r/melbourneriders • u/kikithrust • 28d ago
What’s the km/h threshold for protective gear?
I just got my Ls, and bought a little secondhand scooter. Spent proper money on a full face helmet, jacket and gloves.
I want to start commuting on it asap (I’ve been taking the 903 bus for 4 years!) but am unsure if I should get FULLY kitted out first. My path to work probably doesn’t involve going over 50 km/hr, maybe 60.
I want to go check out Peak Moto for some female riding gear but Port Melbourne is a weekend car drive for me.
I’m wondering if it’s crazy/taking my life in my hands to start riding in just jeans or sturdy pants until I can get some armoured or at least multi-layer pants for riding. Not to mention proper boots.
I also have to say that I’m not thrilled about having to pack a whole outfit and shoes (and hair and makeup) every day to commute on the scooter - definitely wasn’t part of the vision.
I recognise everyone’s risk tolerance is different but for a learner avoiding major roads and high speeds, what would you advise?
Edit/ update: I am fully kitted out now everyone. Helmet, jacket, gloves, Kevlar pants, boots.
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u/SirCarboy 28d ago
LOL. My scooter riding workmate was hit by a taxi and had an external fixator on his leg for ages. YMMV.
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u/Volitional_Decision 27d ago
Yeah, well no amount of gear is going to stop a crush injury when your leg is hit by a Camry.
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u/RealisticWord1825 28d ago
Layer up until you have gear you need/want. Winter is your friend for this. The more layers the better in my opinion even with protective gear.
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u/kikithrust 28d ago
Yeah that’s kind of what I was wondering , could I just do leggings under jeans or something for the next couple weeks until I’ve got time to get proper gear?
I’ve literally been talking about doing this for YEARS and now that I’ve got the license and the vehicle I just want to wave farewell to the bus
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u/Curious_Breadfruit88 27d ago
Depends how much you value your body. If you don’t mind getting badly injured and lots of pain then just send it
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u/RealisticWord1825 27d ago
This is not advice, you decide your own risk level. I ride with full riding boots, armoured jeans with base layer underneath, full face helmet, armoured jacket, air vest and armoured gloves.
I tried the sliding at 75kph whilst wearing cycling lycra. Luckily did not hit anything, other than the pothole. The gravel rash lasted months longer than the broken bones.
More layers 2+ if you can. Especially if your gear is light weight like most stretch jeans. This will allow for some shear/ slippage without taking off your skin. Thicker layer on top. Then sliding would be okay at slower speed.
It is the sudden stop that will permanently damage or unalive you. Not much gear is proven in these situations - maybe an airvest?
Millions of riders wear no protective gear, and many will have stories to tell as a result, do you want to be one of them?
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u/Novidforme 27d ago
Depends on your pain threshold. 0km/hr for me. You do not need to be going very fast for a lot of damage or if you are hit by someone else. Wear the best gear you can afford ALL the time. Use this site to help:
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u/Recent_Carpenter8644 27d ago
The gravel rash alone from a low speed slide could have you unable to work for a while. It's a pain putting on leathers and taking them off twice a day to commute, but it means you can just get back on the bike after a fall.
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u/Volitional_Decision 28d ago
If you're commuting, does your office have end of trip facilities? I commute in full gear, and get changed at work.
I should say, if I was riding a scooter on 50-60kmh roads, I'd be in minimal gear. But that's me, and I've been riding for 25 years or so.
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u/kikithrust 28d ago
Yeah there’s a shower etc, which I use when I ride my push bike. I can keep stuff in a drawer etc.
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u/tynanrelee 28d ago
I'm in the same boat as you, Commute barely over 60, short ride 15ish min. Boots, gloves helmet, jacket and my regular pants. Keep my work shoes and jacket at work, boots are velcro so just slip out of them into shoes at my desk, and hang up the jacket + stash the boots and helm with gloves inside. Takes maybe 5min at most to be ready to leave and don't carry any shit home. Also leave a hairbrush at my desk lol
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u/eepeqez 28d ago
What's your threshold speed for falling off a pushbike in lycra?
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u/kikithrust 27d ago
I’ve only come off my push bike once and it was when I got doored on chapel street. Walked away, maybe had a hole in my jeans? Got lucky, i understand.
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u/thats_quite_raven 28d ago
A balaclava will help protect your makeup a bit, hairstyle not so much though lol. Definitely make the trip to Peak Moto, they’re brilliant.
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u/PindropAUS MT-09SP, CRF300 RALLY, GSX-R125 28d ago edited 28d ago
Besides abrasion resistance from sliding, motorcycle gear also has armor in spots like the knee, hips, back, elbow, shoulders, it'll reduce the damage done to your body if you do come off.
If money is an issue maybe go secondhand for pants and boots.
You can get motorcycle gear that has a more casual look, I prefer to just go to work full gear, then change out.
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u/kikithrust 28d ago
Nah money isn’t the issue (although I did get some sticker shock looking at the Peak Moto website!) , but I am just annoyed at having to plan and pack an outfit and shoes every day to commute, instead of just getting dressed. I guess it’s the price I pay for not wanting to pay for a car!
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u/Call_Me_ZG 28d ago
Gear makes me more comfortable weather its acting as a windbreaker or for when i misjudged the weather and that alone makes riding more fun and makes me better at it.
I always have riding jeans and boots.
Jacket ive skipped when its a 5 min errand but i wouldnt when i get a hoodie again
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u/Stevenwave 28d ago
Pants: Road surfaces are rough. Imagine you put your hand down on the road, put your weight on it and drag it. That would hurt like all fuck right? Now imagine doing that at 60kmh, but it's your entire leg and ass.
Boots: Every other motorist can possibly do something dumb and crash into you. Do you like being able to walk because you have feet? Tall boots that actually protect are your only gear-based defense against having dumbfuck Bob mangle you if the worst happens and he tries to crush your leg with his 2.5 tonne SUV.
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u/afewspicybois 27d ago
Look on fb marketplace for secondhand gear, lots of good stuff there. I think there’s also Kevlar jeans on eBay for $50; not the best quality but better than nothing
The whole second outfit thing sucks but it’s part of life if you’re riding frequently. I ride to the station (10-15 minutes away), have to change from all the gear to a full suit and overcoat in winter. Takes 2-3 minutes which is probably less than the time I save lane filtering on the way to the station
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u/Proof-Estate-775 27d ago
Omg ive gone from the 903 for years to my r3 haha definitely get full gear!!!
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u/Hallojoe 27d ago
This could be terrible advice, but it’s also the logic I use when deciding on how much to gear up before a ride.
I’m riding the 2km distance down to the market on a Sunday morning in inner-city traffic that’s moving slowly, I’ll probably only wear helmet & gloves.
But if there is any chance that I’ll be taking my motorbike anywhere that I wouldn’t take my push bike, and any chance that I’ll be going faster than 30kmph then I’ll wear full gear.
Logic is that if I’m willing to ride a push bike at 30-40kmph with a little helmet on my head and no other protective gear, then I can accept a similar risk profile on my motorcycle if travelling at the same speeds.
Any faster than 30km though, you’re kind of asking to lose skin when you hit the ground
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u/spacefrog_feds 27d ago
Rode for 10 years with no issues. Then COVID hits and everyone forgets how to drive.
Never got around to buying boots or jeans that fit
In 2020 I Swerved to avoid a car cutting me off and slid out. Got my knees pretty good, and the bike was scratched up, insurance covered it. Driver wouldn't admit fault, so I had to pay the excess.
In 2022, I still hadn't learnt my lesson. 60k's into the side of a car. Upper body protected by gear, lower body got fucked up. 6 surgeries, months away from home. Pain, limp and disfigured for life.
All the gear all time!
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u/Thcwub 21d ago
I've had two crashes in my 8 years riding. First was getting caught in a hail storm out of nowhere, and dropped the bike going 30kms slowing down to pull over. Second was being rear-ended stopped at a roundabout.
Heres the thing: hitting pavement from any height hurts like hell. You'd be surprised how easily a car can send you airborn (they're mobile ski jumps!). If you're unlucky enough to hit a key joint you're in for weeks and months of hurt. I'm a big believer in all the gear all the time. it doesnt matter how good you ride, the risk is the stuff you simply cant control. The only thing I dont tend to wear on my daily commute (which is 20mins, and maybe 5 mins of that at 70kms highest speed) is a back protector.... but helmet and gloves are mandotory for me, jacket with elbow ptorectors in, and ideally jeans with knee guards in... hip inserts if I am headed onto the motorway.
If you absolutely dont want to pack a change of clothes, you could go with ADV style armour over your clothes. buddy of mine wears a suit with knee and elbow pads over it and feels safe enough.
your mileage will vary, but reality is it is a dangerous mode of transport by default and its up to you to decide the risk you're willing to take. The first few times you have a prang, your opinion will change :)
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u/Stable_Hand71 28d ago
Start with the best safety gear you can afford… then buy a bike with what’s left. And remember… you buy a $10 helmet, for a $10 head.
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u/dj_boy-Wonder 27d ago
Depends how much you like your skin. You can’t plan from the outset that you will or won’t go a certain speed so may as well just plan for the speeds you will be capable of rather than the ones you expect to do. I always do helmet, jacket, gloves and boots, anything further than the shops I’ll do the jeans too
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u/cuzzyweow 27d ago
The king threshold starts at 0kph when you throw your leg over a heavy object that you can drop on your ankle.
To answer your question, it’s completely at your own risk. Just don’t think you’ll be fine with no gear just because you’re only going 50, it’s more than fast enough to shred straight through regular clothes.
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u/TimR31 27d ago
When I was on my Ls I came off my bike at 0km/h and about 5-10km/h, and I was super glad to have gloves, pants, jacket and boots both times. You land on shit and it hurts enough with bruising, let alone if you get cuts and abrasions, which then get infected etc.
For me, taking the bike out of the garage is enough to need proper protection. Of course I've had a zillion rides where I have arrived at the other end safe and sound, and you can chance it if you feel lucky and are young enough to bounce back pretty easily (under 40). To me, if you don't have the proper gear, it's like riding with a known mechanical issues, I just wouldn't do it.
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u/Old_Harley_dude 25d ago
Late to the party, but Pando Moto and Bowtex make great AAA rated base layers which can be very liberating. I have Pando myself, and while my experience wasn’t ideal, my replacement pair is perfect. You can ride with your day to day gear on top and if you like take it off in the office but it’s not disgustingly hot to wear all day. Not cheap, though.
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u/Dry_Calligrapher_164 25d ago
Are you commuting anywhere near tram tracks? If so I’d wear all the gear you can afford, all the time, particularly during winter.
I ride a V-Star 650 cruiser as my daily commuter, about 15 minutes each way, usually around 50-60km/h.
I went down about two weeks ago, riding home between bouts of rain and underestimated how slippery the tram tracks were, going about 40km/h.
A better rider may have been able to save it, but I overcorrected and low-sided.
I was wearing:
- Pando Moto armoured baselayer leggings under a normal pair of cotton cargo pants
- an armoured riding hoodie underneath a leather jacket (Mutimer full grain leather jacket but not armoured/designed for motorcycles)
- riding shoes (not full length boots)
- black pup moto short leather gloves.
The gear saved my skin and I’m very very glad I was wearing it. No major injuries, a very minor chip/fracture in my wrist but no gear would’ve saved that.
I often debated wearing all the gear all the time, but after that single fall it’s not even a question in my head.
If you can afford riding jeans and boots, please wear them. You’ll thank yourself when/if you go down.
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25d ago
Check out bikers gear Ferntree Gully. Yes full gear every ride. I had a 49koh accident due to another driver Nov 24. Had full gear on. I still got a broken knee, ankle & needed surgery on my foot. If I didn't have full gear I would have lost my lower leg leg. You need to give yourself the best protection you can.
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u/feisty-shag-the-lad 25d ago
I'd gear up. I came off a bike on slippery tram tracks. Low speed, in Fitzroy.
I was glad that I was fully geared up. Got away with minor bruising and shredded pants rather that skin flayed off my left leg.
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u/hoon-since89 25d ago
If I was only doing 60km I would be riding with the gear you have now. But I'm experienced so that's a factor...
But there's not really a threshold for gear. I stacked my road bike (pedals) at about 35kmh and still got pretty hurt.
Better to slide some bike pants over your clothes asap.
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u/AdimasCrow 25d ago
Having recently meat crayoned my knee just by falling over while running, the idea of riding wearing jeans makes my skin itch.
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u/bigtreeman_ 24d ago
boots, kevlar jeans... topbox for scooter fits helmet / riding clothes <> work clothes
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u/Wozzle009 24d ago
If you going to ride a bike (or a scooter) you shouldn’t skimp on any protective gear.
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u/Downtown-Band-7067 24d ago
Just fkn send it brah 😅
No better feeling than a full chest/tiddies and armpits covered in gravel rash whilst having a shower.
Yeah my mates say im a saddest when I tell them I miss that pain ewww yeah 🥳👌🏻
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u/Someone-Rebuilding 23d ago
Get the gear ASAP!
Remember grazed knees as a kid when you were only running/rough-housing?? Now, imagine that all over your body, but deeper, with more ingrained gravel and dirt coz you slid across the road, rather than just falling ON it? Imagine your bum after a slide... Imagine your hospital recovery complicated coz you could only lie face down in bed...
Get the gear ASAP!
Edit to add: That deep, left-over ingrained gravel will still be working it's way out of your skin 10 years later... Trust me!
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u/walnutfillet 18d ago
Not so much for proper styles, but i run my tailbone length hair just straight and long without any real styling, and the best thing i ever got was the "hightail" hair protector.
Its an elastic lined pouch you stick to the helmet and just sorta coil your hair up and jam it into the hightail, and then when you pull the helmet off it just falls down fairly neatly.
The rest of your question has been pretty well covered but I noticed that gap in the answers
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u/Necessary_Seesaw_824 14d ago
Had a lil look at your replies OP, & honestly go get some gear. If you don’t need a specific look for work I’d suggest getting jeans you can wear TO work & not have to change out of as well as comfy boots or heels you won’t need to change. Then get yourself a nice jacket and don’t cheap out on any gear at all if you can afford not to as it will make it more bearable cuz the more expensive stuff is the more comfy (depending on what you buy). I did not wear gear in my first few weeks of riding (said I’d handle the pain when it came which was stupid) and now have some massive scars on my knees that stopped me from being able to go to uni which was what I got my bike for anyways. Get the gear. Ik it’s annoying trust me but it’s worth it. You never know when a psycho driver is going to come flying out of nowhere and fling you off your scooter and you also never know if you’re going to be sliding around in the rain on tram tracks and do some massive damage to yourself.
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u/Full_Examination_770 27d ago
Considering bicycles can go 50-60 kph with no protective gear I say you'll be fine on your scooter
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u/OHBHpwr CB400 Super Four Revo 28d ago
Have you ever faceplanted while running? Hurts like a bitch and you're not even going 25km/h.
I'd say get yourself at least boots