What type of protection or padding? Where? And how thick? Why? Protection vs comfort? Crashes? Did it work? More padding as you've gotten older? Hip protection? Please include brands, model and pricing.
I wear the usual Fox Flux helmet, eye protection, padded gloves, MTB shorts, and biking shirts in bright colors with my Radrover fat tire ebike. I use my ebike for work commuting and trail riding at around +2500 miles per year. I had a few low speed wipe outs on paved roads and single track trails that left me pretty bloody on my knees, elbows, and hands. I added the following every time I ride:
57 yrs old; commute during daylight hours on paved roadways only. No special attire other than a bright orange Hanes Cool-Dri short-sleeve shirt ($6 on sale at Hanes.com), ABUS Hyban Urban helmet ($70 at Amazon.com), and Five Ten Freerider Canvas shoes ($89 on sale at Zappos.com).
I sport the ABUS Hyban Urban helmet also. I also use fingerless gloves for my palms and a velcro pant cuff thingie that has limited success keeping chain oil off my pants.
I'll wear biking shorts with some seat padding on rides over 20 miles, 65 years old. Always wear them riding my recumbent tad pole eTrike. Found out that cargo shorts make a great bug scoop when riding with my legs up like that. Nothing like crushing a bug inside your shorts at 15mph.
Compared to my previous cycling experience which involved commuting and recreational cycling on upright style bikes years and years ago, I do wear more protection: Namely, a helmet and cycling gloves. I also wear sunprotection--when I wear short sleeves, I put on additional sun-protective sleeves. I also wear a lot of high viz yellow/green, either as a shirt or as a vest, and my (willing) kids do also.
For the final four months of the year (spring and early summer): my old cycling helmet bristling with cable ties, porcupine-style. If you don't know why, do a YouTube search for "Australian magpie attack". ... David
For the final four months of the year (spring and early summer): my old cycling helmet bristling with cable ties, porcupine-style. If you don't know why, do a YouTube search for "Australian magpie attack". ... David
I forgot to add.... I switched to long sleeve bike riding shirts to help reduce the amount of sun on my arms. The long sleeves don't bother me in the summer southwestern heat of +95 degrees. It helps to maintain a speed of 15-20 mph to help cool you off when riding in the summer. I couldn't maintain that speed on my old pedal bike all the way home.
I wear a Fox Rampage helmet with a chin guard, since I broke my chin last November. I always hit my chin when I spill, never the top of my head. That accident was on a piece of gravel at 25 mph. No road rash except my chin; I wear long sleeve dickies work pants and long cotton work shirts from red kap. I sunburn incessantly so I'm cooler in long sleeves and I wear blue to really stop the sun. **** red headed father skin, Mother was a nice tan native Am. I wear cotton work gloves to keep the hands from burning when the sun is bright. Glove also helps me grip the twist shifter; I had to stop using the index thumb shifter as it caused a 2" diameter cyst above my thumb joint.
I wear a green construction safety vest with reflective stripes I bought at mcmaster.com . I intend to be seen even in the daylight. The bike has brightz red light for night or low sun angles.
I use sun glasses in day and a clear protective glasses at night if I'm going to be over 15 mph or on a main highway. A moth in the eye is a pain at 25 mph. Also the passing dump trucks spray gravel sometimes.