Protective wear

[Andy1865]

Hi to all. Would you say that wearing a motorbike jacket is abit OTT when i comes to safety when riding an ebike on the U.K roads?
I am not planning on wearing the ones with added protective plates etc, just one thats abit thicker than a normal jacket.
Thanks.

 

[indianajo]

Motorcycle clothes have a lot of plastic & kevlar for wimps that don't produce 200 watts & sweat for hours.
I wear Dickies polyester workwear. Long sleeves long pants. Accident tested at 25 mph. No road burn, just scuffed clothes. I had polyester $1 gloves on, too. Red Hat mechanic's work wear is just as thick, and comes in 100% cotton for summer heat. Buy welder's weight in 100% cotton for skid protection.
I wear wrap around sunglasses days or clear safety glasses at night. You probably don't get as much gravel spray from dump trucks as we get in this county.
Oh, BTW, I ride unpowered for the first 62 hills. Electricity is for hills 63 to 80, or for headwinds of >12 mph. Without electricity a 25 mph headwind at 96 deg F can make 27 miles take 6 hours at 120-140 bpm.

 

[tomjasz]

Hein Gerieke cotton “army” jacket with hyprotec in cool weather. Shorts flip flops and t-shirt in summer. Summer badge, proof of summer wear. I’m with indiana.

 

[Andy1865]

Hein Gerieke cotton “army” jacket with hyprotec in cool weather. Shorts flip flops and t-shirt in summer. Summer badge, proof of summer wear. I’m with indiana.

Bloody hell that looks sore...OUCHHH

 

[tomjasz]

Bloody hell that looks sore...OUCHHH

And three days after medical care I caught a hospital variety MRSA a antibiotic resistant staph infection. It was far nastier than this first hour road rash picture. I’ll spare readers the really nasty view.

Trike on order.

 

[Catalyzt]

I'm on blood thinners and wear a jacket with cushioned plates in the winter or motocross armor in the summer. Every ride, almost no exceptions. My rides are mostly asphalt on winding canyon roads to access shorter dirt trails, mostly novice or intermediate terrain, but I really don't want any injury that causes any kind of bleeding whatsoever.

I think a couple of times I've ridden down to the LBS w/o any armor in the heat of summer.

The overall effect, with the helmet and sunglasses-- and mask, if we're surging and foot and bike traffic is very dense-- is a bit menacing, but I really don't care too much what I look like. I'm in Los Angeles, so it people keep their distance from me, that is fine with me. If I have a little extra protection from someone attacking me (which is very unlikely, but possible, where I ride) I don't mind that, either.

I do wave at children and families and drivers who yield right of way so I do not frighten people for no reason. When I stop to chat briefly with other people on the trail, no one seems to treat me like I'm doing anything bizarre. But this is Hollywood, where people walk around in Darth Vader costumes, so YMMV.

 

[PedalUma]

Hi,
Take a look at jackets for arborists. I have one and love it. There is nice anti-scuff padding at the elbows and shoulders. They are made for people who climb trees in all weather while using chainsaws for ease of movement with protection. Pockets are easy to access with gloves and they have long tails.

 

[Andy1865]

Motorcycle clothes have a lot of plastic & kevlar for wimps that don't produce 200 watts & sweat for hours.
I wear Dickies polyester workwear. Long sleeves long pants. Accident tested at 25 mph. No road burn, just scuffed clothes. I had polyester $1 gloves on, too. Red Hat mechanic's work wear is just as thick, and comes in 100% cotton for summer heat. Buy welder's weight in 100% cotton for skid protection.
I wear wrap around sunglasses days or clear safety glasses at night. You probably don't get as much gravel spray from dump trucks as we get in this county.
Oh, BTW, I ride unpowered for the first 62 hills. Electricity is for hills 63 to 80, or for headwinds of >12 mph. Without electricity a 25 mph headwind at 96 deg F can make 27 miles take 6 hours at 120-140 bpm.

Motorcycle clothes have a lot of plastic & kevlar for wimps that don't produce 200 watts & sweat for hours.
I wear Dickies polyester workwear. Long sleeves long pants. Accident tested at 25 mph. No road burn, just scuffed clothes. I had polyester $1 gloves on, too. Red Hat mechanic's work wear is just as thick, and comes in 100% cotton for summer heat. Buy welder's weight in 100% cotton for skid protection.
I wear wrap around sunglasses days or clear safety glasses at night. You probably don't get as much gravel spray from dump trucks as we get in this county.
Oh, BTW, I ride unpowered for the first 62 hills. Electricity is for hills 63 to 80, or for headwinds of >12 mph. Without electricity a 25 mph headwind at 96 deg F can make 27 miles take 6 hours at 120-140 bpm.

A good point

 

[sc00ter]

I wear my 3 season Alpinestars motorcycle jacket when its really cold out. Works great! It has shoulder vents if I get to hot, D30 armor in the shoulders and elbows, mild back protection and its waterproof. The liner comes out as well but is a PITA to reinstall.

I also second arborist clothing. Good and tough..

 

[PedalUma]

clear safety glasses at night

I use yellow safety glasses at nigh or in the San Francisco fog. They take a grey day and make it psychedelically bright and sunny.

 

[Avg_Joe]

Hi,
Take a look at jackets for arborists. I have one and love it. There is nice anti-scuff padding at the elbows and shoulders. They are made for people who climb trees in all weather while using chainsaws for ease of movement with protection. Pockets are easy to access with gloves and they have long tails.

This is an intriguing option. I'm across the country from you in the Southeast - any comment on breathability w/ arborist jackets? In a few months we'll be in our 88*/90% humidity routine...

 

[sc00ter]

I'm getting some yellow safety glasses ASAP! That looks soooo fun PedalUma!

 

[PedalUma]

This is an intriguing option. I'm across the country from you in the Southeast - any comment on breathability w/ arborist jackets? In a few months we'll be in our 88*/90% humidity routine...

Arborists work hard in all weather. Being a climber is one of the toughest jobs. These jackets generally have ventilation and are mid-weight. You can layer under them for colder weather. I like a thin merino layer for foggy mornings.

yellow safety glasses

Some have a vertical hinge, so tilting this can adjust the level of ventilation.

 

[PedalUma]

I'm getting some yellow safety glasses

How are they working out in low light conditions?

arborist jackets

Did you look further into this option for protective jackets?

 

[Avg_Joe]

How are they working out in low light conditions?

Did you look further into this option for protective jackets?

I did, but I'm just not sure they'll work for our climate. I ended up finding a highly breathable hi-vis vest I can wear over t-shirts when it's warm, and over layers in the cold. I wanted the visibility, and am willing to take the risk of road rash if/when I crash...