeans for convenience but like others would question their effectiveness in an off. I read a report in Bike that compared the industries best Kevlar to shop bought Levi's etc and the to be honest whilst they offered some protection the actual "rub through" times weren't that dissimilar.

Saying that I suppose that until you have an off you don't know how effective your gear is. I think that the old adage you get what you pay for is apt here but again you'll never know til you try.

I think the most effective way is to stay shiny side up and not test your riding kit out if you can help it which again is not always in our hands!!

Stay safe guys and try not to test your gear out!!

Last summer I bought a pair of bike jeans with kevlar inners and I'd ride to work in them, I only live 7-8 miles from work so it's great, I get to work, sit in the corner of the office and don't get changed and no one cares, but through the winter (the bikes jeans are not warm or waterproof) I really can't be bothered having to get changed four times a day just for a 20 minute journey so I've only been on the bike once since October (full textiles were worn)

The only time I don't wear full gear is if I have been working on a bike and need to take it around the block to test. I say around the block, it's actually down a straight road to the pub turn around in the carpark and come back which is only a couple hundred yards, I understand that's all it needs for some fool in a car to take you out but it's just not feasible to go and get changed everytime you want to do a 60 second test ride to check the bike and then come back and change back in to your garage clothes to strip it again or tweak something.

But even then I have a bike jacket, helmet and bike gloves on, it's just that my lower half is just jeans and my work boots

....Man, looking at the poll results this is one risk adverse group.

Nickmarvy wrote:....Man, looking at the poll results this is one risk adverse group.

Unfortunately some of us have skid our ar5e5 along the ground so appreciate the kangaroo wearing away instead of our butts.
Risks ..... hopefully not too many, calculated risks - now that's a different kettle of fish.

Rosco wrote:

Nickmarvy wrote:....Man, looking at the poll results this is one risk adverse group.

Unfortunately some of us have skid our ar5e5 along the ground so appreciate the kangaroo wearing away instead of our butts.
Risks ..... hopefully not too many, calculated risks - now that's a different kettle of fish.

+1.

I wear my textiles most of the time. If I'm popping to the shop or out for dinner I wear normal jeans(not been able to afford biker jeans) but the very least I wear is boots jacket gloves and helmet

Check this out, how many can you see not wearing their gear.
ps, Do our rideouts have this many people lol, never seen so many bikes in one place

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We made 54 bikes one year . . . T'was a sight to behold.

30 odd at BC last year from what I remember, not bad for a glorious day out!!

im getting excited lol cant wait.

I go giddy when I see 20 bikes in a shop, lol

BC might go giddy if we get big numbers turning up again, the petrol stations the rideouts stop at dont know whats hit them lol....

MrNutt wrote:the petrol stations the rideouts stop at dont know whats hit them lol....

Rub their grubby little petrol soaked hands together though when £400+ gets dropped in one hit

Snowcat wrote:

MrNutt wrote:the petrol stations the rideouts stop at dont know whats hit them lol....

Rub their grubby little petrol soaked hands together though when £400+ gets dropped in one hit

that is very true steve , theifing barstewards...

MrNutt wrote:

Snowcat wrote:

MrNutt wrote:the petrol stations the rideouts stop at dont know whats hit them lol....

Rub their grubby little petrol soaked hands together though when £400+ gets dropped in one hit

that is very true steve , theifing barstewards...

Should have a word with "The Robertcains" about contacting the fuel stops on route to see if a group discount can be organised!!