Full gear all the time?

[Akzle]

sheesh. i'm going out a bit light then. taken all the rubber bits out of knees and elbows and shoulders.....

[Berries]

For commuting I wear my works trousers or jeans depending what I am going to be doing at work. If I am going on a long trip I will make sure I have my best jeans on, ie the ones that haven't yet gone thin around the knees.

[McFatty1000]

sheesh. i'm going out a bit light then. taken all the rubber bits out of knees and elbows and shoulders.....

Well, if I'm honest, I'm only wearing so much due to my jacket being awesome and badass...

[Bassmatt]

I've left my shoulder elbow and knee armour in all my gear.
I dont think its gonna do alot in a serious crash, my reasoning is if I come off at any speed and land on my knee or elbow its gonna hurt like hell without it in.
I'm a wuss

[Horney1]

What the fuck has putting on gear got to do with your head-space. Your head-space affects how you ride, being confident enough of your safe riding style not to bother with full gear suggests either stupid invulnerability or confidence in ones ability. I'd hope for most of us not crashing in the first place is far more important than mitigating damage if you do (not that they are exclusive of course). What we ride in, and what we ride are far less important than how we ride.
Gear isn't magic dude, it provides a level of protection relative to impact speed/direction, and slide distance/surface. I wouldn't be surprised if jeans at 50k offers the same practical level of protection that riding pants at 100k does.

Right on the money there Bogan, gear isn't magic.

I've been down the road at speed with stuff all on, I know what gravel and tar can do to flesh covered in jeans or by light clothing through various experiences, it hurts but it generally heals after a week or three. I do tend to wear more more often now but if I want to ride to the shops in shorts and singlet, I'll do it. My only do not do is jandals. Gotta be able to stomp that foot down without a thong splitting ya foot.

My minimum for a down to the shops has been helmet, gloves, shoes & whatever clothes I'm wearing at the time. Jeans will protect surprisingly well, better in fact than the light cotton material used in the Draggins I bought a couple of years ago.

I try to avoid offs in the first place but I'm not scared of a bit of gravel rash should it come to that. I got over crying about that very early on in my life. I've skated hard enough to melt the soles my sandshoes and as I was wearing shorts and a short sleeved light cotton shirt (helmet & gloves) at the time I had to do everything in my power to minimise the damage and use the gloves and shoes as much as possible, which I did. Tore my shorts a bit, grazed my arse a bit, grazed my forearms a bit, timed a curb jump just right and came to rest on grass. Could have been much worse if a car was there or if I hit the curb with my foot. Luckily neither occurred but armour probably wouldn't have saved me if a car was there and my motocross boots may have saved my ankle if I hit the curb but could have transferred the impact forces to my hip and shattered that.

Then there was the time one hot summer with a chick on the back in her bikini and me in my shorts (+helmets &? shoes). Might leave that one for another forum but absolutely no crash/ fall/ grazes involved and we both had a great ride !

Its all part of living. Some things carry risk, but make your life a more enjoyable place.
........
Someone else can spend their life in the cotton wool. Go for it. Feel good about it, safe and moral.

But please don't moan when I choose to take risk for pleasure......

Yep, same. You've got to take some risks to live life. Cotton wool is so ... suffocating.

......
The obvious and logical conclusion to ATGATT is to drive a car. Once you have your helmet and full leathers the next step is to build a cage around yourself as protection. Obviously we don't do that because we have all accepted the risk that riding on two wheels brings....

So true Berries.

boots, gloves, helmet

those are the parts of me that would have been ground away in the tumbles i've taken
gloves are most important imho. although my boots have kept me walking a couple critical times.

i have been off at around 70k which wasn't great but it's only really a rash. i think the main problem is if you go under a car, not getting a rash. i'm not sure what you have to wear to survive going under a car...

Yep, the problem is not gravel rash, it's obstacles (& those damned cheese slice things they're putting everywhere!). Obviously armour will protect from obstacles more and leather will protect more from grazes more than jeans. But part of biking is about the freedom and that's about doing it my way whatever my free will be at any particular time.

In saying all this I also do try harder to not fall off now! You know, the 'ol falling is not an option theory...

[BoristheBiter]

Right on the money there Bogan, gear isn't magic.

I've been down the road at speed with stuff all on, I know what gravel and tar can do to flesh covered in jeans or by light clothing through various experiences, it hurts but it generally heals after a week or three. I do tend to wear more more often now but if I want to ride to the shops in shorts and singlet, I'll do it. My only do not do is jandals. Gotta be able to stomp that foot down without a thong splitting ya foot.

And that's it in a nut shell, if you are happy with the effects why not.

Like you said to much cotton wool from a cotton wool society.

I am a fan of ATTGAT and wouldn't get on a bike without it but I wouldn't stop anyone from riding that doesn't.
It's like others telling us we can't ride bikes as we might crash and hurt ourselves.

[FJRider]

ATGATT will not remove pain from the accident "equation" ... just lessen the effects ...

ALL the gear does not make you bullet proof. It STILL hurts.

WITH wearing the gear ... it AIDS recovery time.

Risk factor is still up to you.

Are you feeling lucky ... ???

[p.dath]

And that's it in a nut shell, if you are happy with the effects why not.

Like you said to much cotton wool from a cotton wool society.

I am a fan of ATTGAT and wouldn't get on a bike without it but I wouldn't stop anyone from riding that doesn't.
It's like others telling us we can't ride bikes as we might crash and hurt ourselves.

Here is a trickier one for you. I am also a ATTGAT fan. The other day I had someone who wanted me to take them as a pillion - but they refused to wear the gear I had for them, instead wanting to ride with just jeans and with no jacket.

I explained to them the effect of coming off, even at low speed. I figure if they understand the risks it should be ok.

The still decided they didn't want to wear any gear. I found it a tough call, but I decided since I was the person actually riding the bike, that I had a great deal of responsibility of the pillions safety, and even though they accepted the risks that I could not. The net result is I didn't take them.

What would you do?

[BoristheBiter]

Here is a trickier one for you. I am also a ATTGAT fan. The other day I had someone who wanted me to take them as a pillion - but they refused to wear the gear I had for them, instead wanting to ride with just jeans and with no jacket.

I explained to them the effect of coming off, even at low speed. I figure if they understand the risks it should be ok.

The still decided they didn't want to wear any gear. I found it a tough call, but I decided since I was the person actually riding the bike, that I had a great deal of responsibility of the pillions safety, and even though they accepted the risks that I could not. The net result is I didn't take them.

What would you do?

I don't pillion as I don't class myself as a good enough rider to do so.

But if did I would probably have done the same, just like i don't drive off if someone hasn't got their seat belt on in the car.
Your bike/car your rules.

[McFatty1000]

Your bike/car your rules.

If only more people actually understood this..

What was the reason for not wearing the rest of the gear though?

[BoristheBiter]

If only more people actually understood this..

What was the reason for not wearing gloves though?

Who mentioned gloves??

[McFatty1000]

Edited post, meant gloves etc..

[p.dath]

Edited post, meant gloves etc..

Basically they didn't like the "look".

[McFatty1000]

Ah right, yeah, I'd be hesitant to take passengers that refused to wear gear that was there? (I mean, if I could and the gear was suitable)

I'm hesitant to let people ride my bike if they don't have at least gloves on

[caspernz]

I normally ride with all the gear, for the simple reason that when I head out on the bike it's never for a short 5 minute ride. Even my commute is 20-25 minutes and it only takes a minute or two to hop into the kit anyway.

Trip to the dairy or supermarket? Hop in the car...

Those are my choices