Poll: How strict are you when it comes to gearing up on hot days??

[VisceralReaction]

I have to say I envy my (stupid) friends when we go on rides in the summer and they wear helmets and t shirts and jeans.
It's 95 out and I have on my full gear. I have had road rash before and it ain't fun, sweating is worth it.
M

[mxwinky]

Luckily my First Gear stuff has removable liners and lots of zippered slots to let air through so when it's really hot I can still wear the jacket and pants and not die from heat stroke.  That being said, I must confess that if I'm just blipping around doing some errands I've been known to forego the pants and just wear jeans.  But I'm always sporting the jacket, gloves, helmet and boots, no matter what.

[Howie]

One summer I did a lot of local no jacket riding.  After a while I realised the sand blasting at higway speed was no fun and I was just as hot as if I was wearing a perf'd jacket.

[Porsche Monkey]

I have an airflow mesh jacket that is like air conditioning.  I also have a perforated leather jacket.  Im in San Antonio, Tx and its been just over 90 degrees out on the weekends already.  If Im out in the twisties with no traffic Ill definetly take the leather one.  If I'm commuting I'll still take the leather one and just wish I took the mesh one.  I like the mesh jacket but just don't feel secure in it.  Oh and bewbies all the way. 

[echelon]

I pretty much always wear my gear all the time.  I have good gear for hot temps and it just feels better.

The only exceptions are if I need to do a short errand on local roads (no highways, etc) I will sometimes wear jeans an a non-full faced helmet. Its amazing how naked you feel without the full face helmet and how it calms down your riding.

[mbalmer]

Full gear EVERY time. If it's a short run to do a quick errand and I don't want to gear up, I drive my car.

[somegirl]

All the gear here as well, I've learned my lesson.

Do you ever occasionally say "Screw it, it's 5 miles round-trip, no traffic....Just a helmet will do...."  ??

If it's 5 miles round-trip I take my bicycle (with helmet of course).

[lawbreaker]

Full gear- ALWAYS

Vanson perf leather + Knox riccochet back protector, Oxtar boots, full gauntlet glove, and Helmet (Suomy).

Gone down once before (low side) wearing t- shirt and jeans.... learned the hard way to gear up

[Kaveh]

just to clarify on my previous post, Full gear for me when running errands = helmet, jacket, gloves, pants.

Any spirted riding or long freeway rides gets the pants & proper riding boots too.

[paradisecity]

The only place I wont gear up is taking my bike from the road in front of my house to the driveway behind my house.  Its about 50 yards total riding.

The lake is a quarter mile from my house and when I ride my bike down to my friend's boat I am geared up - jacket, helment, gloves, jeans, workboots

technical and longer rides this year shall include 2 piece leather and perhaps frey daytona boots.

[MotoCreations]

Not a fun story here -- skip if you are squeemish.  

Living in Yuma, AZ many years ago a co-worker decided to go for a ride at 3pm in shorts/t-shirt but was wearing a helmet.  He was clipped on the bike and went flying.  Knocked out but not a scratch otherwise.  Problem was he was unconscious for fifteen minutes while laying on hot pavement before medics arrived.  Nobody at the accident scene moved him due to fear of neck injury.   It was 121 degrees outside -- the pavement was MUCH hotter than that. (nobody realized that at the time)  Sorry to say -- but he literally melted into the pavement.  Third degree burns.  Muscle tissue beneath was also destroyed due to the heat itself cooking him.  He was in surgeries for almost three years.  Still disabled 10 years later and in a wheelchair for rest of his life.  

You need incentive to wear protective gear while riding when it's hot outside now?

I'd only ride sans jacket if short distances in town and at slow speed or around my shop.  And usually with someone else riding along.  If riding alone -- always with gear on -- especially if its hot outside and the pavement is scorching.

[TiNi]

i'll wear riding pants, jacket, helmet, gloves, & boots almost every ride.
when it's blazin' hot, i sometimes ride without the pants 

[Shortie]

Full gear, 99.9% of the time. Sometimes I will forgo the riding pants for jeans, but always always always wear my boots, jacket, gloves, helmet. No exceptions. Think of it this way- the hotter it is outside, the hotter the pavement will be when your skin is sliding across it. I don't know about you but I can't imagine the scalding hot cheese grater feeling is a good one...

And don't forget to stay hydrated!!

[Jnaids07]

when it's blazin' hot, i sometimes ride without the pants 

wow, riding with no pants? bold, very bold indeed.  

[Betty Rage]

I always wear a jacket, gloves and boots, but I don't have pants yet. I never wear anything like slacks or cloth pants, it's always jeans. They held up pretty well in a 50mph gravel crash last year, didn't even tear. I just got a bit of road rash when my jacket rode up.

I was looking for pants to go over my jeans till I got in the family way