Body armour

[mtk62]

I just bought some body armour from Amazon (£37) to try out whilst cycling.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BGH34K3M
In the cold weather it will provide some insulation.
Not sure when it's hot.

In the local cycle club 2 people have been seriously injured coming off their bikes (back injuries).
I believe that in both cases they were accidents not involving other vehicles.
One was a slip on black ice and landing on their spine - it involved an air ambulance.

[the0ni0nking]

I have, thankfully, only ever - as far as I can remember - come off my bike once without the involvement of another vehicle etc.

In my case, it was on a roundabout (in Spain) and as I signalled and went to take the first exit, my entire bike just slid away from under me. It was quite a busy roundabout and the Spanish are probably best described as "not the politest" drivers but thankfully the car behind me was able to stop without running me over thereby allowing me to rather sheepishly pick my pike up from the roundabout and trudge off to the side to inspect what if any damage had occurred.

Thankfully neither myself or the bike suffered any real damage and I was able to complete the cycle back home. While I didn't venture back into the roundabout to see what caused it, I can only assume it was some spilt oil or other similar substance. The moment when you feel your bike going and have no means to stop it is genuinely terrifying for that split second until you end up on the floor and hope that nothing has been broken/damaged.

Both this, and indeed your bike club members experiences are salutatory tales that things can go wrong with no-one else involved.

But having said all that - for me, that piece of kit looks a bit too much for the normal road cyclist and I'm not sure I'd like to wear that - especially in Spanish heat but those are the choices we each make. I do have a mountain bike and there are some "scary" tracks available near where we are but that type of riding which no doubt has more risk of falling off has never really appealed to me in the same way as road cycling.

[servodude]

It seems like a very specific piece of gear
- and I imagine it's of great use to the kind of cyclist it's designed for!

I currently only cycle about 100 miles a week as a commuter
- and have done similar for about 25 years (different continents, different jobs, different motives though)

The only real damage I ever did was due to a pair of toddlers about two years back - running out on a bike path, and causing me to shatter my elbow when I elected to stack the bike rather than run them over.
........ Bloody f*"*"ers (sorry for the swearing)
.. But the whole "this is my right arm, and it doesn't work" thing was almost enough to put me off riding

[Gerry557]

I suppose its one of those things you hope never to use/need a bit like insurance. I will be interested to get some feedback. Im more of a cross country type rider myself so hopefully wont need it but more and more places it might be useful. It might have saved a few broken ribs in north Wales a while back on one of the trails and urban bike parks are springing up with jumps.

I did arrange a meet with some in North Devon. Turned up in the car park, had a pre ride chat and when we were ready for the off they all started putting on body armour They say I would be fine but did some narly bits that I might have missed on my own. Fortunately I was on the full susser.

It reminds me of my mate trying to board a flight to Iraq. You are over the weight limit you are going to have to leave something behind. Ok he said, Ill leave my body armour, rifle and kevlar hat. Just get on, was the reply in a stern voice.

[mtk62]

I have fallen off the MTB at the back of Kedleston Hall on the farm track (no suspension).
I was going slowly and fell into long grass - no damage done - nobody to see either - which is normally more embarrassing.
Now that I'm over 60 I suspect that I will no longer bounce as a 20 year old.

My only breakage was my collar bone.
35 years ago - whilst on a bike slightly drunk getting ciggies from the local 24 hour garage.
I broke it coming off the kerb onto the forecourt after a 2 mile ride - sigh.
I was riding on the pavement as it was late night and I had no lights.
Entirely my own stupidity.
Gave up smoking not long after.

[Tedx]

Motorcycle riders have adopted clothing that inflates on impact via a device in the suit that knows when you've come to a sudden stop. Cheaper versions have a trigger wire that inflates when disconnected (generally as a result of the rider leaving the bike suddenly.

They don't appear to be all that bulky. Are there not similar things for pushbikes?

[mtk62]

There are but they are typically £500.
Unfortunately I suspect that you can also set them off accidentally - which knowing me is exactly what I'd do.
I suspect that motorcyclists will normally come off their bike at higher speeds.

The fastest I've ever managed is 82 kph - that was coming down Mt Keira in Oz - dual carriageway on a Sunday afternoon.
What was really scary was that when you hit a stone at that speed you are literally flying through the air as you leave the surface!
This was back in 87 - before I broke the collar bone back in the UK.

[mtk62]

I received the body armour yesterday.
I was surprised by how light it felt.
I haven't yet tried it out but hope to do so very soon.
I'll let you know how I get on with it.

[servodude]

I received the body armour yesterday.
I was surprised by how light it felt.
I haven't yet tried it out but hope to do so very soon.
I'll let you know how I get on with it.

Pics or it didn't happen

[didds]

The fastest I've ever managed is 82 kph - that was coming down Mt Keira in Oz - dual carriageway on a Sunday afternoon.
What was really scary was that when you hit a stone at that speed you are literally flying through the air as you leave the surface!

i suppose tghere is an element that once as a cyclist you are past a speed way lower than 82 kph (Ive managed 72 or so - 82 is awesome!) - as a suggestion 50 kph? - its all rather material. An accident above that sped is going to do damage whether 50 or 72 or 82. Ive come off at 50 kph. It hurt. But the bike was Ok. I eventually climbed back on and completed the triathlon, but in retrospect I dont recall must of the 2nd bike lap or the run!

[mtk62]

I'm always amazed at TdF riders that come down and want to get straight back on the bike.
I assume it's a combination of youth, adrenaline and the race.

The armour is intended for collisions with cars or just falling off in icy conditions.
You are correct that it's not going to help much at high speeds.

I have been wearing a helmet since returning from Oz in 87.
They were much more common there.

[James]

I'm always amazed at TdF riders that come down and want to get straight back on the bike.
I assume it's a combination of youth, adrenaline and the race.

Don't discount the fact that failing to finish a single leg within the alloted time puts you out of the whole race. There goes your rankings, completion bonus, and day job if you're not a major name in a team. When you consider the types of stress pros put their bodies under, putting up with some pain for a few hours in the knowledge that it will feel less bad tomorrow and that at least you'll still be in the running makes more sense than it might to us mere mortals.

[mtk62]

I remember reading in Tim Moore's hilarious French Revolutions "the average TdF rider dies 10 years earlier than the average man"!
I suspect that it's related to deaths on the road or drugs.
I also think that they wear their bodies out.

[Gerry557]

I'm amazed how many continue and get told to quit because they have broken something serious after having a scan.

It puts some of the footballers to shame.

[genou]

I'm amazed how many continue and get told to quit because they have broken something serious after having a scan.

It puts some of the footballers to shame.

This is nearly on topic. Martin Bayfield : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=761846541064915

[Gerry557]

I'm amazed how many continue and get told to quit because they have broken something serious after having a scan.

It puts some of the footballers to shame.

This is nearly on topic. Martin Bayfield : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=761846541064915

Made me chuckle

[UncleEbenezer]

The fastest I've ever managed is 82 kph - that was coming down Mt Keira in Oz - dual carriageway on a Sunday afternoon.
What was really scary was that when you hit a stone at that speed you are literally flying through the air as you leave the surface!

i suppose tghere is an element that once as a cyclist you are past a speed way lower than 82 kph (Ive managed 72 or so - 82 is awesome!) - as a suggestion 50 kph? - its all rather material. An accident above that sped is going to do damage whether 50 or 72 or 82. Ive come off at 50 kph. It hurt. But the bike was Ok. I eventually climbed back on and completed the triathlon, but in retrospect I dont recall must of the 2nd bike lap or the run!

72 or 82 on the flat would be awesome.

On the downhill, if you have a made surface and good lines of sight, you can freewheel it.

On Pork Hill, which is part of my local stomping-ground, cyclists routinely go faster than that. Indeed, it's hard not to, and on an occasion when I arrived at the top of it and found a "temporary road surface" that would've made it truly lethal, I diverted to a much longer off-road route.

[didds]

On the downhill, if you have a made surface and good lines of sight, you can freewheel it.
.

which is the only time Ive done 70+ kph!

People like Cavendish et al may approach that on the flat for 100m or so

[mtk62]

It turns out that the body armour is impractical for cycling.
It appears that it is likely perfect for motorbiking.

What I need is a backpack with spine protection (EN1621-2).
These appear to cost about £150-£200.
The Evoc ones are tailoured to one's torso length.

I cycle longer rides with a backpack (2 hours or more) - did one yesterday lunch time.

[mtk62]

I bought an Evoc FR Freeride Trail Protector Blackline Backpack in M/L.
The size is according to back length - though it appears that height is a good indicator too.
There are more pockets than I would normally use!
I managed to get it for £164 including a £10 reduction for Xmas.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Evoc-FR-Freeride-Trail-Protector-Blackline-Backpack_90313.htm

In theory the back protector is replaceable - though you need to return it to Evoc for this.
I'm hoping that I never need to.