Do you always wear gear? I don't and don't get the fuss it causes

[weemonster]

Over here in the sunny UK the only law we have covering Gear is that we must wear a helmet.
We can ride naked legally as long as you wear a helmet.

I commute sometimes and if its warm I just ride in jeans and a t shirt.

I get so much abuse from fellow Motorcycle and scooter commuters telling me i'm and idiot etc.

Thing is I barely hit 30 mph when commuting.

The same speed that Cyclists on fancy race bicycles do.

AND THEY DO IT WEARING LYCRA!!!!!!!!!!!.
anyone see my point?

[ducpainter]

I do see your point.

Have you seen the road rash a bicyclist gets from an off at 30mph?

It's your choice.

[ungeheuer]

Although change is in the air, the law regarding riding gear in my part of the planet is pretty much the same as yours (for now).

But none of that matters to me coz I always... always... wear all my gear each and every time I ride.  

So no I don't see your point.  And you may only see my point if you go for a 30pmh scoot down the road on your arse.  

And so I hope you never do see my point, if you see my point  

[justinrhenry]

sunny UK?  is there such a place? 

[Raux]

bicyclist do the lycra for aero and chaffing and lightness, it's a purely functional gear FOR RIDING... not crashing
and when they crash ...ewww

[koko64]

Men in lycra - 

[the_Journeyman]

Usually at the very least I'll be in one of my armored jackets, jeans, and boots.  I know the jeans won't hold up in a crash, but when I'm doing that, I'm going a very short distance and lower speeds.

JM

[Greg]

I commute sometimes and if its warm I just ride in jeans and a t shirt.
I get so much abuse from fellow Motorcycle and scooter commuters telling me i'm and idiot etc.
Thing is I barely hit 30 mph when commuting.
anyone see my point?

Tell you what, find yourself a nice empty parking lot, put a coke can on the asphalt, stand about 20 yards away, now sprint as fast as you can towards that coke can and slide headfirst into second base.
Now that was probably only 10mph, now imagine 3x that speed.

At least go grab yourself a mesh jacket, anything is better than a t-shirt

Just in case you don't know what stealing second base is all about

[koko64]

Seriously though, when I crashed racing with full gear at tracks and walked away unhurt; I thought about what the outcome would be with no gear. Sure the speed on the track was faster, but there were no trucks, cars, poles, fences, street signs, gutters, trees, etc which is all the more reason to wear gear.
When motorcyclists ask me why gear is important, I say come to my shed, I'll get the angle grinder and show you!

I used to ride with open face helmet, jeans, boots, rigger gloves and t-shirt. Now it's all the gear all the time, minimum kevlar jeans, always shin/knee armour, always back protector, always heavy boots or moto boots, always gloves and armoured jacket. I wear a lightweight vented jacket in summer and it hit 50°C a few years ago (glue melted out of the helmet vents).

It's up to you of course, but there's too many dickheads in cars trying to kill me and I cant afford to be off work injured.

[Rudemouthsky]

Tell you what, find yourself a nice empty parking lot, put a coke can on the asphalt, stand about 20 yards away, now sprint as fast as you can towards that coke can and slide headfirst into second base.
Now that was probably only 10mph, now imagine 3x that speed.

At least go grab yourself a mesh jacket, anything is better than a t-shirt

Just in case you don't know what stealing second base is all about

Ouch...Excellent analogy.

I do see part of the OP's point though...take and accept whatever risk you are personally comfy with and as far as others go, MYOFB. Me personally I wear full face helmet, armored jacket, and 50% of the time I'll have gloves. I don't need to be told I'm some kind of idiot for making this choice as I've considered the risk and am comfortable with it. I certainly don't agree with the; "only" 30mph comment....that isn't a proper way of considering the risk you are taking.

[Raux]

my big compromise is pants.
sometimes i wear just jeans, other times jeans with icon knee armor, other times jeans with moto pants over, other times full leathers

[SDRider]

I'm guilty of wearing jeans quite a lot of the time actually. 

I always wear motorcycle boots, helmet (full-face), jacket (leather usually but sometimes mesh) and gloves (sometimes shorties) though.

[Raux]

after living in Oklahoma City for a month. what I wear is like a space suit compared to some of these people

tank tops, shorts and sneakers with no gloves no helmet just a nasty thought of what that would look like after

[weemonster]

If im going for a proper ride I always  wear gear.

I've been for a wee slide along the road on my back at 20 ish mph before . not just wearing a tshirt tho.

I googled tour injuries  ooooft.

Those guys view it as an occupational hazard. They expect it to happen  that's why they shave their legs


so in retrospect if its a choice between wearing gear or shaving my legs..........GEAR.

[weemonster]

sunny UK?  is there such a place? 

this summer has been the hottest for 37 years.

I don't like it cos I have to work in it I have T shirt Tan