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From: pweiss@sun.uucp (Paul Weiss)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: black leathers, alternatives.
Message-ID: <3336@sun.uucp>
Date: Mon, 10-Mar-86 00:19:11 EST
Article-I.D.: sun.3336
Posted: Mon Mar 10 00:19:11 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Mar-86 22:01:57 EST
References: <1888@cbosgd.UUCP>
Reply-To: pweiss@sun.UUCP (Paul Weiss)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Lines: 21
Keywords: hot

Just a quick comment on non-leather riding gear.  The stuff is very
attractive in some respects, given leather's expense and sweaty summer
rides.  But, please avoid nylon materials like a plague.  When you hit the
ground at speed, it melts.  Getting your ass rubbed off by the pavement is
bad enough, but spending days picking tiny globes of re-hardened nylon from
the wound considerably dampens one's enthusiasm for the miracles of modern
chemistry.

One alternative to leather which is still OK in even really hot weather is
heavy canvas.  I'm not talking about blue jeans, here, though they are better
than normal dress slacks.  The stuff I mean is like the padded Carhart
stuff, or the canvas stuff which is made for gas welders.  There is also
some GI surplus canvas stuff around.  I bought two pairs of aircraft carrier
deck overalls in the early 60's, and dumped it at 65 m.p.h in 1970 wearing
one pair.  They got trashed, but they saved my hindquarters, and didn't melt
or burn.

It's got to get above 100 degrees nowadays before I bag my leathers and drop
back to second best.  Second best is lots worse.  You'll almost always get
hurt somehow when you fall down, even if it's only getting banged up.
Losing skin is almost always avoidable.