banditj13 Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 With the conversation about gear going on in the "I crashed my bike, I love wearing gear" thread, about the armor of a jacket just rolling over, the following thought occured to me: I bought my jacket 40 pounds and a few waist inches ago. At what point should I consider the gear I have unsafe due to size? It is a much looser fit now, and the armor moves all over the place. I still have 20-30 pounds to loose before I am at my goal, so do I wait and buy the correctly sized gear then, or should I go ahead and get some new, more properly fit gear now? I am talking street gear, not track leathers.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh1234 Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) It is a much looser fit now, and the armor moves all over the place. Right there is when it's too big. As for buying new now or in 30 pounds.... It's a calculated decision. Obviously you should be wearing the properly sized gear at all times, but we all know how expensive it is. But when an accident happens, you're gonna kick yourself if you didn't buy gear because you're waiting to lose more weight. Edited July 17, 2014 by Josh1234 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Your gear should be snug. It's there to protect in a slide and can slide off or up if too loose. It's also there to keep your limbs close to core so you don't flail like a chicken when you are tumbling which breaks arms and legs, snug gear helps keep your arms and legs close to the body so you roll instead of flail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banditj13 Posted July 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I am not so concerned about the cost, within reason... the gear is a cheap life insurance policy...and I get that the fit is of great importance... hence the question...I guess what I am trying to figure out: Do I go ahead and plan on buying new jacket/pants/suit 2 more times, one set now, and another set 20-30 pounds in the future? How much margin in "snug and proper fit" is there, would the gear I buy now still be safe with 20-30 pounds less of me? Given the lack of a good fit at 40 pounds difference, I am not honestly sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh1234 Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 That's a good write-up, Todd, on why gear is snug, TY. Find some gear that has some adjustable velcro straps & such. If you're lucky, you can find some that'll fit with the adjustments made to be large, and then when you've lost more weight, still have it fit when the adjustments are all the way tightened down, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Gear resells easy on eBay and CL. Stay in gear that fits. When it doesn't, sell and buy new. If continued loss is your plan buy used until you hit your goal weight then reward yourself with new gear. The WERA board is a good place for used gear too. Many of the track guys sell their used gear there. If you have full unrestricted range of motion while standing straight, it's too loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I don't know what size you need but I have a bunch of gear I need to sort thru and sell. I dropped a bunch of weight to make a run at the OMRL and MotoSeries events. I got rid of one of my suits already but I have more and lots of street gear too.Icon riding pants and jeans, jackets etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bark615 Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I am 6'2 and 150lbs... wasn't easy finding gear that fit right. You may need to get some alterations done due to your body shape or size... I know I did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantahertzdonut Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Good gear is also adjustable. Buy the smallest size that will fit, and make sure there's room to cinch it up as you lose lbs. Make sure it's not so snug that it cuts off circulation in your arms, it's no fun! Also, be aware that there is a ton of junk out there. This is what I wear You can get it custom fitted to your exact measurements, and it's made out of 1000wt Cordura. It has vents, reflective piping, and armor all around. I couldn't find anything in the stores that had all 3 of those items, and then the heaviest material was 500wt Cordura. Plus it's super adjustable. I haven't tested it, but have much more confidence in this equipment than the Joe Rocket stuff you see in every store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 (edited) Sounds like your gear is already to the point of being too big for safety, but man, it's not like going out and buying a cheap pair of pants and a t-shirt to fit you in the interim while you continue with your weight-loss program. I sometimes wear jeans depending on where I'm going, and I always wear a pair of MX-style knee/shin guards underneath for protection. You can pick up a set from Iron Pony or online for between $10 and $20. I'd also pick up a set of the hard plastic arm/elbow guards as well. You could either leave your built-in pads in the gear or maybe more comfortably, take the gear pads out and just go with the MX guards. That should hold you until reach your weight goal and are ready to spring for new gear. OH, BTW, congrats on working your way to healthy!!! Edited July 18, 2014 by Bubba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banditj13 Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 I don't know what size you need but I have a bunch of gear I need to sort thru and sell. I dropped a bunch of weight to make a run at the OMRL and MotoSeries events. I got rid of one of my suits already but I have more and lots of street gear too.Icon riding pants and jeans, jackets etc. Todd - I might take you up on that offer... looking at sizes, it seems to depend on the manufacturer... so I honestly don't know what size to give you... I will send you a PM with a bit more information... Sounds like your gear is already to the point of being too big for safety, but man, it's not like going out and buying a cheap pair of pants and a t-shirt to fit you in the interim while you continue with your weight-loss program. ... OH, BTW, congrats on working your way to healthy!!! Yes, that is my dilemma... I didn't think about the effect of loosing weight when I bough the gear I have now...so here I am...I am not sure that I will just add the MX guards... I am concerned with more than just the padding...what about how loose the jacket is... if I do go down, I don't want the jacket to slide out of place, and cause me to be picking gravel out of my skin for weeks...or worse...asphalt burn... Between the stuff I just bought to upgrade the bicycle, and the replacement of my gear for the motorcycle... this "getting healthy" thing sure is getting expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 PM received. I have those sizes too. I'll get with you later tonight. I'm at the track right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Yes, that is my dilemma... I didn't think about the effect of loosing weight when I bough the gear I have now...so here I am...I am not sure that I will just add the MX guards... I am concerned with more than just the padding...what about how loose the jacket is... if I do go down, I don't want the jacket to slide out of place, and cause me to be picking gravel out of my skin for weeks...or worse...asphalt burn. Understand. The problem you describe can happen even with gear that fits well. Any two-piece riding suit, even if it's zipped together, can gap in a hard sliding spill. Only way around that is a onesie, and while they're safer than a two-piece, they aren't very practical around town when you're doing stuff off the bike. If you've got the cubic cash to burn, buy yourself a good suit that provides the protection you need/want, then sell you stuff on CL if possible to recoup some bucks. If you budget is tight but you want to be safer, start with some 'cheap' but pretty effective hard guards, some compression shorts and a pressure suit to wear under your street clothes. Then treat yourself to a high-end suit when you reach your goal. Check out these: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/fox-racing-titan-race-kneeshin-guards http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shift-enforcer-elbow-guards http://www.revzilla.com/motocross/troy-lee-bp-4600-hot-weather-armored-shorts http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/fox-racing-turbo-belt-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-bus Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 When the bandana keeps falling over your eyes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banditj13 Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 When the bandana keeps falling over your eyes?What bandana? I thought I just needed a tshirt/shorts and flip-flops... no one ever told me about a bandana? The problem you describe can happen even with gear that fits well... If you've got the cubic cash to burn, buy yourself a good suit that provides the protection you need/want, then sell you stuff on CL if possible to recoup some bucks. If you budget is tight but you want to be safer, start with some 'cheap' but pretty effective hard guards, some compression shorts and a pressure suit to wear under your street clothes. Then treat yourself to a high-end suit when you reach your goal. Check out these:(links removed) Thanks for the advice and the links... I don't necessarily have "cubic cash", but its all a matter of prioritizing my spend... and safety is a bit high in that list...As I am not getting much riding in right now (it's perfect bicycling weather...) I am holding out to see what Todd might have... but if that doesn't work out... I will certainly look at some of the options you have given... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.