Riding Vests

[Ol'Skool]

I bought one for to and from work -4 mile ride on the +85 degree days. Any one else have one or thought about getting one ? Would it be frowned upon on group rides?

[64BonnieLass]

Previous comment retracted as I read the above incorrectly.

[tecknojoe]

The reason some people don't like it on group rides is because IF you crash and you aren't wearing good gear, their chance of having to deal with an angry bloody person over just an angry person is greater. Generally it's common courtesy to show up in full gear.

[Think]

IMHO, it doesn't get hot enough in CO to not wear all your gear, but that's just me. It's been hitting 95+ with ridiculous humidity here in AL and I'm still wearing all my gear. It sucks, but I'd rather sweat than bleed. Pretty sure there's also some decent mesh gear out there that should keep you cool. That vest is better than nothing, that's for sure.

[64BonnieLass]

Gotcha. I read that completely wrong then. I assumed it was something to go under or over existing gear for extra protection. Not as a stand alone.

Um yea...I retract. :-)

I still think it's a good looking vest. And it does look comfortable. I like it. Just not as stand-alone riding gear. I'm not even gonna say what Bueller hates to hear regarding my ideals on gear, but on a group ride, I would agree that being "polite" is a good idea.

[Bueller]

If that's what you want to wear then by all means do so, the group rides posted on here are public invite, if they want to be snobby about gear they usually state it. I see guy's show up in jeans and tennis shoes and no one says shit.
Now when you get in the hills and start getting pelted with rain, hail, grasshoppers, big freakin' prehistoric flying creatures, rocks, small and medium birds, and more rocks then you might want some adequate protection. The temp drops as you gain elevation so there is not a lot of "hot" riding going on in the best of the Colorado roads, and if you get out of Dodge in the early am you don't deal with the heat until you get home.

[Vellos]

It gets cooler up in the mountains and I've never minded the heat in black leather while riding. Stopping maybe, but the Under Armour HeatGear (http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/heatgear-compression/mens/pid1201166-Men-s-HeatGear-174-Full-T/1201166-410) is pretty amazing.


big freakin' prehistoric flying creatures

:lol:

[asp_125]

I have a riding vest, it's a phase change gel vest that I wear under my mesh for those really hot days in August. Keeps me cool for the afternoon commutes. I soak it in cold tap water, and by the end of my 1/2hr commute my shirt's dry.

4 miles? You need cooling, seriously? That's barely enough to break a sweat.

[Ol'Skool]

Points taken. I think it was more of a convenience thing to just throw it on and go to work. I was down last summer so I know the importance of good gear.
very good, carry on.