Hot weather riding

[Sparky]

Hi
I`ve got a Knox cross shirt which I`m intending to wear under a light weight jacket,has anyone used this product before ?Is it any good,it certainly has enough armour and the mesh construction allows the air to pass through pretty freely.Could you wear it without an overjacket?or would that look stupid!Any comments appreciated

Ta

[Martynbiker]

So i know what your talking about, I just did a google image search.
It certainly looks well armoured up.
I suppose you could wear it without an overjacket...its a free country... so to speak, in the UK the only protective gear you are LEGALLY obliged to wear is a Helmet.... and you would look a Bit 'Mad-Max' without a light jacket on over the top. IMHO.

The Yanks have a saying.....ATGATT. it means All-The-Gear-All-The-Time!

I have in the past ridden without protective gear... never again

But that is just ME. Im not advising it.

the times I have dropped a bike, and it has been a few times in the 28 years I have been riding, I have been wearing protective gear, I have been thank-full for it. the ONE time I was knocked off my bike ( by a copper actually) when I didnt have gear on, I spent 3 months in Chesterfield Royal Infirmary ( now closed down and replaced by Calow) and a month in Mansfield Hospital.

Its Your Body, Your choice... only You know wether or not you value your skin over fashion...or comfort. I thing it is a good idea you choose a well armoured piece of kit under a jacket. as to weather or not you want to look like mad max.......

ride safe

Martyn

[MetusUK]

Having had the same conundrum as yourself I've been thinking about what to wear.

I am one of those people who is known to ride without protective gear the only thing you'll find I'm guaranteed to wear is a lid and gloves.

HOWEVER... Not that it is any excuse, the t-shirts and shorts style, is usually a quick, 'run out of charcoal for the bbq' type corner shop run.

I have been known to commute to london in jeans boots and leather jacket..

But where is this all going...

I'm going through West africa/sahara country from March until May.

What have I decided...

Well intially i thought about a knox cross shirt too, but then i remember that the armour is so close fitting when riding off road in this country I sweated my tits off.

So I then looked at my Alpinestars airtex jacket and 'Draggin' style cargo trousers, with Alpinstar SX Knee Armour underneath and Gaerne SG10 boots... And to be honest I still may take/wear that, but I've ordered from Hein Gericke this jacket and trouser combo Hein Gericke (UK) Ltd. and Hein Gericke (UK) Ltd.... I haven't seen it in the flesh to know for sure, and they said if its not what i was after I could bring it back to the local store for a refund... I should get it today or tmw, and so I'll let you know....

The bottom line is this, When your riding that much that often in countries with less than safe roads and less than safe drivers, I personally would assess that the risk of having an off is higher and as such would want to wear the right gear.....

[Martynbiker]

Originally Posted by MetusUK

H

I'm going through West africa/sahara country from March until May.

The bottom line is this, When your riding that much that often in countries with less than safe roads and less than safe drivers, I personally would assess that the risk of having an off is higher and as such would want to wear the right gear.....

Also the point of thought that you really don't want to be in an African Hospital/ or worse still no hospital for miles with gravel rash!

[Hindu1936]

Can't think of the name right now but will post it when I dig it out, but we have a vest (sort of) that you soak in water overnight and put it on under whatever you are wearing. It won't make your clothes or skin wet but it sure does keep you a lot cooler when it it scorching out. One overnight soaking will keep it going for three days. You can soak it for an hour and it will last the riding day. They don't weigh much of anything and they are comfortable. The dealership is in Medford, Oregon. Will post the address and name when i find them.

[MetusUK]

Originally Posted by MetusUK

... but I've ordered from Hein Gericke this jacket and trouser combo Hein Gericke (UK) Ltd. and Hein Gericke (UK) Ltd.... I haven't seen it in the flesh to know for sure, and they said if its not what i was after I could bring it back to the local store for a refund... I should get it today or tmw, and so I'll let you know.....

Just got it through.. It's awesome exactly what I wanted it to be, and fits me perfectly.... This suit is well worth looking at for people who are overlanding a really hot country, using both road and off road sections... Seriously consider it... and a bargain at its current price (its in sale)

[XT GIRL]

Originally Posted by Hindu1936

Can't think of the name right now but will post it when I dig it out, but we have a vest (sort of) that you soak in water overnight and put it on under whatever you are wearing. It won't make your clothes or skin wet but it sure does keep you a lot cooler when it it scorching out. One overnight soaking will keep it going for three days. You can soak it for an hour and it will last the riding day. They don't weigh much of anything and they are comfortable. The dealership is in Medford, Oregon. Will post the address and name when i find them.

Sounds very interesting... can't wait!

[Hindu1936]

The name is sixsixone core cooler. they are available from a bunch of shops all over the states. the manufacturer is in Medford, Oregon. I went online using the name on the vest and came up with several hundred hits. They really do live up to their advertisement about comfort. Old Woman likes to wear hers without water when it is cold because it helps keep her shoulders warm.

[Frank Warner]

In very hot places .. there is usally a lot of sunshine .. you will get sunburn if your skin is not covered.. and riding a bike you will not feel it as the wind cools your skin .. untill you stop for the night.

White is the best colour to ware as that relects most of the heat (note heat .. not light - two different things .. silver is not a good colour for heat!)


MetusUK -
1) how is the 'fit' of the jacket and pants? I've some HG jacket that is a little too long in the sleave..
2) vents .. the HG jacket I have is good for vents .. but the pants don't have good venting .. how is yours (they are different models .. so should be different)?

Hindu1936 - water can be in short supply in some parts .. so I'd not count on that method working everywhere .. and it does not work in high humiodity .. the tropics for instance .. just sayin.

[mollydog]

Why not go to school on the experts? That is, the guys who ride in extreme heat all the time. In the US we have a lot of desert and in our southern region, summers are very HOT and HUMID. We ride year round.

If you've never experienced SERIOUS humidity, then you may be in for a shock. Think survival mode.
Parts of Africa, Asia, much of Latin America can have serious humidity in their summer/rainy season's. So it's not just high heat you must deal with....its
debilitating humidity.

Check out what racers are wearing and use them as a guide.
In heat I wear a mesh/convertible padded Joe Rocket Alter Ego jacket with only a Moto X jersey under. This jacket has elbow, back and shoulder padding which is placed close to the rider (this is important!).

In super heat I simply wear a Long sleeve moto X jersey with only elbow pads.
Sometimes you have to ride at risk. TIP: Ride carefully! RTW riding is not for sissies! Soaking the clothing down is good but uses a lot of water. Cool vests are OK but mostly a cotton shirt works OK too.

Pants are a much easier solution. Moto X pants....high quality ones used with good knee pads, inner leg leather patches, and venting. These pants are quite good. I also wear a kind of bicycle short (EVS) with high quality hip and tail bone pads (foam) under my MotoX pants.

Moto X pants are vented, quite versatile and you only need a pair of light rain pants to stretch there window of operation much further if it cools down.
No expensive riding pants will match Moto pants in the heat. In normal temps I ride in leather pants.

I'm not talking about kit to ride round London or Scotland in. This is strickly
RTW type gear for hot weather...really hot weather...yet still some protection.

Also, be sure to plan your trip as best you can to avoid the hottest weather, worst rain, and coldest areas. Knowing world wide seasons and weather patterns will save your butt. I see so many Brits who come to visit the US at the WRONG time of year in the wrong place!

Good luck, this is not the hard part! It's the fun part!

Patrick

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by mollydog

Also, be sure to plan your trip as best you can to avoid the hottest weather, worst rain, and coldest areas. Knowing world wide seasons and weather patterns will save your butt.

The would be
Plan trip to avoid uncomfortable weather (too hot, too clod, too wet .. dry is ok, too windy, too dusty, too much lightening).

I have this idea of a GIF anamation - showing the world cycling through the months .. colours show too hot, too cold, too wet .. will work on that when I've the time .. ?

[DLbiten]

I have lived in Arizona it can get good and hot there. Looking stupid was the lest of problems heat exhaustion and heat stroke can kill you. Armoured mesh is a good way to go but have some thing light underneath the sun will burn you bad if you do not. For some grate meshMotoPort .
The vests you soak in water use Co-polymer polyacrylamide crystals they hold something like 80% its volume in water (used in holding water for plants some times and can found in some plant shops). There are many people that make vests and other items with the crystals get a good quality item they last a long time and can be used over and over.
Other tricks are personal misters there ok but a little hard to work. Misters and Mist Systems by Misty Mate. Put a hydration pack on the back under a net when you stop (stop a lot) dump some of the water on you, the water will be hotter than you may like to drink but wont shock your body like using cold water will. Drink lots of water a gallon or more a day stay off the coffee, tea, pop and alcohol. Find shade to rest in, rest often, ride hard in the early morning its coolest then (watch out for animals they move around most then to).

In the high humidity riding faster for short burst dont over do it or you will fatigue. Use coolmax COOLMAX® - Only by INVISTA or something like it the idea is to dry wet skin this drying will cool you down (harder the high the humidity). Eat spicy sweet food (more of a feeling cooler than cooling you down any).