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Login to post Forums » Sprockets » Critique my gear

Feb. 14, 2011 11:21 p.m. CarKid1989 Dork

As we enter into another riding reason i figured i would post up what i wear when riding and see what advice you have. Do i need more gear or less (doubt it) or different or what not.

First off I have an HJC Fusion II helmet which i plan on replacing because the seal around the shield is shot and its showing its age. <img src="http://t2.gstatic.com /images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQAPCk6IKEiOUU5kc_gW5WyWsXvTW-RncxI6ugJWzTS6esqoPEjQw&t=1" />

I also bought a Fieldsheer jacket jacket last season with nifty vents, a removable liner, and armor. Love it.

I also wear Icon armored gloves. not as much as i should though as they are too hot. so im looking to get a thinner summer pair with armor.

I ride with jeans on and ankle boots half the time only only because they are too bulky to shift. However my brother suggested a pair he had so i gotta look into that.

So buying a new helmet, hopefully a pair of lighter summer gloves and boots.

Helmet wise i want something that maybe is quieter and has less wind noise/ air comin up through the bottom.

Jacket wise i think im doing ok and i am content. Pants are decent but nothing crazy good but i dont wanna go crazy spending money.

How am i doing? i dont wanna spend a bunch but if you have any ideas lemme know.

I visit Iron Pony (the store) a few times a year and ill be going there soon to buy more gear
Feb. 14, 2011 11:47 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork

This guy doesn't do gloves without gauntlets.

Also tore my jeans up pretty bad when I crashed. Draggin' Liners saved my thigh. Just jeans? No way.
Feb. 15, 2011 5:30 a.m. ddavidv SuperDork

I think you'll find a proper pair of pants is more comfortable than the jeans, since they will be vented. Plus, armor in the right places.

Nothing wrong with HJC helmets. Buy the lightest model you can afford. I'm amazed how comfortable my lightweight HJC is compared to my road race helmet. I've read all the studies on helmets I could find and conclude that price/brand has little to do with the safety factor.

Too much wind noise? Foam earplugs FTW.
Feb. 15, 2011 5:36 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Boots too, right? Not fancy motoring booties, but something like Timberland works. Sneakers get skuffed through faster than jeans.

Dan aka Safety Nazi
Feb. 15, 2011 6:15 a.m. Grtechguy SuperDork

914Driver wrote:

Boots too, right? Not fancy motoring booties, but something like Timberland works. Sneakers get skuffed through faster than jeans.

Dan aka Safety Nazi

I wear Caterpillar / Wolverine work boots, most comfortable things I've ever worn
Feb. 15, 2011 6:25 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

+1 for Draggin' Jeans
Feb. 15, 2011 8:23 a.m. Maroon92 SuperDork

I wear a pair of leather shoes when I ride. More range of motion than boots, but not as safe, I am sure.

I may get some moto boots soon. I need to get a nice summer riding jacket though. Winter is almost over.
Feb. 15, 2011 8:25 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

Maroon92 wrote:

I wear a pair of leather shoes when I ride. More range of motion than boots, but not as safe, I am sure.

I think the only real key is to lace above the ankle. Anything that can be pulled off without taking the foot with it will be.
Feb. 15, 2011 9:04 a.m. ransom New Reader

Jeans are better than shorts or slacks, but that's really not saying much.

Given the propensity for the knees and ankles to wind up on the ground in a crash, at this point I really don't want to ride without armored pants and proper boots. Shifting gets easier as they break in (my Revenge boots started out making me walk like I was wearing ski boots; before long I stopped noticing their effect on shifting), and tweaking the height of the shifter frequently helps.

I also much prefer to have the jacket and pants zip together. Plumber's crack is worse than unsightly if you find yourself suddenly being held against a giant asphalt belt sander.

I meant the "belt sander" comment more as amusing than "blood on the highway" driver education film horror, but fundamentally, I've taken to wearing full gear because the analysis of the combination of likelihood of accident and how bad it would be with/without gear makes it compelling to me. Without coverage for your ankles and legs, what could be a "nothing" spill will be at least a lot more painful even if no permanent damage is done. Watching racers get off at freeway speed and just walk away and start patching the bike up for the next race says a lot.
Feb. 15, 2011 9:26 a.m. Xceler8x SuperDork

Oxtar boots get really good reviews from everyone I know. These boots use to be Oxtar brand but are now TCX.

They're going for $120 if they have your size. If you search for Oxtar on the newenough website you'll see one other version.

HJC helmets are going for $129 at www.newenough.com

Good gloves are essential to riding. If you fall you're going to put your hands out to catch yourself. These look like a good buy at $81.

Again, at www.newenough.com.
Feb. 15, 2011 9:42 a.m. minimac SuperDork

I like your choice for a jacket. After 45 years of riding without incident, I'm preparing for the odds to catch up to me. I'm currently shopping for some armored & vented pants. My riding shoes are wellington style boots or my work boots, both of which are steel toed. Neither pair is uncomfortable, but might be a bit overkill. I'll be switching from an open face back to a full face helmet again after meeting an old timer(like me) with horrendous looks due to road rash. I'll put up with a bit of discomfort rather than look like that poor guy did.
Feb. 16, 2011 1:22 a.m. MitchellC Dork

I don't find a full-face helmet uncomfortable at all. In my attempts at chivalry, I give passengers my full-face helmet and use the 3/4 bucket myself.. My face feels so exposed.

Add me to the "I need pants" category. Compared to a jacket, though, they're so much more inconvenient. They're also a lot more expensive it seems. I can never find my size used.

I have used The Tour Master Response SC as my boots for a while. They're comfortable; I wore them to work for a few months, and I'm on my feet all day. The sole came off, but I superglued it back on a few months back, and it's been fine ever since. I have been caught in the rain many times, so the waterproof shell and nonslip sole really help out with that. For my next pair, I want to try out Puma's motorcycle boots, but they're not cheap. They look a lot better than most, though.
Feb. 16, 2011 1:47 p.m. problemaddict Reader

Webbikeworld.com has a ton of helmet reviews. From the cheap to the $$$.

I bought a Sparx last summer and its a great quality lid for little dough.
Feb. 16, 2011 9:16 p.m. townsend7 Reader

I've been wearing a pair of Joe Rocket Phoenix gloves for many years. I find them to be a good compromise of comfort and safety.

As for boots.... Any suggestions where to find a decent pair of size 12EEEE? Everything out there seems to be built for dainty little girl feet.

Luckily my big feet aren't as big as my freakishly large head. Good helmets in LARGE sizes are tough find. I've worn several Bell FatHead / M3Xtra helmets for many years now. Because they fit. The last one I bought in 2008 was lacking in quality. I found Bell useless in dealing with the quality problems (liner installed about 3/4" off center). Sent it back and they refused to acknowledge the obvious problem. Will never buy Bell again unless forced to because of huge head issues.

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