Quote Originally Posted by Hitcher View Post
Based on exhaustive market research involving one person and one off, you may well be right. But armour too is overrated. It does not make the ground any less hard or the impact any less sudden. At best, armour may dissipate some impact forces, but it is unlike to stop bones being broken.

The more protection bikers wear, the greater the risk that they will place more importance on the durability/effectiveness of these garments than they do in their own riding ability. Exactly the same comments can be made about flouro vests and other nonsense. Riding naked without a helmet is probably the safest thing that any biker can do.
Awwriiiiighty then.
I've conducted my own research into binning, using my own ungoodly self as a crash-test dummy.
I've crashed in a wide variety of garmenture, into a moderate variety of obstacles, and had a small variety of injuries. I won't talk about crashes on the dirt/grass/mud/sand, because they didn't really count, and I don't remember details. My sole surviving injury from the latter wasn't from a crash, but from a piece of partially-buried barbed wire trying to wrest me from my bike. A small scar on one ankle and a long since buried torn and blood-sodden sock were the results.
Crash 1:
Garments: Jeans, gloves, open-faced helmet, some kind of non-protective overgarment (oilskin raincoat or somesuch).
Obstacle: Mini - clipped with handlebar @ ~30 km/h.
Result: Fell down on road.
Injuries: None worth mentioning.

Crash 2:
Garments: School uniform (shorts, jersey, shoes, etc.) No gloves, open-faced helmet.
Obstacle: Direct hit on a bicyclist at ~ 55km/h.
Result: Several metre slide on road.
Injuries: Minor contusions on legs.

Crash 3:
Garments: Jeans, jandals, open-faced helmet, leather jacket.
Obstacle: Vauxhall Viva, hit square amidships at ~65km/h.
Result: 4.5 for a somersault over car, 7.6 on the dismount.
Injuries: Nine stitches in right knee, cuts'n'contusions on feet'n'ankles.

Crash 4:
Garments: Leather pants (no armour), Teknic jacket (fully armoured), Spidi gloves, leather bike boots, AGV fullface.
Obstacle: Road. Plus squashed can.
Result: Lowside at ~40 km/h.
Injuries: Bruised shoulder.

Crash 5:
Garments: Business slacks (and socks!), Teknic jacket (fully armoured), Spidi gloves, leather bike boots, AGV fullface.
Obstacle: Pedestrian
Result: Taken out ~40 km/h.
Injuries: Very slightly grazed knee(s). Pedestrian had leg busted in two (2!) places. Should've been wearing armour. ~$3k damage to bike.

Crash 6:
Garments: Business slacks (and socks!), Teknic jacket (fully armoured), Spidi gloves, leather bike boots, AGV fullface.
Obstacle: Car.
Result: Newly repaired and painted bike dropped onto road at ~25km/h.
Injuries: Slight whiplash from the sideways dismount. Bike unhappy.

Crash 7:
Garments: Leather pants with Knox knee armour, Teknic jacket (fully armoured), Spidi gloves, StylMartin leather bike boots, AGV fullface.
Obstacle: Car. U-turning without looking.
Result: Collision at ~50 - 60km/h
Injuries: Farkt leg - badly bruised / swollen, knee numb, possibly cracked heel, slightly sore back. Bike written off ($6800 damage).

Crash 8:
Garments: Leather pants with Knox knee armour, Teknic jacket (fully armoured), Spidi gloves, leather bike boots, AGV fullface.
Obstacle: Road.
Result: Sideways faceplant/unexpected dismount at ~10 km/h
Injuries: Slight concussion for 3 days. Minor bike damage. Huge hit to pride.

Crashes 9 and 10:
Garments: Cordura pants with Knox knee and hip armour, Teknic jacket (fully armoured), Spidi gloves, leather bike boots, AGV fullface.
Obstacle: Footpath / Road.
Result: Faceplant/ unplanned dismount at ~5 km/h (in both cases)
Injuries:Pride. Scratches, cracks to bike.


So what does all this bollocks tell you?

Fucknothing.
There's an awful lot of variability in the ways you can crash, what surface you're on, what you hit, how you land, what speed you're doing, whether you roll / slide / tumble. etc. I'd rather hit something hard with a reasonable amount of armoured gear on, than just street clothes. I'd rather be wearing good well-fitting leather in a slide, than anything else.
I'd rather be wearing a well-fittting, well padded, good brand of helmet than one that gives me concussion in a minor knock.
I'd rather not lose or damage any fingers, given I make my living from them.
I'd rather not lose mobility of any limbs if I can help it.
I still feel the effects of Crash 7 now, nearly 6 years afterwards. If I hadn't had a back protector in my jacket, Knox armour in my pants, and good boots on, it could've been much worserer. Fuck that...