Video: Lemmy, Spurgeon, and Joe discuss the gear they won't ride without

Supporters of ATGATT argue that every time you get on a bike, you should be wearing all your gear. Five-mile trip or five-day expedition, doesn’t matter. All the gear, all the time. That typically means everything’s covered, so we’re talking helmet, gloves, jacket, pants, and boots. That’s a lot of gear to purchase and wear for some folks. Even so, the ATGATT rider maximizes protection to minimize their perceived risk of injury while riding. 

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of motorcyclists who don’t subscribe to this idea, for a variety of reasons. Other riders have a few pieces of gear they’ll never leave behind, keeping a flexible attitude towards the rest. Everyone has their own take on what gear to ride with, and that spurs a spirited discussion between Lemmy, Spurgeon, and Joe in the latest episode of Highside/Lowside.

I’ve got to side with Joe on helmet-every-time-I-ride. I take gloves pretty seriously as well, since I kinda need my hands to type all these stories... and to keep my fleet of junk bikes rolling. In general, you’ll find me pretty well geared up every time I ride. Working at RevZilla has some perks!

There are a few other, smaller pieces of gear beyond apparel that I typically roll with. Safety gear isn’t just helmets, armor, and Kevlar. 

First is earplugs. I may leave them out for a short trip, but if I’m going to be experiencing sustained noise, I think it’s best to plug ‘em up. Even if you ride a quiet motorcycle with a full face lid, wind noise can do some real damage to your ears. A professor of mine developed tinnitus from a combination of riding and loud music, and he never found a way to permanently stop the ringing. I’d like to avoid that, so earplugs it is. Pinlock makes my current favorites, which come with a thin case to store them while you’re off the bike. Lost earplugs don’t really help. Like a few other options on the market, the Pinlock plugs use filters to cut wind noise without totally blocking your exhaust note, intake honk, or Bluetooth audio. Fancy!

One other bit of safety gear I never forget is a spare set of contact lenses. If one falls out, I’m in trouble. If I lose both, I’m basically out of options. Why risk it? I keep a spare set in my jacket pocket just in case, because riding without clear vision is not something I’m willing to do, ever.

We all make choices when we ride, including our gear. Maybe you align with one of our hosts, maybe you don’t. I’m not going to tell you what to ride with, because these are decisions we all need to make for ourselves. 

Seriously, though, earplugs are great. Consider trying some earplugs.

Listen to Highside/Lowside

The Highside / Lowside podcast returns for another episode. As usual, the podcast version of Lemmy, Spurgeon, and Joe's conversation offers an uncut listening experience for an even deeper discussion. Highside/Lowside is available via Spotify, Apple iTunes, Stitcher, LibSyn, and Google Play Music for those with accounts.