Quote:
Originally Posted by adouglas
Tapdiggy:
Point taken about suitability for the purpose. It is of course a compromise. Wearing a full-bore track suit would offer the best possible protection, but for street riding that is simply not practical.
But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm simply talking about a different approach to armor placement, not wearing more gear. The armor is more or less the same as what I've already got. My jacket already has armor for my shoulders, elbows and forearms, and a back pad. The only significant difference is that it'd no longer be attached to the jacket. (Sure the armor I linked to has a beefy back protector and chest pads, but that's not the point.)
Point also taken about the fact that no armor is 100 percent perfect, but that's not what I'm asking either. Of course it's not perfect and I'd never expect it to be.
I can't say I agree about riding skills being a substitute for better protection. It seems as if you're suggesting that if I'm a safe rider, then my gear is adequate, right? Aren't you really talking about avoiding the crash in the first place?
Track speeds are higher and crashes are more likely, but that doesn't change the fact that a crash is a crash. Even with safe riding habits and alertness crashes happen. Those preventive measures are no longer relevant the instant you go down. Your gear has to protect you... I don't see why being on the street instead of the track means you need less protection in the unlikely event of a crash.
If you go down you're going to hit and you're going to slide (or roll, or come to an unpleasant sudden stop... but there will be sliding the moment you strike the ground no matter what you do), and it doesn't matter whether you're on the track or on the street. If the gear is shifting around it can't protect you as it should, right?
One last question... how exactly do you " learn to roll away from falls instead of sliding?" That's practice I do NOT want to engage in!  |
I understand your intent better now. I will relay my limited crash experience and clarify my position hopefully.
I crashed last year, a lowside at 25-35 MPH. I recognized that I wasn't gonna keep it on the wheels very quickly and chose to bail instead of dropping the bike on my leg. So now the bike is in front of me sliding forward and I am off balance, with residual momentum propelling me forward off my feet.
Here is where the alertness and roll come in simultaneously: I am about to go sliding face down into the tar. I recognize this and pull my shoulder in and tuck my head. my shoulder armor takes the impact instead of my unarmored stomach and chest. I tumbled a couple times and came to a stop on my back. Resulting injuries were bruises. I unfortunately have repeated this kind of accident with similar results: I get in trouble; I realize the situation is lost; tuck; roll.
If you have read this far, let me say I think an armor shirt is a great idea and very practical. If the armor in your gear is shifting away from the areas it is meant to protect, it is useless and should be replaced with more reliable protection...
But if you do crash (heaven forbid), try to roll. Its a fun way to fall, really.
