This Is Jersey

SKIN is pretty clever stuff, but it tends to come off second best to tarmac when the two come into contact at high speed.

As the banners and posters around the Island as part of a road safety campaign make clear, there is nothing cool about coming off a bike wearing shorts, a T-shirt or a mini-skirt. You are likely to suffer serious injuries and permanent scarring.

The question is, what should riders be wearing? Luckily, there is no shortage of choice here in Jersey, with many specialist bike shops offering a huge range of gear. The days of the tasselled leather jacket are well in the past.

These days you can buy protective clothing that, once you park and walk away, will not make you look like an old rocker.

Bikers, in Georgetown, are stockists of makes including Alpinestars, RST and RSR, Motorama sell Tucano Urbano and Furygan clothing, Tucano Urbano specialise in motorbike gear that looks more than street or office wear, and Bob’s Motorcycles are agents for Spada and Spyke.

What to look for when you are buying protective clothing
The first rule of thumb is to check that it carries a recognised safety standard mark. Symbols include the British Safety standard kite mark and the equivalent Πand CE logos.

It should have a full lining that is detachable from the outer shell, so it will be useful in winter and summer.

It should have double thickness on the shoulders, elbows and on the underside of the arm from the elbow to the wrist. There should also be some sort of impact protection system or armour in those areas, as well as down the back to protect the spine. Check the seams, too – a good jacket will have several rows of stitches, many of which will be covered to protect against the sun and from general wear and tear.

Then think about what else you need the article of clothing for, apart from protection. For example, consider whether it needs to keep you warm and dry and when it will make you more visible to other road users. If you are riding in predominantly hot places, make sure it has ventilation holes.

Then there is the big question: Should I go for leather or a man-made material?

The general consensus is that good old-fashioned cow hide is hard to beat when it comes to protection and abrasion resistance if you have a spill. Sheepskin and goatskin clothing is also available, but these are thinner and do not offer the same level of protection as bovine leather.

Tests have shown that average-weight denim, such as that used to make a pair of normal jeans, has one tenth the abrasion resistance of cow leather.

Synthetic materials available as alternatives to leather include Cordura and Kevlar. Ask the dealer to explain how resistant a garment is and check that it has been tested to a standard such as EN 13595. As a guide, the heavier and thicker it is, the more protection it is likely to provide.

Always try clothing on
Check whether it is too tight or too baggy, and whether the impact protectors are in the right place (make sure the arms are not too long and the elbow armour is not dangling down your arm somewhere). Put helmet, boots and gloves on and simulate a driving position to see if it is comfortable.

Also, once you start riding, remember not to carry bulky or sharp objects in pockets and always have jackets done up properly. Finally, remember that no clothing makes you totally bomb-proof, so ride carefully.

Helmets
Helmets should always be done up tightly. It is also important to think about whether it is advisable to buy one with a tinted visor, as they make it hard to see properly at night.

It is important that visors and goggles are kept clean and replaced if they become heavily scratched. Scratches may distort your view, cause dazzle from oncoming vehicle headlights or sun glare.

Remember, too, that open-face helmets might look and feel cool in the summer, but if you come off and slide along the tarmac face-down, you could end up with some horrific and entirely preventable injuries.

It is also advised to wear earplugs to protect your ears from high noise levels.

Helmets need to be stored safely, as dropping them can render them much less effective. Try to keep your lid in a helmet bag (a pillow case would do fine) to prevent
chipping.

Gloves
Gloves are a must because it is your hands that go down first when you drop your bike. Remember picking the gravel out as a child in the school playground? Well, hitting the deck at umpteen miles-per-hour is rather more painful than that.

It is just as important to keep your hands warm, so always remember to wear a good pair. Leather gloves are probably best. Look for extra protection on the exposed areas, such as the palms and knuckles.

Generally, you get what you pay for. Some gloves will have built-in armour and Kevlar stitching, which will help to protect against impact and abrasion, but some armour can make the glove uncomfortable. It is very important that the gloves fit properly as well as providing protection.

Boots
Boots can seem a bit of an expensive extra, but if you are serious about your safety they are a must. It is important that they fit well and feel comfortable on the bike.

You’ll need to be able to operate the gears and brakes easily, so if you get the chance to sit on a bike with them, check how they feel on the pegs. Proper bike boots will give protection on the exposed areas and may have armour to protect the shins, ankles and toes.

If you can’t spare the cash for bike boots, then cargo, army or walking boots are better than nothing.