Armour
So now that some of you are scared off from riding, here is how to protect yourself even more. Depending on how hard you ride, and how scared of other drivers you tend to be, you can go from nothing, to full body armour. Here is a quick rundown on the styles and types.
The basics is a back protector:
The back protector got it’s start in racing. It was a bunch of visors glued together. Now, they come in all shapes and sizes. Dianese is a good example of the variety. They have lower back, upper back, and 2 types of full back protectors. Some provide flexibility from left to right, while others are very firm. They form to your back. Putting it on is similar to a tight backpack. This is a very basic piece of armour. Some jackets come with foam back protectors, but they do nothing to prevent a potential break.
The Rest:
Okay, so I’m cheating. The rest of the armour is similar to that of any skate boarder/mountain biker. They consist of knee guards, shin guards, elbow pads, and shoulder pads. They have hard plastic. Not just high density foam. Recently, there are extra hip pads (no plastic, just foam), chest armour, and full jackets. Motocross guys tend to have just a plastic shell all over.
If you think you don’t need armour, I highly suggest you think again. If you are a “hardcore” rider, consider the following examples and story:
One man in Vancouver was riding home from the shop. He wasn’t speeding! He was involved in an accident where a car clipped his rear wheel. He was sent flying into the curb on the side of the road. He was lucky as he had a back protector. It saved his back from being broken. Now, think of what would happen if it was one of those big centre medians or a guard rail.
One of my friends will never ride without a full face helmet, even on his harley style cruiser. However, he has worn open fingered gloves and a jean vest. He feels that a back protector is mandatory. Many of my experienced friends ride with back protectors. It’s considered essential! It will easily hide underneath a simple T-shirt. Even stunt riders will wear a back protector over their T-shirts. Maybe nothing else, but they value their ability to walk. You should too.
As for the other gear, there is a lot of valid reasons to wear it. No one wants a busted knee or elbow. It’s just common sense that no one wants to get hurt. However, it’s inconvenient to put on the protection every time. Elbow pads, back protector, knee pads, etc.. It’s a big pain. Plus, if you wear a leather suit, you have enough protection. True, but there are still some things that need to be worn. My leather suit doesn’t have back protection. So, I wear a back protector. I’m too lazy to put anything else on. I do want to get a full jacket style armour. It goes on underneath the jacket. However, it’s still too expensive and I can’t afford it. Oh well. In the end, it’s still your choice.
