protective gear

[storysunfolding]

.

Hard armour, in the form of plastic plates, are great for the initial impact, in that they will spread the initial shock over a wider surface area, therefore reducing the pressure of the hit. Reduced pressure is good for your body. Hard armour alone is uncomfortable against the skin. Hard armour also does not absorb the hit.

Soft armour is great for absorbing the hit but not as good for spreading the shock over a larger surface area. Soft armour is more comfortable for everyday riding.

Actually most harder mc armor is paired with padding. Also, soft armor is being made with advanced polymers like d3o that become rigid under stress to spread out the impact. Check out d3o on YouTube for some neat videos

[TorontoBoy]

...the first part of your post is a bit condescending but i guess there are a lot of dopey people out there and need that spelled out...

I have no idea of who you are and your riding experience. You say you have 0 years experience. Some riders think that with armour they are somehow very protected. This is untrue. You hit a curb, tree or vehicle and no matter what you wear, if the speeds are high enough or if you fall badly enough, you will die. Riding in traffic is dangerous, so a high level of awareness is always required. Gear is the backup plan of last resort.

The advice I give is meant to keep riders alive, not for "dopey people". You need not wear any protective gear if you are a good enough rider and will not crash ever. Some riders don't wear a helmet or any protective gear and they don't need it. Many ride for decades.

[storysunfolding]

You need not wear any protective gear if you are a good enough rider and will not crash ever.

T- I think you just graduated from condescending to asinine. No one, even good riders plan to crash. Situational awareness is great, but there are too many variables involved to say that a good enough rider will never crash. The driver in the car your passing, that gave every indication of being a good driver, may have a seizure and cross through your lane in less than a second. Not even the best rider can handle that. Dress for the crash, not the ride.

[zeligman]

...the first part of your post is a bit condescending but i guess there are a lot of dopey people out there and need that spelled out...

I have no idea of who you are and your riding experience. You say you have 0 years experience. Some riders think that with armour they are somehow very protected. This is untrue. You hit a curb, tree or vehicle and no matter what you wear, if the speeds are high enough or if you fall badly enough, you will die. Riding in traffic is dangerous, so a high level of awareness is always required. Gear is the backup plan of last resort.

The advice I give is meant to keep riders alive, not for "dopey people". You need not wear any protective gear if you are a good enough rider and will not crash ever. Some riders don't wear a helmet or any protective gear and they don't need it. Many ride for decades.

ok, not to nitpick (wrider?) but seriously, you say you want to keep riders alive and you say you don't need any protective gear if you are a good enough rider? Perhaps I'm mis-reading your post Toronto. Maybe what you MEANT to say is that no amount of gear can protect you if you don't work on/master riding skills and techniques. In that case, I take back the criticism. But just because someone has been riding decades without a helmet doesn't mean that they won't hit a pile of horse manure, an oil drip, a drunk driver, or texting cager tomorrow.

Gear can't protect you if you don't learn how to ride, but it can save your life in an accident.