Why is it not compulsory to wear full leather protection while riding?

Caporegime
Joined
30 Jun 2007
Posts
68,770
Location
Wales
So how about the treatment of road rash etc. is chargeable if appropriate protection was not worn at the time of the accident? No law forcing them to wear it so brain dead people would still be still free to ride around in shorts and a T-shirt.

how about we fit all cars with a black box that automatically gives you penalty points anytime you go over the posted speed limit?

we should have the roads completely clear some time around Thursday if we implement it today.
 
Associate
Joined
29 Jul 2006
Posts
1,767
Originally Posted by Dogbreath View Post
So how about the treatment of road rash etc. is chargeable if appropriate protection was not worn at the time of the accident? No law forcing them to wear it so brain dead people would still be still free to ride around in shorts and a T-shirt.





What about getting the driver who's at fault to pay for the treatment/rehab of the other party?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
5 Jun 2003
Posts
91,331
Location
Falling...
How do you guys cope with full leather in the intense heat of summer?

Make sure you don't drop below 60 :D

Joking aside, if I was commuting I'd use textiles, and if I went for a "ride" I'd either go early, or later in the day, or just suck it up - it's not pleasant... but it's more fun riding when you know you have some protection than not (for me). Getting my knee down in shorts doesn't really help with the whole keeping of your knee caps and bits of your body thing :p

2 piece suits are good as you can remove the jacket. I used to wear shorts under my leathers so could always remove them if I had to.
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Feb 2004
Posts
13,360
Location
Fife, Scotland
How do you guys cope with full leather in the intense heat of summer?

Personally I find it really isn't an issue when on the move. It's only if you stop and need to walk around anywhere in a 1 piece suit that you can start overheating a bit. With a 2 piece suit the jacket can easily be removed if you have stopped, parked up and gone for a bimble. My 1 piece race suit was perforated which went a long way to helping with airflow. I've recently ordered a Dainese Super Speed Tex jacket which is one of these 'mesh' summer jackets which are well armored but ultimately do sacrifice some protective qualities for comfort.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
30 May 2007
Posts
5,682
Location
St A
Can we not close this thread?
Just seems to have descended into sniping each other which I'd rather not see continue, this sub-forum has been somewhat of a sanctuary for that sort of stuff.
I'm all for a proper discussion, but that seems to have ended a while ago in this thread.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Nov 2003
Posts
5,671
Location
Harrogate
Personally I find it really isn't an issue when on the move. It's only if you stop and need to walk around anywhere in a 1 piece suit that you can start overheating a bit. With a 2 piece suit the jacket can easily be removed if you have stopped, parked up and gone for a bimble. My 1 piece race suit was perforated which went a long way to helping with airflow. I've recently ordered a Dainese Super Speed Tex jacket which is one of these 'mesh' summer jackets which are well armored but ultimately do sacrifice some protective qualities for comfort.

Agree its generally not a problem in the UK, but when riding in Southern Spain, and France during a heatwave when it was 40 degrees it was unbearable. Its the only time when riding faster made me hotter - literally like a hairdryer on full heat.

I wore my mesh jacket on the way to work this morning - was too cold lol. They have a very narrow operating temperature!
 
Soldato
Joined
11 May 2007
Posts
8,905
Location
Surrey
As for the bikes being a drain on the NHS, cyclist are more of a impact than pushbikes, lets enforce them to wear full leathers and helmets. Also lets ban cycling toe clips as well while we are it.

Everything is a drain on the NHS it always will be, you target motorbikes as its easy, and you have also spat your dummy out when posting on a bikers forum. Try posting on a BMW GS theread, you might get more help.

Lets not mention cigarettes and fast food either. ;)
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Sep 2013
Posts
12,299
at which point you'd probably have been dead about 30 seconds ago from the 3rd degree burns all over you from the leather being well over 60C
Not all over. Just the contact point.
But if you're sliding along the road for 55 seconds, you were going WELL over the 40mph these tests are usually done at!!

How do you guys cope with full leather in the intense heat of summer?
Well, I certainly never wear a one-piece. That's for the racing boys. I make sure I have a jacket and trousers combo that I can wear comfortably while going around town, do my daily stuff in and even wear all day at work.

I'm still wearing my Winter leathers right now, as it happens. However, my summer kit has perforated panels facing into the wind that allow such airflow, it feels like you're not wearing anything.

Another factor is keeping within a certain speed bracket. Too slow and you don't get enough airflow. Too fast and the friction of air passing over your kit actually warms you up. Depends on the day, humidity and so on.
I've tried some textiles and there hasn't been much of a difference, ultimately. I'll always favour leather, for the protection if nothing else.
 

4T5

4T5

Man of Honour
Joined
30 Aug 2004
Posts
27,739
Location
Middle of England
How do you guys cope with full leather in the intense heat of summer?

I wear 2 piece leathers no matter what the weather, On a hot day you only have to open a zip a bit to get nice air flow through the jacket & out at the waist.
Like Draeger said the only time leathers are a problem are when you are off the bike mooching about.

Can we not close this thread?
Just seems to have descended into sniping each other which I'd rather not see continue, this sub-forum has been somewhat of a sanctuary for that sort of stuff.
I'm all for a proper discussion, but that seems to have ended a while ago in this thread.

I think it's because we have Non Bike riders in this thread.
Hopefully the good atmosphere in the Bikers section won't be ruined by this thread.
 
Associate
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Posts
1,777
Ride around in what you want to wear.
We all know the consequences should the worst happen.
I wear textile kit no matter what (might nip out in thick jeans if going a mile or so) but always wear the jacket.
I don't ride particularly fast and I feel that I wear the minimum really.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2003
Posts
5,995
Location
Expat in the USA
I wore a full one piece non-perforated Dainese suit to the south of France and back during France's unbearable 2003 summer heat wave. I ended up having to ride thru the night on the return leg of the trip, otherwise i would not have made it. I looked into shipping my leathers back, but it was not feasible.

This day and age, now living in SW Florida, i ride in shorts and t-shirt, and nothing else. I ride at a cruising pace and only early on a Sunday morning, rarely over 50mph, where there are very few cars, along the beach roads, that i ride. The roads are nice and wide open, yes, is more risky, but also a lot more fun !!!!! Perhaps in Winter, I'll throw a helmet on for good measure if the temps dip below 25. But during summer months, where I live its not really doable. Not without reducing your ride enjoyment. Pretty much everyone else is the same. Seeing someone in full gear is really an exception rather than the norm.

I've also come off a bike back in the early 90's while on holiday on a Greek island doing about 30mph, wearing only shorts, trainers and well not even a t-shirt.. Yep it hurt, and i burned the skin off my butt, hands and elbows. But after a couple of weeks i was all ok again, and have only light scars because of the event.

Its a bit like a tour de france rider, only wearing lycra's. They come off, and graze themselves up pretty bad, but its not the de-skinning to death that some of you make out.

Its the wacking the head that concerns me more... I do need to buy an open face... So the wife keeps telling me !

I should also mention that during my younger yrs, i came off at reasonably high speed. 60-maybe 70, only wearing regular jeans and a bomber jacket. I bounced down the road for a considerable length ! Did not get caught under the bike, so lucky there. The jacket got ripped and the jeans scuffed, but other than that i was fine... Really is you and your luck.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2006
Posts
9,701
Location
Wiltshire / Winchester
Plenty of deaths in the tour de france, and they wear helmets.
Google tour de France injuries plenty of grim photos ;) :p

And you cant really compare cycling accidents anyway, the weight/mass? momentum is completely different.

But yes you are right a lot of it is down to luck, and not everyone is going to be lucky.
 
Last edited:
Caporegime
Joined
30 Jun 2007
Posts
68,770
Location
Wales
Plenty of deaths in the tour de france, and they wear helmets.
Google tour de France injuries plenty of grim photos ;) :p

And you cant really compare cycling accidents anyway, the weight/mass? momentum is completely different.

But yes you are right a lot of it is down to luck, and not everyone is going to be lucky.



but does the momentum of the bike come into play once you're off it?

presumably the weight of your gear increases your momentum compared to a cycalist once off the bike though lol
 
Back
Top Bottom