[luken8r]

Do any of youse guys who commute on the two wheeler wear any sort of armor? I know it may be over kill, but with the impending gas hike, I may want to start riding to work again SOON. The only problem with this is the lack of bike trails or wide shoulders to ride on along with the Massholes in their SUVs yacking on their cells while sipping on their Starbucks Triple whatever its called is making me a bit gunshy to get back on the ol whip to work again. I had a pretty good crash last summer and vowed not to venture back out on the streets to work ever again. However, with the gas prices probably going over $3/gal soon, I may have no other choice. Im more worried aboot the road rash than broken bones...well maybe not more

I was thinking aboot this

661 half jacket

or this

661 race jacket

or even this

some LAX pads.

Am I being too much of a or does anyone else in this situation ride armored up?

 

[hooples3]

i dont wear any armor... i used to not wear a helmet but i have seen andn heard of too many stupid accidents so now i wear one. I just find that being super, extra careful works well. at every intersection look back to see if a car is near and looking to turn in front of you ( this is the #1 bike accident in NYC). sometimes you just need to use the force

 

[stinkyboy]

This breathes nicely.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Geezus. I'd burst into flames if I wore armor on my commute.

And we don't have any humidity.

 

[stinkyboy]

Geezus. I'd burst into flames if I wore armor on my commute.

And we don't have any humidity.

Agreed, I only wear armor in the mountains or on an urban assault mission. Three cracked ribs is enough.

 

[luken8r]

Geezus. I'd burst into flames if I wore armor on my commute.

And we don't have any humidity.

well it IS turning to fall in these parts...as much as i dont want to admit it.

 

[luken8r]

This breathes nicely.

i was thinking aboot one of those pressure suits but thought they may be too heavy duty and id sweat too much on the way in. jenson has it for ~$65 or so

 

[stinkyboy]

Take 2 pillows and a belt and... Ahh.. Nevermind.

 

[narlus]

i don't think armor would do much to stop a rampaging SUV attack.

 

[SkaredShtles]

i don't think armor would do much to stop a rampaging SUV attack.

 

[luken8r]

its not the SUV its self, i can avoid getting hit, its the other stuff after you avoid the car that complicates things <see no shoulder above>. Swerve to miss car - hit mailbox. Hit brakes to avoid getting cut off going 25mph - go OTB etc

 

[Heidi]

I do not wear any armor, nor do I feel the need to. Extreme commuting...there's an OLN idea.

 

[wooglin]

Here ya go. If you're worried about shoulders and trails, you need to learn where and how to ride in traffic. Much cheaper than armor.

http://www.bicycledriving.com/

 

[SkaredShtles]

Here ya go. If you're worried about shoulders and trails, you need to learn where and how to ride in traffic. Much cheaper than armor.

http://www.bicycledriving.com/

Ummmmmm..........

http://www.bicycledriving.com/bikepaths.htm



I'm going to continue riding the bike path, thanks.

 

[wooglin]

Ummmmmm..........

http://www.bicycledriving.com/bikepaths.htm



I'm going to continue riding the bike path, thanks.

Ummm, did you read that? :dancing:

 

[SkaredShtles]

Ummm, did you read that? :dancing:

Yeah. I read it.

"The risk of injury to cyclists is higher on paths than on roads."

Yeah - hit a ped vs. getting hit by a truck. I'll take my chances with the ped.

"Poorly constructed paths can have surface hazards. They are often not maintained as well as roads. Path designers sometimes include hazardous features such as railings that are too close or gates or bollards designed to deter motor traffic but which can present a collision risk for cyclists."

Sure. I often run into railings and gates. Again - I'll take my chances over getting hit by a truck. And "surface hazards"? More hazardous than the singletrack I ride?

There is alot of good info on that site. I pity the commuters who have to deal with that type of crap.

 

[wooglin]

Yeah. I read it.

Fair enough. I feel safer being traffic myself. Take back the streets!

 

[SkaredShtles]

Fair enough. I feel safer being traffic myself. Take back the streets!

Maybe we're just lucky out here to have nice bike paths.......

 

[luken8r]

bike paths are teh suck. the only real bike only path around here is full of dopes riding 3 wide and people pushing their strollers at a slow walk
Besides, theyre only as good as public transpo ie, only take you where you wnat to go. great idea if you work or live right off it, but they dont go to where you need to go, then youre SOL

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> great idea if you work or live right off it, but they dont go to where you need to go, then youre SOL

That's true.

Luckily, here in Denver, there is almost always a bike path that goes near where you need to go.

http://www.denvergov.org/admin/template3/forms/BikeMap_FrontMay2004.pdf

WARNING: *Not* a dialup friendly pdf

 

[Squeak]

Fair enough. I feel safer being traffic myself. Take back the streets!

I don't, thats for sure. An unpredictable ped knocks me over, and unpredictable car kills me.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I don't, thats for sure. An unpredictable ped knocks me over, and unpredictable car kills me.

Bingo. I'm *much* more frightened of an inattentive driver in an H2 than I am of an inattentive someone walking their dog on the bike path.

 

[wooglin]

I don't, thats for sure. An unpredictable ped knocks me over, and unpredictable car kills me.

They don't usually kill you, you know. Its more like a serious beatdown.

 

[Squeak]

They don't usually kill you, you know. Its more like a serious beatdown.

Lets not talk about beatdowns...

 

[G-Cracker]

I commute most of the week... a 20-mile round-trip. Tucson is pretty bike-friendly and there is only a 25-yard stretch that doesn't have a bike lane or a combined bike/bus lane, so I'm not too worried.

I also wear bright colored jerseys (one yellow and one neon construction orange) and my messenger's bag is bright yellow. I'm lucky that I ride with the sun at my back going both ways, so drivers behind me can see me quite well. I've only had one person pull out in front of me from a parking lot because she was staring into the sun... just didn't see me. But I could tell and slowed and swerved around her.

Good luck, dude... commuting by bike is awesome.