The debate about gear rages on

[afm199]

Are you sponsored by CRG or ASV? That's a lot to of levers and shifters and whatnot.

Glad to see you're still riding Ernie. Many would have (or have) quit by now.

Going for a ride, have to take the leg brace off for a while.

 

[VicTim]

I've read through this thread and I'm just shaking my head in bewilderment that no one has mentioned a great alternative, the magical Icon vest.

 

[Cincinnatus]

We don't need gear.

We can just let the government dictate how safely our bikes should be, and have them force this enclosed motorcycle, proposed by Jimmy Carter's Joan Claybrook, down our throats for our own good....

http://kawi2strokes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8798#p8798

Pardon me while I go ATGATT-up for a ride, folks.

 

[afm199]

The last thing I'll say before my ride:

Cigarette smoking used to be widespread in and ubiquitous in the US.... Restaurants, meeting places, workspaces were all nasty smoke shitholes. I started smoking because I thought it was cool. As scientific proof emerged that smoking was REALLY injurious ( I quit in 75 and still ended up with throat cancer twenty years later) it gradually became stigmatized. That was and IS a GOOD thing. I am so grateful that so many kids have grown up exposed to the evidence and have not started smoking. Riding without gear is not a bit different. It's devastatingly ignorant behavior with serious and often horrible consequence.

 

[NoobCorpse]

Lot of anger and defensiveness from the non-gear / undergeared posters in this thread.
Everyone is free to ride and gear up (or not) however they wish. For those that wear little/no gear, or the barest minimum DOT-legal helmet, you are certainly free to do so, but you probably shouldn't be surprised or upset when I (and from the posts in this thread, many others) immediately judge your book by the cover and classify you as an unskilled clueless rider.

 

[hangfire]

I used to live in a no-helmet law state before moving here to Cali and I can honestly say the squids out here don't hold a candle to the ones back in Mn. (yes I know the term doesn't actually apply to gearless riders but it has been adapted over time to include them so )

A lot of those guys were my friends and I've seen tons of conversions over the years. Watched my best friend go from being a squid to being dead of head trauma. Seen other friends go from wearing no gear.. to getting injured.. to wearing full gear. Another friend nearly got himself and his soon to be wife killed when a car did a left turner in him while they were "riding to get the gear out of the car", now he always wear's his gear. I supermanned over the bars a few times myself resulting in broken ankles, a broken shoulder and full ac separation of the other. Enter the age of me wearing dedicated riding boots of some form or another.

Point of all this is I have never in about 20 years of being part of the scene seen someone have an "oh shit!" learning experience or unplanned getoff decide afterwards that they should wear less gear. As people see more shit happen, as they have more shit happen they gravitate towards more gear. Experience = more gear. Those moments when you realize all of your planning, all your preparation and practice can't save this one and all that the people who love you have between seeing you again and just a memory is a layer of jeans and a helmet of questionable quality.

I have yet to ever have anyone listen before the oh shit moment though, so yeah, for the most part these threads are pointless, no one listens till it happens to them. There's exceptions to every rule and everyone seems to think they are one... till they're not. Just hope that the wreck that they learn from isn't too bad.

 

[corndog67]

Lot of anger and defensiveness from the non-gear / undergeared posters in this thread.
Everyone is free to ride and gear up (or not) however they wish. For those that wear little/no gear, or the barest minimum DOT-legal helmet, you are certainly free to do so, but you probably shouldn't be surprised or upset when I (and from the posts in this thread, many others) immediately judge your book by the cover and classify you as an unskilled clueless rider.

I bet some of the highest skilled/most experienced riders don't do things like you do. So when you see someone out riding, you immediately classify them? Why?

It's funny how some mention that they don't feel any sympathy if a rider crashes without gear, but I bet those riders without gear do feel sympathy when a geared up rider gets killed or hurt. Get off your high horses.

 

[Marcoose]

I quit in 75 and still ended up with throat cancer twenty years later

Oh, my man, that's awful! Really sorry to hear that. Good vibes to you.

Everyone is free to ride and gear up (or not) however they wish.

Yes and no. A swimmer can try to swim to Hawaii every day, a perfectly legal activity. Every day, five hours into it, the swimmer realizes it's too much and pushes the rescue beacon locator and here comes the Coast Guard. Cost? Let's call it the proverbial "an arm and a leg". Again, it's a "free country" (not!), the oceans are definitely free, and the swimmer is a tax payer entitled to Coast Guard services 24/7/365. How long until dozens of swimmers call the Coast Guard every day and start to tax the system?

Let's ride all we want and let's do it responsibly.

The weather excuse is a strawman. The vast majority of riders and miles ridden in the US are pure (rich man's) hobby. If the weather isn't conducive of a hobby, do something else. Hiking is an excellent pastime and exercise, but don't do it in extreme weather. Same for motorcycling, swimming, skiing, surfing, etc.

 

[ElectricPrunes]

? I've gone 60 on a road bike downhill.

So have i. There's only one road in the area that 60 is even possible. In full tuck you may go 60 for about 2 seconds. There's another road too, but drafting cars on the freeway after fish ranch doesn't count because nobody does that.

40-45 is not how fast road cyclists are going on down hills.

 

[afm199]

So have i. There's only one road in the area that 60 is even possible. In full tuck you may go 60 for about 2 seconds. There's another road too, but drafting cars on the freeway after fish ranch doesn't count because nobody does that.

40-45 is not how fast road cyclists are going on down hills.

It's also scary as shit.

 

[louemc]

So have i. There's only one road in the area that 60 is even possible. In full tuck you may go 60 for about 2 seconds. There's another road too, but drafting cars on the freeway after fish ranch doesn't count because nobody does that.

40-45 is not how fast road cyclists are going on down hills.

Going south on 395 into Suzanville it is a very long downhill grade...

The high gear on my Mondia could only be used on downhill, mountain grades.

bike started out as a 10 speed Swiss Race bike...I did chrome moly luggage racks and 18 speed chain ring/derailer, and heavy duty rims/spokes/tires.

Can't say how fast I was going, but I was passing all other vehicles on the road...Guessing 65 - 70 - possible 75.

bike loaded with camping gear and spares, weight placed low...
Was on a bike trip from Portland Ore. to Guatemala....In 1973.

 

[1footdown]

I've read through this thread and I'm just shaking my head in bewilderment that no one has mentioned a great alternative, the magical Icon vest.

I did. #59.

Everyone who shares the road with a Motor Vehicle should be required to have mandatory safety gear? I've heard of pedestrians getting hit by a car, bus, truck, or van. The next time I walk down the street for dinner, if I have to cross the street I'm wearing a DOT-approved helmet, neck brace and a back-protector or Icon vest!!! Safer yet, I'll drive the cage (with my mandatory seat belt and mandated air-bags).

 

[Gixxergirl1000]

I've read through this thread and I'm just shaking my head in bewilderment that no one has mentioned a great alternative, the magical Icon vest.

And props to 1footdown for mentioning it first, but it got sort of lost in your post...

 

[Reli]

The only gear you REALLY need is just a back protector, really.

But, but.......those Icon vests sure look sweet dough!! Ride to live, live to ride! Join us!!



Myself, I always wear full-face, gloves, and jacket, but the only time I wear pants or full suit is on weekend rides or at the track obviously. Not when commuting to work. If that makes me "lazy" because I don't want to change pants when I get to work, so be it. Oh, and overpants? Sorry, they will wrinkle your khakis underneath

 

[canyonrat]

If you have lots of experience then there are times you can ride with less to no gear. But beginners, meaning the first 9,000 to 12,000 miles of riding, should wear lots of gear, in my opinion.

I crashed my bicycle at about 25 miles per hour and suffered extensive road rash on almost every body part. Cleaning the road rash caused me to pass out at the hospital, and I have a high pain threshold. But the real pain was cleaning the wounds every night for about two weeks.

I always have wanted to avoid road rash because of how painful people say it is. Some how karma required me to experience it. It never changed how I ride or how much gear I ride with. I ride with a minimum of hiking boots, jeans, leather armored jacket, race gloves, and helmet. Most of the time it's a full race suit.

 

[Tydive]

I get your point and agree. ( After rereading your posts). You don't appreciate people making fun of riders who don't wear full gear. At least I think that's your point.
Almost the point.
Snip
I also disagree. When ignorant behavior is actively stigmatized, it is reduced.

Now we are getting closer. The latest brain research shows that when people feel defensive the chemicals that allow learning are shut off. In fact they will actively ignore anything that does not match their preconceived notions. Its a chemical reaction in the brain, not just stupidity or willful ignorance.

So when you vent hostility toward someone they will almost never be able to learn the lesson. Relax them, praise them, then introduce the "proper" solutions. We can either be rude and ignored or kind and understood.

Now, social stigma can work too but it appeals to the "wanting to belong" portion of the brain. Calling me names is unlikely to make me want to "belong" with you. In fact I've had great difficulty reconciling my feelings for quite a few BARFers who have good information to share but a fucked up way of expressing it.

 

[jraice]

I'll take someone wearing a helmet and a T-shirt 100 times more seriously than someone wearing the same thing with an Icon vest over the top of it...

Its all about the perception of how seriously they take riding and the risks involved.

 

[Abyss]

I bet this argument is as old as life itself, and if it was true there'd be only smart people by now. For as long as my health insurance rates are linked them, it'd be nice if they did wear more gear. And for as long as I'm a road user, it'd nice if the motorcyclist next to me were properly protected from the elements.

Stupid people breed faster than they can off themselves.

 

[c-mo]

OP have you had or ever seen someone with a serious case of RASH...truth be told not sure is worse... crashing and getting rash...or ER Doc cleaning the rash out with a brush....YIKES!!!

 

[Breaking Daniel]

two categories of people that don't suit up:
1. inexperienced
2. nothing to protect

with all the examples above, and basic reading comprehension, there is no compelling reason to not wear gear. the only logical conclusion: wearing gear somehow does not add value, and such people fall into category 2.

Just curious if your profile picture is actually of you...riding a scooter...in shorts and a tee-shirt?

Having made that comment, your argument is invalid good sir.