AGATT Redefined

Most motorcyclists have heard the acronym "AGATT" used at one point or another and from what I have seen, even more don't care. For those who don't know...it means All Gear All The Time. This means wearing ALL of your gear...jeans are not gear...tennis shoes or work boots are not gear...a back protector with a t-shirt only partial gear...and so forth. Some may argue these points but this is where you begin to argue what "gear" really is.

I didn't start out practicing AGATT. I used to wear jeans on every ride along with tactical boots (you know the black high tops that they sell in sporting good stores). I did however reevaluate things a bit and thought back to when I rode bicycles as a kid. One of the most memorable crashes happened when I was going full speed down a slide grade and hit a nasty little bump. It wasn't much but enough to knock my foot off the pedal and then subsequently throw me over the handle bars and sliding down the black top. A VERY nice woman pulled over, put me in the passenger seat and my bike in the back. I arrived on my parents door step covered in blood from head to toe. The clothes (jeans, long sleeve shirt) I was wearing were worn right through and I still have some nasty scars to this day as a reminder. Now the eye opener here is that I was only going about 15 mph when I hit the ground. I don't even go that slow in a parking lot. Considering the flow of traffic on most of the streets here is about 40-45 and the freeway can be around 75-80...consider what you would go through if you hit the ground in jeans, a t-shirt, open face helmet, etc! If for any reason you still think its OK to ride in jeans and a t-shirt I have a test for you...put on what you would normally wear to ride and walk out to the street. Run as fast as you can and then jump arms out onto the pavement like you just got thrown off the bike. I guarantee you will bleed and considering you were going less than 10mph...just multiply that pain and damage by the speed you normally ride.

So now that I have been riding AGATT, I've realized that not all gear is created equal and you really do get what you pay for. I think its easy for all of us to see the difference between a pair of $10 gloves and a pair of $100 gloves...but did you bother to look at the $369 pair of Dainese? You probably saw the price and never looked twice...at least that's what I did. However last weekend Cycle Gear was having a big clearance sale and I ended up with a Dainese Laguna Seca one piece race suit for 40% off. After that first ride in the suit I realized I couldn't go back. My $80 Cortech gloves and my $120 Icon boots just don't cut it anymore. They are decent gear but if and when I go down, do I want that protecting me, or the best I can afford to buy? Maybe I spend a bit more than I can afford because the hospital visit and any residual injuries due to lack of good gear is going to end up costing me a lot more, right?

So now where do I stand? Well...I am going to keep my Scorpion Stinger leather jacket and Scorpion pants for my commutes to work. I have a Dainese G2 slip in back protector in my Scorpion Jacket and the jacket seems pretty durable so I think I am good there. I am going to upgrade to some Sidi race boots...probably the Vertigos. I actually have the Alpinestars MX-Plus sitting next to me now (GREAT boot) but the 48 is too small for my size 14's. I'm also going to ditch the Cortech gloves and go with a pair of Held Phantoms or Pole Positions. Unfortunately I can't wear the race suit to work...if you've ever worn one, you understand. The other thing is that I expect this gear to last longer than what I currently have. The Held gloves should last me a couple years compared to the 1 year I am getting out of the Cortechs...so in all I get a far superior glove at probably less money in the end.

Looking back, I bought most of my gear based on price. Like most of us, I had a specific amount i was willing to spend on something and I got the best in that range. I've realized that this is probably not the best way to go. Look at things long term and how the gear is going to serve you. Its meant to protect you and in some cases save your life. Pick the best gear for you (which wont always be the most expensive), not your wallet, and then save for it.