Road Rash Testing?

[uctofeej]

JimLor, here's an interesting article that might help inform yours. Webbikeworld published this piece on bicycle gear that is a mix of leather and lycra. It apparently is quite a bit tougher than regular leather (50K to 100K cycles to failure). The manufacturer is Domino, Inc.

So in the end, you are left with personal testimonies?
If you need scientific proof, that may not exist, so go to your nearest Cycle Gear store and buy what's on sale.

Or don't crash.....

Or take the word of those of us who have survived.

MM2, you're right, it does look like personal testimonies are the best we've got. That's a helluva way to choose safety gear that manufacturers tout to be "scientifically tested."

Maybe we should mount a campaign to get someone to do some actual tests. Maybe Mythbusters or a bike mag... If enough of us write a letter asking for it, they just might do it.

 

[madmike2]

MM2, you're right, it does look like personal testimonies are the best we've got. That's a helluva way to choose safety gear that manufacturers tout to be "scientifically tested."
Maybe we should mount a campaign to get someone to do some actual tests. Maybe Mythbusters or a bike mag... If enough of us write a letter asking for it, they just might do it.

Just thumb through the latest issues of the bike magazines and see how many advertisers are offering riding apparel. I dunno how many of them are willing to risk losing the advertising money that underwrites the subscription prices.

It would probably take dressing a crash dummy and throwing them off the back of a pick-up truck at 55 mph, then comparing the results. To be fair, they'd need to do so with 2 or 3 of each manufacturer's outfits (I'm thinking:1 landing on their back, 1 landing on their side, 1 landing on their front). We are talking about a major outlay of money, though it might be the best way short of having volunteers jump off moving motorcycles.

It might be interesting to poll the different editors and contributors (maybe even subscribers) to see what people are wearing while street riding and also see what were the results of "get-offs".

Like I said above when I agreed with Kevin Daly, I KNOW that leather is the first and best choice for racing (thus crash protection on the street). Silver Penguin's husband. Andy. was wearing leathers during his major freeway get off and they saved his life, even though his recovery took 7 months.

We all make choices about what gear wear. Leather isn't practical in the 110+ degree Summer temps and stop & go traffic I ride in. I've had failures of critical parts of riding gear (zippers on First Gear mesh over-pants and had a "burn through" at the elbow @ 10-15 mph) that would have been critical at speeds above 45 mph. At other times I've had small burns/melts from exhaust pipe touches. Suddenly Nylon/Cordura fabric didn't live up to my safety/survivability criteria. My best option was Kevlar Mesh. Because of its touted abrasion resistance (no roadrash), ventilation (its mesh), water resistance (it has zip in-liners) and relative ease to put-on and take-off I will wear it all the time, that made it the winner in my thought process.

I can't "scientifically" prove the claims of the retailer. I can only unequivocally state that it lived up to his claims in my personal testing experience. The damage was repaired (from the EMTs cutting it off my body) and because of my survival (The first-responders told my riding friends it saved my life) I wear it every time I ride. I suppose that makes me some kind of evangelist for this gear, but all we have on these types of forums are our won opinions and experiences.

 

[Kevin Daly]

Maybe Mythbusters or a bike mag... If enough of us write a letter asking for it, they just might do it.

Yeah, like I heard a myth that kevlar is better than leather

 

[Auburn]

IMO,Watch a typical MotoGP or AMA superbike race. these guys come off a speed and they get right back up and ride on a lot of th etime (if the bike survives). What are they wearing? In fact take a closer look at their gear after a highside or lowside. Usually just a mild scuff or two....

Leather baby!

I agree with you, but....

1) I don't ride the speeds they do.

2) I don't ride nearly at the edge they do.

3) I wear my gear longer than 20-30 minutes, more like 6-8 hours.

4) I ride in temperatures that raise to 110 degrees...

....even vented leather isn't wearable then, though some have the heat tolerance for it. I don't.

5) I know people who wear Aerostitch suits who overheat in our Summers.

6) I assume this is about practical solutions for every day comfort and protection.

I make the best assessment of available products and buy that gear. Since my nylon (Cordura, whatever) had failed in the past, I decided to upgrade and Kevlar Mesh (because my kool-vest works well under it) is the direction I chose to go for personal protection I will wear ATGATT.

YMMV.

I concede that above 90 degrees with south/east humidity, I dont like to stop (or really go below 35). but I am wearing JR Supermoto gear, which is a 2 piece w/360 degree zippers and I am nice an comfy for a 500 mile day ride. it is perforated and solid leather with a mix of mesh under the arm and some fabric in the unlikely to contact areas. Of course I dont wear it to work cause I cant fit much in the way of cloths under it but for straight up all day riding I really like it.

Oh and the chicks dig it too

I own both the 'stich and a couple of one piece leather suits. Never been down in the 'stich - been down in one of my leather suits (3 times) on the race track. 2 were highsides and one lowside. I had to have the suit repaired after both highsides and just had scuff marks on the low side.

I prefer to ride in leather over the 'stich because I do get more air flow through the suit (race suit is not perferated leather). I have ridden in 100 plus degree days in both the 'stich and the leather. The 'stich was terrible for air flow IMO. The leather, was hot, but allowed enough air flow through the suit I stayed cool enough to prevent overeating. The key to it is keeping hydrated due to the sweating and allowing enough air through to get the cooling effect of the sweat evaporating from the skin. The 'stich just became a sweaty and sticky mess because the air flow wasn't enough to keep evaporating the sweat.

I wear as much body armour as possible under both all my suits and usually some type of clothing that prevents the suits from sticking to the skin so they will slide.

Although, when the forecast is for rain, I am all over the 'stich. But if it is going to be sunny, the leather gets worn and I carry a one piece rain suit that folds up small just in case.

Unfortunately I don't know of any objective testing out there for suits. There is some testing for back protectors. I watch carefully road racers and flat trackers to see what gear they wear and how it holds up when they end up testing its protection capabilities.